Sudden Impact - Lesley Choyce [14]
I watched as the other stretcher was unloaded. There was blood all over, and I heard the driver say, “Motorcycle accident. The kid drove into a car and flew over the roof. No helmet. It looks bad.”
As the cart came past us, a doctor approached to get a look at the head wound. When he pulled back the temporary bandage, I got a look at a long gash on his face. I almost didn’t recognize him at first. It was Jason. The idiot had left his helmet with me. It was still in my locker. They wheeled Jason through the open doors and out of view.
Two other attendants came out and unloaded Kurt. I walked with them as far as the door and then Martha tugged me back again.
“Come on,” she said. “I’ll buy you a Coke.” She had seen my expression when they had wheeled Jason past. She didn’t know what the story was, but she knew I needed a friend. I felt like the world had gone hopelessly insane.
In the hospital cafeteria, I explained everything to Martha. She listened well. I didn’t touch the Coke. “Jason is a jerk, but now I feel like I was somehow responsible for his accident. I didn’t chase after him to give him back his helmet.”
“It wasn’t your fault. He didn’t want to wear it. You said it yourself. He thought he was being cool, I suppose.”
“But he didn’t deserve this.”
“Honey, most people who get hurt don’t deserve it.”
Then I told Martha about the picture of me as a vampire. “I think, in his own stupid way, Jason was trying to tell me he was willing to donate some of his blood for transfusions. He even had the right blood type. But now Jason’s the one who’s going to need blood. And there’s not a thing I can do to help either of them.”
Martha gave me a soft, sad look. “I’m afraid you just have to trust the system.”
I know she was just trying to be helpful, but right then, I didn’t trust anybody or anything. I walked outside and down the street to a park where I sat on a kid’s swing. I swung back and forth, kicking my feet high up in the air. I was remembering what it was like to be a kid. Everything had seemed so simple then. It seemed like only yesterday.
chapter fourteen
“He’s awake,” Dr. Bennington told me. “You can go in.”
Kurt was propped up in bed. This time he didn’t have a tube shoved up his nose. It was good to see him smile. I sat down on the edge of the bed, almost afraid to touch him—afraid that if I did, I might injure him in some way.
“I knew you’d know where to find me.”
“Yeah. That’s our place.”
“Except it wasn’t supposed to be like that. I’m sorry.”
I shrugged. “You made a mistake, you big goof. Why’d you leave like that?”
Kurt held out his hand and I took it. For once it felt almost normal. “I didn’t believe all they were telling me. Laying around all day was making me feel lousy. I figured if I could just get out of here—even for a little while—I’d feel better.”
“I know,” I said. “Have they told you everything?” I asked.
“God, I hope so. All they say is that I am to stay hooked up to all of this and stay here until a better option comes along.”
“A transplant?” I wanted to be sure he knew.
“Yeah, a transplant. Like in the Frankenstein movies.” He looked tired again and real bummed out.
“I always kind of liked Frankenstein,” I told him. “He was my hero for a while. A very misunderstood character.”
Kurt tried a brave smile. His energy was fading. “Tina, when I woke up and they told me you had tracked me down, I got thinking. I can’t believe I’ve put you through all this. I think you better just leave me alone for a while and see what happens.”
“Oh sure,” I said. I was angry he was even saying this. It was just like Kurt to try to tough things out on his own.
“No. Really. I’m not much fun like, well, like this.” He pointed down to the wires and tubes going under the sheets. “It’s been rough on you and it’s my fault. So just forget about me until it’s all over one way or the other.”
This made me so angry I almost smacked him in the face. I took a deep breath instead. “Right,” I said with a smirk on my face. “Give up a chance to hang out with Frankenstein? No way.”