I slipped my shirt back on and held a corner of my t-shirt to David's cut over his right eye. Finally, David's eyes blinked open.
"What the hell..."
I wiped some blood out of his right eye.
"We were in an accident," I said, keeping my voice calm. "You've got a cut over your eye, but you don't appear to have any broken bones."
A siren wailed in the distance and I knew that a rescue unit was on the way.
"What about Terry?" David managed, grimacing in pain.
"They're trying to get him out," I said. "The firefighters will be able to deal with it and they're on their way. You just focus on yourself, okay?"
"Okay," he said and tried to move his head.
"Don't move," I said and held his shoulders. "Just stay still until the EMTs arrive."
"Okay," he said, his voice weak. "Is Terry okay?"
"Don't worry about Terry," I said, because I really couldn't tell if Terry was even alive. He was trapped inside the crumpled front driver's side, wedged against the embankment. I hadn’t heard him say anything, so I assumed he was unconscious. He bore the brunt of the accident, and his side of the vehicle was the most damaged. "The ambulance is coming. Just relax. Focus on me."
The first vehicle to arrive was a firetruck. Out jumped two firefighters, who brought over a case that contained their lifesaving equipment. One came over and checked out David, while the second firefighter joined the other men, who were trying to reach Terry.
An ambulance arrived on scene and the two EMTs took over from the firefighter, who gave them some basic stats for David. They put on a neck brace, and got David up on a gurney, then slid him into an ambulance. I went with him in the back of the ambulance and sat on the jump seat beside the EMT while he checked David's vitals and dealt with the wound over his eye. On my way into the ambulance, I saw that they had taken a person out of the other car and had lain him on the ground and were administering CPR. It didn't look good, whoever he was. There was another passenger as well -- a woman with long black hair, a neck brace on, her face bloodied.
At least she appeared to be alive by the way the EMT was treating her.
We arrived at the emergency room of UCLA Santa Monica. The transition from the ambulance to the ER was smooth. I went inside the examination room with David, watching as they worked on him, assessing him for any broken bones and attaching ECG monitors to his chest so they could watch his stats. They took his blood pressure and measured his oxygen. A doc came in the room and did a neurological exam, then they took David for diagnostic imaging to check for any internal injuries. I waited in the examination room, then finally, alone, I checked my messages.
I expected to see one from Ella, but there wasn't anything. I checked my watch -- it would be nearly midnight back home.
I texted her to let her know I was okay.
JOSH: Sorry I haven't contacted you, but we were in a bad accident on Sunset Blvd and I'm at the hospital with David.
Her response was immediate.
ELLA: Oh, Josh -- are you okay? What happened? Is David all right?
JOSH: He's getting a CT scan right now. I think he's okay, but they're checking for internal injuries. I think David's band mate, Terry, is pretty bad. They were still trying to get him out of the SUV when we left for the ER.
ELLA: I'm so sorry. I was wondering what happened that you hadn't texted me, but I figured you were just out too late. I'll be thinking of David and your other friend.
JOSH: Thanks. I think David will be all right, physically. He doesn't appear to have broken bones, but you never know what's going on inside. I'll let you know how things are in the morning.
ELLA: I wish I was with you, so I could keep you company. It must be nerve wracking to be waiting to find out how he is.
JOSH: I wish you were here, too. It's Terry I'm more worried about.
ELLA: Oh, God, I hope he's okay...
JOSH: I realize it's really late there and you have to work tomorrow so I'll sign off for now and will text you in the a.m.
ELLA: Good night, Josh. *Hugs*
JOSH: Good night, Ella. *Hugs you back*
I felt a little better after texting with Ella but was worried when David still hadn't come back to the observation room in the ER half an hour later.