Chapter 6 : the memorial and the hallway

Chapter 6

Charlie and Chris noticed it was a gloomy day while they walked to the school hall where they held a memorial for Ethan and Dorathy.   

Dorathy graduated from the school five years ago. Mason, his brother was present with his parents they all wore lack colored clothes while his mother had a veil on hers.

The principal walked up to the podium and adjusted his tie walked with authority to the pulpit.

“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, it is with great regret to meet under these circumstances. Ethan was a good and vibrant kid who was very loving and caring. He treated everybody with compassion. He didn’t discriminate between people of different races or religions he was just free.”

“He was a good boy” he said.

Mr white dipped his hand into his pocket and brought out a handkerchief and sniffled his nose. He then took off his glasses and told the students to” hold a minute silence for Ethan and Dorathy” while he struggled to hold back a tear.

 Chris looking at Abby who entered through the side entrances tapped Charlie who looked at him raising an eye row was interrupted as he said “look Abby is coming” by a teacher who hushed him.

 Mr white ended the memorial with may the good Lord be with him and his soul rest in peace.

The students in unison replied “amen” then they walked out of the hall while some stayed behind and consoled Ethan's mother and Mason.

“What do we have next?” Chris asked Charlie who was looking at Abby while she walked across the school yard into the music auditorium.

“Music” he said

Chris now bewildered stopped in his step and said music? “We don’t offer that course man what are you thinking? “

Chris now following Charlie's gaze saw Abby heading to the music auditorium sighed looking at Charlie now saying we have chemistry now Mrs Jones doesn’t take prisoners and walked away.

Charlie now staring at an open space in the school's yard was rattled when the school bell which rang by 9:00 am shit! He muttered as he was already late for class as he ran and jumped over the rose ushes instead of taking the track path.

Charlie ran through the hallway speedily evading the anatomy teacher and bent sharply and took the steps to the second floor where he shoved people standing still and apologized.

Mrs jones now leaving the staff heard her phone ringing and dipped her hands inside her bag and searched for it while responding to a greeting by a fresher.

Charlie's heart-beating, pulse racing stopped for breath and he then saw Mrs jones through the half-cut balcony walking towards the class.

Shit, he was too late! what will I do now? he thought as Mrs Jones's outstretched hands reached for the door knob.

He quickly tossed his bag behind a cabinet which was near the wash hand basin and walked in behind her.

Stop! He heard as he walked in. Where are you coming from? and why are you coming after me? Mrs Jones asked Charlie who froze like a deer in headlights.

Charlie turned abruptly looking towards Mrs jones almost stuttering nervously said ma I am just coming from the restroom.

Chris already knew he was lying stood up and said “ma, he has been here since, that he went out before you came in.”

“You can go in “said Mrs Jones as she turned towards the projector and plug her flash into it.

Charlie heaving a sigh walked towards his seat smiling dipped his hands in his pocket blew a kiss to Abby as he glanced at her.

Abby who didn't expect anything turned her head away at the right moment to respond to Clara who was talking to her and Barry the openly gay guy in their class looking at Charlie was shocked too at it and then blew him a kiss.

Charlie quickly sat down and muttered what the hell! He tried glancing at Abby while Mrs Jones was teaching them about isotopy.

Charlie who didn’t even have a notebook on his desk was just staring at the ceiling, then he looked towards Abby who was locked in concentrating on her textbook then suddenly Barry looked up and their eyes met.

Charlie quickly averted his eyes and tried to adjust properly on his seat when Mrs Jones turned around and asked the class example of an isotope?

All hands went up except Charlie who looked back seeing it was just his that wasn’t up quickly raised his hand.

Mrs Jones now impressed quickly smiled and said she was happy they were understanding the topic as she walked towards the window to get a view.

Charlie seeing that as an opportunity quickly turned and looked at Chris with a raised eye row. Chris realizing what he meant quickly said “carbon 12 to carbon 13”.

Charlie smiled and turned towards the projector as Mrs Jones walked towards him and pass him.

Charlie now relaxed jolted up when a hand landed on his shoulder, he turned around to see who it was. it was Mrs Jones who demanded her answer.

“Well…...?” miss jones asked eyeing him

“Carbon 12 to carbon 13” replied Charlie looking at her dead in the eye.

 “You may seat down” Mrs Jones said as she walked away towards the other side of the class.

 Abby who was laying her head on the desk didn’t see when miss jones walked in from her blind side and stood over her for some minutes waiting to get a reaction.

 Mrs Jones now curious tapped her shoulder gently saying “wake up”! but no reply from Abby. Miss Jones quickly turned around the desk to get a look at her face and saw it was Abby.

Quickly miss jones placed two of her index fingers on her neck and located the carotid artery and checked her pulse. It was too faint but it was there.

Mrs jones quickly dialed 911 while searching through the student record for her file to know if she had any prevailing medical condition.

The 911 forwarded the call to the nearest emergency service which was nearest to the school.

Angelina Cortez who just started her break ordered a coffee latte with extra milk and some donuts while her night shift ended heard her phone ringing and quickly ran towards it.

“Cortez! Serial number 781227A” She said

Dispatch: unconscious female student in old creek memorial high school. Forwarding the call to the first responder.

“Hello, what's her name?” asked Cortez as she ran out of the coffee shop leaving her coffee on a table. While running to the ambulance that was already steaming.

“Her name is Abby Carter .age 16 blood group 0+ genotype AA” responded dispatch over her phone.

“Copied” replied Cortez while arranging a UV bag at the ack of the ambulance while her partner Grayson drove speedily towards the school blasting his sirens.

“Check if she has any prevailing illness or anything in her medical record” said Cortez to Mrs Jones while putting on her gloves.

Mrs jones flipping through the pages nervously said “yes mild case of a heart attack four 4 years ago.”

“Is her heart still beating? Mrs Jones! are you there?”

The students watching were in panic watching helplessly while all this was happening

suddenly there was a jolt, Abby started shaking her body rigorously she was having a fit.

“Yes, am here!” she shouted “she's having a fit!”

 Quickly “put a cloth in her mouth to prevent her from biting her and turn her to her side,” shouted Cortez.

“How far are we?” Grayson

“We are at the school driving to the entrance now” responded Grayson as he turned the wheel expertly and drove on the school lawn dodging work benches, to the front of the school building.

Angelina without waiting for the ambulance to stop jumped out immediately and lowered a stretcher.

 Charlie watching the ambulance from the transparent window quickly carried her up in his arms in a sideways manner hands beneath her thighs, arms supporting her back moved towards the front entrance.

Angelina Cortez seeing this quickly brought down the ladder at the step of the ambulance while Charlie rushed and lay her on the stretcher. while Grayson and Angelina lifted the stretcher into the ambulance.

Angelina Cortez brought out a defibrillator from a black travel duffel bag bearing the hospital and first cross logo on it. While Grayson drove off.

“Kid, do you know how to perform CPR?” Cortez asked while switching on the defibrillator

“Press her chest every three seconds repeatedly” Cortez said while she put on the grain switch and pulled off the sticky pads.

 “Open her shirt! Quickly” she said

 Charlie now looking confused froze

 “Open it now,” she yelled without looking at him

 Charlie summoned up courage and opened it, looking at her breasts and was amazed how beautiful they were, how Abby was beautiful. He noticed a slight nudge in his trouser’s, he was hardened already, in this situation. while Cortez put the sticky pads on both sides of her chest, he then shifted away.

“Here see that red button on that machine! press it when I tell you to” said Cortez to Charlie while looking at the mini screen her pulse was showing.

“Now!” she screamed as Charlie pressed the button, she quickly placed the defibrillator on the sticky pad which gave a shock…

She looked at the minor now seeing her pulse reaching 110 relaxed and put off the machine and used a stethoscope to check her heartbeat again.

Charlie shocked from all this that happened in mere minutes passed out in the ack of the ambulance knocking out some stainless-steel equipment on the make-shift table.

Then he woke up immediately while Cortez looked at him carefully saying “he was just fatigued and stressed.”

In the hospital after Abby was admitted, Cortez made sure Charlie took some electrolytes from the vending machine down the hall and have a rest in the hospital.

Minutes turned to hours suddenly it was almost 10 pm. Chris who came to check up on Charlie had gone home already. The hospital was almost empty except for the few night shift staff that remained.

Bobby who was informed by Chris that Charlie was there came to the hospital to see Chris. He brought with him a Burger and chilled sprite.

Bobby walked to the receptionist in front and asked for his son's room number

The nurse looking at the computer screen asked his name?

Bobby now frustrated because the lady was wasting his time hastily said, “Charlie Thompson.”

“Room 34” the nurse replied barely taking her eyes of the laptop screen.

Bobby went off without even telling her to thank you. Bobby stood it looking at his wristwatch deciding whether he should use the elevator or take the stairs Bobby was passed a couple, a man and woman in their mid-thirties  she appeared to be.

Seeing as they went into the elevator and were joined by a cleaner with his cleaning rack he decided to use the stairs.

Walking up the stairs gave him pain which was a sharp reminder that he was now old. he grimaced as he walked telling himself just a little bit further that he can do it.

He got to the third floor just in time as the elevator got up. He watched the couple as they walked towards the end of the hallway. Hmmm, no sign of the cleaner may he stopped at the first floor or something Bobby thought.

“Why am I having a bad feeling” he thought as he stretch his hands to open the door while taking one last glance at the couple again.

Charlie was eating the chips left by Chris and watching the basketball highlight being shown on the television when his father opened the door and entered.

"Hey, dad, how do you know I am here?” asked Chris as he tried to sit upright

Bobby sitting at the edge of the bed, looked at Charlie, tossed him the sprite and said “it was your friend Chris who told me where you were.”

After talking for about thirty minutes, he told his son Charlie to change clothes so as to go home together.

Charlie looked at his dad, sighed and said he is under a 24 hours supervision, just making sure that it’s not fatal by doctors’ orders.

Bobby shook his head, reached for the door, and said call me if anything happens as he glanced at Charlie.

Charlie nodded his head as his father walked away and closed the door.

He stood in the hallway thinking of his next move when he remembered about klay. He looked at the roster on the wall and checked for Patient's names and saw Klay's room number.

As Bobby walked down the hall to Klay's room, he passed the room that the couple was in, as he noticed this he quickly slowed down and rested on the wall trying to overhear their conversation.

Ssssssshhhh said the man on the bed after hearing a faint heartbeat on the walls after some minutes of them discussing in hushed tones.

The middle-aged man walked towards the door and saw Bobby leaning on the wall didn’t wait for an explanation grabbed Bobby and shoved him into the wall screaming who the hell are you!

Bobby knew he was fucked.