Souls in Peril (39 page)

Chapter
2
2

The bottom of Max
’
s world dropped away. He no longer cared about anything or anyone but Emma. Not JD, not Izzy, not himself. He shoved the bag of soiled clothes into Mel
’
s hands and ran
back into the
ER
. Mel called his name. Jeff told him to stop. It didn
’
t register. Their cries were merely white noise. No one tried to stop him as he rushed passed the cubical he
’
d just barely left. Nor as he approached the large room full of medical personnel all hovering around a gurney holding a motionless cheerleader with silky blond hair. He couldn
’
t hear a thing they
said
. Or in some cases shout
ed
. He was too busy begging.

No, please not Emma. Please. Take the rest of my time and give it to her. Please. Please don
’
t take her. I
’
ll do anything you want me to do, go anywhere you say. I
’
ll stay here forever as JD, or I
’
ll go far away from here and never speak to her again. But please, don
’
t take her.
She
’
s a good person.
She has so many dream
s
, so many
things she wants to accomplish
. She wants to become a journalist and write life-changing stories and make a difference in the world. She wants to marry, and have children. Please. Not Em.

He repeated his plea over and over again. IV
’
s ran into both of her arms, syringes full of Max had no idea what
,
was injected to the IV tubing.  An oxygen mask lay strapped to her face. Slowly, the voices came into focus.

“Any reaction to pain stimuli?”

“Pupils equal and reactive.”

“What
’
s her blood pressure?”

“Seventy
over thirty-two.”

“Give her forty of Dopamine.”

“I want a head CT stat and a spinal MRI.”

She
’
s not dead. Why would they give meds and take x-rays of a dead person?
He stepped closer, watching her chest rise and fall. “She
’
s breathing.” Max wiped his face, sinking against the doorframe.

“She
’
s stable. Let
’
s get moving on the CT,” Dr. Colter ordered. He walked toward Max, pulling off his rubber gloves and tossing them in a trash bin.

“JD,” he said, resting a hand on his shoulder. “I
’
m sorry. You
’
re not allowed in here. Is she a friend of yours?” He nodded. “Come. The family will update everyone as they feel
i
s best.”

“Is she going to be okay?” Max looked in Dr. Colter
’
s gentle
blue
eyes for the answer, knowing that he couldn
’
t tell him anything.

“I
’
m sorry, JD. I
’
m not allowed to discuss her case with you.” Max nodded. “Have you been discharged yet?”

“Yes. I just came back for Em.”

“Is that her name?”

“Emma McKay. She
’
s a cheerleader. The best one at Port Fare. She
’
s also the most kind, generous, loving…” Max broke down, sobs rocking his body. Dr. Colter wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

“
Don
’
t
give up hope.”

Max nodded, drying his face.

“Where
’
s Emma? Where
’
s my baby?” Bev McKay ran into the room, frantic, with Marty on her heals.

“Those are her parents,” Max pointed.

“Thank you. Remember what I said,” Dr. Colter
offered
, heading straight to the
McKay
’
s
.

Max
shuffled
zombie-like back to the lobby. Several of the cheerleaders and Jeff ambushed him, throwing question after question at him.

“I don
’
t know anything, except that she
’
s very much alive. They
’
re doing tests on her now.”

Jeff stepped back, exhaling loudly. “Elise!” he snapped.

“I
’
m sorry
.
T
hat
’
s what one of the other girls said,” she defended. Jeff stormed to the opposite end of the waiting room and dropped into a chair. The cheerleaders circled around, crying on each other
’
s shoulders.

“Come along, sweetie. Let
’
s get you home.” Mel took Max
’
s arm.

“No, I
’
m staying here. I can
’
t leave Em. Not now.”

“JD, you need to rest. You
’
ve been through a lot yourself.” She brushed
at his
hair
.

“I
’
m fine, mom. Go back to work. I
’
ll meet you at home later,” Max insisted. Leave Em? He
’
d rather lose his right arm than leave.

“JD—”

“Please,” he pleaded,
desperate
for her to understand.

She nodded. “I guess if you have to be anywhere, this is the safest place for you. I
’
ll catch a cab back to work.” She gave him a quick peck on the head. “Take it easy.”

“I will. Thank you.”

The waiting room quickly filled with students and teachers alike once word got out. It didn
’
t surprise Max. Everyone loved
Em
. The hospital moved the large gathering to a private waiting area to free up the
ER
. In the three hours since Em arrived, no one had come out to update them. Max paced the room for the hundredth time. The beating he took in the alley finally caught up with him. His head throbbed as did his ribs when he inhaled too deeply. Unable to stand the waiting any longer, Max bolted from the room and went upstairs to visit Izzy. Not thinking, he stormed into her room.

“Whoa, JD, what
’
s . . . Your face! Who hit you? And why are you in hospital scrubs?”

Max cringed. He
’
d completely forgotten. He twisted around to the stainless steel paper towel holder on the wall to check out his
face
in the reflection. He looked like Quasimodo with his swollen eye and bruised mouth.

“Nate,” he said, squinting to get a closer look at the cut glued together on his brow.

“He discovered your hiding place, didn
’
t he?”

“Yes.” Max gave her a brief recap of the beating.

“JD, why did we ever agree to cancel the pact? This is never going to end.” Her
voice haggard
as she spoke.

“Izzy, you
’
re wrong. Jeff
Morgan
from the baseball team stopped them. He and two other guys, with bats.” He almost mentioned the gun, deciding it might not be a good time.  “It
’
s working, Izzy. Trusting others and reaching out is working.”

“I don
’
t know. Maybe. I
’
m not completely sold yet.” She tucked her sheet under her arms. “Is Emma coming by today?”

“No,” he said gravely. “She got hurt.”

Izzy sat up straight. “How?”

“The cheerleaders wanted to do some kind of grand stunt for the
big
game.
After the win, six guys from the team were supposed to form the bottom row of a pyramid.
Then four cheerleaders were to form the next row, and two on the next.
Emma
was supposed to be on the very top.
Standing, mind you.
”
Max overheard one of his teammates talking to Jeff about it while he paced the ER earlier. He
’
d gotten as angry as Max over the stupid stunt.

“
And l
et me guess
.
S
he fell off.”

“Yes. I don
’
t know much more. She
’
s been in the
ER
for over three hours and we still know nothing.” Max sank into the chair next to her bed. Only then did he realize just how tired he was.

“I
’
m sorry, JD. I know she
’
s your friend.”

“Our
friend,” he corrected.

“Our friend,” she agreed.

“How are you feeling? You
seem
a lot better today,” Max asked.

“
Pretty good.
I don
’
t love
the food they
’
re letting me eat, but tomorrow I get to
have a real breakfast. Pancakes.
”
S
he smiled. “The doctor
’
s supposed to be coming in to talk about my new diet any minute now.”

“How
’
s the pain?” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

“Not too bad. Not as bad as the attacks, so that
’
s good.” She gave him a thumbs up. “My mom called this morning. First time since the day of the surgery.”

“Since . . . Wow.” Max couldn
’
t believe it.

“She said that if everything goes well, and I don
’
t have any more attacks, I can come visit her this summer for a few days.”

That
’
s big of her.
“Great, Izzy.”

“It kind of depends on my little sister Kelley too. She
’
s trying out for Summer Stock Theater and it
’
s like a forty-five minute drive from their house. If she
’
s accepted, my mom will have to drive her back and forth and she doesn
’
t feel all that driving would be good for me. So it all depends on whether Kelley makes the troupe.” She smiled, despite the pain in her eyes.

That is
me
ssed up on so many levels.

“Hello-Hello.” Her dad strutted in the room, girlfriendless, and leaned over to give Izzy a kiss. She quickly diverted her head and it landed on her ear.

“JD. I hope the other guy looks worse,” he joked
.

Max half-smiled. “Hello, sir.”

“Hate to chase you out, but we
’
re expecting the doctor for a consultation.”

Max stood at the not so subtle hint. “I
’
d better get back downstairs.” He leaned in to hug her, but Izzy shook her head ever so slightly. “I
’
ll stop by later.”

“JD, Izzy needs her rest. Why don
’
t you wait until tomorrow?” Izzy
’
s dad squeezed her hand softly. She jerked it away.

“See you later,” she said defiantly.

“Sounds like a plan.” Max smiled broadly and left.

He jogged down the stairs, not wanting to wait for the elevators. He passed a nurse as he headed down the hall for the
ER
.

“You need to wear your badge,” she said, tugging the name badge clipped to her pocket. “You
’
ll get fired if the big wigs catch you without it.”

At first Max had no idea what she was talking about until he remembered he had on hospital scrubs. She thought he worked there. Max, not wanting to take the time to explain, answered, “Thanks,”
and
continued down the hall.

He entered the private waiting area as Vice Principal Volkel demanded everyone
’
s attention. “Since Principle Harper is out of town, the family has asked me to read a statement they
’
ve prepared for everyone,” she said. She held up a yellow slip of paper and began.

“
‘
Thank you all for your love and concern for our daughter, Emma McKay. She has suffered a broken left arm and a fractured left collar bone. She has a concussion, and is in a coma. She will remain in the ICU for now.
’
”