Encased

5. Love And Death

I look around me at the mess I created. Boxes over turned, their contents spilling out onto the floor. Paper floating around me, falling onto the floor. I even found a jar of dirt... Which I smashed so I could look through the dirt for anything remotely interesting.

You know what I found? Nothing. There's nothing here with anything about the outside world in it. Nothing! I just want to stay and search for clues, anything really, would do. But by now someone must have noticed my absence in class.

I grab my blue bag, swing it over my shoulder, and sprint back to the elevator. I click the number 1 then 1 then 0. 110. That's how our elevators work, instead of having all the floor numbers have their own button we have buttons 0-9 and you just punch in the floor number.

Ding!

I exit the elevator and run to my first period class. History.

"Ah, Alexis, we were wondering where you were. Could you please explain to the class please?" Mr. James asks. He's an old, wrinkly man who lashes out at the tiniest of things. I glance towards Sarah and catch her trying to muffle her giggles. I just roll my eyes and start to talk.

"My mom had dropped a jar and it shattered so I cleaned it up and had to make a trip to the disposer. That is why I am late." I explain, quickly making up the lie. Mr. James nods and I stride towards my desk, taking out my binder.

"That is when the Abode did this and was able to expand and... Blah blah blah... We were able to... Blah blah blah... Therefore this is how we were able to create the laundry system we have now." Mr. James lectures, handing out worksheets.

After school I meet up with Sarah, today we were paired together to ref an elderly bingo contest as our volunteer job. We just have to pick out a new bingo ball every so often and check some cards if the person thinks they got bingo. Other then that Sarah and I just talk. The bingo game goes on for about an hour before one lady actually gets bingo and wins a... Drum roll please... A potted flower! Wow what a /great/ prize... Note the sarcasm.

I say bye to Sarah who has to man the next game on her own and leave to go get Sammy. I stand next to his classroom door for a few minutes before his bell rings. I look at my tablet for his volunteer location and see that he is timing the swimmers today. This I can do.

The bell rings and Sammy, as usual, comes out first, grabs my arm and we make our way over to the elevator.

"Hey Sammy." I say once we're in.

"HI... So, what's our job for today?" he asks, peering up at me. I smile and show him the tablet. He nods, not exactly excited for such a boring job. I laugh and ruffle his hair as we make our way upward to the rec level. 200...201...203...204...205!

Ding!

"Out we go Sammy." I say, gently giving him a shove. He walks out and I follow him. We part to get changed and once I have my black one piece on, I go to the office, sign the volunteer sheet and grab two timers. One for me and one for Sammy.

When he comes out of the change room, I hand him his timer and tell him what to do.

When your the oldest child but still need an older attendant during your volunteering hours you get assigned a new grade ten only child for each assignment. Some are nice and some are mean. I'm just glad Sammy has me so he doesn't have to go through some especially horrible volunteer hours.

"Time!" He screams as the swimmer touches the wall, I give him a nod and he writes it down on the clip board. Sammy walks over to the next lane and times the next swimmer.

That's how the next hour or so goes, uneventful and boring. Oh so boring. I blow the whistle, Sammy starts the timer, and the swimmer starts. I look at the clock, ten to five. I sigh, looking around.

"AH!" Sammy screams. I whip my head back just in time to see him slip and fall in, hitting his head on the tiles surrounding the pool. I spring to actions and grab a noodle, jumping into the pool.

~*~ at the hospital ~*~

I watch Sammy, his chest rising and falling. I wipe more tears from my face and squeeze mom's hand. She's rocking back and forth, fear shining in her eyes. The door swing open and my dad hurries into the room.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be here sooner, we were in the middle of a lab and couldn't get out." he says, kissing mom's forehead. I listen to the beep of the heart monitor and close my eyes, trying erase the image of Sammy's blood swirling around the pool.

He hit his head on the tiles and then he passed out. I had to dive down there and clutch his unconscious and bloody body as I swam up to the surface and called for help. Some lady called the medics and someone helped me get him onto the floor. It only took a minute for the medics to get there and when they did they put a make shift bandage around his head.

Now we're here, waiting for him to wake up.