"NO!" he screamed loudly at the top of his lungs. He fell to his knees on the floor.
"What?" Elaine asked him, panic in her eyes. Her and Zac were still behind Taylor. They were standing at such an angle that they could not see into the actual room. Elaine pushed the door open all the way. She gasped and ran in. Zac saw the sight and stood frozen, still behind Taylor.
Brooke lay on the floor. Isaac was lying on top of her, pressing down on her chest, face down. A knife was in his back.
"You guys! Help me out here!" Elaine hollered. She was now kneeling beside Isaac. Zac came rushing over.
"We need to move Ike off of her. He's crushing her lungs!" she exclaimed. "First, let's get the knife out of his back."
"No, don't take it out. It could cause him to bleed to death," Taylor said, raising his head up. He began to stand.
"Well, then help us move him!" Elaine hollered. Taylor gathered himself quickly and jogged to them. He took a position by Isaac.
"On three. One, two, three!" Taylor instructed. On three they were able to move Isaac off of Brooke.
"Okay, umm... now we need to stop the bleeding on Brooke," Elaine told them.
"And just forget about Ike?" Zac asked.
"Just for a minute. Just so we can get Brooke situated. That's all," Elaine told him, reaching a hand out to touch his shoulder. He shrugged her arm off.
"No! You don't care about Isaac! You want him to die! Admit it!" Zac shrieked.
"Zac, I do not but I also don't have time to deal with you," Elaine replied.
"Now would you please help me with Brooke?" She asked. Zac looked at her with disgust and rage.
"Please!" she pleaded. Zac shook his head "no".
"Come on Elaine. I'll help you," Taylor piped in.
"Thank you," she replied.
Zac knelt by Isaac and began to mumble. Elaine nor Taylor could tell what he was saying, but they had more important things to do.
"We need something to put under her head to help clot the blood or soemthing," Elaine said. Taylor rushed into the bathroom but returned empty handed.
"Nothing," he reported back.
"Not even a towel?" Elaine asked. Taylor shook his head. Elaine sighed and began to scan the room. She turned back to Taylor just as he was beginning to take his shirt off.
"What are you doing?" Elaine asked.
"I'm gonna put my shirt under her head," Taylor replied, taking it off completely. He handed it to Elaine who stuffed it under Brooke's head.
"Hopefully this will help stop her bleeding," Elaine said, standing up. "Ike," she said, turning to Taylor. Taylor nodded. They went over to where Zac was sitting by Isaac, stroking his hair. Elaine knelt down beside Zac.
"Hey, think me and Taylor could get in here and see what we can do?" Elaine said quietly to Zac.
"NO! Murderer!" Zac shrieked.
"What?" Elaine asked, puzzled.
"You have something to do with this! I know you do!" he screamed.
"Zac, calm down! You know that's not true!" Taylor told him.
"Please Zac, let me try and help," Elaine said, beginning to rub Zac's back to calm him. He turned around and smacked her across the face. Before Elaine or Taylor had time to react, Zac was already out the door. Taylor stood up to chase after him.
"Taylor, I need you to help me with Isaac. Zac will be okay. Please, I need you here," Elaine pleaded with him. Taylor glanced at the door,sighed, then knelt down beside Elaine.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" she said to him. He nodded.
"Looks like we're gonna have to risk taking the knife out of him," Taylor said. Elaine touched the handle of the knife jabbed in Isaac's back. She began to shake.
"I can't do it," she said, tears forming in her eyes. Taylor wrapped his hand around hers.
"We'll do it together," he replied. He bit his bottom lip and they tugged on the knife. No budge. Elaine sighed.
"I don't have any strength left," Elaine sobbed.
"Look at me!" Taylor told her. She turned her face to his. "Yes you do! You know you do! You are not going to quit on me now. Forget it. We're in this together. You can do it. We can do it," Taylor told her. He tightened his grip around her hand and he felt her hand tighten around the knife handle. "And pull!" Taylor commanded.

Chapter 10

Take Me Home