by S G Read
‘I think I know!’ Carol hissed. ‘And when I get my hands on him he'll wish he was never born!’
‘When you find the miscreant kindly bring him to I.C, I think we are ready to move Stuart there. Can we get him of this trolley?’
‘I'll get a bed.’ Geraldine replied and went in search of an empty bed, the one she chose, was the one Stuart had been using.
By now Stuart had been reattached to the monitor, again it was the same one. When it was plugged in there was no reading at all and the alarm started. Terry checked the leads and found the one that was slightly out. When he pushed it home the monitor bleeped, then after a long pause it bleeped again.
‘That's still very slow!’ Mr Follet warned.
‘But if I bring him up too fast and he slips into a coma, it could be his lot!’ Terry replied.
They stood there waiting and the bleeping started to increase gradually until Mr Follet decided it was safe to take him to intensive care. The monitor was unplugged for the journey but wheeled with him so that it could be plugged back in as soon as they arrived.
‘Keep me informed if there is any change.’ Mr Follet told the staff nurse in intensive care. ‘I will have my pager with me. I am of to a dinner but don't hesitate to call, the speaker is well renown as a bore! I want a nurse with him at all times, this is going to make a nasty smell. Keeping him alive and fully functional is our best bet!’
The door to intensive care burst open and Carol dragged Billy in by his hair.
‘OW, let go you witch!’ Billy complained.
‘This is our label switcher is it?’ Mr Follet asked.
‘I reckon.’ Carol replied. ‘I told him the finger prints we found would prove it!’
‘I think a check of the monitor should prove that he loosened the lead as well!’ Terry added.
‘He deserved all he got!’ Billy said venomously.
‘What you don't know is that if you didn't loosen the lead, when they found him they might have tried to resuscitate him and that would have done irreparable harm. So you could say you helped him!’ Terry explained.
‘I want to see you in my office now! Go and wait for me!’ Mr Follet shouted his face red with rage.
Carol released him and he walked off, still complaining about Carol. Carol stood looking at the pathetic figure in the bed.
‘I didn't even check for a pulse!’ She said quietly. ‘I assumed the machine was alright. We are taught to double check, I should have at least taken his pulse!’
‘The wire could have been dislodged on the way from the room!’ Mr Follet added. ‘Why were you sure that someone had interfered with it?’
‘I wasn't. I was just guessing.’ Terry replied.
‘A good guess though, or so it seems.’ Mr Follet walked to the door. ‘I will go and sort out an ex porter. Do remember to keep me informed!’
‘Yes Mr Follet.’ The staff nurse on duty in intensive care replied.
‘I will phone his parents.’ Carol said quietly and hurried away.
She was feeling very guilty, to her this was worse than losing John White at least they knew he was dying.
CHAPTER 19
Wendy was cooking dinner when David walked in. As she was going to be late in to see Stuart, she was going to leave it for David to put in the microwave when he came home. It would save her having to go home and cook it later.
‘You're home early-’ the look on David's face stopped her in mid sentence. ‘What's happened? It’s Stuart isn't it? I knew I should have been there! That bloody garage!’
David put his arms round her.
‘When they couldn't get in touch with you, they phoned me at work. He's had some sort of reaction to the new pills and he's in intensive care. Turn it all off and let's go!’
Fifteen minutes later the walked through the automatic doors. They delayed long enough to find intensive care on the hospital map, then hurried on. Stuart lay there, a slow but rhythmic bleep sounding on the monitor. Wendy sat down and took his little hand in hers.
‘I'm sorry Stuart; I should have been there with you!’ She said tearfully.
‘Don't blame yourself darling, I could have taken time off work.’ David said, trying to console her.
‘He started to look so healthy.’ She replied and started to cry.
The boys arrived in Ben's brother's little van and crammed into Stuart's room. Ben would have turned round and gone back out straight away, when he saw Stuart was not there but as he was leading, he was carried into the room on the tide of other boys.
‘He's not here!’ Simon noted.
‘They've even taken his bed!’ J.C added. ‘What does that mean?’
‘It means that we go and find Jenny, he's probably asked to be moved down there next to her.’ Ben replied.
Several of the boys made derisory noises, as they marched out to find Jenny.
‘Where's Stu?’ Simon asked Jenny, not being able to see Stuart anywhere.
‘Isn't he in his room?’ Jenny asked worriedly.
‘No, nor is his bed!’ Ben replied.
‘We could ask that nurse, you know Carol.’ Toby suggested.
‘She went home!’ Jenny replied. ‘I don't know why! All I do know is that I was left sitting on a bedpan for half an hour!’
The boys sought out the nurse, who had taken over from Carol.
‘Where is Stuart Sellars?’ Ben asked, having been helped to the front of the group.
‘Is that the boy in the private ward?’ She asked.
‘Yes.’ Simon answered.
‘He's in intensive care; he had a bit of a turn!’ She replied.
The group returned to Jenny's bed.
‘He's in intensive care!’ Ben reported. ‘He had a turn or something we'll go and see how he is.’
‘You will come back and let me know won't you?’ Jenny asked worriedly.
‘Scout’s honour.’ Ben replied.
‘You’re not a scout!’ Simon pointed out.
‘Alright then Minton Cruisers honour; is that okay Simon?’ Ben asked.
‘Are we still Minton Cruisers then?’ Simon asked.
‘Of course! There isn't another team like us!’ Ben said with pride.
As they walked off, a tall well built man, with a mass of wavy brown hair and surprisingly neat beard, considering the state of his hair, walked up the ward clutching a bunch of flowers.
‘Hello love, you have some very persuasive new friends.’ The man said from the foot of her bed. ‘These are for you.’
A big smile appeared on Jenny's face.
‘Hello dad, I'm glad you came!’
‘I don't think I just came, I think I was kidnapped!’ He said as he gave her the flowers.
Jenny laughed.
‘You met the boys then?’ She asked happily.
‘Oh yes, I met them! I'm glad I was in the front of that van!’ Her father replied as he sat down beside her.
Jenny pushed her button to get another vase.
The boys found intensive care but stopped outside.
‘We can't all go in. There are really sick people in there!’ C.J said peering through the glass portal in the door.
‘We should send the leader in.’ Simon suggested.
‘He's already in there!’ Toby pointed out.
‘The second in charge then!’ Simon replied not to be beaten.
‘In command.’ Toby corrected.
‘That's Stephen.’ Sherman said peering through the portal. ‘Is he in there?’
They all had a turn at looking and eventually agreed that Stephen was not in there. It was obvious as well, that he was not with them.
‘We'll have to elect a third in command.’ Toby said with a sigh, remembering what they were like at choosing. With both Stephen and Stuart out of the running it was likely to end up one vote each!
‘How will we do it?’ Ben asked.
‘I know!’ J.C cried. ‘Bog paper! We all write a name on a piece of bog paper, the top two stay in! Then we vote
again!’
For once they agreed.
‘Who's going to get the bog paper?’ C.J asked.
‘We'll send Simon where is he?’ Ben replied.
Simon was already in intensive care talking to David.
‘He'll know what's going on when he comes out.’ John said wisely.
‘Maybe we won't need the bog paper!’ C.J added.
They waited impatiently and pounced on Simon, when he finally stopped talking to David and came out.
‘What did they say?’ C.J prompted.
‘He had a reaction to the new drug and he was nearly dead, now they say he should be alright, if he doesn't go into a coma.’ Simon explained, as best as he could, trying to get it right.
‘A coma; that's bad isn't it?’ Ben asked real concern on his voice.
‘Yeah!’ J.C answered. ‘My gran went into a coma and never woke up!’
‘Did she die?’ John asked.
‘I hope so, they buried her!’ J.C replied.
‘What do we do now?’ Sherman asked after a long pause in the conversation.
‘We can't go and see Jenny as we brought her dad in and we can't all go in where Stu is.’ Colin said in frustration.
‘Let's go back to my place!’ Toby suggested. ‘Stuart’s dad said he’d take Mr Robbins home and I put the recording I did of the accident on to a tape, which I just happen to have with ready to play!’
‘What're we waiting for?’ Colin cried. ‘What rating is it? P.G?
‘More like B.B.G!’ Antony replied.
‘What's that?’ Colin asked.
‘Bad bike guidance!’ Antony explained.
‘Very funny; I don't think!’ Colin replied.
By now they had reached the payphones and Toby telephoned his father. With all the boys except Stephen to transport, he came in the Espace and his wife brought their other car.
‘I didn’t quite catch what you were saying.’ Toby’s father said as they were driving home.
‘Stuart is in intensive care and his mum and dad are with him. As we took Jenny’s dad in to see her, we didn’t have anywhere to go!’ Toby explained.
‘How is Jenny’s dad getting home?’ He asked.
‘Stu’s dad is going to take him.’ Toby replied.
‘What and leave Stuart in intensive care? I hardly think so! When was he going to take him?’
‘Nine o’clock, when they kick everyone out.’ Toby answered.
‘I’ll come back to take him home then.’
Back at Toby's house they squeezed into his room to watch the film. After a second showing with liberal use of the slow motion they started to discuss Stuart.
‘What do we do now?’ Ben asked.
‘Search me!’ Simon replied. ‘What do you think Stevey?’
‘He’s not here Simon!’ Toby pointed out.
‘Then we should phone and ask him if he has any ideas.’ Simon retorted.
‘Is that a proposal?’ Denis asked.
‘Yeah, okay that is a proposal.’ Simon answered.
‘It sounds a good idea as Stevey is second in command.’ Sherman said. ‘I’ll second it.’
‘Any other proposals?’ Denis asked.
When no one spoke, he took it as a no.
‘All in favour.’ He asked, acting as chairman.
All the hands went up and Toby dutifully went downstairs to phone Stevey. He dialled the number and waited.
‘Is that you Stephen?’ Mrs Brown asked.
‘No it’s Toby, I wanted to talk to Stevey.’
‘Isn’t he with you?’
It was a silly question and normally Toby would have gone on to explain that he would not phone Stevey, if he was already with him but he just said. ‘No, we haven’t seen him today!’
‘Oh thank you. Have you been in to see Stuart?’ She asked.
‘Yes we all went but he’s in intensive care so we came back to my place to talk.’ Toby answered. ‘We had nowhere else to go!’
Pat Brown had been a little worried, now she was a lot worried.
‘Thank you for calling, I’ll tell him you called when he comes in. Good night Toby.’
‘Goodnight Mrs. Brown.’
Toby hung up and returned to his room.
‘He isn’t in.’ He reported.
‘Now what do we do?’ J.C asked.
‘Search me!’ Simon replied.
Mr Follet was sitting listening to the main speaker as he droned on, he had been at it for half an hour now and there was every indication that that was the tip of the iceberg. His pager bleeped. He turned it off and turned to his wife. She motioned him to go. When he found a phone he phoned the hospital.
‘Follet here!’ He said to the girl on the switchboard.
‘Yes Mr Follet, I'll put you through to I.T.’
‘Follet here.’ He said when the nurse the other end answered.
‘I'll get staff nurse Dickson, Mr Follet.’ The nurse answered.
Mr Follet had to wait until the staff nurse picked up the receiver.
‘Bad news I'm afraid Mr Follet, Stuart Sellars slipped into a coma at twenty hundred hours!’
‘Is he on a ventilator?’
‘No.’
‘Well that's something. I'm on my way!’
Mr Follet turned to find his wife standing behind him.
‘Trouble?’ She asked.
‘In a big way. This is hospital blunder upon hospital blunder and I am right in the middle of it!’ He complained. ‘A drunken laboratory worker and a homicidal porter.’
‘I'm coming with you!’ His wife declared.
‘But Kate all you can do is sit and wait!’
‘No you are wrong Charles. I can visit someone who needs cheering up instead of sitting through another second of that bore, Carlton-Wood the second, then enduring what the lower echelons of society would call a crap meal!’ She explained.
‘I was rather glad when my pager went off; it proves that they have their uses sometimes.’
They walked out of the hotel, feeling like prisoners granted a reprieve but it did not last long. As Charles Follet turned out of the hotel entrance, in a hurry, a police car followed him. Three hundred metres down the road the blue light flashed and Charles Follet stopped. Before the young policeman walked up to his car, Charles picked up the receiver on his car phone and dialled. When it was answered, he gave his number and hung up. The policeman tapped his window and Charles pushed the button to open it.
‘Been to a party have we sir?’ The young constable asked.
Before Charles or Kate could answer the telephone bleeped.
Charles looked up at the young constable.
‘Excuse me.’ He picked up the receiver. ‘Is that you John?’ As he spoke he put the receiver in its cradle and turned it to hand free talking.
‘Yes Charles, I saw you leave the dinner. Is there a problem?’
‘I have a little boy who has just slipped into a coma and I'd rather get to hospital as soon as possible, unfortunately one of your men has other ideas.’
‘Is he there?’
‘Yes John.’
‘This is chief constable Crow speaking! To whom am I speaking?’
‘Constable Wright sir.’
‘Please give Mr Follet an escort to Minton general hospital, immediately.’
‘Yes sir.’
‘Thank you. I can't see Kate, is she with you Charles?’
‘Yes, she did not feel inclined to stay.’
‘I wonder why? I had a look in the kitchen and what I saw there I didn’t think much of. Did you actually see what we were going to be given to eat?’
‘No but Kate did, it was that and another dose of Carlton-Wood which decided her to come with me!’
‘Now that we are out we are going to Giuseppe’s for some decent food. Would Kate like to join us? It is a bit late for a hospital visitor.’ The chief constable asked.
‘I'd love to John! I'll take a taxi from the hospital.’ Mrs. Follet replied quickly.
‘No need. Constable Wright please take Mrs Follet to Giuseppe’s.’
‘Yes Chief Constable Crow.’
‘So I get to go hungry!’ Charles complained.
‘One of the pleasures of your work darling.’ Kate said as she closed the door.
For once when Charles Follet arrived, no one had parked in his parking spot, something that was a common occurrence during the daytime. He knew the way to Intensive care blindfolded by now and was soon walking through the doors into IT.
The staff nurse in intensive care saw him come in and hurried over to him.
‘He slipped into a coma forty seven minutes ago.’ She said quietly. ‘His parents are with him.’
‘So I see. Is he still breathing without help?’
‘Yes Mr Follet.’
Charles examined the chart at the bottom of the bed. As he did so a tearful Wendy looked up.
‘Is there anything else you want to do to my little boy, before we can have him back?’ She asked, sounding very bitter.
‘We will need to run some more tests to see if we can help him.’ Mr Follet replied.
‘Tests! That is all you do and you still fail to find anything!’ As she spoke her voice raised, until she was nearly hysterical.
David put his arms round her, to try to calm her down.
‘We are not going to lose him dear. Remember he's a fighter!’ He said strongly.
Wendy turned to face him. ‘I know but-’ the rest of the sentence was lost in sobbing and she buried her face in her David's chest.
‘We are doing all we can.’ Charles assured her. ‘It could have been a lot worse! If our new technician had not been alert enough to spot the problem, he could be gone now!’
Wendy loosed herself from David's arms and sat where she had been sitting. She picked up Stuart's hand.
‘His little hand is so cold!’
‘As long as he is breathing without any assistance, then there is a good chance that he will make a full recovery. How full the recovery is to be we won't know until he is awake!’
‘How do you mean? Are you saying he might have brain damage?’ David asked. The words 'brain damage' caused a shiver to run down his spine.
‘Until he comes out of the coma, we will not know the full extent of the injuries he has suffered.’ Charles delved in the cabinet behind the nurse’s desk then added something to the drip feed. ‘As he is in a coma there is no point in worrying about him going into a coma anymore, this will help to speed things up but it won't bring him out of the coma on it's own. Talk to him. Talk to each other, make him want to wake up!’ He turned to the nurse. ‘Use my pager if there is any change at all, at any time!’