12 Minutes (#2 in Military series)

Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Marc's eyes shot open in panic, his skin turning a deep shade of red as he struggled against the thick tubing that clogged up his throat. The blanket over his body felt heavy and restricting as he tried to kick away at it but found his limbs slow to respond.

"Marc?" Jules whispered in shock as she just stared at him for a moment and the way his brown eyes darting back and forth around the room, looking at each of them. The machine's alarms were still blaring around the room but it was nothing more than a distant buzz to Jules as she could only see Marc but as she watched him her joy turned to fear as she saw his throat beginning to bulge and the way he was thrashing about in the bed as he raised his hands towards the tubing.

"No, Marc! Wait!" She reached forward to grab his arm before it ripped the breathing apparatus from his body and caused further damage, "Just relax," She begged him as she managed to pin one of his arms back down by his side. She went to reach for the other but Carlos had already appeared on the opposite side to do it for her. They restrained him just as his doctor and a handful of nurses rushed into the room. Jules was aware of one of the nurses behind her silencing the alarms.

"It's okay Lieutenant," The doctor called out as he pushed in front of Marc and grabbed Marc's hand forcefully and holding it down by his sides. The doctor looked at Jules to see if she was okay and she just nodded so he turned back to Marc, "Just breathe normally Lieutenant and we'll get it out for you now. Nurse," The doctor nodded to a blonde lady beside him who placed herself behind Marc, tilted his head back and slowly extracted the tubing from his mouth. The tube looked as long as her arm and she hated the way she could hear Marc gagging around it until he took a loud gasp of air and all she could think about was how long she had wished to hear that.

Releasing her grip on his wrist she slid her hand into his when he pulled his arm back abruptly leaving her stood with her hand resting on the bed cover. She didn't understand when she felt a hand squeeze her shoulder from behind her and she turned to see Carlos's eyes brimming with tears of happiness and relief. Everything she felt was reflected in his gaze and she could not help but turn and hug him tightly.

"He's going to be okay," Carlos sighed into her ear as he wrapped his arms around her waist and almost lifted her off the ground in pure joy.

She nodded her head because she did not think she could speak right then without crying when she opened her eyes and saw Twitch making his way across to her. Untangling herself from Carlos she hugged Twitch too, almost knocking him to the ground. She thought he would say something sarcastic or funny and she was convinced he was about to when she felt a small rush of breath against her neck but in the next moment it was gone and he just simply hugged her back.

After a moment she stepped back and turned back to look at Marc. The bed had been readjusted and he was now sat up where the doctor was flashing a small torch back and forth across his eyes whilst a nurse held a beaker of water with a straw in it up for Marc to sip from. The three of them waited anxiously for the doctor to finish his tests as Carlos rested a supportive hand on her shoulder.

"What's the last thing you remember Mr Langdale?" The doctor asked as he straightened up and turned the torch pen off before sliding it into the pocket on his white lab coat.

Marc's eyebrows drew together as he replied, "Afghanistan."

The doctor seemed pleased enough with his answer for the moment that he took a step back so that Marc and the others could fully see each other, "I will still need to run a few more tests," He told them, "But for the moment just rest and spend some time together. I'll be back in a short while to take you for a few scans, okay?"