The First 30 Days (PUBLISHED)

Three - Day 2

"Evie!" Alarmed, I stood rooted to the spot as I watched my friend sway sickeningly on her feet, face smeared with blood.

"What happened?" From behind me, Austin came forward and reached for his girlfriend. I'd forgotten for a second that he was back there.

Just as Austin reached her side, Evie's eyes rolled back into her head. Crumbling boneless to the carpet, she began to convulse violently. "Evie!" He yelled as he dropped next to her, trying unsuccessfully to support her jerking limbs. Still frozen, I watched a dark puddle grow under her twitching body. "Call for help!"

The order jolted me back to awareness. I bolted back down to the living room. My phone lay where I had dropped it just a minute ago. Fumbling with it, I punched the bottom button. My earlier aborted attempt to call for help lit up the screen. Pushing the final 1, I turned and ran for the stairs.

In my panic, I almost couldn't comprehend the drone of the busy signal.

"They're not answering!" I dropped to my knees next to my seizing friend. Austin had rolled her to her side and was doing his best to support her head. The pungent smell of urine hit my nose at the same time that I registered the warmth seeping into my jeans.

"Try again!"

My shaking hands botched the job. Too many 9s. Hyperventilating, I tried again. The drone of the busy signal was loud in the sudden silence of the hall.

Evie had fallen utterly still, her limbs all falling limply to the floor. The only sounds were my harsh breathing and the frustrating buzz from the phone.

"Evie?" Austin gently allowed her to roll onto her back. "Evie, can you hear me?"

I looked at the chalky complexion of my friend. Her eyes were closed, the streak of blood that had come from her eye had smeared all over her jaw line. Red tinged froth dribbled from her slack mouth.

"She's too still." That last observation was said out loud as I leaned in closer to her chest.

"Evie?" Voice reduced to a near whisper, Austin leaned over her face. Turning his face towards me, he placed his ear close to her nose. I watched as his already wide eyes filled with horror. "I don't think she's breathing."

"What!" It came out as a shriek. Grabbing one of Evie's limp hands, I felt her wrist, looking for a pulse. I couldn't find one. "No no no no," I chanted under my breath as I dialed the phone again.

Screaming in frustration, I threw the useless phone away from me. Even from the far end of the hall, the busy signal mocked me. "We need to give her CPR. "

Looking shell-shocked, Austin had been lightly patting Evie's bloodstained face. Hearing my suggestion, he nodded determinedly and tilted her head into what I hoped was the right position.

It had been a few years since my obligatory high school first aid class. Praying silently that I was remembering correctly, I clambered into position. I waited for Austin to pinch her nose and blow into her mouth before starting compressions.

Beneath my hands, her body still felt alarmingly hot. Somewhere in my fourth set of compressions, I felt the sickening crack of a rib giving way under the force of my hands. Bile rose up the back of my throat, but I forced it back. I didn't have time for any of that now.

Clinging to the faint memory of the first aid instructor telling the class that broken ribs were to be expected when giving CPR, hoping that it meant that I was doing this right, I kept going. I kept going until sweat dripped into my eyes and my arms burned with effort. I kept going even when sobs started to steal my breath.