ON OUR WAY TO HEAVEN

3

Kelly

As I stared at the pale petit figure I had managed to carry into the house after my parents had left for work; she wasn't that heavy and my muscles were also to be recognized. She looked a lot older than I was but too thin. Her eyes were squeezed shut as the pain she must have passed through before getting unconscious was evident on her face. I pulled off the hoodie she had on revealing a black bra covering her breasts. I could see where she was bleeding from or should I say, bled from. The gash wasn't bleeding anymore. The skin around it was red and swollen. Feeling with my hands to check for broken ribs, I breathed a sigh of relief when I found none. With the little idea of first aid I had, I knew if I didn't do something to help her soon or take her to the hospital, she might eventually die. I paced the room back and forth trying to figure out what to do next. I thought of calling Ethan as he was the most mature and rational amongst us but he would advise me to phone the police which was the wise and rational thing to do. I didn't want to call the police. Maybe this pale figure had a good reason for being in my garage, half dead. The girls wouldn't have any better advice. I thought of calling my parents but if I had wanted them involved, this morning would have been a perfect time. Contacting the family doctor was out of the line because the middle-aged man had a reputation for a loose tongue. Left with no other choice than to take the risk of taking care of her myself, I went downstairs to grab a clean towel and a pair of gloves. The first aid kit and a bottle of alcohol followed. Panic was a hand clutching my throat. I pulled off my jacket and jeans and changed into a black sport short and a black tank top. I didn't need the blood leaving permanent stains on anything. I put on the gloves and with shaky hands poured a generous amount of alcohol over the gaping wound. I squeezed my face and with my free hand held my mouth shut to avoid puking. I had seen actors in movies use this technique to sterilize wounds before anything else. And as an athlete, I have had some pretty rough injuries on the court. I cleaned the wound with a clean cotton pad. Several cotton pads later, I was satisfied that the wound was neat enough to be covered. The wound was big enough to be sewn but that was not a topic in my first aid lessons so I proceeded to bandaging, gently moving her to get the woolen material around her torso. Besides it was definitely a gunshot wound and I was sure the bullet was still in her. I couldn't sew up a bullet in her stomach.

After that, I just sat beside the bed gazing at her, expecting her to sneeze and wake up or something. Who was this lady? Where did she come from? What was she doing in our garage? Why did she have a wound; a gunshot wound? What could she be involved in? Is she a criminal? I don't even know her name. I dipped my hand carefully into her pocket and found a McDonald burger coupon, a Star Wars 20$ gift card and a crumpled dollar note. No wallet, no ID, no phone. No form of identification. The more I thought about how much risk I was taking, the more I got scared. I couldn't have left her out there to die and I didn't want to get involved with the cops either. It could affect my college application and my life could be ruined. I was scared. Maybe when she regains consciousness, she could tell me what happened and if she poses any threat, I could call the cops. Looking at the wall clock, the time read 12:28pm. I had successfully skipped school. Not intentionally though. I was an honor roll student, aspiring valedictorian with above excellent grades. Skipping school wasn't my thing. But here I was doing it for someone I didn't even know. I picked up her stained hoodie and went to the laundry room. While it spun in the washing machine, I decided to fix lunch. I wasn't a great cook but I wasn't that bad either. I decided to make something fancy to pass the time. Short ribs as an entrée, balanced precariously on a round of creamed potatoes, surrounded with a drizzle of Brussels sprout puree, topped with a crescent of horseradish cream. Yeah, I take catering lesson during summer. I also made vegetable salad and protein shake for the stranger in my room for when she wakes up and American meatballs and pasta for Louise, my dad. His favorite dish. Mom was on a diet and she loved to fix her own meals herself.