Page 38 of Away in a Tentacle Lair
One of Kai's uncles responds. I think his name is Frank, but I'm not sure. All I'm thinking about is losing Kai.
“Take his arm, quickly.”
I copy him, taking Kai's arm and dragging him backwards until we're behind the mermaid changing hut. Frank lifts Kai's top, revealing the bullet wound just under his ribs.
“Kai, look at me, it's Uncle Frank. You're going to be OK.” Frank strips his jacket and shirt, balling the material in my fist. “Hold that there. Press hard.”
I pull Kai into my arms and push the material against the bleeding hole in his body.
Kai's body is limp, his eyes fixed on me. Instead of the jerry breaths of someone in pain, he's not breathing at all.
“Breathe, Kai,” I urge.
“Wrong order,” Frank snaps, his hands pressed against Kai's back. “Submerge Kai, imagine you are deep under the water.”
“Why?” I frown.
“There is something known as the mammalian dive reflex. It's triggered by submerging in cold water. It slows the heart, contracts the spleen, and keeps him alive.” Frank looks up at me. His words may sound calm, but his eyes speak the truth.
This is serious.
Of course, I knew that, but his look brings it home.
“I can't be here when the police and ambulance arrive. You can.” Frank moves my free hand around Kai's body to his soaking wet jacket. “Keep him alive for me.”
Frank abandons me with my dying man. I hold him tight, compressing the bullet wounds to stem the flow of blood.
“I… love… you,” Kai mutters weakly before he takes another breath and slowly lets it slip from his lips.
For six minutes, I watch him; the only sign of life is the infrequent blinking. I tell him I love him over and over, squeezing him like I can hold the blood inside him instead of feeling its heat trickle down my legs.
“Alright, son? Helps here.” A copper kneels beside me, hand on my shoulder.
“He's been shot. They're crazy.” I gesture behind me to where the shootout occurred.
“Relax. You can tell me everything after. For now, let's focus on your friend.”
He yells for the paramedics, and soon, Kai has a team of three working with him.
“He’s a free diver,” I yell. “He’s holding his breath to save oxygen.”
He's not; he's unconscious. I can tell by the fact they've put a mask over his face, and one squeezes on the bag to force air into his lungs.
They ignore me. There is no way to treat him where he is; the only cure is to rush him to the hospital.
Soon, I'm left standing alone, cradling my blood-soaked clothes against me.
“Let's get some details from you, and then I'll have one of my guys take you to the hospital.”
“Sure.”
I numbly tell the officer my name and my role in the centre. My statement consists of helping the mermaid out of the tank and watching hell unfold. I tried to get Kai to safety but failed.
I failed to save my man.
After sobbing my heart out, he sends me to shower and change, and I obey. I want to get to Kai but can't stand the coppery smell clinging to my sticky clothing.
My ride to the hospital is when it truly hits me when I'm sitting idle in the back of the police car with nothing to occupy my hands.
