Saving Olivia

Knowing

Mason went cold with fear when he felt Olivia go limp at his side. "Livy!" He gasped as he tightened his grip to keep her from sinking to the concrete. "Livy, come on darlin'." There was a panicked edge in his voice as he tried to bring her back to consciousness.

Having no success and getting colder by the second, Mason picked her up bridal-style and carried her into the apartment building. He remembered exactly which apartment belonged to Lydia. Walking to the elevator her pressed the button and waited for it to arrive. He shifted Livy slightly and tried talking to her again. "Liv, come on baby girl. You're scaring me." No reaction came from the girl in his arms. The elevator dinged as the door slid open. Mason walked in and pressed the third button. He waited while the elevator took him up. In reality, it took less then two minutes to get to Lydia's apartment. To Mason though it felt like half and hour.

Finally he was knocking at Lydia's door. The door swung open to reveal a smiling Lydia. "Mase, how-oh! Bring her in." Stepping aside Lydia gestured to the couch. "Just put her there, Mason. Thank you."

Lydia knelt beside the couch as she brushed some hair away from Olivia's eyes. "How long has she been out?"

"Two minutes or three minutes." Mason said, feeling that Lydia was taking this a little too calmly. Personally, he was shaking. "She was fine one minute then she just-"

"I know." Lydia sighed. "Did she hit her head or anything when she went down?"

"No, I had my arm around her and caught her in time. How did you know-"

"Because it's happened before. Poor kid." Lydia interrupted again.

"It's happened-"

"Yes." Lydia said as she stroked Livy's cheek. "She's dealt with this since she was a wee one. Don't worry too much. She didn't get hurt going down and she'll wake up in a few minutes. Her longest time so far is eight minutes. That was a while ago."

"What are you talking about?" Mason finally completed a sentence. "How has this happened before? What's the matter with her?"

Lydia stood up and faced Mason. Her face was stony. "Now you calm yourself. She doesn't want a big deal made of this. She tries so hard to be normal. So you better not give her any grief about it when she wakes up, you hear me?"

"When she wakes up? Are you telling me that she's sleeping?"

Lydia sighed. "Mason sit down." She waited until he grumpily opened her. "Livy would not want me to tell you about this. If she wants you to know then she will tell you. But, yes. She is sleeping. She will be fine. Just wait and don't worry."

Mason stared at Olivia seeming to see a whole new girl. Who was she really? What was this sleeping sickness? Why didn't she tell him about it before? Suddenly a new thought occurred to him. That day on the sidewalk, was it an attack like this one?

Mason's thoughts got no further as Olivia's eyes began to blink themselves open. She sat up and blinked a few more times. Mason sat silently. He was waiting for her to say something. An explanation as to why she fell asleep while walking in. She didn't though.

Livy smiled when she saw Lydia. "Lydia, are we late?" She asked, concern in her voice.

Lydia laughed sweetly. "No, baby. You are right on time." Lydia smiled at Mason but the smile seemed to have a warning in it. Mason understood perfectly well what she was saying. 'You better watch your words. Don't hurt her.' He gave a slight nod before standing up. "I will get the board game set up while you order the pizza." He said handing his cell to Olivia.

Livy smiled at him as he walked away. Almost immediately after he left, her smile dropped from her face and she turned to Lydia in a state of panic. "Lydia! It happened. I never told him. He's going to think I'm a freak!" She whisper-yelled.