The Difference

Chapter 16

         Zayn Princeford – I Don’t Know Where I Am.

I wake up to the wailing of an ambulance. I think I’m in the said ambulance. I don’t know where I am. I see Andy beside me on another stretcher. The ambulance was wide enough to accommodate both of us.

“Now I recognize you.” Someone said.

I wasn’t aware of any other person than Andy and I in the ambulance. I turned to see Shirley sitting on the in - built bench.

“Ain’t you the one who served us at the restaurant?”

I didn’t want to answer but my mouth opened before I could stop it.

“Yes I am”.

“What’s your name?”

“Zayn Princeford”

“I’m Shirley Awineet Walliams. Nice to meet you”

“Sure.”

“So how do you know my brother?”

This was the question I wanted to avoid. Andy didn’t want me to know about his family and he didn’t what them to know about me either. The most important thing he didn’t want them to know was how we met.

“I know you attend Sunshine College and Andy doesn’t. So there’s no way you two would be friends from there. So how do you know him?” she asked when I kept quiet. Knowing I had sworn Andy into secrecy I still didn’t want to talk.

“Alright. You don’t want to tell me but you know nothing stays hidden forever. If you don’t want to tell me how you guys know each other at least tell me what you were doing here knowing very well it’s a dangerous place to be.” She said. Now that I could tell her.

“It was stupidity and foolish bravery that led us to this. We wanted to go on adventure not thinking about the aftermath. When we realized and wanted to leave, it was too late. Farmer Baker was standing in front of us. We tried running but he sprayed us in the eyes with pepper spray.  When we woke up he had hunged us upside down and was sitting on the floor smiling at us wickedly. He asked us what we were doing in his farm. We couldn’t answer because the rope was strangling us. When he asks a question and we don’t answer he slaps us on the back with a horse whip. He whipped us till we lost consciousness again. I believe that’s how you came to find us.” I ended. She looked at me like I had fallen from Mars with a gigantic marshmallow on my head.

“You know you could have died?!” she asked when she gained composure.

“We actually thought it was the end till I wake up to find myself in the ambulance.”
"Do you have anyone we could call? Your mum or dad?" She asked.
"No. I don't want them to know. At least, not now" I said. I didn't want to see my dad. It's been four years since we last saw each other. I didn't want our first meeting for him to see me in this state. My mum, on the other hand, was only going to create a scene. I wasn't ready for that neither was I ready to explain things to her.
"Well, we have to contact someone. Your bill must be taken care of and someone has to talk to the doctors on your behalf. What about a sibling? There should be someone we can contact." She persisted
"I have a brother you could call." I said while searching for my phone.
"Your phone's here." She said pulling my phone from her pocket. "What's his name?"
"Calvin." She searched through my contacts to find his number. She called once she found it.
"Hi, Calvin." She said once he picked up. "This is Shirley Walliams. Zayn's friend. He's been in an accident. We are sending him to the hospital. Yeah he's conscious. He just woke up. We are in the ambulance, on our way to the hospital. St. Jude's. We'd meet you there. You're welcome." she hung up and looked at me.
"Well, that's one upset guy. He sounded more angry than worried." she said.
"I knew he would." I said and closed my eyes. I started feeling the pain again. The nurse who was riding with us asked if I was okay. I was too weak to answer.
At this time we had reached St. Jude’s Hospital. Andy still hadn’t woken up. Two nurses opened the ambulance door and pulled Andy and I out. Shirley wanted to enter with us but the nurses didn’t allow her. When we entered the ward, the nurse said, “Time to put you back to sleep, young man”. I wanted to protest but before I could utter a word I blacked out.