The Child of Sparks

Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

I woke up in the back of an ambulance on a stretcher. I had one thought. Where were my step family and Megan? I tried to sit up. Wires and tubing ran all around me. 

"Whoa, don't sit up yet superwoman. Your family and friend are okay. The police are here and the firefighters have put out the flames. Everything is going to be alright. How are you feeling?" Zeke said removing my oxygen mask? 

"I'm feeling fine. Where is my Step mom and little brother?" I asked. 

Zeke engulfed one of my petite hands with his big warm ones. 

"Your mom and brother are on their way to the hospital. My friend Josh is taking good care of them. They're both alright, nothing major. Your friend is actually talking with the police as we speak. Once they get finished with her, I'm going to bundle both of you up back here and take you to the hospital. Just as a precaution, of course. Everything is going to be fine." He said. 

"I'm fine I don't..." 

A police officer sheepishly poked his head inside the back of the ambulance. 

"Excuse me miss. I don't mean to interrupt." He said looking at Zeke and I. 

"Do you know a young woman named Cheyenne? She's about 5"8, blonde hair. She says she is your step sister. The captain specifically said he didn't want anyone having contact with until he spoke with you, but I don't see the harm in allowing your sis.... " 

"Adena!" 

The officer didn't get the chance to continue his question, because Cheyenne pushed him out of the way and climbed into the back of the ambulance. 

"Oh my God Adena!! What happened? Where's my mom? Where's dad? Is the house destroyed? Why didn't you call me? I just came home from cheerleading practice to this." Cheyenne rattled off. 

"I don't know how the fire started. It just did. Your mom is with Danny on the way to the hospital. I don't know where dad is. I don't know about the house either. Zeke here." I said motioned toward the EMT says that everybody is alright. "Megan is talking with the police. She was inside with me when the fire started. I don't remember what happened." I tried saying calmly as I could.

In truth I remembered exactly what happened, but right now I didn't want to get into it with Cheyenne. In my step family's eyes my father could do no wrong. Trying to explain to her what happened would be pointless and start an argument. They knew that Dad threw me around and roughed me up, but they didn't know the extent.

When dad broke some ribs of mine a few months ago I had to wear a sling so I didn't jar the healing process. Cheyenne ribbed me every day about "playing hurt". Apparently my Dad had lied and told the family that I fell going down the fire escape and cracked some ribs. Cheyenne and my step mom readily accepted the story instead of facing the fact their husband/dad was an abusive man. 

"Adena? Adena are you listening to me? God, pay attention." Cheyenne said shaking the stretcher I was sitting on. 

The officer touched Cheyenne's arm, motioning for her to get out of the ambulance. He had been standing there outside the ambulance patiently waiting for Cheyenne to finish her interrogation. 

"Okay ma'am. Time is up. We need to get this young lady and her friend to the hospital. Smoke inhalation is potentially dangerous if not treated promptly." The officer said. 

Zeke was still holding my hand, drawing small circles across the top of my palm. I don't know if he comforted all the patients he had like this, but it made me better. Zeke just gave off a calm apperance with his glowing, tanned skin. Glowing? Really, I thought to myself. I'm no poet but, the guy was gorgeous. His hair was a light brown color. He was tall and muscular. He didn't have body builder muscles but, I could tell he worked out. It was good to see my hormones were still functioning. Fight off my father, start a fire, save my friend and family from imminent death and I could still lust after this guy. I amaze my own self sometimes. Not.