Saving Scout O'Brian (REMASTERED)

Fifteen

Evelyn

The day was quiet.

Too quiet.

I ran a hand through my hair for what felt like the millionth time in forty minutes, my fingers shaking. I tapped a pen against my lips, my knee bouncing as I tried to focus on the stack of budgeting bullshit the school board unloaded on me this morning. My mind was elsewhere though, left behind in the velvet darkness of a bedroom, the scent of lavender and earl grey tea taunted my senses even now. My lips curled into a sneer as I scoffed at myself and my inability to be anything close to useful today. Had she really ruined me so completely that I could no longer do my job? As if to answer the question, a pulsating ache echoed deep in my belly, and I clenched my crossed legs closer together, forcing myself to think of anything but the emptiness of my pussy.

"I am at work, goddamnit." I snarled to myself, standing, striding over to the window that overlooked the playground.

The sight calmed my restless soul a bit. I watched the preschoolers run and play, my gaze drawn to a particularly vibrant little girl trying her best to convince the supervisor to let her climb the monkey bars by herself. My mouth curved into an amused smirk when Charlotte stamped her foot and stormed away to sit by herself in the grass, crossing her little arms and causing the coat she wore to puff up.

My smile falters slightly, first in confusion and then in horror as the supervisor wanders away to handle another dispute, and Charlotte gets up, her face pinched with a toddler's determination as she strides back to the monkey bars. I can feel my facing paling in stark fear as she starts to climb, and no one is watching. Terror overtakes my nervous system and I tear out of my office, scaring the shit out of my receptionist.

Fuck, not this. Anything but this.

"Ma'am? What on earth is-,"

"Call fucking 911!" Is all I manage to get out, missing the rest of her confused panic as I race out the front doors of the school towards the playground, beyond fucking grateful I wore my converse today.

"Charlotte!" I scream, the cold wind tearing her name from my mouth. My heart rips through my chest, my breathing labored, my vision tunneling on the broken little body cradled in Amy Jessup's arms. She looks at me in panic, tears pouring from her eyes. I crouch down in front of her, immediately noticing the blood caking the back of her head. I am surrounded by a few dozen other little bodies, their fearful whimpers tearing through me.

"I only looked away for a second! I swear!" Amy cries, and I have to work very hard to calm myself enough to check if Charlotte is breathing, and a relieved breath whooshes out of me as her pulse comes through steady. "I caught her but she hit her head on one of the bars going down."

"I saw it happen, it's not your fault. I called 911 already, can you keep her with you while I get the kids situated? Don't move her." My legs shake as I stand, unable to process that this is Scout's daughter, and I have to call her and tell her I fucking watched her fall and couldn't do shit.

Thankfully, a few of my other teachers saw what happened as well and are already helping to get the kids back inside. Sirens flash behind my eyes, the paramedics load up Char and my fingers are numb as I dig out my phone and somehow manage to dial Scout's number, white knuckling the device.