by SM Olivier
I quickly snatched him up, placed him on the ground, and turned him to the side. I knew people could choke on their own vomit if they remained on their backs. I had to take a basic first aid course for the camp I’d worked at, but I never had to use it before. It was like my mind and body were warring with each other; my body going through the right motions, but inside I was screaming in fear.
Clay’s body was burning up at the touch, and his little eyes were rolling into the back of his head.
“Golden! Lochlann!” I yelled, hoping they could hear me.
My hands were shaking as I scurried to grab one of Clay’s discarded onesies. I tried to clear his mouth of all the vomit.
“It’s okay, buddy,” I sobbed, not realizing I had tears coursing down my face. “You’re going to be okay.”
Suddenly the convulsing and jerking stopped, and Clay’s little body went limp.
“Lochlann, Golden!” I screamed once more as I lowered my head to Clay’s mouth. He was breathing, but it was thready.
“What’s wrong, Pey?” Maisie mumbled sleepily.
“What’s going on?” Lochlann asked wide-eyed and shirtless as he stumbled into the room.
Clay’s breath left his lungs. He was no longer breathing. “He’s not breathing!” I cried out as I did another sweep of his mouth. “Call an ambulance! When I came in here, he was seizing, I had heard a noise…he had vomit on his face, and he’s burning up… Lochlann, what’s wrong with him?”
“I’m calling 9-1-1,” Golden stumbled into the room.
Lochlann kneeled beside me and placed his ear next to Clay’s mouth as he put his fingers on Clay’s wrist. “Pulse is thready,” I could hear that he was trying to be strong right now, but his eyes were wide with panic.
I closed my eyes and took a deep calming breath in. I was of no use if I continued to panic. I needed to keep my head and think clearly. Lochlann was here, and Golden was calling 9-1-1. On autopilot, I tilted Clay’s chin back and puffed little puffs into his mouth.
“9-1-1. What’s your emergency?” a cool, slightly effeminate voice answered the phone.
I vaguely realized he had put the phone on speaker.
“My little brother,” Golden blurted out. “He’s not breathing.”
“What’s your name and location, sir?” the operator asked calmly.
“Golden Graves.” He rattled off the address with ease, although his voice was breaking with panic.
“Okay, Golden, I’m sending help, but can you tell me what happened? Has anyone checked to see if his airways are obstructed?” the man asked.
“My girlfriend and brother did that, and now they're giving him CPR. My girlfriend said she heard a noise and when she came into the room he was seizing, he vomited on himself, and he’s running a fever,” he blurted out as he paced.
“Clay!” Maisie cried in panic as she came scrambling towards where Lochlann and I were trying to get Clay to breathe again.
Every second that passed felt like a lifetime. I had taken enough health and science classes to know that any lack of oxygen to the brain could cause long term damage, or worse, death.
“Golden get someone to grab Maisie,” Lochlann says in a clipped voice. He sounded so cold, but I could see his hands shake as he gave small compressions to Clay’s little chest.
“It’s okay Maisie, it’s okay,” I hastily reassured her. “We need room, sweetheart. He’s going to be okay.” I could feel the edge of hysteria enter my voice.
“What’s going on?” Kyler came stumbling into the room with heavy bags under his eyes.
“He’s not breathing, Kyler!” I cry out, realizing it’s already been two minutes. I lower my head to Clay’s mouth and blow into it.
Kyler ran over just as I heard the sweetest sounds ever: Clay’s little cough and the sounds of sirens.
●
I was sitting in the back of an ambulance stroking Clay’s hair off his precious face. He went into a full-blown meltdown when he thought he had to ride in the back with Lochlann or Golden. I didn’t mind going along with him, in fact, I was kind of glad that Lochlann and Golden let me. They were following behind us with the vehicle.
Amazingly enough, no one else woke up when the paramedics arrived. Kyler had volunteered to watch Maisie and had asked us to keep him updated. I wasn’t shocked to find out the man had already wandered into the house before Lochlann asked Golden to go get someone. He may have been up late with us last night, but he was too accustomed to getting up early. He didn’t need an alarm clock on most days, but this morning he had woken to the sounds of Madison and Freddy, too.
Luckily, Kyler had already taken the day off. As soon as the EMTs had come into the room, I became a mess. I was so thankful Kyler had been there to catch me when my legs had given out after the adrenaline left my body. Lochlann and Golden had been so busy pacing and watching their brother get worked on that they hadn’t noticed. Not that I blamed them at all.
Clay lifted a weak hand and grasped a chunk of my hair. I leaned closer to him. His little diapered-body looked so small on the large gurney. The breathing apparatus and wires attached to him brought to light the seriousness of what was happening.
“You are so strong and so tough,” I murmured to him as I continued to stroke his hair.
My eyes hungrily soaked in all his precious features. If I hadn’t trusted my gut instincts, he would be dead right now. The EMT’s already praised us for our quick response. It was a relief, but he still wasn’t out of the woods. We didn’t know what was wrong with him and he still seemed lethargic and out of it.
“First child?” the female EMT asked me sympathetically.
I began to tell her no and correct her, but I knew this little boy and Maisie would always have a special place in my heart. “Yes,” I said instead.
“Kids are amazingly resilient, and I’m sure this little guy will be driving you crazy again soon enough.” She smiled reassuringly.
“I’ll take it any day of the week than having to see him like this.” I laughed still feeling emotionally drained.
“True story…” The woman sighed. “My middle child was born with a hole in her heart. It felt like I lived in and out of the hospital for years. The first time she rode her bike without training wheels, I bawled like a baby. I was just so thankful we got to see her doing something physical and that she survived the many operations she went through.”
“Is she okay?” I asked compassionately.
“She’s twelve now.” She gave me a broad smile. “She is so active, and you would never know the start she had in life.”
“Hopefully, we have the same story to tell years from now,” I feigned a smile.
I felt the ambulance stop and looked up to see that we were pulling up to the hospital. We were barely out of the ambulance when Lochlann and Golden met me at the back door.
“How is he?” Lochlann asked immediately before embracing me.
“Stable.” I sighed as I leaned into him.
“Thank you so much,” he murmured as he pulled me in closer.
We followed the gurney into the emergency room.
“You helped me,” I reminded him.
I felt Golden press the other side of me and could feel the tremors in his lean body. “I keep thinking about what would have happened if you hadn’t used that bathroom.”
I shuddered. “Me too. I guess I should thank Freddy and Madison for hooking up and waking us,” I tried to joke.
“I’m sorry, but only two people can go back there with him,” one of the nurses said, stepping out to stop us.
We all stopped and looked at each other.
“You guys should go back,” I urged them. “He’s sleeping right now, but if he cries for me, I’ll come back there. I’ll just hang out here. Maybe get a cup of coffee. Do you guys want one?” I was thankful I remembered to grab my phone on the way out. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have any cash.
“The cafeteria is in the basement,” the nurse informed me with a sm
ile. “Or if you go down that hall, there’s a little coffee shop. The coffee’s better downstairs, and the lattes are better at the coffee shop,”
“Coffee, yes.” Golden nodded. He reached into his back pocket for his wallet.
I put a staying hand on his arm. “I got it. Do you want a white mocha instead?”
“Please.” He smiled.
“Yes, please,” Lochlann agreed. I was surprised when he leaned in and kissed my cheek. “I’ll let you know what’s going on as soon as I find out.”
I reached up and cradled his face. I knew it was a dangerous game we played here in the hospital, in a town where someone was bound to recognize us. But I didn’t care. From the looks of it, neither did Lochlann.
“Go on and go back there,” I told him before squeezing Golden’s hand.
As soon as they disappeared behind the doors, I went in search of coffee and some food.
●
It felt like I had been waiting for hours, but it had only been one. Lochlann and Golden both came to visit me at one point with updates. Currently, they believed Clay had suffered from a febrile seizure. They said it was common, but they were still running tests on him just to make sure. They were also checking to see if his loss of breathing had caused any damage to his brain.
Lochlann’s latest update was that they were planning to admit Clay to the hospital so they could continue monitoring him and help him reduce his fever. It was at one hundred and four degrees when he was admitted, and it had already dropped a degree.
Baby: Any news?
Kyler and I had been texting for the last hour, but I had forgotten to update him this last time.
Me: Sorry, yes. They’re going to admit him for the day, maybe even the night. Just waiting for a room to open up, and then he can receive visitors.
Baby: Awesome! How are you? I’m feeding Maisie right now. Want some company?
Me: Sure :)
Baby: See you soon. Want me to bring you anything?
Me: I’m good, thanks :-*
As soon as I was done texting Kyler, all the other texts started rolling in.
Soulmate: Where did you go?
I grimaced. I purposefully didn’t text anyone. I didn’t want them to worry until I knew what was going on.
Me: Hospital. Clay had a fever seizure. He is fine now, but they want to run tests on him. Can you tell Madison and Lucas? I’ll come home as soon as possible.
I saw the text bubbles pop up and waited. I knew Paxton would be hurt that we didn’t wake him. He could be sensitive like that at times.
I decided to group text the others, including all our guests, so they knew what was going on. I didn’t want them worrying or wondering where I wandered off to. Madison and Lucas planned to head out after lunch, so hopefully, I could see them before then. I hated leaving them to their own devices, but I knew the others would take care of them. It helped that they felt at home here now, too.
“Excuse me,” a small voice piped up in front of me.
I looked up to see a little boy around eight or so with a shock of bright red hair and a smattering of freckles across his pale cheeks and nose. He was almost painfully thin in his white button up shirt and black slacks. He wasn’t the cutest of kids, but he had arresting green eyes.
“Yes?” I asked with a gentle smile.
“I lost my…mom in the parking lot, can you help me find her,” he said barely above a whisper.
I noticed how he quaked as he talked. He looked frightened, his eyes darting around and looking over his shoulder. I immediately felt sympathy and some other emotion I was too tired emotionally and physically to examine right now.
“Sure,” I said with a shrug. “How did you get here?” I asked with concern. “Was she sick?”
“In a car,” he murmured as he took my hand and began to drag me forward. He was surprisingly strong for such a small boy. “She’s been sick for a long time.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said sympathetically. “Do you remember where she parked? Maybe we can go there and wait for her.”
We exited the hospital, and the little boy pulled me towards the parking lot and past the crosswalk before I realized the parking lot was nearly empty. A strange feeling entered the pit of my stomach for the second time that day.
I stopped abruptly and turned back around. “How about we go inside and find a security guard?” I suggested. “Do you know her phone number?”
I felt my phone vibrate in my hand and looked down. I heard the squealing of tires and barely registered a gray sedan pulling up between me and the hospital doors. I didn’t think. I just reacted. I tried to run around the car as the little boy grabbed my leg and clung to it with all his might. He might have been small, but I couldn’t move his weight easily.
I saw a man wearing dark clothing and a baseball cap pulled low over his forehead exit the driver's side door of the gray sedan.
“No!” I screamed when realization sunk in. The little boy had been a trap. Whoever had been stalking me must have realized my weakness for children.
“Peyton!” I heard Golden’s sweet, southern voice as the man ran up to me, his arms extended.
I tried to kick the kid off, not caring if I hurt him now, as I screamed Golden’s name. I avoided the man's hands, but he was bigger and faster. A white cloth covered my mouth. I could smell a weird mixture of disinfectant and something sweet, like fermenting fruit. I struggled against it and clawed at my captor’s hands, hearing him grunt when my fingernails made contact. My vision became blurry and then… nothing.
26
●
Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
My mouth tasted like I’d been sucking on a set of keys for hours. The metallic taste in my mouth was nauseating. My head was pounding, my limbs heavy, and nausea threatened to consume me. The sounds of sniffling, followed by a baby’s cry, filled my ears. The cry only lasted for a moment before it stopped.
The urge to throw up hit me once more, and I tried to roll over. I barely turned my head away in time to throw up all over the hard surface I was lying on, powerless to move my head away from my own mess. The smell was enough to make me want to throw up again, but I was…weightless.
I groaned and whined at the same time. I wondered if I’d drank too much last night. Wait no, I didn’t even drink. No! Freddy and Madison were hooking up in the tent next to us. I’d woken up. Golden and I had gone inside to seek privacy. I’d heard a noise. Clay! He was seizing. We had to take him to the hospital. I was waiting. A little boy needed help finding his mother. Danger! He lied to me. Something didn’t feel right. The gray sedan. The man! He took me!
Noooo!.
I let out another low keening cry, not understanding why I couldn’t move my arms or legs. Why did my head hurt so much? Why did I still feel so nauseous? Why did my body ache?
“She’s awake!” a high, reedy voice exclaimed excitedly.
My eyelids were too heavy, but I managed to open them. It took a second to focus, but, finally, I saw a wall of dark wood paneling. An antique-looking dresser dominated the wall, and beside it was a small window draped with faded yellow curtains of pink and purple floral print.
“So beautiful, Ava,” I heard the same male voice croon before I felt ice cold hands grip my thighs.
I jolted and looked to see Principal Boyd licking his lips lasciviously. I shuddered in revulsion as he reached out and pinched my mound. “She needs to grow her hair back in,” he sneered.
Crying out, I try to get away from him but then come to the realization that my hands and feet were tied down to a wrought iron bed. I was completely naked and vulnerable to his sick, probing eyes.
Fear and despair threatened to consume me. Why was Principal Boyd here? Had I been right all along? I knew something didn’t feel right with him. His fixation on me had made him seem way too unbalanced. But the man who had been following me was a taller, huskier man. The same man who’d grabbed me in the parking lot. It didn’t make any sense!
What was Mr. Boyd going to do to me? How did he even get me here? Where was here?
I needed to get out of here. My eyes darted around. I tried to feebly fight my restraints. I knew if I could just get free from here, I could easily overpower the slight man.
“All in good time, brother,” said a new voice.
A man came into my line of sight. An attractive, tall man in his late thirties. He looked physically fit, with short black hair and beautiful ice blue eyes. I barely hid another shudder of panic at the coldness that gaze. So very cold. His expression was like a mask, and only emptiness reflected back at me.
So Boyd wasn’t alone, there was another man. And how could this man be Boyd’s brother? They looked nothing alike. The tall man had an exotic look to him, perhaps Italian or something similar, judging by his dark-olive skin.
Boyd, on the other hand, was small and frail looking, shorter than me, his hair darker and thinning on top, and he wore glasses too large for his tiny rat-like face.
My chances of getting free and escaping were dwindling. I could get past Boyd, given a chance, but this cold, beautiful man was… imposing.
There was something scratching at the back of my distraught brain. Something elusive. Something I felt like I should be connecting.
“Hello…Peyton,” the blue-eyed man murmured. His voice was like smooth, rich chocolate. “You really are a pretty little thing, aren’t you? So much like Ava. Do you mind if I start calling you Ava?” He almost seemed amused by whatever reaction I was giving him. My distress, my anguish, my desperation, clearly evident as I keened like a wild animal and thrashed at my restraints.
I stilled, trying to compute his words as I watched his mouth move. His voice was so pleasing, but his words were detached, chilling. Dangerous.
“I told you,” Principal Boyd said, bouncing on his tiptoes as if he were a child trying to please his father. Odd. I assumed they were around the same age. “She looks so much like her.”
He’d just confirmed my fears. Principal Boyd had his sights set on me from the moment I met him because of my resemblance to my aunt. Why had he been so fixated on her? Had he taken her too? What had happened to her?