Hold My Hand

Chapter Fifteen

In a few minutes, I left the class too and in the hall, I found a rather unpleasant scene.

-Oh my gosh! -  I shouted, quickly threw my backpack to the corner of the corridor, and ran to the classmate who was lying on the ground.

-Damn it!- I tripped on the raised wooden part of the old wooden floor.

Diagonally placed rectangular planks one after the other on one strip, less noticeable to the eye, were slightly raised so that a man could break his neck.

- Gabriel!..- I felt a little weird mentioning his name, - Wait! Don't try to get up!

I received obedience in response.

The scene was not so much a horror as his condition, for at that moment he was powerless to do anything, was helplessly trying to get up on his own, and was forced to take my help. 

- My nose is burning...

- You are bleeding. Wait, I'll bring cotton.

I pulled out cotton pads from my backpack and held them out.

- Listen...

- Do you have a first aid kit with you?

- Sit up carefully...

- Where are you... Mary...

- I am here, - I took his hand.

He calmed down.

I helped him get up slowly.

- Does it hurt? 

- No.

- What's happened to you?

- I tripped on something. This has never happened to me before...

-Stop! - I screamed. - Someone's work! The wooden planks are completely removed along the floor! Step carefully! 

We overcame the last difficulty with peace and sat down by the stairs.

- Are you waiting for your mother?

-Yes.

An awkward silence fell. I could hear the buzzing of silence in my ears.

Deep blue sea...

- Thanks.

- You're welcome.

- I think you don't deserve it.

- What?

- Such a life.

- Could you stop talking about my life? And what do you know about life?!

- That I lost the life I had... I had a dream, a goal, but everything was scattered, carried away by the wind, because these cursed eyes do not function and will never be able to function anymore. I'll die like an old dog.

- You're exaggerating.

I felt guilty.

I could see.

- And still...

- My God, what happened to you?! - His mother screamed when she saw the bloody cotton. - I'm sorry, I'm late, honey!  There was a terrible traffic jam!

He ran to his son and hugged him.

- Calm down, calm down, everything is fine.-  his low, calm voice hit the ears pleasantly.

When she stopped sobbing, she turned to me:

-Hello! What's your name?

- Mary.

- I am Nino. You have such a beautiful name... Thank you very much... We won't bother you anymore.

The "we" clearly annoyed him.

- Well, I think I've seen you somewhere...

- Really? I'm not sure...

- I just can't remember, where. Alright, we're gonna get going...

And that "we" again!

- Thank you and goodbye!

Walking down the stairs, she suddenly turned around, as if she remembered something.

- "Oh, not the story of the hospital!" - I thought.

Then, dressed in a long velvet coat, she silently turned to me and continued on his way.

-"Oh! What was this!..." I thought, took the abandoned backpack, dusted it off, and followed the stairs to leave the classroom key in the school administration.