Acquiesce

The Boy With The Thorn In His Side

Trix was walking to take the bus into town. She was planning to go to buy some books and records. She'd failed her test last week or she could have driven in she thought regrerfully. She glanced across to see Liam and his gang of little friends across the street from her heading the opposite way.  She had headphones in. She smiled. The Smiths. It was a cassette Noel had made her actually to encourage a "positive music education." She thought about him when she listened to it. She thought about his serious face and the intensity of his blue eyes that would shyly glance downwards as he spoke to you. He wasn't confident like Liam. Not in the same way at least.

She gasped as three boys with their hoods up ran past her. She stood watching in horror frozen as they ran up to Liam. Her eyes widened and her heart lodged in her throat as she saw the glint of the hammer and then the spurt of scarlet blood. She thought she shouted his name but she wasn't sure. She was numb. The adrenaline took over as Morrisey in her ears faded to background. Liam's idiotic friends ran in the opposite direction. Some friends she thought. She shouted something, she was unsure what, after them and the boys now running full pelt into town with the hammer now back up his sleeve. She wanted to run after them but she looked to see Liam unmoving in he ground and her heart leapt into her mouth. She ran across the street hearing the beep of a car horn as it narrowly swerved to avoid her. The brakes screeched and the driver leant out the window.

"Oi watch where you're-"

"Phone an ambulance please." She retorted numbly.

She heard him run off to find a payphone wordlessly.

Trix knelt at his side. She wanted desperately to move him but she'd heard you shouldn't do that somewhere. Her fingers shook as she looked at his pale face, peachy creamy skin blessed with no acne and few freckles. His dark lashes fluttered. She hesitantly leant to his face feeling his breath on her cheek. She sighed in relief. He was breathing. She balled her denim jacket up and pressed it against the ghastly, red wound on his head. Trix swallowed her own nausea down.

"C'mon Liam. Yer alright. Stay with me. Ambulance is coming. Don't worry. I'm staying. I won't go anywhere."

She kept talking incase he could hear her and to distract herself from processing what was happening.

"Liam you're OK. You'll be alright. Come back to me Liam. God, at least he hammered the back of your head eh so your face can still be pretty."

Trix gently held her jacket to his head feeling his hot sticky blood seep through her jacket onto her fingers.

Please hurry. She pleaded.

The ambulance arrived and they wheeled Liam into the back after she'd told them what she'd seen. The police had also arrived and taken a statement.

"Miss, are you alright? Do you know this young man?"

Asked the paramedic.

She glanced into the back of the ambulance. He was still out.

She nodded.

"He's...he's my friend."

The paramedic nodded and ushered her into the back of the ambulance. She held her bloody denim jacket in one hand and Liam's hand in the other.

At the hospital Trix was told his next of kin on his medical records had to be notified as she wasn't family. They would need to be with him as Liam was still classed as a child at 15 and he had a concussion so would need to be monitored at home all night. His wound had been switched and dressed and hadn't did any serious damage to his skull. He'd been lucky. 

She bit her lip. Peggy didn't need the stress. Not right now. This could wait till after her shift. Liam wasn't in danger.  There was someone else she could get. Trixie blushed as crinkly blue eyes flashed across her vision. Noel. She knew his address and how to get there.