Smoke was billowing for miles around the derailment. Small fires kept
bursting into larger flames causing the trapped passengers to scream even
louder. It was these screams that jolted Abby back to life. She painfully raised
a hand to brush a lock of fallen hair out of her eyes. Her eyes tried to adjust
to the dim light around her and it was only when her hand grazed her cheek that
she realized she was bleeding...a lot.
Her head was swimming as she pushed piles of rubble off the top of herself and
looked around for an exit. She knew she had to get out of here and fast; she
could smell the fumes getting stronger and stronger. This train was going to
explode any time now.
She pushed herself to her feet and wearily stood taking in her surroundings. It
was then that she remembered where she was; what she was doing; where she was
going; who...who she was with. "JOHN!" she screamed frantically. "JOHN!" she
screamed again. No answer..."Shit," she muttered helplessly as she turned around
and around looking for him. "CARTER!" she screamed even louder. Her hands were
shaking as she made her way throughout the somewhat partial train.
"Help me......" a voice called out to her.
Abby stopped and looked back to the voice that had called her. It wasn't John.
It wasn't him. Where was he? Was he okay? Was he alive? She walked back over to
the man lying almost unconscious on the torn floorboards and kneeled beside him.
"I'll go get help...I'll send them back," she said firmly. She stood and started
to walk away when the man grabbed an ankle with all the strength he could
muster. "Please....help...me," he whispered.
Tears sprang to her eyes as she contemplated the situation. She was a nurse. She
could help this man, who was here now, in front of her. She could get him to
safety. Or she could abandon him and go in search of John. "I'm sorry...I can't"
she whispered as she walked away.
"John! Where are you!?" she screamed again. "Damnit," she cursed as she turned
and hurried back to the man trapped under the rubble. She couldn't just leave
him. John would be okay...she knew he would. He had to be....