CHAPTER 17
Hutch ran past the younger man on the floor to his left not paying any attention to him at all as he positioned himself quickly under his falling partner. He knew that he would be hurt himself if he allowed Starsky’s one hundred and eighty five pounds to hit him full force but he didn’t care. He had to try and break his fall even if it meant a few broken bones of his own. At least they would both survive it.
Starsky tried to keep his body in a curled position as he fell. He hadn’t noticed Hutch as he ran to his aid and stood under him ready for the sudden impact with his arms outstretched in attempt to catch him like a baby.
As they collided Hutch felt the worst sensation of pain he had ever experienced in his life as his right arm ripped away from it’s socket. His left wrist felt like someone had just hit it with a sledgehammer. His legs buckled from the sudden extra weight and he collapsed to the floor letting Starsky fall with him.
Starsky’s legs landed on Hutch’s left arm as he continued on to the floor. With the majority of his weight supported by Hutch’s right side, he was able to keep his head from impacting first. As Starsky landed on the concrete surface with Hutch on top of him…his right leg took the weight of both men. Three hundred and seventy pounds came crashing down on top of his upper thigh…causing a loud snap that seemed to echo through the warehouse accompanied by an agonizing scream as Starsky felt the bone break.
“OOOOOHHHHHHH…..AAAAAAWWWWHHHH…SSSSHHHHIIIIT!!” Hutch yelled as he rolled off of his partner and laid his broken left wrist across his chest. He curled his body up to ease the pain of his newly dislocated right shoulder and also to relieve his partner of the extra weight.
“I can’t believe you just did that!” Prudholm said as he watched Hutch’s totally unselfish act. “And they called ME crazy!”
Starsky rolled himself over slowly…moaning loudly as the movement caused the pain to shoot down his leg. His jean shorts gave him a clear view and as he looked down to investigate the damage…fear gripped his entire body. The bone was broken all right. It was protruding from a large hole in his thigh and the sight of it almost made him pass out.
“Aawww…Hutch…my leg.” Starsky cried as he laid his head down and began to breathe rapidly. “God it hurts.”
Hutch managed to pull himself up to a sitting position so he could get a better look at his partner’s leg. He was horrified at the sight of the protruding bone but with both of his hands out of commission there really wasn’t much he could do about it.
“Just stay still buddy…” Hutch said in a calming voice. “Help is on the way.”
The younger man had been moving inch by inch as he made his way across the floor…Hutch hadn’t noticed him…or how close he was getting to the gun that lay just a few feet away.
********************
Cassie was tired of waiting…the minutes seemed like an eternity and
the
other patrol cars still hadn’t arrived yet. She hadn’t heard anything
for
the past few minutes and wondered if maybe they were shot and left
to bleed
to death while Prudholm got away through a side door…or maybe they
were
already dead. She couldn’t wait any longer…chances were that
the danger was
over…judging from the recent quiet. But just in case…she grabbed the
shotgun
from under Starsky’s front seat. It was loaded and the safety
was on…she
had shot one a couple times with her father a few years ago and she
knew how
to handle it.
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Chapter 18
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