Blood I loved, she repeated almost in a whisper to herself. She shook her head as if trying to clear some unseen fog. Its not the blood I love, she corrected It was Marcey I loved. As she realized she was referring to her life-long friend in the past tense, tears mixed with the blood that had found its way to Tinas face.

Only a moment had passed since Tina had lifted her hands from Marceys chest. A distant siren prompted her to mutter Its about time, as she summoned all of her remaining strength to resume CPR.

She counted out loud keeping the rhythm of a living, beating human heart as she yelled to no one Breathe! She tilted Marceys head clearing her airway and breathed what she hoped was a chance at life into her friends empty lungs.

Tina resumed her counting, her voice somehow providing the strength to continue. Breathe, she sobbed as she once again cleared her friends airway. A small cry escaped Tina as she once again placed her mouth on her friends lips which had grown colder with each touch.

Oh God, Marceybreathe, Tina wailed as she pulled her mouth away and rested her forehead on Marceys cheek. Please honey, please breathe, she said quietly.

With an ever-increasing sense of dread, Tina kept breathing for Marceys empty lungs and beating for her stilled heart until she finally heard loud footsteps coming down the hallway.

For a moment, Tina panicked and she quickly glanced around the room for a weapon, any weapon, in case the steps were not bringing more help but more hurt.

The sudden fear left her as she hear a loud voice call out Seattle Fire Department. Did someone call 9-1-1?

In here. In here, Tina shouter probably louder than she needed to. In here, she yelled one more time as the barely-closed condominium door opened slowly.

The medical team was the first to enter, and even with all the carnage they had witnessed as paramedics, they were frozen in their tracks at the sight before them.

Jesus Christ, muttered Jules Thompson, a 10-year paramedic with the Seattle Fired Department and a veteran of Desert Storm. Whatin the ***** happened here? she was barely able to ask before her throat tightened and she was unable to speak.