Page 27 of Fangs
“I’m not sure, but she’s stopped responding. Look at her pupils.”
A bright light shone in my eyes, but I didn’t flinch. This place was comforting in a strange way—familiar. More importantly, it wassafe.Just like always, the words from medical textbooks surfaced as though they’d been waiting for me. They were the ropes I clung to, keeping myself anchored here when the outside world threatened to pull me out.
The sequential steps in evaluating lacerations are first to find and treat serious associated injuries, obtain hemostasis, and look for damage to underlying structures,I recited in my head.
Vaguely, I could hear people calling my name and speaking around me, but I knew better than to respond.
Actively bleeding wounds require hemostasis before evaluation. Hemostasis is best obtained by direct pressure and, when possible, elevation.Clamping bleeding vessels with instruments is generally avoided because of the possibility of damaging adjacent nerves.
“I don’t like this,” Sable’s voice filtered through.
Careful and temporary placement of a proximal tourniquet?—
“What’s happening?” My brother’s voice sliced through the ropes I clung to, making me float dangerously close to the surface again. “Why is she…gone?”
Fingers pressed against my neck, taking my pulse. “This seems—it seems like a trauma response.”
—may enhance visualization of hand and finger wounds.
Their words became more muffled as I put renewed focus on trying to remember the rest of the text.
Wound evaluation requires good lighting. Magnification can help. A full evaluation may require?—
“Lee, you said she hyperventilated earlier?” Sable’s voice cut through the fog again.
“Yeah. Her clothes were soaked and fuckin’ frozen, and I had to get her in something dry and warm. No, Wolf, don’t fuckin’ start with me. I don’t need any help feelin’ like shit. I already feel like a monster for undressing her while she panicked and begged me to stop.”
“Fuck, man,” someone muttered.
A full evaluation may require?—
I tried to remember the rest of the text, but the words wouldn’t come. The voices around me rose in volume, dragging my attention away again.
“Wolf!” Sable sounded frustrated. “My point is, think about why your sister might be losing her shit about people taking off her clothes.”
Breathing grew difficult again. The air seemed to grow thick with emotion.
A full evaluation may require?—
My throat constricted with panic. I couldn’t remember?—
“Wolf?” a voice asked, maybe Kai, but there was no answer.
The voices were low now, tinged with worry as they faded in and out of my head.
“—to be upset, Wolf,” Scar murmured.
I tried to block them out, but despite my best efforts, I began to feel my body again.
“Twelve years is a long time to?—.”
A full evaluation may require?—
“—doesn’t change anything.” Wolf’s voice was hard, now.
“It does, though; she’s still your sister.”
“And she’s still a murderer.”
