Four and Counting Down

Kristina

I step out of the car, and look towards Dallon's house. Zoe and Shaun get out of the sedan as well, and join me. I don't notice the other car until Zoe points it out. Shaun curses. Were all thinking the same thing, Dallon's dad is home.

We follow the path up the front porch. I climb the steps first. They creak under my weight, but I'm too focused to notice, or care. We stand in front of the door for just a moment, before Shaun grabs the knob, and turns. The door swings open, and the first thing I notice are the pair of boots sitting by the entrance, their soles caked in dry blood. The second thing I notice are the loud sobs coming from the room down the hallway.

Shaun pushes me out of his way, and rushes down towards the room that the wails are coming from. After a moment of shocked surprise, me and Zoe follow him. He freezes at the doorway, I hurry over to him. His face is pale with fright, his eyes wide and terrified. I gulp, and follow his gaze to the floor, where a small woman with brown hair is beating the wall with her fists, next to her is an immobile figure, one of their eyes is swollen shut, the other is barely open and glazed with pain. Zoe chokes on her breath, she realizes a moment before I do that the person on the floor is Dallon. I wrap my arms around Shaun, and murmur in his ear that it's going to be okay, although I have no idea if that's true or not.

I lead Shaun to a rocking chair, and gently seat him in it. I move towards Zoe, and grab her wrist. "Zoe." I say, she looks at me, her small face pinched with worry. "We need to get him to the hospital." She nods, but doesn't move. Her eyes never leave Dallon's prone body. I pull my phone out of my pocket and quickly dial 911. The line clicks, and I soothing female voice asks:

"Nine-one-one operator. What is your emergency?" The woman says.

"I need help." I begin. "My friend has been beaten badly, there's blood all over the floor, I'm not sure when it happened."

"Where are you?" The operator asks. I run outside, and check the address.

"2653, Pine Road." I hear the operator relay this information to someone else.

"What's your name, hold old are you?" The operator interrogates.

"Kristina Maverick, I'm at the house with Zoe Fletcher, and Shaun Eastwood. My friend, the one who's hurt, is Dallon Everett. Me and Dallon are sixteen, Shaun and Zoe are fifteen. Were all sophomores." The operator repeats this information again, and resumes her questioning.

"Do you know who hurt your friend." I gulp and nod, remembering that the operator can't hear me, I say:

"His father."

"Stay on the line, help is on the way."

I wait out on the deck for what seems like an eternity, finally, I hear the wail of sirens in the distance. A minute later, police cars pull onto the road, an ambulance follows them. A tall, dark skinned officer steps out of the first car, and walks up to me.

"Are you Kristina?" He asks in deep voice. I nod, and he motions for the other officers to follow him. One is shorter, and stocky, with brown hair shaved in a buzz cut, another has shocking red hair in a high ponytail. The final cop is pale and reedy, his eyes bulge out of his head, and he has a pronounced and beaky nose.

"I'm Officer Bennett. Will you bring us inside?" I wordlessly open the door, and lead them to the room that contains Dallon.

The woman who I assume is Dallon's mother is still huddled on the floor. Zoe and Shaun are standing near Dallon when we enter the room. They seem surprised to see the police officers. Redhead and Bulge-Eyes bring a stretcher in with them. They lay it on the ground next to Dallon, and carefully hoist him onto it, and groans softly as they do so. Buzz-Cut helps Dallon's mom off the floor, and leads her outside. Redhead and Bulge-Eyes follow them with the stretcher. I link arms with Shaun and Zoe and follow the procession. By the time we're outside, Dallon has been loaded into the ambulance, and his mother is being helped into the vehicle. Officer Bennett approaches us.

"We don't have room for you in the ambulance, but you can ride in a police car, or follow us with your own vehicle." Shaun and Zoe wordlessly begin making their way towards the sedan. I tell Officer Bennett that I'll drive us to the hospital. He gives me an affirmative nod, and hops in his own police car. The ambulance's engine starts, and the familiar wailing sirens do as well. Soon were all racing down the street.

We're escorted to the waiting area. Zoe hunches in her seat, and texts her father about why she's not home. Shaun doesn't even bother, and just sits forlornly in one of stiff and uncomfortable chairs. I text Ryder and Nikolai that I'll be home later, and ignore them when they ask why. A handful of minutes later, Dallon's mother exits the hospital room that Dallon's in. She has composed herself slightly, although she is still sniffling. She makes her way towards us. I stand to greet her.

She pulls me into a hug, and begins sobbing into my shoulder. I pat her back awkwardly. She pushes herself away from me. "I'm so sorry." She apologizes. "I'm just so worried about him." I nod in understanding.

"We understand Mrs. Everett, we're worried too." She nods, and seats herself in a chair. I grab her hand, and hold it in what I hope is a comforting manner.

The doctor enters the waiting room half an hour later. "Your son will be fine Mrs. Everett." He says, she cries in gratitude. "He has three broken ribs, stitches, and a bruised kidney." Shaun heaves, and Zoe quickly pulls him into a hug, whispering into his ear. The doctor has Dallon's mother sign a paper, and tells us that there can only be two people in the waiting room at one time. Zoe and Mrs. Everett get the first turn. I can hear his mother's muffled sobs through the thin walls of the hospital.

They emerge ten minutes later, and a nurse leads us inside. She quickly exits the room after announcing our arrival. I rush up to Dallon, the blood has been cleaned off the side of his head, and is now wrapped in a sterile white bandage. The gauze covers most of his swollen left eye.

"Hey guys." He says weakly. Shaun crumples into a chair at the sight of him. Dallon eyes him nervously. "You okay Shaun?" He asks. Shaun explodes from his seat.

"Am I okay?" He says weakly, incredulous, "Are you okay?" Dallon grimances, he opens his mouth but Shaun cuts him off. "The truth Dallon, not the shit you spoonfed your mom." Dallon considers.

" I... am okay." He says, at Shaun's expression he quickly continues. "I feel like shit, but I promise I'm fine." Shaun relaxes, and leans forward, pressing his lips gently to the side of Dallon's forehead that's not covered in gauze. Dallon sighs, and sinks into the mattress. I edge away from the hospital gurney.

"I'm gonna give you guys some alone time." I say, before exiting the room.

When I get home, my brothers rush to the door. "What happened?" Ryder asks, Nikolai leads me to the living room, and I slump into the couch.

"My friend is in the hospital." Nikolai gasps, he's always been the more emotionally sensitive of the two.

"Is he okay?" He inquires. I shrug, he stares at me, and I realize that he's waiting for me to elaborate.

"The doctor said he'll be fine, but he has to stay in the hospital for at least a week so they can monitor his ribs." Ryder hands me a plate of steaming roast beef and potatoes. I inhale in inhumanly fast, and them I am served a plate of chocolate cake. The Maverick's have always been a cooking family. But the twins have always been better at making good food. I gulp down a glass of water and head up to my room. I check my phone. My friend from school, Lena has sent me a text.

Lena: Hey girl, wanna hang out with me and the gang tomorrow after school?

That's the day me and Daniel were planning to have a date. But I suppose I'll invite him along. I speed type her a response.

Kristina: I'm in, is it fine if I bring Daniel and a friend?

Without waiting for a reply I send Daniel and Zoe quick texts about meeting me Friday. I hurry upstairs to my bedroom, and flop down on my comforter. I toss my phone gently on my bedside table, and take a long shower, washing Dallon's blood from my hands, and the sweat from my back. I sigh, and hurry to get clothes on, and sleep the events of today off.