Loop

Introduction

Fans, Friends, and Followers, good morning! I can’t remember the last time I wrote short story fiction here on N.B., and I guess it’s because I decided a while ago that any material good enough to sell, I would hold and work into one of my books. But, then I said to myself, “I’m not going to hold out on my followers!” Let’s have some fun!

Without further delay, here’s the first part of a two-part short story fiction piece titled..

LOOP

I came stumbling out of the fire that engulfed something behind me. I couldn’t tell what it was, and I wasn’t about to look back either. Maybe I was in shock, I don’t really know, but the body parts that lay scattered had absolutely no affect on me. I didn’t even stop to talk to the man who was still mumbling something despite having lost the entire lower half of his body.

A high-pitch ringing was all I could hear, and the horrific smell of something cooking wafted into my nostrils, but when I raised my head finally, I could at least see the clear path ahead of me. A group of paramedics and first responders were frantically motioning me to come to them. I assumed they didn’t want to get too close to whatever was burning behind me.

They were waving their hands, and I continued moving forward in their direction. When I reached a distance safe enough for them to make a move, the group stepped up, met me in stride, and they caught me as I fell forward like a track star crashing through a ribbon at the end of his heat.

There’s a good chance I would’ve hit the pavement face-first had they not been there to catch me. The next fifteen or twenty minutes were a blur, even though, I never lost consciousness. Ever-so-gently, they placed me on the gurney, strapped my head and neck in place, and gave me a thumbs up before loading me into the ambulance. We sped off with lights flashing and sirens blaring.

Then, we reached the emergency room entrance at what I guessed to be the nearest hospital, and the doors slip open wide for us. Nurses and different staff members rushed to my side and ushered me down the long corridors of the hospital until we reached an open room. 716 was the room number, and I’ll never forget it because I was born on the 16th day of the 7th month. Yup, July 16th. I was a Cancer, and to be honest, I was longing for the familiar at this point.

I hoped and wished someone I knew would show up just to say I love you and everything would be okay, but that didn’t happen. I mean, maybe it would’ve if there was time , but after several x-rays and some other tests I overheard the doctors talking about moving me.

They were shocked at my condition, almost in disbelief, but they weren’t about to take any chances. They arranged to have me air-lifted or flown by helicopter to another hospital for additional testing.

Removed from my bed and in a wheelchair now, I was being pushed out to the launchpad located on the roof of the hospital. As they brought the wheelchair lift down slowly to accommodate me, I noticed the number on the helicopter.

716 was the number, and I’ll never forget it because I was born on the 16th day of the 7th month. Yup, July 16th. I was a Cancer, and to be honest, I was longing for the familiar at this point. I was hoping and wishing that I was actually a crab with an impenetrable outer shell I could retreat into..

..because this bird was going down. It was going down fast-nose first!

I came stumbling out of the fire that engulfed something behind me. I couldn’t tell what it was, and I wasn’t about to look back either.

Check back for the continuation of Loop, a two-part short story fiction piece written by Francis Joseph LaManna.