Get Back Up And Get Used To It (English)

As we turned around the next bend of the road, we found that the road ended there. A construction site that offered no way around it.

"Looks like we're going to have to turn back. No Brian," I called when I saw that he was actually trying to climb over the barrier. "You act like a little child"

"I am a little child," he replied in a plaintive voice as I pulled him off the fence.

"Yes, that's right Brian, we know that. But the little kids in particular have to be told what they shouldn't do," I said, ruffling his hair. For reasons inexplicable to me, he did not wear a cap.

"You are both little kids," Lauren called. "Brian, are you actually aware that you are the oldest of us?"

"What?" I heard Rosenthal answer. "I'm almost younger than Joey"

"Oh Brian, of course! You two, our little babies, how can we always forget?"

"It's Brian's fault," Rosenthal replied. "We can still act like children; Brian is still worse"

"What's wrong with that?" Brian asked.

"Nothing, nothing. Our big baby can have fun," I said, hugging him. And he hugged me.

"You two are cute together, do you know that?" I heard Jaime say. Immediately I let go of Brian and he let go of me too.

"What do you mean?" I asked, my face had turned a little red - certainly from the cold.

"Oh, you know. You both-" She trailed off and pointed a finger between Brian and me.

"Ohh, no," we both said at the same time, then looked at each other and laughed.

"Seriously now," Brian changed the subject. "You have no idea what it is like as the oldest"

"Nope, in fact not," said Rosenthal and we laughed.

"This privilege is yours," laughed Lauren.

"Haha. Thank you"

We were back on the street corner.

"Is that Joey over there?" Jaime asked.

"Yes, what is he staring at?"

"Looks like his phone"

Suddenly he looked up and I waved to him so that it would be clear to him that it is us, if it wasn't already. He waved back.

There wasn't much going on the street, so it was noticeable that a red car was driving by. And it wasn't even driving in the right lane. What's wrong with that? Has the driver lost control? The reactions of the others were faster than my own.

"Joey!! Watch out!! Go away!!" I heard these and similar screams coming from them, but I doubted that the words made their way through the cold wind to Joey. Then he turned around and was directly opposite the car, only a few meters away from each other. Even at this distance from us to Joey, I could see the shock on Joey's face. 

What followed was probably the worst thing I have ever seen with my own eyes, and I could have lived without it. Joey was hit head-on by the car and then thrown back onto the sidewalk. I couldn't help screaming and I think the others did exactly the same. In the next few minutes, I did a few things: I couldn't think clearly because of the shock, then I admired the others for their quick reactions. 

As soon as she had composed herself, Jaime ran to the driver as quickly as possible and took care of securing the road with him, who was physically unharmed. Rosenthal immediately, really immediately, probably even before he had composed himself, ran straight to Joey and talked to him. Brian, Lauren and I got a little closer too, but we really didn't know what to do. We thought it would be more effective if only one person spoke to Joey and not four voices saying different things that might only confuse him. And all the tasks that came to mind were either done or taken.

"Brian?" Lauren asked. I looked at Brian. He looked at Joey with a strange expression and had an arm around mine and Lauren's shoulders.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

Slowly he nodded, but then he said: "No, not really, but I think we all aren't."

Rosenthal just yelled at Joey again to stay with him.

"Please, please, Joey. We need you; we still have so much to do with you", Lauren muttered to herself and I actually felt like it.

When the ambulance finally arrived, I was more relieved than ever. Rosenthal handed over his task to the specialists and stumbled back to the three of us, Jaime followed shortly afterwards. Brian leaned against Brian, who tried to calm him down a bit, because Rosenthal was a bit confused. I pulled Jaime into a side hug, which she seemed to be enjoying. The ambulance drove away with Joey, but not before they told us where to take Joey. We still had to stay because we still had to tell the police, who still had to come, everything we saw. But all we wanted was to come to Joey.

Fortunately, the police came shortly afterwards. We told them everything we knew as calmly as possible.

As soon as we could, we all went to the hospital as quickly as we could.

Oh dear, what are they doing...? I hope you enjoy it so far. As much as one can enjoy it when something like this happens ... I am happy to see that indeed some are reading this story, a big thank you!