It's a quiet night in the Emergency room, although I know none of the nurses will say the 'Q' word, as it appears health staff are still superstitious, even in these modern times. I'm wearing a stolen cocktail dress with a wide tulle skirt that swishes as I flounce my hips from side to side and swirl around the room, weaving between beds and oblivious patients.
The red phone's distinctive chime halts me mid-swirl. Margie plucks it up and starts to scribble down notes. She stops mid-sentence and draws a sharp breath, puts down the pen and holds the phone with both hands, her mouth drops open and she begins hurriedly speaking into the phone. Two vertical creases form between her eyebrows. I swipe my coat from the back of a chair and move to the nurses' station. Matthews, catching the expression on Margie's face, leans in with interest. Margie holds her hand over the receiver and whispers urgently.
"The paramedics are bringing in a young male who collapsed at a club. They couldn't find ID but one of the paramedics says he looks like Jason Reeves."
Matthews' expression doesn't change upon hearing this news; she just gives a slight nod and goes outside the building to meet the ambulance and gets there as it screeches to a stop. The back doors fly open and Matthews climbs into the vehicle, startling the paramedic within. She inspects the young man on the trolley then barks at the paramedic.
"What happened?"
"Onlookers say he just collapsed. Nobody seemed to know much of anything," the burly man replies.
"Was he with anyone?" Matthews asks.
"Not that we could see. It's that doctor – Reeves, isn't it?" the paramedic says with concern in his voice.
Matthews' eyes are directed to the burly man quizzically.
"It's not often a doctor comes out to greet us personally," the paramedic admits.
Matthews looks back down to the unconscious man and then back to the paramedic.
Matthews puts an oxygen mask over the man's face.
"Take this man directly though Emergency into one of the vacant side rooms. I'll meet you in there." She pulls the thin blanket over the man's face. Matthews exits the vehicle and strides down the corridor in pursuit of the burly paramedic and his partner. I have to run to keep up with them.
"Margie!" Matthews barks across the room. "Call upstairs to maternity or paediatrics and tell them we need a doctor down here ASAP to cover me." Matthews commands.
"Is it?" Margie asks holding the phone receiver in hand tightly.
"Yeah, it is." Matthews replies coolly.
Matthews enters the examination room and moves to the patient.
"Reeves, can you hear me? It's Matthews, you're at St Lucia." Reeves tosses and mutters incoherently. "Has he been conscious during the ride over?" Matthews asks the paramedic who is loitering near the door.
"Sort of, he's been in and out... His BP has been really high the whole time."
Matthews nods "You can go."
As the paramedics leave, I drift over and take a close look at the patient. His breathing is laboured and his skin is covered with a film of sweat. It is Jason Reeves.
Matthews flashes a torch in Jason's eyes to check his pupils, but before she can assess his condition he begins convulsing.
"Margie, get in here!" Matthews holds him down so he can't hurt himself. Even though I haven't heard the familiar TING, I know it's coming. I sit at the end of the bed, and wait with a heaviness inside.
YOU ARE READING
Death's Captive: Will she escape eternal confinement?
ParanormalA woman is trapped within a London hospital and can't move beyond its grounds. She doesn't know exactly how long she's been there, and she can't ask anyone because nobody can see her or touch her, except people on the verge of death whose souls she...
