Tip Rats

Part 11 - Emergency

'Ned! Ned! Wake up mate!' Andy was gripping Ned's nose and pulling his head from side to side. 'Oi!' Andy shouted directly into Ned's ear.

Ned opened his eyes and was greeted by Andy leaning over him dangling his car keys in front of him. He looked down and saw that he was lying on the car seat on Andy's front deck, the sun was low in the sky, it was still early.

'We need to drive to the hospital mate' Andy insisted with a giggle, wearing just the powder blue trousers from his costume.

Ned struggled to his elbows and blinked painfully, 'What? ...Why?'

'Chris' Andy replied, 'we've got to go pick him up'.

Ned sat up on the car seat and held his head in his hands, 'how'd he end up there?'

'He cut himself up somehow, had to get some stitches. I'm just gonna grab a shirt and then we'll go'. Andy headed inside and Ned checked himself over, he seemed to be in decent nick aside from a few new stains on his shirt and the absence of the flour bag he'd taken to the party. He looked at his car, which was parked on the road in front of the house, the day was clear, and the sunlight bounced off the car roof, stinging his eyes. He struggled to his feet and gathered himself.

Andy came out of the house still pulling down his t-shirt, 'you ready mate?'

'Yeah I guess' answered Ned, still rather surprised by the whole situation.

Andy threw the car keys, they hit Ned in the chest and fell to the ground, he looked at the keys resting between his feet, struggling to focus, 'I don't know if I should drive mate.'

'Well I can't, I only finished my last beer fifteen minutes ago' declared Andy, stepping off the deck and striding towards the car. Ned patted himself down and located his wallet and mobile phone. He pulled out the phone and checked the time; it was quarter-to-seven.

'How long has he been in the hospital?' Ned asked across the top of the car while he unlocked the door.

'Dunno, couple of hours I s'pose' replied Andy.

Ned flopped into the driver's seat and leant over the gear stick to unlock to passenger door.

'And why are we picking him up?'

'He said he didn't want his folks finding out'.

Ned noticed some blue paint on Andy's arm and neck, 'what's all this' he asked, pointing at the splotches.

'Ah nothing really, there was this chick dressed as one of those blue things from Avatar'.

'That's risky mate, could be anybody under all that paint you're getting stuck into' joked Ned.

Andy smiled and nodded his head.

'So what's the story with Chris anyway' Ned asked.

'He rang me about half past six and said he needed picking up from Bulwarra Bay, I told him to get a taxi and he said that he didn't have his wallet and he was in the hospital. He didn't want his old man blowing up at him so he asked us. Said he was waiting to get some stitches.'

'Is he still wearing a dress?'

Andy shrugged, 'dunno, probably'.

Ned and Andy laughed to themselves as they pulled away from number 22, both imagining Chris sitting in the emergency room in his dress and makeup, trying to explain himself to the nurses.

'I don't remember seeing him after me and him downed that massive pile of drinks he ordered' remarked Ned, 'it's all a bit blurry after that anyway'.