FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

First, a warning. this is a darker edition of Tina's Story. It would NOT be a good place to start the series. Similarly, if you've had a hard day, and need a little lift, put this one aside for later.

Stan Russel lay lifeless on the cold concrete......

It was so different a few short hours ago. Stan's day started much like it always did. He got up, dressed, and grabbed the thermos and lunchbox that Georgette had laid out for him. He threw on a jacket, and walked the two blocks to the bus stop, pausing along the way for coffee, a lottery ticket, and a copy of 'The Daily News'. His bus arrived on time, and he spent the twenty minute ride drinking his coffee, and reading the sports section. Once at work, Stan clocked in, and got his day's job orders. Today's first task was lightbulbs. Stan worked at a huge facility. As such, it had hundreds and hundreds of light fixtures. Bulbs needed constant replacement. One of the normal things that workers in the maintenance department did was to patrol the offices, corridors and warehouses looking for, and replacing burned out bulbs. Stan took the work order down to the supply closet, and presented it to get his supply of bulbs. Once he had them, he got a large set of wheeled steel steps, loaded the bulbs on the steps, and set out for 17 North, the farthest warehouse on the property. Stan would find a bad bulb, positioned the steps, walked up, removed the bad bulb, and replaced it with a good one. Then he was off looking again. Not long into the morning, Stan found a fixture that was not illuminating in the back of 17 North. He moved his steps into position, and went for his test meter. As he did so, a seering pain ripped Stan's chest. He collapsed instantly, falling down the steps to the floor below.

It will never be clear how long it was before the workers ran across Stan, as they walked the aisles of 17 North, nor was it clear whether they were there on business, or just trying to sneak a smoke.

"It's Stan!........"

The first worker bent over checking for breathing, and heartbeat. Finding neither, he began CPR.

"Go....get help!"

the worker knew his CPR; as important, he knew how to give CPR to a hybrid, sealing his mouth, and blowing into Stan's mouth and nose.. The company safety department made sure everyone in the department was certified. They also had an onsite medical detail....with a defibrolater. The company medics were at Stan's side within minutes....

"Is he breathing?" the first medic asked

"No. No hearbeat, either" replied the breathless rescuer.

Not missing a beat, the medics pull down Stan's coveralls, and rip open his shirt. Finding no signs of life...they prepared to shock him.

"3...2...1...Clear!" Stan's body jolted,

"Nothing....."

"Again......."

3...2,..1...Clear! Again Stan's body lifted off the floor, but this time.....

"We got a rhythm!"

Just then, the municipal ambulance arrived, and Stan was loaded aboard and sped to the hospital.

It was late in the morning, and Georgette was just getting up. Most days, she would get up to make coffee, and put out Stan's lunch, then she would go back to bed. Georgette had trouble sleeping, so she often did not sleep until just before she got up. Georgette was in bed, TV on 'The Doctors' when the call came in...

"Hello...."

"Mrs Russel? This is HR at the works. There's been an accident........"

"How bad?" Georgette asked quickly

"We just don't know...."

"Is he......" She stopped, not really wanting to ask what she was about to ask....

"You should get to the hospital" She replied, non commitally.

"I....don't drive." Georgette began to cry, and hyperventilate

"Stay there; I'll send a car to get you...."

Georgette stumbled around in a trance. She managed to dress and get her purse, when the car from Stan's work arrived. She was assisted to it.

She remembered nothing of the trip. There was only shock to protect her.

At the E.R. it was fairly calm, being a weekday. Once there, Georgette rushed to the first attendent she saw, begging, imploring that she see Stan......

"My husband.....I must see him......"

"The kindly nurse was ready to help.

"Who is your husband?"

"Stan....Russel."

the nurses face fell.

"I'll have someone out to speak to you shortly......"

Georgette was escourted to a consultation room, where she sat. It seemed like an eternity, before the head nurse came in....Georgette jumped to her feet, very nearly knocking the very stout nurse over...

"Tell me...I need to know....Tell me he's going to be allright...."

The nurse tried to settle her

"Sit down, please." The nurse spoke with the authority of years spent telling crazed people what to do: Georgette complied immediately.

"Your husband had a heart attack. When he had the attack, he feel from a ladder. Right now, we're dealing with the heart attack; we'll address the head injury once we stabilize him...."

"How is he doing?" She asked impatiently

"He is in critical condition" the nurse replied

"Is....will he live?"

The nurse paused.

"He came here....in very grave shape."

"How bad is it?" She asked, fearing the answer

"He was found....without vital signs. We don't know how long he was like that. He will be here untill we get him stabile enough to move. That could be hours. From there he goes to the I.C.U. I'm going to have a guard walk you up there to wait."

"But I want to be here, with him!" Georgette protested

The nurse put a hand on her shoulder, sympathetically

"Look. It will be a LONG time. You'll be much more comfortable upstairs. Reginald here will walk you upstairs. Do you need a wheelchair?

Georgette shook her head, then she got up to go to the I.C.U.

Ray and Tina were shopping at the Mall. This was Tina's first house, and she wanted EVERYTHING to be perfect. Earlier, they had been at Flaymour and Rannigan's shopping for furniture. Tina's living room set had come from the want ads; Ray had promised her a new one. He also OK'd a new bedroom set. They then went to Babies and Pups "R" Us, to look at a pair of cribs. then they went to "Bedding & Things for linens. Tina picked out a new comforter. And matching sheets, shams, curtains, dust ruffle, and all the rest of the stuff that needs to be co ordinated. Ray struggled under the sheer mass of all these purchases, when they passed the pet store....

"Puppies!" Tina chirped, and she was gone, nose pressed to the glass, making silly faces, and talking baby talk to the cute puppies.

"Look, Ray!" Tina pointed to a little white Poodle. "Isn't it darling!"

Tina was completely smitten with the little dog.

"Isn't that Poodle girl precious?" the sales clerk solicited. "Let me get her out, so you can meet each other..."

The clerk left without waiting for a reply.

Now, Ray thought the puppy was cute, too. He just felt that there were a lot of reasons that this just wasn't a good idea

"Hon, maybe this isn't the best time...."

Tina was playing with the pup, touching noses and smiling

"When we get a dog, we should use a breeder. This is likely a dog from a puppy farm......"

Ray was interrupted by Tina.....

"Googooogooogoo arent't you CUTE! Yes you ARE!

"You know, with the move, and the babies coming...."

"I WANT HER, I WANT HER I WANT HER!"

Then she went back to plying with the pup. Now, tina never needed to argue. There was this tone, an inflection in her voice, that indicated all discussion was over. She never yelled. Ray just knew that when he heard that pitch to her voice, that Tina was about to stop talking. Which always followed. Just then, Tina's phone rang. She took the call smiling, still playing with the puppy. Suddenly, Tina's face lost all color. She dropped the phone, which scared the puppy, which ran back to the salesperson.

"What is it, hon?" Ray asked, as scared as Tina

"Dad's had an accident at work; he's in the hospital."

They picked up, and left hurredly. Luckily, the hospital was not that far from the mall. Ray pulled up to the front entrance. He turned to speak to Tina.

"Maybe...my being here would not be good....." Ray said, somewhat sadly.

Tina thought....

"Yes....God, I want you with me, but Mama's not good, not good at all....."

"I'll go home; call me when there's news, or when you need to come home..."

"Thanks, Babe. Uh, I better go" A look of panic came over tina's face, as if the impact of the situation had just fully reached her....

Ray left, and Tina went inside. the hospital in the city was new and modern. the lobby was spacious and airy, but with all the tile and marble, it was hardly warm. tina felt a chill go through her. She went to the big reception desk, and asked the attendent for her father. His whereabouts were not immediately available. so the attendent checked on one possiblity after another. Tina waited . Just then, Dr. Goldstein came by, walking rapidly, carrying charts. He saw Tina and stopped..

"Dr. goldstein"

"Tina" He gave his daughter in law a hug.

"What brings you here this evening? Where's Ray? Is he OK?

"Ray's fine. It's my Dad. There was....a bad accident. We don't even know where he is....."

"Stan's been hurt?"

The doctor held Tina by both shoulders. Ever since that day on the golf course, Stan and the doctor had been fast friends. they often talked, and sometimes they still played golf together, even thoug, as a hybrid, Stan was not particularly welcomed at the country club.

"Well, we'll find him!"

The Doc took tina's hand and he lead her away to his office. Before they even got there, The doctor was on the phone, As Chief of Surgical Services, it was easy for him to find anything.

"Allright. Get me copies of charts and tests. Have the attending call me stat, as soon as he's away from the patient. And see that Mr Russel's chart is tagged as level one....

He then hung up.

"What's level one? tina asked, picking up a seemingly small detail.

"That's hospital talk. Level one is a VIP here; poiticians, donors, celebs. Your Dad just got upgraded.

"What's going on? Tina was beginning to lose her composure.

The Doctor walked over, and knelt by the chair where Tina sat....

"We....I....don't know. Your Dad had a really serious cardiac incident. We also think that there might be a closed head injury. He was reportedly on a ladder when it happened; he fell to a concrete floor. He was bleeding a little from one ear. Luckily, he was wearing his hard hat. right now, they're still working on him down in the ER. they want to get his vitals stabile before they move him. That may be some time. the ER people sent your Mom up to the ICU to wait; I'm sure you'll want to see her....

The doctor had security show Tina to ICU. When she got there, she saw her mother sitting on a bench. Sitting there on the bench, alone, she looked very small. Tina walked over....

"Mama?"

Georgette turned toward her daughter. She turned slowly, eyes filled with tears.

"They can't let him die......"

This story will continue in Facing Death II