The Life Bringer

The bright blue and red cut into the night blinding the drivers who dared to stare at the flashing lights. The noise from the sirens screamed into the night like a wolfs cry breaking the silence as he calls out to the moon. The white vehicle cut through traffic like a boat through waves. No one stood in its path as the ambulance weaved in and out of traffic. The Vehicle was well known in the city with its bright white paint marked by blue and red stripes. Its sirens blaring out louder, and louder. If you listened hard enough you could almost hear it saying “Im coming, im coming, don’t give up yet ille be there soon.” The traffic lights changed in order to create a pathway to the scene of the accident. Where most people would turn away, the little white van raced towards the danger, those inside ready to put their lives on the line if need be in order to save the people crying out in pain. Inside the vehicle bags were checked and materials were gathered for what would be needed at the scene. Four EMT’s sat on the benches in the back of the van, their minds racing, their hearts pumping as adrenaline coursed through their veins. Their brains are already working even though they haven’t seen the accident yet their minds are already predicting every circumstance, going through every variable. One of the newer EMT’s nervously rubbed his hands on his knees waiting for the vehicle to stop, the doors to open and the work to begin. As the white van sped past countless vehicles the people in the cars, vans, and trucks seemed to almost will the vehicle forward harder and faster. The white van was a vehicle of hope, and of healing. Inside it carried the ambassador of life, and the destroyers of death. Finally the ambulance came to sudden stop the doors opened and out stepped the EMT’s. The first person out of the back was an older man, grey whiskers marked his stern face but there was a gentleness in his look. His broad shoulders and toned muscles were the mark of a man who had been on the force for years, battling and battling always bringing life in the most dire of times. The next person out of the van was a younger women much newer to the force. But still with enough experience to have seen almost everything. Her brown shoulder length hair was tied neatly and professionally into a ponytail. She scanned the scene carefully taking everything in. Her eyes like sapphires gleamed bright blue as the hot flames reflected light onto her face With a steady confidence she stepped forward and ran toward the first vehicle. She moved quickly and silently to her left. A man who had been caught in the wreckage stumbled around almost blatantly yelling and screaming. The shock from the crash seemed to have taken its affect on him and he fell over as his body tried to recover and stabilize itself. He hit his head on the asphalt hard, and a sickening thud was heard. Instantly the young women knelt by the man. As she knelt by the man trying to calm him she looked into his eyes. They were dark and hazy almost glazed over. He moaned a deep torturous moan and grabbed his stomach. Again he moaned as if trying to force something out. As the young woman leaned over to check his pulse and injuries a tiny gold cross, on a thin gold chain slipped out of her EMT jacket and dangled from her neck. The small object caught the heat of the fire and seemed to shine more brightly then usual. The man who was below moaned and then stopped. She looked at his eyes and they were fixed on the cross. He smiled slightly, his eyes seemed to clear and then he put his head back and said in a small voice almost to quiet to here

“Thank you” she nodded and kept working. She pulled off her bag and opened the zipper took out some bandages and wrapped up his cuts applying ointment where needed when she was all done she put her hand on his shoulder and said

“Some other people will come and get you out of here, you just lie still and rest.” He smiled weakly again and then closed his eyes. She stood up and surveyed then scene again. The car farthest away was still in flames and the firemen had taken out the jaws of life. The small Nissans red paint was now caked black with smoke and the car was barely visible. The firemen had cut open one of the side arches of the car door and as they did one turned and waved her over. She again moved very quickly over the vehicle when she arrived she asked

“What do we got here?” one of the firemen responded “Man got stuck inside, we managed to put out most of the flames but not before he got the worst of it. I don’t think he’ll make it”

The young women checked his pulse and was relived to feel a faint heartbeat against her fingertips. “He’s alive” she said “hurry we need to get him out of here.“ She turned “Get me a stretcher”

One of the firemen left and returned quickly with a stretcher in hand. After carefully placing a neck brace on his neck they took him and with much difficulty removed him from the vehicle. Sweat perspired on the young women’s forehead, the heat from the vehicle was almost to much. They quickly wheeled the man away from the vehicle. When they were a safe distance away she reached over and checked his pulse again placing her two fingers on his neck. Nothing… she quickly grabbed his wrist and checked for a pulse there… again nothing. Her mind raced. He must have passed while we were moving him to the stretcher she thought. She looked up franticly. Searching for another EMT and spotted the head man. Their eyes locked and this time holding nothing back she screamed desperately

“Get me a defibrillator” The man turned barked some orders and one of the younger EMTs ran to the ambulance. The two firefighters left quickly not daring to disturb the young women. One second, two, three, they seemed like eternity as the young mans life was in her hands hanging in the balance. The young EMT poked his head from behind the ambulance door

“I cant find it” he yelled. The young women didn’t even hear him she was looking over his body. His clothes now tatters were charred black, 1st degree burns riddled his body, she new she had no other choice so she did what she had seen no one else ever do. She took a hold of the young mans forearm. A peace seemed to envelope her like a cloud. All the sounds of the accident seemed to dissipate. Her head bowed and her lips moved as she silently prayed. Its wasn’t a long prayer, and it wasn’t a loud one. She just prayed for the young man to come back, for his life to be restored. To the observer it would have looked like she was crying over the man. They would have been right too. Tears filler her eyes and blurred her vision and in the silent world that she was now enveloped in she only heard one noise. It was a gasp for breath, like when a young child comes up out of the water after seeing how long he can hold his breath. The sounds from the accident came back and she looked at the young man again. His chest rose and fell in a steady motion. She looked at his arms and the scarred tissue seemed to be disappearing before her very eyes. The dead charred skin, the blood, the bruises it looked as if it was just being sucked out of his body. He flinched and then squinted, his eyes opened and she said

“Welcome back you very nearly left us” He was just about to respond when the young EMT completely out of breathe interrupted “I found it, I got it, here it is” he bumped her with the bag and then peered over her shoulder completely oblivious to what had happened. So focused on his task at finding the piece of equipment was he that he didn’t even notice the man now was completely fine. The only words he could get out of his mouth were.

“How did you… wasn’t he.. Didn’t you need this?” He questioned now holding up the red bag that held the defibrillator .

“Not anymore” the young women replied. she looked at the young man smiled, then carefully and affectionately placed a hand on his shoulder and then turned.

“Have him brought to the ambulance” she said while leaving them both staring at each other quite confused at what had just transpired. She again looked around the scene of the accident. All the fires were out a few more people were lying in stretchers. Everything seemed to be in order. She walked over to her boss he turned to her and said

“Looks like everything’s going to be ok, close call with that man over there though” he pointed indicating to where she had just been. “What happened anyways?” he asked. She did not turn to him she just kept her eyes on the man that only moments before had been burned and lifeless.

“It can only be described as a miracle” she said in a soft almost amazed voice, and with that she turned headed back to the ambulance to help with loading the injured and the supplies.

The moonlight shone down on them, the traffic lights switched from green, to yellow, to red. The streetlights buzzed with a hum that brought insects from near and far. The destroyed cars were towed to the junk yard and the crowd of observers dissipated. The ambulance made its way back to the hospital and unloaded the hurt and the injured. The young woman walked back to her locker put her gear away and went to the hospital café. She ordered her usual chocolate milk and cookies and after collecting her snack went and sat down at the white tables. An old lady in a wheelchair was the only other company in the mess hall. She looked at the young woman and smiled and got a smile in return. The young lady slowly drank her milk and ate her cookies and in the solitude of the cafeteria sat alone with her thoughts. Alone but not quite, for she new that the same person who was with her at the accident was now sitting right beside her and that was enough to comfort her. As she stared at the wall opposite to her mindlessly looking at the bulletin of hospital announcements she heard a small voice say “the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy but I have come that they might have life and life to the fullest.”

~Inspired by Danielle Hilsabeck~

This is so what we are all called to be bringers of hope, of life, and of healing. Matthew 10:7-8 sums it up best

Go and announce to them that the kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received.