Mobius Rising Chapter 19

Sonic was a blue blur as he tore around and around the infirmary searching for tools to try to stabilize Shadow long enough for Bunnie to get there.  He had already placed an oxygen mask on Shadow in the hopes that the pure oxygen might encourage his former rival to breathe but after that didn't seem to work, Sonic began to race around for something to try to stop the massive hemorrhaging that was happening all over Shadow's body.  Like most of the Freedom Fighters, Sonic only had basic medical training so the majority of Shadow's injuries were way out of his league to  even attempt to treat.  Bunnie Rabbot and Tails were the only two who knew how to do more than put a band-aid on wounds.

"Come on, Come on!  There has to be something here that can help!" Sonic continued to zip from one side of the infirmary to the other as he dug through all of the medical supplies.  

Just as Sonic uncovered a huge roll of gauze, the door to the infirmary opened and Bunnie runs in with Tails at her side.  Knuckles and Espio were there as well but it was clear that they were only there as moral support.  Sonic breathes a sigh of relief, "He's still not breathing, Bunnie... I'm not sure what to do."

Bunnie removes the oxygen mask and opens Shadow's mouth only to discover that it was completely filled with black blood.  Bunnie recoils slightly as the blood begins to trickle down the side of his face, "I think his lungs are flooded.  Once we clear them of blood we might be able to force his lungs to work again.  God... what could have happened to cause such massive trauma.  It's not like he's easy to hurt..."She says, "Tails..."

Tails runs up to Bunnie pushing a small vacuum-type machine, "I'm on it.  Here you go, Bunnie."

There had not been many occasions to use the draining machine in the past.  Most of the patients that would or could have used their lungs being drained after being injured usually didn't live long enough to actually undergo the procedure.  Even though things looked bleak for Shadow, Bunnie had seen Shadow recover from equally grave injuries and she knew that perhaps all Shadow needed was a little help in getting that amazing recovery system back online.  Bunnie opens Shadow's mouth once more and expertly guides the tube connected to the narrow neck of the vacuum down Shadow's throat and into his lungs.  Once Bunnie had the tube in place, she turned on the vacuum and the machine began to fill up with thick black blood.  The sight of so much blood was upsetting to Tails and he turns away.

Sonic watches Bunnie closely as she moves the tube to Shadow's other lung and begins suction there, "... do you really think this will work?"

"I hope so... " Bunnie says sadly, "If it doesn't... there's nothing more we can do for him."

After a few more minutes, Bunnie withdraws the tube from Shadow's throat and begins to perform mouth to mouth to get Shadow to breathe again.  The room waits in silence as Bunnie seemed to labor in vain.  Suddenly Shadow begins to cough.  Bunnie moves out of the way just in time to avoid being sprayed with blood.  Shadow wheezes as his chest rises and falls raggedly as he attempts to breathe on his own.

"You did it, Bunnie!" Tails exclaims.

Bunnie wipes her mouth, "Yeah... now if I can only get him to wake up..."

Sonic and Knuckles walk over to Shadow's bedside and look down at the unconscious hedgehog.  His breathing was labored and still had a very wet sound to it but at least he was breathing.  Bunnie walks over and reattaches the oxygen mask to Shadow's face.

Knuckles' voice was filled with concern, "... how long do you think he'll be unconscious?"

Bunnie shakes her head, "I don't know.  He's worse off than he was the last time."

"You're telling me... at least there wasn't any blood the last time.  I mean it was kind of gross the way his skin peeled off after being burned... but yeah." Sonic says.

Bunnie walks over to a portable x-ray machine and brings it over to the table where Shadow lay, "For there to be that much blood in his lungs, his insides must look like hamburger meat... plus I'm worried about how long he went without breathing.  It only takes five minutes for brain cells to start dying off... he was lying there for a while before we found him and it took far longer than that to get his lungs cleared of the blood.  We could be looking at severe brain damage if he does pull through this."

"What could have done this to him?" Knuckles says.

Bunnie sighs deeply, "I don't know. I'd say we could wait for Shadow to tell us... but I think that if you found Rouge we could get a lot more answers sooner."

Knuckles' eyes get a dangerous look in them, "You don't have to tell me twice," Turns to Sonic, "You up for a little bat hunting, Sonic?"

"Sure.  Besides I'd love to hear what her excuse is for her behavior too."

As Sonic and Knuckles leave the room, Espio and Tails walk up besides Bunnie to look at Shadow.  The once fearsome black hedgehog looked rather pitiful laying there completely covered in his own blood.  Tails takes Shadow's hand and squeezes it, "Come on, Shadow.  You can pull through this... if anyone can you can."