Triage

When our EMT crew breached the front door, the stench of sickness hit us first. The entire family was scattered across the living room floor, groaning and clutching their stomachs, their faces completely drained of color from a severe bout of food poisoning. I quickly scanned the room for the most critical patient and locked onto the elderly man resting in the armchair. He wasn't even twitching, his skin a horrifying, ashen gray. I grabbed my jump bag and rushed toward him, but despite their agonizing pain, the rest of the family suddenly turned to me and shrieked in unison, 'Don't waste your time on him!'