Chapter 4: SAVE HER FOR ME!

Mike arrived at the scene of the explosion in a haste. The whole place had been sealed completely. Busy workers from different units were at the scene tending to different needs. He jumped off the bicycle he rode to the place . It was not his own. When the news of the explosion got into his ears, a reflex was stimulated in him. And he sought for the nearest means of transportation. A bicycle parked just beside him. He mounted it and rode off. Behind him, the voice of a younger male tried to signal him to stop. But it was a pointless act. He would not deny the fact that he heard it . It was not just the right time to play discipline. His loved one was in that part of Center City where the explosion had taken place. Not just a loved one. He had loved ones residing there. His mother , his friend Steve who turned into a brother and the lady he cherished were all residing there. Earlier that night, when the president's supposed speech was announced, everyone in the hood had agreed to watch it together. No doubt, the crisis  got everyone united. Center city Philadelphia was a busy place. The business heart of the state. Being the bustling business hub situated right in the center of Philadelphia, it was always streaming with people. But then, everyone minded their own business. But since the national crisis began, everyone became less busy and cuddled together to form one huge family. It was not only that way in the city. Rather , it was a widespread affair in the country. Mike had called him to come over but he declined. Could this be a way his instincts saved him from an explosion?

" Go back. " A police officer said to him. " Civilians are off limits here."

Mike was obviously not present. His mind had traveled. His eyes followed the smoke into the atmosphere. Junks of collapsed buildings and other structures were all over the place.

" You can't come here. " Another officer came, taking him off the scene.

" My … mother…" he stammered . " My mother is there. "

" You have to leave. Everything will be sorted out well."

" What can you do?!" Anger erupted in him. " Everyday, you give these people false hope! When are you going to stop? "

" You have to calm down."

" For what? Calm down for what reason in particular? So you can keep feeding me with lies? Is that it? You kept telling everyone it will be alright. And now, look at what it has turned to. My mother , the woman I want to get married to and a good friend of mine were on this scene when the explosion took place!" The officers only stared at him. His pain was visible. And could not be stopped. So, they let him vent his anger. " Look carefully at this place! Can't you see it? Look at the loved ones of all these people buried in this junk. Even if you can't see, don't you have ears to hear? Or have your hearts been shielded from hearing the cries of the innocent?" More people were gathering around him. His companions at the restaurant he had come from just arrived and saw the broken man pour out his feelings.

" Hey! What's going on here?" The officer said as he walked to the gathering.

" Are you here to bring your own sweet words? "

 The officer said nothing.

" Just another piece from the rest. Men with hardened hearts and no conscience."

" You know, that was too harsh. We should learn never to let our emotions determine what flows out of our mouths. Because most of the time, we end up wishing we could take back those words. From a distance, in the midst of the wailing, I could hear you shouting."

" You call it shouting." Mike said.

" If I could hear you in the midst of all the noise, then you were shouting."

" The lives of three people very dear to me are on the line tonight."

" Now, let me ask you. Before the lives of your loved ones became involved in this matter, were you this furious? "

Mike kept mute.

" Your silence means a no. So, why? Most of the time, we do not take necessary measures to stop evil until whatever danger  it is that is out there comes at us. That is the case with you. " He paused. " I am a lieutenant in the Philadelphia police department. You think you are the only one affected? My wife died two years ago, leaving me with our kids. Tonight, two out of the three kids have been confirmed dead!" The words hit Mike and everyone there.

" You lost them?" Mike asked in a low tone.

" I lost them tonight. Yet I am here , still putting on this junk called uniform and you have the effrontery to call me man without conscience simply because you lack the ability to control yourself. " We have all lost people in this fight. The pain is mutual. We can win this together. Amongst those unidentified bodies, your governor lies. Hold yourselves. We only sealed this place to avoid the distraction of having to separate civilians from corpses . Do yourself a favor, man. Get hold of yourself."

" Mike!! Mike!!" A familiar voice shouted his name very closely. He turned to see Steve limping to him.

" Oh my God! Steve! " Mike embraced him tightly. " You made it ! You survived this."

" I am a born survivor. Steve replied and unhugged .

" And now, your friend did not die . " The lieutenant said. " No longer three. But two. You never can tell, the other might still make it. Just be hopeful. "

" Thank you." Mike said to the lieutenant.

" Forget it. " He waved at them. " Let the two pass! " He ordered the low ranking officers on duty.

" Hey! Mike said and the lieutenant turned.

" Any more issues?" The lieutenant asked.

" Don't you think it will be great to let some other people in?"

" For what reason should we do that?"

" There is much work to be done. If care is not taken, a lot of people will die as a result of delayed rescue. While some may never be found. Working together in a time like this is the best thing to do . The president urged us to do so. Remember?"

" I think I  agree with you. Break the seal!" He ordered and left. The seal was broken and everyone started trooping in to find their loved ones.

" What happened here? " Mike asked Steve.

" I believe you watched the president's speech. Didn't you?"

" I saw what happened. "

" The people gathered were all devastated after that. If the president could be hit that much even with the expertise of the United States Secret Service , it only means the masses are like ants before a lion. The people lamented and wailed . The governor had no other choice other than coming down to this place when he heard of the gathering. He needed to revive the hope that was fast draining into nothingness. And that was it. He had gone a long way in his talk to us all when everyone noticed the presence of light in the atmosphere. It descended till it hit right there. " Mike followed his pointed finger to see the almost totally melted object lying carelessly in a depression on the Earth made by it. " And that is it. Lucky enough, I was not that close to where it exploded. The waves even sent me farther away . Though, the fire cut some parts of me. Excluding the burns and the bruises I got from some collapsed structures , I am perfectly alright."

"  You are even limping. Steve, you got really hurt. "

" That does not count. Like I said earlier, and as you have seen for yourself, there are collapsed structures everywhere. A part of it hit my ankle after the wave from the  explosion had thrown me down. "

" You are not wrong, though. Compared to what I am seeing here, I can say you are okay. "

" You can say that again." Steve smiled weakly.

" What of Rose?" Mike asked.

" Rose?"

" Yeah, Rose. "

" You may not see her right now. "

" What do you mean? "

" She was in the explosion. And it hit her real bad. But have been able to save and secure her. "

" Where is she right now?"

" I'm not sure. I really do not know. I found her almost unconscious. I alerted the health workers present to assist her. They took her and as well promised she will be alright. She is lucky."

" That's a relief. I had to rush to this place the moment I saw the fire. But my mom. Where is she?"

Steve said nothing.

" My mother. Where is she? Have you found her?"

" Ugh… no. Was about to —"

" What? You could not find her. "

" Not that way. "

" What are you saying? Come on. Let's find her immediately before it is late. " He hurried in and they began the search.

 More than two hours elapsed in the night. It was a fruitless search. Mike and Steve couldn't find her. Steve already gave up. And now sat on a heap of junk . The damage done to his body was making it difficult. But Mike could not stop for a bit. He was raised by a parent. His mother trained him alone. He never met his father. It was said to him that the man died after he was born. No memory of him was in his head except the ones he created in his head.  Now, his mother was about to die.

"  Maybe she has been found." Steve opined .

" Or maybe she has not been found." Mike said, taking a pause.

" We have to be positive."

" And what if we are eventually wrong? What would that mean for us?"

Steve said nothing.

" That would mean my mother would die here without receiving any help."

" Hundreds of bodies have been taken away from this site. I am only saying your mother could be inclusive."

" I am not tired yet. We have to keep searching for her. "

" For how long do you intend to do this? "

" As long as possible. It is a necessity. We are talking about my mother here, remember? "

" Of course, I do. But haven't you tried? I am sure we have spent nothing less than two hours here searching without taking a break. "

" My mother is somewhere here. I know it. "

" What was that?" Steve said, looking around where he sat.

" What is the matter?" Mike asked.

" I think something touched me. "

" It could be any living creature from the Earth. "

He felt the touch again. This time, he felt it well. It was a human hand . Someone was struggling to survive.

" Someone is here. " Steve came down. " Help me . Let's take out these blocks. " Mike came closer and they slowly took out the blocks and other objects that formed a heap. The person's head was visible. Mike looked closely and his body went cold. His mother was right there under the heap Steve had been sitting on.

" Mother? Is that you?"

" Wait. What?" Steve asked , confused.

The body moved its mouth . But nothing was heard.

" That's her. " Steve said. " That's your mother. "

Mike was temporarily dazed. The shock had come so hard on him.

" Mike, come on. Let's get her out of here. " They both took out the remaining pieces of collapsed structures and slowly dragged the body out.

" Mother. " Mike called her with eyes soaked with tears.

The woman kept muttering unheard words. She struggled to say something.

" Mom? Mother! Mother!!" Mike shook her . But there was no response from life . She had given up the fight.

" Mother!" Steve called. " You can't die!"

Health officials rushed to them with a stretcher.

" Save her for me. You must save her!" Mike kept screaming as they rolled her out . Steve eyed Mike. He knew he heard something. He had made sense out of the mutterings of Mike's mother. But this was obviously not the time to speak. They both were devastated. But Mike was more devastated. Losing a mother was not a small fight to overcome.