Not Your Expectation (#Wattys2015)

15. Shocked to Core

Following the ambulance in Luke's car gave me a sense of deja-vu. I remembered how I followed Adam in my car, the day he got injured. That day, when I was following him, I had no idea what I was getting myself into and today, as we followed the ambulance, I had no idea what was going to happen. I could remember, how the whole stadium which was cheering just mere seconds before suddenly went deadly quiet as Adam fell to the ground, coughing out blood. I was no doctor but I knew it meant that something was seriously wrong with Adam. 

All of us were silent until we drove up to the hospital and stopped behind the ambulance, leaving ample space for the nurses to load Adam onto a stretcher.

"Jenna, take Matt and Lisa and follow Adam to the ER. I'll park the car and come." Luke said.

Jenna nodded and all of us got out of the car and followed Adam unto the ER. Coach went off with a nurse to fill out the forms, whilst Joe slumped on a chair. Matt too sat next to him, both of them lost in their thoughts. Jenna and I stood in a corner, an awkward silence filling all of us. None of us spoke a word until Luke came with the cheerleaders and Millie. 

Luke walked over to Jenna and asked "What did the doctor say?" 

Jenna shook her head "Nothing yet, I wonder what happened." 

I looked at the confused faces of people around me and suddenly felt a huge feeling of guilt stab through me. The cheerleaders and football players had though Adam had a small injury. Coach, Matt and Joe knew what happened but I was the one who saw the cut and was there that day. I was the one who saw how those people stabbed him twice and the pool of blood he was in. If I had not told him to go ahead and play this afternoon, Adam would not be here in the ER today. I was so choked up in my guilt that I wanted to just walk out and clear my head, I made a move to walk away but the doctor walked out at that moment. 

Everyone crowded around the doctor asking him the matter whilst I hung back, my feeling of guilt stronger than ever. 

"Calm down everyone." The doctor said. Everyone calmed down but their curiosity and concern was clearly seen in their eyes.

"It seems to us that Mr. Henderson has had a serious injury a week before but due to his lack of rest, that injury has opened up again." The doctor paused looking at all of us.

Everyone was silent and hanging onto his every word. "What do you mean, doctor?" asked the Coach.

"I am sorry but that matter can only be shared with," the doctor paused as he looked down at his clipboard, "Miss. Lisa Brooks?" The doctor looked around, everyone turned to look at me- surprise evident on their faces.

The doctor looked at me, as I walked forward, hyper aware of the eyes burning on my back. "I am Lisa Brooks." I told him, trying to keep the nervousness from my tone.

"This way, if you please, Miss. Brooks." The doctor showed me to his room at the end of the corridor and I followed him ignoring the whispers of the stunned crowd.

As I entered the room, I was faced with 3 more doctors. One of the doctors was the one that treated Adam, the other day in the ER. I sat down and waited until the doctors said something. It seemed like an eternity until one of the doctors opened their mouth. 

"Miss. Brooks, Dr. Croner here told us that you were the one who brought Mr. Henderson to the ER the day of the incident, so we decided to call you since  you might actually have an idea of the injury, Miss. Brooks." One doctor spoke up.

I nodded my head, not knowing what to say or do.

"I regret to say that Mr. Henderson has not followed my instructions and thus has got himself tired which is very fatal for his body as there were  few internal injuries which are not yet healed fully. Due to the impact this injury has faced the past few days and especially the huge impact faced today, I'm sorry to say but there is a severe case of internal bleeding. His internal organs which were having only minor injuries before, have serious injuries now due to lack of rest. His spleen, liver and kidneys are seriously injured." Dr. Croner paused.