Nadine Cross - Life Unknown

Chapter Twelve - Visions

 Chapter Twelve

 Visions

 As the cobwebs began to clear from Nadine’s mind, she remembered all that had occurred.  “Thank God for Rudy” she thought as a chill ran down her spine.  Who knows what might have happened if he had not reached her in time.  What was even worse was the fact that Nadine had no idea who had been chasing her or why.  All bets were on Malcolm or something that his ass was involved in.  “What have I gotten myself into?” She said quietly as she shook her head.  Just then Rudy walked in with a nurse trailing behind him.  Apparently Nadine had been very lucky as she had lost a good deal of blood, her hemoglobin was down to 8.5 when it should have been anywhere from 12.0 to 15.0!  Unbeknownst to her, she had been transfused at the hospital’s insistence… two pints.  Rudy explained that he had to call Michelle to get her permission to do so as he was not a relative.  How he had gotten Michelle’s number was simple, he looked through Nadine's cell.  Once hearing that, Nadine began to feel very light headed and unstable.  “Oh no, I’m never gonna hear the end of this.” Nadine thought of Michelle and what she was surely going to say and or do once she found out what happened and how it had involved Malcolm somehow.  “She’s going to have a field day with this one.” Nadine expected a call from her big sister at any moment but the call never came.

 It was recommended that Nadine stay overnight, but she was having none of it as she hated hospitals with a passion and could not help but relive the scariest night of her life when she had found Marie unconscious and barely breathing after her heart attack three years ago.  She couldn’t… no wouldn’t stay and asked for a release form as she started to get dressed.  Hand throbbing like the worst tooth ache known to man woman or beast she asked Rudy to help.  He was not happy about her decision to leave the hospital, but he respoected her enough not to force the issue.  She was given her script for Tylenol w/Codine, instructions on how to treat the twenty some odd stitches she had had to have, and they were on their way.

 As Rudy helped her into his truck he looked at her and said “Luceeee you got some explaining to do!”  At that they both burst into laughter and let out the tension and fear they were feeling since the beginning of the night’s ordeal.  Seriously my girl, I need to know what the hell you were doing and how you got yourself into whatever this is.  Nadine took one look at his face and knew he meant business.  She also knew that there was no way she was going to get out of telling him the truth….so she did.

 Rudy was silent for a while after hearing all that had taken place in the previous few months of Nadine’s life.  She wished she had met him before Malcolm, but the stars were not in alignment that night…not at all in position to keep their meeting (hers and Malcolm’s) from happening.  Nadine found herself thinking about what she had heard or thought she had heard as she approached Ramona’s door.  Suddenly she had the strangest feeling that she needed to go back there…now!  She looked at Rudy “we gotta go back to Ramona’s…I have a really bad feeling about this.”  Rudy could tell that Nadine was really afraid, but what he did not know was why.

 Nadine had been born with a gift.  At first when she was a child she had no idea what the “visions” or dreams if you will, were.  As she got older she began to understand them and at one point in her life was able to control them, but that was years ago and she had not had any feelings like this since then.  There was that strange energy that came over her and seemingly knocked the wind right out of her when Marie had had her heart attack.  Somehow Nadine had known that the old woman was in trouble and was there in time.  Although she had no real connection with this woman Ramona, she sensed that something terrible was about to happen if it had not already taken place.  “Drive faster!” she yelled at Rudy.

 As they approached Ramona’s housing complex they could see smoke emanating from what seemed to be Ramona’s apartment.  As they got closer they could see flames dancing near her windows racing up the curtains.  Rudy pulled into the parking lot next to Nadine’s truck.  Before he could even come to a complete stop Nadine had jumped out and sprinted toward the building.  Rudy had no time to react except to grab one of the moving blankets he had in the back of the truck and run like hell after her.  When he looked for her she was already at the front door about to go inside.  “Nadine, wait!”  He yelled to her, but it was too late.  She rushed inside.  “No baby no.” he yelled and went in after her.