Chapter 24
I flinched slightly as my mom injected anaesthesia into my battered and swollen upper lip.
"There we go, now it won't hurt," she said reassuringly.
The policemen had taken me to the hospital immediately after arriving at the crime scene. The villain had also been bundled into an ambulance and unfortunately whisked away to hospital as well.
I hadn't known, but the force of the impact when the crazy man had attacked me and shoved me down face first, had done a number on my face. My upper lip had gotten torn all the way up to the right side of my nose. It was painful, and yes, I did look like a close relative of the Joker.
After about a minute, my mom seemingly appeared to be pressing the area around the tear.
"Can you feel my touch?" She asked as her bitter gloves came into contact with my tongue.
I was literally speechless, and so I just shook my head.
I couldn't speak and was afraid what a good laugh could do to my face at that moment.
I was supposed to get stitches, but the equipment appeared better suited for an autopsy!
The needle was a tiny curved piece of silver thingy with a segment patterned brownish thread coming off it like a tail.
I quickly shut my eyes as she held up the needle using a pair of forceps and brought it towards my face.
"This won't hurt baby, I promise, but I guess you can close your eyes if it calms you."
Obviously I couldn't feel the pain, but I could feel the regular tugging of the thread.
Luckily, after a short while it was done.
"There we go," my mom said and I opened my eyes it time to see her cut away the rest of the string.
She put it on a tray and removed her gloves as well before sitting next to me on the stiff hospital bed.
"I'm truly glad you're ok Charlie," she said taking my hand in hers. "You're my little girl and you mean so much to me. I don't know what I'd do if anything bad ever happened to you."
I looked at her as she wiped away a single tear before pulling me closer to herself.
"I love you," she said resting her head next to mine on her shoulder.
It really felt nice, but it didn't last long as a knock sounded on the door.
"Mrs. Goodstart, we're ready for the interrogation if you're through," came the remainder from one of the cops who'd responded to Mr. Miserly's emergency call.
"Give us a minute," my mom said absent-mindedly rubbing my arm.
Once the cop had left she turned to me. "You're going to be fine, ok?"
I nodded.
"Just tell them what you know, and afterwards your father and I will take you home."
She hugged me once again and kissed my hair before letting me go with the cop.
We took an elevator and walked to a stained glass window doored room. It was a simple office and a man in a suit was already there.
"Hello Ms. Goodstart, I'm detective McGee and I have a few questions for you," he said instructing me to seat down opposite him where there was a pen and paper.
"Were you attacked by a man tonight?"
I jotted down: yes.
"Was he a man you knew from anywhere?"
_No.
"Did he talk to you or say anything before he attacked you? Or anything you remember him say?"
_He asked if there was anyone else around, but he gave me the creeps and when I turned away he didn't move. He sang that he was going to kill me in a little girl kind of way.
"Did you stab him?"
_Yep.
"Did you get the knife from him?"
_No, it was mine and it surely was handy!
"It's not legal to carry dangerous weapons. Do you have the knife?"
_Yeah.
"Can I have it?"
_It's mine, but I can tell you the make.
"Do you carry it to school?"
_Yes.
"That's illegal, you can hurt someone in anger."
_A murderer yes, but I don't think of cutting someone just because I'm mad at them.
"Outline the events from the moment you met the man to the moment the police arrived in sequence as much as you can."
I did as he wanted and soon I was free to go with a warning that I would be in trouble if I ever brought the knife to school again. I guess that meant I could still carry it to the park, zoo, KFC, et cetera.
I found my mom and Frank patiently waiting for me along with an anxious Harper.
He looked instantly relieved the moment he saw me and I found myself tightly held in his arms.
"Thank God you're ok," he said looking to see if the doctors had missed anything. "You seem perfect enough save for those stitches."
I nodded.
I wanted to ask him about Julie, but I couldn't without it tarnishing the moment.
We all rode back home in Frank's truck, and I couldn't help but feel strangely comforted as Harper held my hand.
It was probably best that I get in touch with Julie the next day and not fill her with worry all night.
I leaned back against the seat and smiled at Harper as he turned to look at me, before he leaned over and kissed me softly.
I couldn't feel the kiss, but in the backseat of the poorly lit truck; my free hand caressed his face in approval.
