Chapter 21 - Holding onto hope

Lockhart must have mink linked the nurses. They came running with a bag to the where Lockhart was attending to my dad. I'm holding onto my mom where she collapsed to her knees going hysterical. "Ethan baby, please wake up!" She keeps yelling over and other. "Take Emma to the infirmary!" Lockhart yells at the nurses. My mother doesn't want to go willingly. She fights for dear life to stay by my father's side. "Sedate her!" He commands. I watched as one of the nurses sticks a needle into my mother's neck. My intuition says to let it happen. My mother goes limp and the some of nurses take her towards the pack hospital. "Dahlia, I don't know how this will turn out, you should be with your mother" Lockhart exclaimed anxiously. "Not a chance in hell, will I leave my father" Dahila said coldly. I see the nurse pull out a small portable machine. "Whats that?" I ask. "It's a portable EKG machine, we need to establish his heart rate" Lockhart replied. The nurse pulled out these little sticky wired looking patches. I see the nurse apply those sticky things all over different areas of my dad's body. The machine makes a steady "beeeeeeeeeeeep" I hear Lockhart say "Asystole, grab the adrenaline!" "What's Asystole?!" Dahlia asks. "He has no heart rhythm. I'm going to stab him with adrenaline to see if I can get the heartbeat back, be quiet so I can think and work!" He snaps. I stay quiet, I can't blame Lockhart for yelling at me. He shouldn't be answering a million questions with my dad in that state. I actually feel guilty. I watch as Lockhart continues chest compression after the shot. I know it's been maybe 10 minutes tops, but my world seems to be standing still frozen in this hellish nightmare. "No change!" Lockhart yells. "Grab, the defibrillator!" he demands. "Clear".... 'Zap'.... "Clear"....'Zap'. It continues on. I feel my heart sink into my chest. My dad is the strongest person I know...he has to pull through. I can't give up on him. Why is everything going in slow motion. I feel like I'm having an outer body experience watching this all unfold. I'm glad mom isn't here to see him like this. Lockhart seems desperate at this point. He works harder and harder, I can tell he's frustrated. "God damn it Ethan, pull through!" He screams slamming his fist on my dad's chest. It seems like Lockhart has been defeated. I start to cry. "Come on dad!" I yell. It seems like all hope is lost and I lost my dad. Can this be real right now? Suddenly, my dad's body looks like it convulsed. Water came flying out of his mouth like a geyser. Lockhart looks visibly shocked, I think he actually thought we lost him "His heart rate has returned to steady rhythm!" Lockhart yells. "Ethan, can you open your eyes?!" He asked. It takes a moment for my dad to open his eyes but when he does, he has the same shit eating grin on his face. "Whaaaat I miss?" He asks. Lockhart and myself chuckle. Let's get him on his feet and take him to go to observation. "Where's mom" My dad asked. "It's a long story we will tell you about it later" Lockhart replied. "Hi baby" my dad said. "Don't ever do that to me again!" I scream punching him in the arm. "Ouch" my dad cried. "Let's take you to mom, she needs to see you're okay" I finally told him. I give him a a tight hug thanking the gods, that he pulled through. I don't think any child is ready to lose a parent, let alone watch them die right before their eyes. I knew my dad was strong. A giant wave of relief comes over me. Ironic since a wave of water tried to kill my dad. After my dad gets his footing we make our way to the pack hospital. I couldn't imagine my life, without my dad. Mom will sure be relieved. I can see it now, her beating him half to death for scaring everyone like that. I can't thank my guiding wolf spirits for alerting me. "Thank you" Dahlia says to her spirit wolves that stood beside her through the whole ordeal. Perhaps, just perhaps that why I felt strong through it all.