Benny Washington, unable to relate to his distant father, and wracked with guilt over the recent death of his mother, seeks solace in best friend Peter Hall, comic books, and ballet-a passion he and Peter share. When Benny learns on the Internet tha...
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CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Peter Takes Charge
Peter watches through blurred vision as his best friend glows for a split second like a lampshade before flying backward to slam hard into Emma and Fremond, knocking both teens to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs.
"Benny!" Peter stumbles to his feet, fighting lightheadedness as he staggers forward.
Emma and Fremond scoot out from under Benny and lay him on his back. As Peter stumbles over, Fremond bends and feels for a pulse on Benny's neck. Then he presses his face close to Benny's nose and mouth as Peter drops down beside him.
"He's not breathing," Fremond says.
Emma cries out in horror. "Oh, my God, call 911!"
Fremond pulls out his phone.
Peter barely has a moment to register the burns on Benny's hands and the fact that his black hair is now white before he shoves Fremond to one side. "Move!"
Fremond clambers to his feet, dialing the number and gazing at Peter with surprise.
Peter doesn't hesitate. The training he's been doing this past week clicks into place and he goes to work. Lifting Benny behind the neck with one hand, he pinches Benny's nose and presses his lips to those of his friend. Noting the warmth from Benny's lips gives him a surge of hope as he breathes air into the lungs. He releases Benny's nose, takes another breath, and repeats the process.
Fremond presses the phone to his face. "911? A boy's been electrocuted!" He wanders off to one side, giving their location.
Peter moves onto chest compressions. He places the heel of his right hand on the center point of Benny's chest and plants the other atop it. He gives thirty chest compressions in slow, steady rhythm, just as Mr. Carver taught him. Then his lips return to Benny's mouth for breathing and the cycle repeats. Peter feels sweat trickling from his armpits and perspiration beading on his forehead. Real CPR is much harder than working on dummies in class, but he can't let up. This is Benny. He has to save him. He has to!
He's on the third set of compressions when Emma cries out, "Dad! Mom!"
Peter doesn't look up. He wipes sweat off his brow and leans in for more breathing, vaguely aware of the voices surrounding him.
Benny's dad shouts, "Benny," and Detective Wong urges, "Wait, Nicolas."
"I called 911," Fremond exclaims, sounding breathless.
Peter focuses on the second slow breath and then resumes chest compressions.
"He's my son!" Benny's dad snaps.
"And right now, Peter is his best chance for survival," the detective says, keeping her voice calm.
