Uncle Jason Lives with Us Pt. 02

The driver, where was the driver? The flames and heat were getting more intense now. Where was the fucking driver! I saw a slightly built unconscious figure still belted in dangling in the driver seat. Damn my fucking arms hurt. I ripped the seat belt off. I was running out of time. I could tell I was letting out a primordial scream but still couldn't hear anything as I tore the crushed steering wheel away. I threw the middle aged woman over my shoulder and heaved her to the crowd now gathered outside the bus. I turned to go back in for additional victims. I felt hands grabbing me pulling me back out. No, no you assholes, I have to get more! It was too late I was out on the ground with several indistinguishable faces staring at me. Then I was lifted and taken away from the now fully engulfed bus.

"Let me go, let the fuck go of me! I have to get the rest of them." And then everything was dark. A short time later I snapped back to awareness. I quickly looked around. There were paramedics treating me. "Please tell me I got them all out! I got them all, right? There was fire everywhere, kids screaming. Tell me! Please, they all got out? They are all good aren't they?" I was wildly looking around as the paramedics were treating my burns to my hands and arms. I was subconsciously trying to break free of the paramedics to try to get back on the bus.

"Yeah John, you got em all. Every last one." Firefighters and police officers were patting me on the back, thanking me for a great job and holding me down at the same time. Everyone was calling me a hero. What did I do?

"My name's Jason not John," I croaked out. God my throat hurt and tasted like gun powder.

"Yeah? Well, you look like John fucking Wayne to me," offered the paramedic efficiently wrapping my hands.

I could feel the adrenalin racing through my body at an unbelievable rate causing me to look around frantically, "You're sure?" It wasn't until several days later that I learned that in all, I had pulled sixteen children and the bus driver off that burning bus. They would all live. The driver was in critical condition but the worst of the children were serious but stable. There were a few concussions, some broken bones and a few non critical burns, but everyone made it.

"Yeah man they're all good. You need to calm down. We'll get you a shot of happy juice when the doc's authorize us too. We can't have a hero like you going into shock and coding out on us, now can we?"

That's when I spotted her in the triage area. "Shit, that's Mary!"

"Who?" The paramedic asked looking up as I broke away from the first responders trying to hold me in place. I noticed medical gauze unraveling as I sprinted to her.

"It's my cousin Mary. Oh my god she was on the bus."

When Jason reached her a nearly hysterical Mary jumped into my arms. "Uncle Jason, you saved me. You saved my friends. I love you, thank you Uncle Jason, thank you." She just kept repeating it over and over through her tears."

That's when I realized that the little girl who wouldn't let go of her friend, was in fact Mary. I was so fixated on getting everyone out I hadn't even recognized her as one of the kids on the bus. Again, first responders later told me that wasn't at all uncommon. They relayed a story to me of a police officer who rescued a family from a car sinking in a swollen creek during a severe rain storm. He didn't know even know it was his own family until they were all in a rescue unit being treated.

I felt a stinging in my arm and saw that someone had finally given me a shot of happy juice because I immediately started to feel light headed. "I think I will go to sleep now." I said to no one in particular. In a couple of minutes I felt the rescue unit start making its way toward the hospital and I finally went out.

GINA

I was just finishing up a math lesson with my 3^rd graders when a frantic Mr. Johnson, the school principal barged into the class room. I could tell something was seriously wrong by the look on his face. He signaled me to come over to him. He spoke quickly but efficiently. "Gina there has been an accident with the kids going to the arboretum on the bus."

"Oh my god, Mary was on that bus!"

"Yes, you have to go to the hospital right now. We'll take care of your class. Go, now!"

As I was racing to my car I instinctively called John and frantically tried to explain. He didn't fully understand all that was being said but he heard Mary, accident, and hospital and he too was on his way.

I could barely contain my emotions. The hospital was only a couple miles away, but it was taking forever to reach it. Please god, let her be ok. I was pounding my hand on the steering wheel waiting for the light to turn. At last the hospital was in sight. I screeched into the emergency department parking area and tried to get out of the car before it had even come to a full stop. I slammed the parking brake on and sprinted for the entrance. I ran into John at the door. His office was only a couple blocks away. We ran inside together. The ER was a mad house, parents, media, and police personnel everywhere. We looked excitedly around for help. A police officer came up to us. "Are you parents of the children in the bus accident?"

"Yes, Mary Bishop, she is our 8 year old daughter, is she okay?" We shouted at the officer together.

The officer looked at his list and verified that Mary was on it. "She is being examined right now. I can't let you in for a few more minutes until we get this all sorted out. Have a seat and someone will be with you soon."

I couldn't take anymore and assumed the worst. I completely broke down. Thank goodness John was here with me.

John asked the officer what happened and he responded that a truck driver was distracted and blew a stop sign. He hit the bus at speed, the bus flipped onto its side and caught fire. I just broke down again with loud sobs.

John inquired, "Did they get everyone out?"

The officer looked around the room before answering. "I'm not supposed to say, but yes thanks to a Good Samaritan. He got everyone out mostly by himself. I don't know their conditions but the word is everyone will make it. He's here in the hospital because he suffered some injuries during the rescue. I was there for part of it. It was the most incredible thing I have ever observed. He is just a kid really and he was as brave a person I've ever seen. All the EMS folks are calling him John Wayne."

Just then a reporter with a microphone and her cameraman in tow approached the officer.

"Officer, officer can you confirm a report that the Good Samaritan in the bus accident is an individual named Jason Crowley?"

I involuntarily let out "Oh my god." John just looked shocked. The reporter and officer stared at me. I quietly added, "Jason Crowley is my nephew."

The officer just nodded his head and responded redundantly in a professional manner, "Yes he is here, and he is currently being treated for his injuries."

END OF PART II

Note: As a reminder there will be no comments or voting until the story is concluded.