~Hoodlum II, The Aftermath~

Sequel to the poem, "HOODLUM," and the journey to live...

I arrived on the scene, emergency room jammed,

friends stretched out the door, hardly any standing

room left on the floor

my mother greeted me as I dash through the door

she needed the true identity of the young man who

had assaulted my brother and left him for dead

she gave me his street name and I was out done, as I told her

his true name tears filled my eyes as I thought astonishingly

I just had dinner the night before with him and his whole family

I made it to my brothers side and almost collapse from disbelief

but I shove my tears away in stride and rushed to my brothers bedside

his body was swollen abominably, covered in blood from his head to feet

his face ruptured beyond compare, intravenous feeding were stuck in him everywhere, but I made sure he knew I was there

I held his hand and walk with him to the elevator doors, heart throbbing but I never letting go, my last words to him before he disappeared through was hang in there I love you

my visits at the hospital were like a ghost, a few of us walk the halls and others took up post, the word was out, they left a witness behind and they were coming back to get the job done, but we made sure they weren't getting this one

eighteen hours, three sets of six surgeons in a crew working extensively to help pull my brother through

eighteen more hours in the recovery room before the family could be certain he would shock the entire hospital crew, six months in ICU, CCU and a whole lot of praying brought him through

at one of my visits the doctor ecplained how to keep the wounds clean and from exposure, I inhaled, took a deep breath as my brother complimented me on keeping my composure

but that lesson was surely a flop, my other brother rob me of the spot, our challenge now was to help him heal, build and hold onto faith, that this situation would not alter his fate

but the aftermath was to much for him to bare, he couldn't even stand people touching him, or being around him anywhere, his trauma was to great for him to escape, the emotional scars were beyond repair

the closeness we once shared was no more, the intrusion left him raw and sore, I knew the only way for him to move forth was to have his day in court

(©)copyright;KarenRussell