Finally it was time for them to get to their respective offices. Art headed toward the Federal Building which was only a couple of blocks away. Richard stopped to get a pretzel and then got caught in conversation with a patrolman he knew from the precinct. Suddenly the earth shook as the noise of the explosion rose above the street sounds and the acrid smell of smoke rapidly spread over the downtown area.
Richard and the patrolman ran in the direction of the explosion. They found that a car had exploded and nearly destroyed a building near The Loop. Instantly he realized that Art used this route to get to the Federal Building, and he had had time to reach the site of the explosion. Dashing from one injured person to another—one body to another—he continued to shout for his friend.
“Art! Art Bleven! Art! Where are you?” Richard felt a panic he had seldom experienced. Then he saw a familiar jacket, ripped and covered in dust from plaster and debris. Quickly he pulled pieces of the building and its contents off of his friend.
“Art, can you hear me? Art!” Richard shouted.
“Ri…” was all Art could get out before he lost consciousness.
“Don’t worry, Art. I’ll get help and we’ll get you where it’s safe,” Richard promised, as he prayed there was time to get him to safety before it was too late. There was so much blood. He couldn’t bear to lose someone else close to him. Then he heard the welcome sound of the medical teams approaching. “I’m going to go get help, Art. Don’t you dare die on me,” Richard gritted his teeth and ran for help.
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