The Ghost of the Lake

Chapter 17

The next day I woke up to the sound of May screaming. I rush out of the bed, put my slippers on, and rush out the door faster than you can say Wow!

I ran downstairs. Anyone who saw me would have thought that I was running for my life. I get to the bottom of the stairs and run into the kitchen. No one. I run into the dining room. No one. I run into the living room and find no one. Where are they? I run up the stairs and into Nelly's office. I find her behind her computer typing.

"Nelly didn't you hear May scream!" I shriek.

Then I noticed she had earbuds in. Wow! Here I was worrying over my sister and Nelly was listening to MUSIC! My god.

"NELLY!" I scream. She takes her earbuds out and looks at me. "May just scream and I can't find her. I think something is wrong."

"I'm coming," is all she says. We rush out the door.

"Where did you check?" She asked me.

"I checked the whole first floor. I haven't really checked the second very well," I answer.

"Okay I'll check upstairs and you can check outside."

"Okay." I run into the garage and search. This better not become a habit, I think.

I keep searching outside in the backyard. Then I hear Nelly screaming my name from inside. I go back inside and upstairs.

"Opal, I found her," yells Nelly.

I enter the bathroom that connected my room with May's. Why had I not checked in there? I see May laying in a puddle of blood on the floor unconscious. My worry for May is all I have so I don't pass out.

"What happened?" I ask.

"I don't know. She was like this when I entered," responds Nelly.

"Where is Jackson?" I ask.

"Reu took him to the school he is teaching at."

"Oh." I felt relieved that he was ok.

"Help me get May up. Bring a blanket so we can carry her without getting everything bloody."

"Nelly, is May cut or something?"

"I don't know. Just do as I say so we can inspect her."

I bring her a blanket and together we put her on the blanket. We grab opposite sides and carry her downstairs. This was no easy job. Even though she is very small, she is still quite heavy.

We carry her into wooden floor and not carpet. We leave her on the blanket as Nelly cleans her as best as possible. May is covered from head to toe in blood. How had this happened?

"Opal, bring me the phone so I can call an ambulance."

I do as instructed and bring her the phone and a piece of clothing from May's wardrobe so she can clean her. She will surely be infuriated when she finds out. If she finds out.

Nelly calls an ambulance and we wait for it to arrive.

"What do you think happened," I ask.

"I don't know. Maybe she slipped on something, fell and hit herself on something."

We wait for the ambulance. There was an anxious feeling in the air.

The ambulance finally arrived. Nelly helped them get May onto the gurney. Eventually, Nelly went with them leaving me alone.

What should I do? I had no choice but to stay at home. I go back upstairs and take a shower. I get dressed and brush my teeth. I go back downstairs. I finally remember about Balto. He had been asleep this whole time. I walk over to him and check his bowls. They are empty. I grab them and fill them up with food and water. He awakens as I put them on the floor. He finishes his food and takes a long drink. Then I grab Balto and carry him towards the couch. I lay down with him and turn the tv on. I turned to the news channel. There was a story about an earthquake that hit Nepal a couple of hours ago. It had measured 7.3 on the Richter scale.