UNDERCOVER

1. The Barbecue Fiasco

It started when I heard a bellowing shriek followed by a muffled sobbing.

I scrambled around my flat to follow where the sound must have come from. Swinging the kitchen door open, I flinched right away at the gruesome sight in front of me.

A stick is stuck in my best friend’s palm.

“What the hell Lucy."

"Oh my god, Dawn. I'm going to die."

 I rushed to her, trying to get a look on her bleeding hand. As far as I can determine, it pierced a little bit too deep in her palm. Her whole hand was covered in blood, and it was dripping fast.

"What happened?" I asked, panicky.

"I-I was just trying to make pork barbecues for lunch and this slab just won't relent. So I tried to push the stick harder, and-and--" she starts crying harder. I grimaced and cooed her, but she wailed, "it pierced my palm!"

“It’s going to be fine.” I said while grabbing my phone. “Let’s just call the-“

“No!” she screeched pleadingly, cutting me off. “Please just don’t.”

I looked at her with bemusement. “Well then, what do you want us to do? Snip the stick and remove it from your bleeding hands?” I suggested humorously.

“Yes.”

Obviously, what I said was a joke but I don’t know why I’m agreeing to her. Opening some kitchen drawers, I fished a pair of scissors and placed it on the table. “So, you do it.” I told her.

“Oh! Hell no! You do it.” She pushed the scissors towards me with her good hand. “Do you want me to cut my hand off?”

I sighed, hesitating for a moment. “Okay then. Let’s get this over with.” I reluctantly picked up the scissors and pointed it directly to the wooden stick.

“Here it goes…” Before the tip of the metal scissors touched the stick, Lucy abruptly pulled her hand away.

“I can’t do this. I-“she began tearing up again. I caressed her hand (the one which isn’t covered with blood), keeping her calm.

“Just let me please call the Emergency Department?” I requested.

She pondered for a second but eventually complied. I tapped the designated numbers on my phone, hearing the familiar sound of ringing.

“Hello, Emergency Department, how can I help you?” a female voice on the other end of the line inquired.

“I have a problem.”

“What kind of problem?”

“Actually, it’s my friend.”

“Okay. What happened to her?” She asked politely.

“She has a stick stuck in her erm…”

“In her what?”

“In her palm.”

There was a brief pause on the line. I watched Lucy who’s pouring her eyes out with my toilet roll. I gave her an assuring smile and she took it, I think.

The woman from the Emergency came back to the phone. “Hello?” she said.

“Hello!” I answered vigorously.

“I talked to one of the doctors and he said you should come straight down to Emergency and they’ll take it out for you.” She stated lavishly.

“Okay, okay we’ll be there. Thank you!” I hang up delightedly. Thank God we won’t need to chop the stick to get it off.

“Let’s go!” I told Lucy as I grabbed my pouch and hanky to cover her bleeding left hand.