Fragile Vessel

Chapter 7: Remembering & Forgetting

Craig's POV:

"You miss her every day, don't you?"

×××

"Hey, are you okay-"

I asked her with concern, at first, I was stunned just seeing her, but when she tried taking a step. Something felt off, and that's when she started to collapse right in front of me! Immediately catching her, I held her close. What's happened to her?!

As I embraced her in my arms, I felt how warm her body was, she was burning up! Placing my hand on her forehead, she was sweating profusely and I could feel her body shaking! She has a fever for sure, but that still doesn't explain why her mouth was bleeding earlier. No, now isn't the time to be thinking about that. I have to get her medical help!

"Someone! I need help over here! Hey, come on... please open your eyes..."

I began to shout for help as I tried waking her up, but she was unresponsive. So I quickly decided to pick her up and I instantly heard a group of footsteps coming near me! Turning around, I saw several security guards along with a woman running towards me!

"Oh my god! That's her, what happened!?"

I heard the lady yell in utter shock as she came toward me!

"Who are you?"

I questioned her as she tried to take the girl away from me.

"Mr. Conner, this is her homeroom teacher. A while ago we thought this student was a suspicious person trespassing on company grounds. But after we approached Miss. Smith, and described the girl. She was able to clarify the situation, so we asked if she could assist us in searching for the girl-"

"Wait, she's...your student?

I asked sounding stunned by the turn of events that I was hearing. This girl that I held last night...and even now, she's a minor!?

"Yes, her name is Charlotte. She's a Junior at North High School. She wasn't even supposed to come on this trip today. I don't know how she got on the bus?"

"I just called the ambulance, they're on their way. Please, Mr. Conner, allow me to take her. Will check her vitals for now..." The officer explained as he took the girl away from me.

"Mr. Conner? What's going on, everyone at the cafeteria is waiting for you to come back- Oh my god, what's happening here?!"

With the teacher and officer speaking to me, I overheard my assistant Gabby running up behind me as I continued to stand there at a loss. My heart escalated at a rapid pace that I felt panicked for a second, that was until I saw the security guard suddenly doing compressions on the girl's chest a few feet away from me! Has she stopped breathing!?

"Mr. Conner?! What's going on, who's that girl on the floor-"

"Gabby, I need you to call Andy right now! Tell him to meet me at the main local hospital that's close to where I live."

I immediately said to her as I cut her off, I could hear several of my employees panicking amongst themselves as they watched the officer trying to revive Charlotte. Seeing the homeroom teacher crying in fright, I knew this was serious. So I decided to take the lead...