Not This Year

One

On the last day of grade 11, when I was walking home, I got a call on my cell phone. When I picked it up, the voice on the other end was one that I did not recognize. She introduced herself as Sherry, an emergency nurse at the South End Hospital. She asked if there was any way I could get there sooner than later. I said of course, and asked why. She wouldn't give me any information, other than she was given this number to contact.

The first thing I'm thinking is that my brother got in some sort of motorcycle accident and needed a ride home. He's always falling off that thing, it's a death trap.

When I get home, I grab my car keys and head to the garage. There is no need to drive to school when I live a two minute walk away. I hopped into my car and started to drive. My parents were on a cross Canada road trip, so my brother's only option would be to call me for a ride. I rarely see my brother, even though we still live together. I mean, the guy's 25, he needs to move out soon or he'll end up staying at home until my parents kick him out - which will never happen.

I pulled into the hospital parking lot after about 20 minutes of driving. As I did so, I could see my brother's motorcycle parked right outside the main doors, in perfect shape. I didn't know what to think.

As I approached the front desk, I told them my name and said someone named Sherry called me in. Immediately, she called over the head nurse and explained what I had said.

"You must be Amanda, then?" She asked.

"I am," I replied, still a bit baffled. "I'm not quite sure what I'm doing here, all I know is I was called down here for an emergency," I told her.

"Yes, well, I think you should come with me. Your brother gave me your number so I could get one of my nurses to call you down here. He is in the waiting room around the corner." She was speaking so fast it made me nervous.

"So my brother is okay?" I asked her.

"Oh yes, he's fine, no harm done to him whatsoever." She was too cheery, I don't like cheery people.

We rounded the corner to the waiting room and I could see my brother pacing back and forth. He looked up and saw me, tears rushing into his eyes.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you," he said, scooping me up in a huge bear hug.

My brother... happy to see me? HUGGING me? All I was thinking was, 'Something is so wrong, why the hell were we here?'

"Chance, what's going on? What did they call us here for?"

"You don't know?" he questioned, with a puzzled look on his face.

I stared at him blankly.

He continued, "Mom and dad were coming back early to surprise us, and they...uh... their car was hit by a tractor trailer and rolled into a ditch. They're both just hanging in."

After that, all I remember is the room going black.