by C. S. Harte
Darkness seized Kayla, shrouding her with emptiness, stealing away her mind.
13
Izzy nudged Kayla awake in the locker room at Wolf Creek High. Kayla had somehow fallen asleep on the changing room bench. “Kayla, we have to go,” Izzy said. Her voice riffed with sadness.
“Go where?” Kayla rubbed her eyes. “Why is everything so blurry?”
Izzy ignored the question and walked towards the exit. She turned around, beckoning Kayla to follow her.
“Wait, where are you going? Wait! Izzy! I can’t see anything!” The world faded into darkness. “Izzy… Izzy… Izzy! DON’T LEAVE ME!” Kayla dropped to her knees. Her arms wrapped around herself. It’s so cold.
Mumbled voices emerged, somewhere near her, directionless.
“Who’s there?” Kayla reached out into the void, slowly, searching for anything solid. There was an iciness to the voices, an alien quality. Something very peculiar.
The voices drifted away, fading to a whisper.
Kayla pushed herself up and took a measured step forward. “Wait! I need help! I can’t see!”
Silence.
She cried into her hands. “Please, I need help.” Kayla pleaded into the gloom. “I lost my friend Izzy. I don’t know where she is.”
“What happened?” asked the attending ER doctor at St. Vincent’s Hospital.
“Two young females… Car accident. Severe loss of blood for both. Both unconscious and unresponsive. Possible cranial injury to Jane Doe One. Possible spinal injury to Jane Doe Two,” the ER nurse replied. Her words came out choppy and frantic.
The doctor performed a series of quick examinations on Jane Doe One. “Prep operating room one immediately. Page the neurosurgeon.”
“Immediately, doctor.”
The doctor checked Jane Doe Two next. He lifted her shirt. “Massive thoracic trauma. Severe internal hemorrhaging.”
Kayla’s eyes opened. “Izzy,” escaped her mouth as a quiet hiss. She slipped back into unconsciousness.
“What did she say?” the doctor asked.
“I think she said her name is Izzy,” replied the nurse.
The doctor continued his exam. “No patella or plantar reflex. Call Cedar Medical. We’re going to need a second neurosurgeon. Prep operating room two. NOW!”
“Right away!” The nurse ran to her station leaving the other nurses and orderlies to move the girls.
The doorbell rang at the Sanders' home.
Lorie, the maid, answered the door. Deputy Clark stood outside, hat in hand with a solemn look on his face. He shook his head as soon as he made eye contact with Lorie.
She gasped and held her hands to her face. “Oh no! It’s Izzy isn’t it?”
Deputy Clark nodded. “I need to talk to Mrs. Sanders. Right now.” His voice stern.
Lorie ran upstairs.
Mrs. Sanders rumbled down the stairs.
Tommy walked into the foyer with a blank look.
Mrs. Sanders grabbed the deputy’s shirt. “Is something wrong? Did something happen to Izzy?”
He lowered his head. “I’m sorry. She was in a terrible accident.”
Mrs. Sanders wailed a frightful scream. She collapsed onto the floor and began to hyperventilate. Her daughter, her most precious, dearest person in the world, her one and only, was in a grave car accident.
Tommy’s face appeared bleached white. His mouth gaped open.
Lorie joined Mrs. Sanders on the floor, holding her.
Tommy walked up to the deputy. “How bad?”
Deputy Clark shook his head again.
“Are they still… alive?” Tommy grimaced as he asked.
“They said it was very bad over the radio. That’s all I know. I wish I could tell you more. I’m sorry.” The apology came out as a whisper.
“Which hospital?” Tommy’s hands started shaking.
“St. Vincent's.”
Tommy kneeled next to Mrs. Sanders, placing both his hands on her face. “Mrs. Sanders.” His voice came out unsteady. “We have to go to the hospital right now. We don’t know how much time they have left.”
Mrs. Sanders struggled to control her breathing. Tommy’s words seemed to have moved her into action. She wiped her face with her shirt.
Tommy and Lorie helped her up.
Deputy Clark took a step inside. “Let me drive you to the hospital. I can get you there fast.”
Tommy and Mrs. Sanders got into the back seat of the police car.
Deputy Clark flashed his patrol lights and sped out of the driveway.
Mrs. Sanders mumbled a prayer. Between prayers, she would add, “Please, take me instead. Lord, if you’re listening, take me instead.”
Tommy kept his gaze forward, unblinking. He offered his hand to Mrs. Sanders which she accepted. Tommy squeezed her hand. His calm energy transferred to her as her breathing slowed. No words exchanged between them during the ride. This was not a time for meaningless words, not when the lives of their loved ones hung in the balance. They sat in silence, as their police car roared past traffic, taking them towards a nightmare reality.
Mrs. Sanders jumped out of the car as soon as they arrived. She screamed at an unsuspecting nurse. “TAKE ME TO MY DAUGHTER!”
The nurse ushered them to the second-floor waiting room. “Someone will be right out.” Her voice was soft and caring.
The attending ER nurse walked out to talk to them. “I’m Nurse Martin. I was the admitting nurse when your girls came through. Are you the family?”
“Yes. Isabelle, the blonde one, she’s my daughter. The other is Kayla, her best friend.”
Tommy stepped into the conversation. “Kayla has no living parent or family member around here. But I’m her foster brother.”
Nurse Martin looked through her charts, nodding her head as she flipped through the pages. “Why don’t we have a seat?”
“Oh my God! Just please tell me if they’re alive! Why won’t anyone just tell me if they’re alive!” Mrs. Sanders yelled.
The nurse nodded and showed a sympathetic face.
Tommy placed a hand on Mrs. Sanders' shoulders. “Let’s sit down.” He nudged her into a seat behind them.
Nurse Martin sat down next to her. She scribbled some notes before finally looking Mrs. Sanders in the eye. “This is going to be hard to hear. I don’t want to give you false hope, so I’m not going to sugar coat things. Is that OK?”
Mrs. Sanders and Tommy nodded.
“Jane Doe One… Excuse me, Isabelle, has a lot of injuries and came into the hospital having lost a lot of blood.”
Mrs. Sanders covered her mouth as she gasped. She nodded her head as if begging for more.
“She has several broken bones, mostly on the left side of her body, where the brunt of the impact was dealt. Her ulna, radius, fibula, and several ribs all have some level of breakage. The most concerning is a cranial fracture which caused a lot of swelling and other complications. She’s currently in the operating room with our best neurosurgeon.”
“Is she… is she going to make it?” Mrs. Sanders asked.
“I’m sorry to have to tell you. The doctors gave her 50/50 odds.”
Tommy placed both his hands on Mrs. Sanders. He allowed her to cry into his chest. “What about Kayla? The other girl with Isabelle.” His voice was soft, his eyes peering downwards.
Nurse Martin took a deep breath and shook her head.
Tommy’s eyes began to well up. His chest heaved with each breath.
Mrs. Sanders lifted her head off Tommy’s chest and turned towards the nurse. “What about Kayla? Is she going to be OK?”
“Jane Doe Two, Kayla… Her injuries were more severe. She’s in surgery right now. It’s not a good situation.” The nurse's head kept shaking as she talked. The tone of the last sentence had an edge of uncertainty.
Mrs. Sanders slumped into her chair.
Tommy buried his face in his hands. His lips quivered, his chin trembled. Tears dripped from his face to the floor. His crying grew louder as his emot
ional restraint failed him. “No… No… No…” Tommy repeated.
Mrs. Sanders looked at Tommy and stopped her flow of tears. “I’m so sorry, sweetie.” She placed her hand on his back.
Nurse Martin approached Tommy and held his hand.
Tommy lifted his head. His face was wet and splotchy, his eyes red and dull.
“If Kayla has any other family, I would urge you to call them.” Nurse Martin said in a quiet voice.
A blast of thunder jarred Kayla awake. She opened her eyes and picked herself up, scanning the surroundings. Where am I? She stood alone in an unfamiliar, open grass field. “Izzy?” Kayla said meekly. I have to find Izzy! She’s in trouble!
Lightning flashed in the distance, illuminating an enormous, gray storm front. Seconds later, a thunderous boom roared, making Kayla’s knees wobble. She took a step back to maintain balance.
The winds grew more intense, pushing Kayla backward, blowing dirt onto her face. She was under assault by something faceless, nameless.
Kayla's ears perked up as a voice reached her. The voice was soft but muffled, distorted by the ferocity of the wind. She closed her eyes and scrunched her face, focusing on the source. The voice grew louder, becoming more intense, increasingly urgent. Kayla turned around. Someone was running towards her. She took a step towards him but stopped, uncertainty forcing caution.
“Kayla…” The voice called out.
Her face lit up. It’s Tommy’s voice! She sprinted towards him.
She could finally make out his words. “KAYLA, YOU’RE IN DANGER!”
“TOMMY! I NEED YOU!”
Why can’t I move? Why can’t I move?
Kayla looked at her legs. They were sinking into the mud. Her legs no longer responded to her will. She was entrenched, something was pulling her down. The more she struggled, the faster she sank. Kayla started crying. Nothing is making sense.
“TOMMY! I CAN’T MOVE!” She reached for him. “HELP ME!”
Tommy took care not to get too close. He stopped his approach when the ground became too soft to support his weight. He took off his long-sleeved shirt and held onto one arm sleeve. “Reach for my shirt and hang on to it tight.” He crouched and threw it towards Kayla.
She captured it on the first attempt.
“Don’t let go now!” Tommy rescued Kayla out of the mud.
Kayla fell into his lap, panting, her body thoroughly exhausted, ready to pass out.
“We don’t have time to stay here. You’re in danger.”
Kayla looked down at her legs. “My legs. I can’t move them.”
Tommy picked her up with both arms and held her tightly. “It’s OK. I can carry you.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder.
“I have you now. But you have to wake up.” He kissed her forehead and nuzzled her face. “Please, wake up.” Tears streamed down his cheeks and onto Kayla’s cheeks.
Kayla looked up. “Why are you crying, Tommy?”
“You have to wake up.” He kissed her again. “I need you to wake up… for me.”
Izzy’s surgeon and Nurse Martin walked into the family waiting room where Tommy and Mrs. Sanders had been waiting for the past 13 hours.
“Mrs. Sanders?” the surgeon asked.
She hopped out of her chair and dashed towards him. “Yes! Is Izzy going to be OK?”
The surgeon nodded. “The surgeries were successful, but she’s still in intensive care until the swelling goes down. Until then, I don’t want to say too much. Her other injuries may look gruesome, but they were clean fractures. They should heal without too much issue. We’re most concerned about the brain swelling. Unfortunately, there are usually long-term effects from this severe a head injury.”
Mrs. Sanders' lips started to quiver.
“Isabelle is still heavily sedated, but you can see her now. Nurse Martin can take you to her.”
Nurse Martin nodded.
A slight smile appeared on Mrs. Sanders' face.
“Follow me, Mrs. Sanders,” Nurse Martin said. They left the waiting room together.
Tommy approached the surgeon. “Doctor, what about Kayla?”
The surgeon shook his head. “I sorry, I don’t know about her status. I’ll have someone come out to update you.”
Tommy nodded. “Thank you. I would really appreciate it.” He returned to his chair.
The clock struck midnight as Monday became Tuesday. Tommy flipped through the handful of channels offered by the hospital television. He had been by Kayla’s side ever since she left the operating room eight hours ago, waiting for Kayla to wake up, hoping she would. Large, purple bags lay under his eyes. He hasn’t slept or eaten since the accident. Tommy stroked Kayla’s hair as he listened to the sounds of her breathing. “Wake up, Kayla. Please. I need you to wake up… for me…”
Kayla’s finger twitched.
Tommy rubbed his eyes and blinked rapidly. “Kayla?”
Kayla’s eyes opened, tiny slits at first. “Tommy?”
“I'm here, Kayla! It’s me! I’m here!”
“I heard you calling my name.” Her eyes opened wider.
“You have no idea how long I’ve been calling for you! But don’t get up too fast.” He poured water into a paper cup and held it close to her mouth.
She took small sips. “Izzy needs help. I saw her hurt badly.”
“We know Kayla. She’s out of surgery at least.”
Kayla’s face strained. “Tommy?”
“I’m here.” Tommy stroked her hair again.
“I can’t move my legs.” Kayla began to cry.
“I know. It’s gonna be OK. I know.” Tommy kissed her forehead. “Let me get the doctor.” He walked around the bed to push the call button.
Kayla’s eyes began to close.
Loud beeps erupted from the machines monitoring Kayla’s health.
Tommy froze in his tracks.
The loud beeps turned into a long continuous alarm, screeching into his ears, waking Tommy's greatest fear.
“No…” Tommy rushed to Kayla, grabbing her, shaking her, pulling her into his chest.
Her body remained motionless, her lips silent.
“Kayla… please… come back…” Tommy kissed her forehead one last time.
Act II
14
A muffled rumbling sound entered Kayla’s sleeping mind, waking her. Her eyelids struggled to raise. She winced in pain when she tried to move. There was a tightness in Kayla’s lungs, as she fought to breathe. Her arms gave way as she pushed herself up. Nausea flooded her stomach, causing her to gag. With considerable effort, she finally sat up, but her eyes remained closed. What happened to me? She concentrated on her breathing, fighting one battle at a time. Her nausea intensified as time passed. Kayla rubbed her eyes, resisting the urge to fall back asleep. She finally pulled them open with her fingers. Light poured into her eyes, drowning her senses. A wave of revulsion washed over her. She heaved, giving into her body’s desires to expel the contents of her stomach.
Kayla wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before examining her surroundings. The world seemed distorted, the colors off, brighter, more saturated than they should be.
“Tommy?” Kayla called out. Her eyes were dry, stinging with pain. She rubbed them with her palms and closed them again.
“Tommy?” she called out again, reaching for him with her arm, expecting him by her side. A smooth, leathery sensation filled her hands. Her eyes burst open. Every muscle seized in tension. She was not in a hospital room anymore. Kayla was in the back seat of a car, traveling up a mountain road. A black glass panel separated her from the driver.
“Where am I? Where’s Tommy? Where are you taking me?” she yell at the glass.
No response.
The left window displayed the treetops of a vast forest stretching past the horizon. The right window, a rocky, jagged mountain wall. Her ears began to pop as the car climbed higher.
“Who are you? Why have
you taken me?”
Silence.
She reached for her jean pocket where she usually kept her phone.
I’m wearing a dress. Someone dressed me! She shuddered. Someone saw me naked!
Kayla examined her dress, a category of women’s clothing she was unaccustomed to wearing. It was a blue tube dress that featured a white floral embroidered print with box pleating at the waist. Her hands ran along the fabric, returning a heavy and luxurious feeling.
Am I going to prom? How long have I been asleep?
“Tommy, if this is a joke, it ain’t funny anymore. Although, I really love the dress!”
Kayla touched her hair. Someone had spent the time to style it. She angled her head, creating a reflection of herself in the window. A braided bun updo? I’m wearing a full face of makeup! I look so hot right now! Tommy better see this. Kayla smiled as she continued to stare at her reflection.
Kayla’s gaze shifted towards her shoes, matte black heels with red soles. She tried to remove her shoes, but her legs wouldn’t respond. Sadness descended upon her face as memories of the car accident came to the forefront. Her last interaction with Tommy replayed in her mind. “It’s gonna be OK,” she whispered to herself.
The car stopped. She hadn’t been paying attention to the change in scenery. Kayla looked out the window to see a gravel road with tall trees lined on both sides. She heard a motor running followed by loud screeches. Is that a gate opening? The car lurched forward.
The scenery changed again. Kayla pressed her palms to her cheeks as her eyes grew wider. Outside the window laid a sprawling, vibrant landscape, the massive front lawn of an affluent estate. The terrain sloped gently upwards, leading the eyes to a giant mansion, on top of a hill. As the car neared the castle-inspired home, a small lake came into view, just past a row of well-manicured hedges. On the center of the lake sat a large fountain, topped with a life-sized golden statue of a young harp-playing muse. Water sprayed high in the air via intermittent bursts.
Kayla gasped as her eyes moved past the lake and onto an enormous botanical garden, the last attraction in the most ostentatious private estate Kayla has ever witnessed. Every color in the spectrum of light seemed present as every flower appeared to be in bloom. Red brick walking paths crisscrossed throughout the garden. The center of the garden had taller plants which appeared to be hiding something, though a gleam of light was able to sneak through.