"URGH!!!!!" Kalsie let out a grunt in agonizing pain, shocking everyone in the vicinity who had witnessed the harrowing incident.
Despite successfully removing Nicole from the path of danger, his left arm had borne the brunt of the impact.
The broken door had struck his arm cleanly at the elbow, severing it entirely. Intense pain and a surge of shock overwhelmed his nervous system, threatening to plunge him into unconsciousness. Nonetheless, he clung to consciousness.
"KALSIEEEEE!!!!!!"
'F***! It hurts!' Kalsie couldn't feel anything besides that stinging and burning pain.
"!?" Everyone was shocked at what had just transpired. Earlier they had their heads down, but when they felt an impact of something crashing near to them, they lifted their heads in hurry and saw Kalsie bleeding from his elbow and his left arm, lying on the side.
They immediately ignored everything and ran towards him in deep worry.
"Are you alright?!?!" They shouted, worry and nervousness filled their minds.
"Don't care about me-!!!!! Look out for the Dead Walkers!!!! WE CAN'T REST--!" Despite being gravely injured, he still tried to warn everyone, but soon his body soon reached his limits. The pain and the loss of blood were making him feel light and uneasy.
Soon, his sword fell from his hand, and he fell backwards falling unconscious.
"Kalsie!!!" But luckily, Nicole caught him on time.
"How did this happen??!?!"
"He is bleeding!!!! Someone stop it!!!"
"Kalsie!!!!"
Everyone was horrified as soon as they saw him falling to the ground. It felt like their hearts were crushed when they saw in such a vulnerable state.
"Kalsie...? Please don't die!!! Kalsie!! Wake up!!!" Nicole's voice trembled with fear and nervousness. She had narrowly escaped death thanks to his sacrifice, and now she watched in helpless despair as he lay wounded.
"Kalsie!!!!" Jack's distress mirrored Nicole's as he knelt beside her, his eyes locked on Kalsie's motionless form.
Job, wary and distressed, tried to rally the group to face the grim situation logically. "Everyone, focus on the front! We still don't know if the floor has been compromised or not! They could move up!"
Desperation welled up within some of the group members.
"We have to help him!" Jack cried out from back.
"The heck are you talking about!? Can't you see he's in critical condition!?" Fred retorted, his anger and fear mixing in a volatile blend.
Job understood their anguish but maintained his resolve. "I know! But Kalsie also said the same thing before losing consciousness! Let Nicole and Bella tend to him! We can't afford to let our guard down!"
"He's right. Let them take care of him while we watch for Dead Walkers, or we'll all be in danger," John concurred, his eyes scanning their surroundings for threats.
Wendy added her voice to the plea for unity. "Come on guys, we can't waste time arguing!"
Bella, realizing the gravity of Kalsie's condition, joined the fray. She rushed to his side and reassured the others. "He's lost consciousness due to blood loss! Don't worry! We'll take care of him! You guys focus on the front!"
Frustrated but understanding the necessity, Fred and Jack reluctantly moved toward the debris-strewn passage, their weapons ready. The group split, with Bella and Nicole tending to Kalsie and the rest positioning themselves cautiously at the damaged staircase. Cracks marred the floor, and black smoke billowed from the depths below, obscuring their vision.
The tension hung heavily in the air as they took their defensive positions. They felt the absence of Kalsie, their steadfast leader, and friend, keenly. But they knew they had to press on, for his sake and their own survival. Meanwhile, behind them, Nicole and Bella did everything in their power to save Kalsie's life.
"Pour this on his wound. It will act as a disinfectant and help with the healing process," Bella instructed as she handed Nicole a bottle of Hyaluronic Acid that they had found in the chemistry lab. Nicole quickly diluted the chemical with water and carefully applied it to Kalsie's wound.
"We have to stop the bleeding now..." Nicole muttered as she watched the blood continue to flow. She took a cloth they had found in the chemistry lab and wrapped it tightly around Kalsie's elbow.
"We'll need more cloth, or else this won't stop," Bella observed, her concern growing as she saw the persistent bleeding.
*Churrn* Suddenly, Nicole tore the clean sleeves of her track suit and, without hesitation, tightly bandaged Kalsie's elbow.
Bella was taken aback. "You..."
"If only I had listened to his warning, then things wouldn't have gone this way..." Tears streamed down Nicole's face as she blamed herself for what had happened to Kalsie.
"It's not your fault," Bella insisted. "Our ears were damaged from that blast. You should be thankful that at least no one died."
Nicole shook her head, her voice filled with guilt. "No... Even though we had a hearing problem, I still faintly heard them calling out to me... but at that time, I couldn't make out what was happening. I didn't know what was happening until he pushed me away, and... then when I opened my eyes, I saw his painful face and his... severed arm entered my sight... If only I could have reacted more quickly..."
Nicole was burdened by guilt, unaware that, even if she had reacted swiftly upon hearing their shouts, there would have been no escape for her at that point. But she didn't know and blamed herself.
Bella seeing Nicole's expression, placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and said, "I know what you're feeling right now, but it won't bring his arm back. Look around you! There are so many extraordinary things happening here... Who knows, maybe there's something that can help him grow his arm back. Besides, he wouldn't want you to be depressed like this, would he?"
Nicole's hope flickered back to life at Bella's words. She realized that there might be a way to help Kalsie regain his lost arm.
"Really?" Nicole asked, her eyes brightening with newfound determination. She knew there was still guilt in her heart, but she was resolute in her determination to help Kalsie, no matter what it took to restore his arm.
Bella examined Kalsie's elbow and remarked, "It looks like the bleeding has stopped."
Their careful bandaging had managed to staunch the flow of blood, but there was no denying the significant loss Kalsie had already endured.
As the group awaited any sign of danger, the tension was palpable.
They hoped that no Dead Walkers would emerge at this critical juncture. What added to their unease was the uncertainty surrounding the condition of the third floor. If it remained intact, the Dead Walkers could still ascend to their location. Thus, they remained vigilant, like statues frozen in time.
Fred inquired about Kalsie's condition without turning to face the two tending to him, saying, "Nicole!! Bella!!! How is he now?"