Story Market Day
- Thread starter ComCamGuy
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ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Just before dawn, a blood-curdling shriek shattered the silence.
Sabine was out of her and Andrea’s tent in a flash, half-dressed but well-armed. The noise, the scream, was close, real close. Best to check it out but not alone. Straight to Henrik and Paige’s tent she went.
She heard movement and muttering inside the tent as she slid open the zipper.
“He promised…….. He promised…….. He promised…….. He promised…….. He promised…….. He promised……..”
Sabine could barely see inside the tent. As her eyes adjusted, she could see Paige sitting up beside Henrik. Paige was rocking back and forth, her hands on Henrik. The muttering was coming from Paige.
“Paige, what’s going on?” Sabine had a rising feeling of dread.
Paige looked over at Sabine. The change in Paige’s face was like a punch to the solar plexus to Sabine. Her eyes looked like bottomless pits and her face was haggard and unrecognizable. Sabine looked down at Henrik. Henrik was on his side, one arm outstretched as if cuddling an invisible woman.
“He promised we would be together forever…………” Her voice was raw and broken. “He promised…….. He promised…….. He promised……..” Paige looked back over at Henrik, her hands on his side.
The horror welled up in Sabine. Part of her was waiting for Paige to shake him and ask him to wake up. Sabine had to clamp a lid on her feelings and emotion! She had to check, but she knew in her heart that Henrik was gone.
The tent flap behind Sabine rustled. It was Andrea. Sabine turned to Andrea, grabbing her by her shoulders. Pulling her close, she looked at Andrea’s face. “I need you to take Paige over to our tent right now!”
Andrea was confused. “Why? What’s going on?”
“It’s Henrik, I think he’s dead.” There, now she has said it. Andrea got a weird look on her face.
“What do you mean ‘dead’?”
“I mean I think he died in his sleep and the shriek was Paige. Take her to our tent and I will check things out and make sure. I need you to do this now. Paige needs us.” Sabine was calm, loving and insistent. It cut through the confusion and gave Andrea a purpose.
Andrea reached out and pulled at Paige. “Come on, Paige, let Sabine check him out. Come with me, Come with me, Come with me,” Andrea kept it up, always looking at Paige’s face and never at the body in front of her. until finally Paige went with Andrea.
The tent felt empty after they left. Sabine pulled out the small flashlight from her shorts. The shaft of light revealed Henrik was indeed gone and gone for a while. She pulled back the sleeping bag and could see the morbid lividity and the rigor mortis. He was curled up with Paige, sleeping when he died. He never woke up.
Heart attack, sleep apnea, or a massive stroke. These were the things she could think of which could take him in his sleep like that. Sabine was trying to force herself to be in medic mode to just keep the emotions at bay.
“God, Henrik, why now? Why not six months ago or six months from now?” Then Sabine had another thought. Sabine lost the lid on her emotions when she realized Paige was cuddled up with him long after he had died. Paige woke up with the love of her life dead and wrapped around her.
Sabine sobbed as she sat and stared at Henrik’s lifeless form.
Sabine was out of her and Andrea’s tent in a flash, half-dressed but well-armed. The noise, the scream, was close, real close. Best to check it out but not alone. Straight to Henrik and Paige’s tent she went.
She heard movement and muttering inside the tent as she slid open the zipper.
“He promised…….. He promised…….. He promised…….. He promised…….. He promised…….. He promised……..”
Sabine could barely see inside the tent. As her eyes adjusted, she could see Paige sitting up beside Henrik. Paige was rocking back and forth, her hands on Henrik. The muttering was coming from Paige.
“Paige, what’s going on?” Sabine had a rising feeling of dread.
Paige looked over at Sabine. The change in Paige’s face was like a punch to the solar plexus to Sabine. Her eyes looked like bottomless pits and her face was haggard and unrecognizable. Sabine looked down at Henrik. Henrik was on his side, one arm outstretched as if cuddling an invisible woman.
“He promised we would be together forever…………” Her voice was raw and broken. “He promised…….. He promised…….. He promised……..” Paige looked back over at Henrik, her hands on his side.
The horror welled up in Sabine. Part of her was waiting for Paige to shake him and ask him to wake up. Sabine had to clamp a lid on her feelings and emotion! She had to check, but she knew in her heart that Henrik was gone.
The tent flap behind Sabine rustled. It was Andrea. Sabine turned to Andrea, grabbing her by her shoulders. Pulling her close, she looked at Andrea’s face. “I need you to take Paige over to our tent right now!”
Andrea was confused. “Why? What’s going on?”
“It’s Henrik, I think he’s dead.” There, now she has said it. Andrea got a weird look on her face.
“What do you mean ‘dead’?”
“I mean I think he died in his sleep and the shriek was Paige. Take her to our tent and I will check things out and make sure. I need you to do this now. Paige needs us.” Sabine was calm, loving and insistent. It cut through the confusion and gave Andrea a purpose.
Andrea reached out and pulled at Paige. “Come on, Paige, let Sabine check him out. Come with me, Come with me, Come with me,” Andrea kept it up, always looking at Paige’s face and never at the body in front of her. until finally Paige went with Andrea.
The tent felt empty after they left. Sabine pulled out the small flashlight from her shorts. The shaft of light revealed Henrik was indeed gone and gone for a while. She pulled back the sleeping bag and could see the morbid lividity and the rigor mortis. He was curled up with Paige, sleeping when he died. He never woke up.
Heart attack, sleep apnea, or a massive stroke. These were the things she could think of which could take him in his sleep like that. Sabine was trying to force herself to be in medic mode to just keep the emotions at bay.
“God, Henrik, why now? Why not six months ago or six months from now?” Then Sabine had another thought. Sabine lost the lid on her emotions when she realized Paige was cuddled up with him long after he had died. Paige woke up with the love of her life dead and wrapped around her.
Sabine sobbed as she sat and stared at Henrik’s lifeless form.
Landcruiser
Contributing Member
Dude
Griz3752
Retired, practising Curmudgeon
If you're going to make a sudden left turn, it may as well be a doozy ...I was pretty sure one of these four was going to be a 'red shirt' but not just yet.
Good twist though - certainly opens up a lot of plot opportunities, maybe even another chapter/book in the series, particularly if Paige discovers she's preggers in about a week or so.
Would that be considered a 'double reverse cork screw'?
Good twist though - certainly opens up a lot of plot opportunities, maybe even another chapter/book in the series, particularly if Paige discovers she's preggers in about a week or so.
Would that be considered a 'double reverse cork screw'?
Griz3752
Retired, practising Curmudgeon
ja aber so ist das leben manchmal
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
‘This can’t be happening…. This can’t be happening…. This can’t be happening…. This can’t be happening….’ Andrea kept saying to herself in her head over and over. She was deep asleep when the scream woke her up. She had no idea what it was; somebody butchering a wolverine? Chickens being dismembered? Somebody find a spider? Before her sleepy brain could catch up, Sabine was gone from her side and out of the tent.
Andrea knew she had to go see what was going on. She went over to Paige and Henrik’s tent to see what was going on. Sabine met her just inside the tent and the nightmare began. She had to get Paige out of there. She reached out to Paige’s arm.
“Come on, Paige, let Sabine check him out. Come with me, Come with me, Come with me.” Andrea was able to coax Paige from the tent. Andrea was able to guide her into their tent. She didn’t know what to do now. She just had to go with her gut, a gut all a jumble.
Andrea pulled Paige into an embrace. This seemed to break whatever control Paige had left. She collapsed into Andrea’s arms, bawling uncontrollably. As Andrea sat and held Paige, all she could think of was ‘When do I wake up and realize I’m just staring at the sno-globe?”
Andrea wasn’t sure how long they were there on the floor of the tent when Sabine came into their tent, an armful of gear in her hands.
“Sabine?” Andrea’s face was begging Sabine to break the spell, tell her she was wrong and Henrik was still alive.
Sabine set the gear down, shaking her head. “Andrea, help Paige get her stuff packed and maybe think about some food. We need to think about the next part and soon.”
Next part? Andrea was confused for a moment, then it hit her; what do we do with Henrik’s body?
Andrea knew she had to go see what was going on. She went over to Paige and Henrik’s tent to see what was going on. Sabine met her just inside the tent and the nightmare began. She had to get Paige out of there. She reached out to Paige’s arm.
“Come on, Paige, let Sabine check him out. Come with me, Come with me, Come with me.” Andrea was able to coax Paige from the tent. Andrea was able to guide her into their tent. She didn’t know what to do now. She just had to go with her gut, a gut all a jumble.
Andrea pulled Paige into an embrace. This seemed to break whatever control Paige had left. She collapsed into Andrea’s arms, bawling uncontrollably. As Andrea sat and held Paige, all she could think of was ‘When do I wake up and realize I’m just staring at the sno-globe?”
Andrea wasn’t sure how long they were there on the floor of the tent when Sabine came into their tent, an armful of gear in her hands.
“Sabine?” Andrea’s face was begging Sabine to break the spell, tell her she was wrong and Henrik was still alive.
Sabine set the gear down, shaking her head. “Andrea, help Paige get her stuff packed and maybe think about some food. We need to think about the next part and soon.”
Next part? Andrea was confused for a moment, then it hit her; what do we do with Henrik’s body?
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Griz3752
Retired, practising Curmudgeon
Indeed he is and, I'm pretty sure he revels in it.
I think most TB2K readers tend toward pragmatic & being relatively unflappable but this caught a lot of us flat-footed. And as LH astutely points out "holding the love of his life in his sleep is the best that anyone can hope for" I can heartily agree.
Its really hard on those left behind (I've done some removals in that circumstance) but way better than going out in the midst of a heroic effort in an ER or ICU.
It would be the perfect script for me .....
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
And navigate on the fly and rotate drivers, and set up camp, and
All shall be revealed later. Maybe.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Actually, Sabine already figured aneurysm/stroke (see above) . Anything deeper would require an autopsy and maybe lab support, neither of which is happening if Sabine has anything to say about it. She isn't even bringing it up. As for when did I know and start laying the groundwork?Post #2370 4 Aug 2020
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beaglemama
Contributing Member
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Andrea held Paige while she cried, held her as she sobbed, and held her as she seemed to run out of steam and was quiet. Finally, Paige spoke words different than her wailing cries and sob -choked utterances. It was faint, barely a whisper. “Coffee?”
“Sure Paige, whatever you need. I’ll get some coffee going and maybe a bite of food as well.” Andrea looked at her friend. She had no idea what to do to help her. She had lost close friends before, but never a spouse, a soulmate. Part of Andrea’s brain went sideways on the term ‘soulmate’. Too overused, too frequently used. Sometimes it was the right term though.
Henrik was Paige’s soulmate. No other term fit it as well. How do you recover from losing half your soul? She had no idea how to help, but she would in any way possible. Unbidden, her high school friend’s mantra came to her; ‘love her, hug her, feed her, and call her George.’ Well very few things are made worse by having a full belly and coffee in hand. She knew she couldn’t fix Paige, only time could begin to heal that cavernous wound. Baby steps; food talk and figure next steps. Andrea was at the vehicles now and went to work.
“Sure Paige, whatever you need. I’ll get some coffee going and maybe a bite of food as well.” Andrea looked at her friend. She had no idea what to do to help her. She had lost close friends before, but never a spouse, a soulmate. Part of Andrea’s brain went sideways on the term ‘soulmate’. Too overused, too frequently used. Sometimes it was the right term though.
Henrik was Paige’s soulmate. No other term fit it as well. How do you recover from losing half your soul? She had no idea how to help, but she would in any way possible. Unbidden, her high school friend’s mantra came to her; ‘love her, hug her, feed her, and call her George.’ Well very few things are made worse by having a full belly and coffee in hand. She knew she couldn’t fix Paige, only time could begin to heal that cavernous wound. Baby steps; food talk and figure next steps. Andrea was at the vehicles now and went to work.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Sabine finished collecting the last of Henrik’s gear and emptying the tent of everything except Henrik’s body, still in his sleeping bag. She carried the pack over to her and Andrea’s tent but no one was in it. Setting down the gear she heard activity at the vehicles; pots, pans and the hissing of the burners as someone was heating water or cooking. Sabine headed that way.
She got to the side of the trailer where Andrea was running the camp stove on the flip down shelf Henrik had made on the side of the trailer body for them to work from. Damn! Why Now! Sabine asked herself for probably the hundredth time as she saw Andrea. Sabine’s brain stuttered and she started looking around.
“Andrea, Where’s Paige?”
“She’s up in the tent. She asked for coffee.” Andrea paused. “So what happened to Henrik?”
“Not right now. Paige wasn’t in the tent!” Sabine turned and started back to the tents.
At the tents, Sabine started searching around. Paige wasn’t in Sabine and Andrea’s tent. She looked in the other tent. The one with Henrik’s body in it. Maybe Paige slipped back in to be with Henrik. That tent was empty except for Henrik.
Sabine started to look around for tracks in the snow. It didn’t take long to find the trail. Small tracks leading deeper into the forest. The hair on the back of Sabine’s neck was standing up now as she started down the tracks in the snow. She didn’t shout for her. She didn’t want to spur a hasty decision in anything until she caught up with Paige and could see what was going on.
She got to the side of the trailer where Andrea was running the camp stove on the flip down shelf Henrik had made on the side of the trailer body for them to work from. Damn! Why Now! Sabine asked herself for probably the hundredth time as she saw Andrea. Sabine’s brain stuttered and she started looking around.
“Andrea, Where’s Paige?”
“She’s up in the tent. She asked for coffee.” Andrea paused. “So what happened to Henrik?”
“Not right now. Paige wasn’t in the tent!” Sabine turned and started back to the tents.
At the tents, Sabine started searching around. Paige wasn’t in Sabine and Andrea’s tent. She looked in the other tent. The one with Henrik’s body in it. Maybe Paige slipped back in to be with Henrik. That tent was empty except for Henrik.
Sabine started to look around for tracks in the snow. It didn’t take long to find the trail. Small tracks leading deeper into the forest. The hair on the back of Sabine’s neck was standing up now as she started down the tracks in the snow. She didn’t shout for her. She didn’t want to spur a hasty decision in anything until she caught up with Paige and could see what was going on.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Sabine moved down the trail left by Paige. Sabine tried to stay quiet so she could try to hear where Paige was and what she was doing. She wanted to…….hell, she didn’t know what she wanted to do other than find Paige.
Sabine heard repetitive noise up ahead. Shwoosh. Plop. Shwoosh. Plop. Again and again. She wasn’t sure what it was. Sabine slowed down, then crept closer until she could see what it was. It was Paige.
Sabine stepped into the small space in an opening among a clump of pines. Paige was hard at work in the middle. Smooth and even strokes with the shovel in her hands moved the snow from the ground around her.
“Paige?” Sabine called softly.
“I gotta get the snow out of the way so I can dig it right.” Paige didn’t even look up. She just kept shoveling.
Sabine once again felt the control over her emotions slipping. Paige slipped away to begin digging Henrik’s grave. That solved a few questions she didn’t have to ask now. Another part of her was heartbroken at the whole situation. It was like something out of the old west; a wife having to dig a grave in the middle of the wilderness for her own husband.
“Paige, Will you let me help?” Sabine couldn’t keep the quiver out of her voice.
Paige stopped shoveling and turned towards Sabine.
“We need the dirt shovels from the trucks. I’ll have the ground cleared by the time you get back with them.” Paige’s voice was flat as a pancake, no emotion at all. It reminded Sabine of when Paige laid down the ultimatum in the master bedroom with Henrik, Andrea and herself. Paige had an iron core whose source was unfathomable to Sabine.
“I’ll be right back.” Sabine moved back down the trail. Behind her the noise picked back up. Shwoosh. Plop. Shwoosh. Plop Shwoosh. Plop. Shwoosh. Plop.
Sabine heard repetitive noise up ahead. Shwoosh. Plop. Shwoosh. Plop. Again and again. She wasn’t sure what it was. Sabine slowed down, then crept closer until she could see what it was. It was Paige.
Sabine stepped into the small space in an opening among a clump of pines. Paige was hard at work in the middle. Smooth and even strokes with the shovel in her hands moved the snow from the ground around her.
“Paige?” Sabine called softly.
“I gotta get the snow out of the way so I can dig it right.” Paige didn’t even look up. She just kept shoveling.
Sabine once again felt the control over her emotions slipping. Paige slipped away to begin digging Henrik’s grave. That solved a few questions she didn’t have to ask now. Another part of her was heartbroken at the whole situation. It was like something out of the old west; a wife having to dig a grave in the middle of the wilderness for her own husband.
“Paige, Will you let me help?” Sabine couldn’t keep the quiver out of her voice.
Paige stopped shoveling and turned towards Sabine.
“We need the dirt shovels from the trucks. I’ll have the ground cleared by the time you get back with them.” Paige’s voice was flat as a pancake, no emotion at all. It reminded Sabine of when Paige laid down the ultimatum in the master bedroom with Henrik, Andrea and herself. Paige had an iron core whose source was unfathomable to Sabine.
“I’ll be right back.” Sabine moved back down the trail. Behind her the noise picked back up. Shwoosh. Plop. Shwoosh. Plop Shwoosh. Plop. Shwoosh. Plop.
Landcruiser
Contributing Member
Paige will be fine, she has a task, and people who are relying on her. Her story isn't done...
...will there be a colossal meltdown of epic proportions...probably...and she has the baby to think of (Andrea's of course)... besides we needed more cliff's to look over anyway.
...will there be a colossal meltdown of epic proportions...probably...and she has the baby to think of (Andrea's of course)... besides we needed more cliff's to look over anyway.