AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Norma?” Grandpa tilted his head, looking at her. “Are you feeling okay?”
“Jay, don’t you go worrying.” She shook her head. “It’s a little warm in the kitchen.”
“Your skin looks weird, Grandma.” My eyes narrowed as I noticed her skin looked wet with a gray tone to it.
“Now stop.” She turned to walk away. “I’m old and tired. I need to finish in the kitchen so I can go home.”
Grandma took four steps and stopped, reaching to hold on to the table to her right.
I jumped up from my chair and ran to her. “Grandma?”
“There’s an elephant on my chest.” Her hushed voice gave me chills. Her left hand clutched my arm, and I pulled the chair out for her to sit on.
“She needs a doctor!” I heard panic in my grandpa’s voice.
Grandma slid off the chair, landing on the floor. I dropped to my knees beside her. “Grandma!”
“Oh, my God!” Tara yelled, and I saw another adult pull her away from us. Jeremy too.
“The ambulance is on the way!” someone else called out.
Another voice sounded so far away. “Is she breathing?”
I reached out and tried to shake her. Then I felt hands pulling me away.
“Let go of me!” I fought against them. “Let me go!”
I didn’t know who had me, or how they knew my name, but I heard them telling me to calm down.
“I don’t want to calm down! I want my grandma!”
Tara and Jeremy ran up and pulled me from the person holding me. “Keep her here.” His firm voice made me angry.
I shoved him and tried to get back to my grandma, and he wrapped his arms around me again, holding me tight.
And he took every headbutt, bite, kick and scream I had.
I stopped fighting when I saw the paramedics come through the doors and blow past me. I wanted to hear what was going on. But he wouldn’t let go. The next time I saw them, grandma was on the stretcher, with an oxygen mask on her face and grandpa running behind them.
“Go on, Jay. I’ll drop the kids off and bring her to the hospital.”
Once the ambulance pulled away with lights and sirens, the man let me go. I spun around and shoved him again, noticing now who it was.
“I know you’re mad.” Edith’s dad’s voice was softer now. “This is a scary time. Let’s get Jeremy and Tara home, then we’ll meet your grandpa at the hospital.”
I sniffled and wiped my nose on my sleeve. “Okay.”
When we got into the car, I sat in the back seat between my friends. They each took a hand and held it while Mr. Malone drove us in silence.
The first stop was Tara’s house. When he pulled into the driveway, he walked her to the door, spoke to her mom, and came back.
Jeremy switched hands so he could wrap an arm around me.
Mr. Malone returned and drove over to Jeremy’s house. Mrs. Parks came running out, wiping her hands on her apron.
Jeremy pressed a kiss to the top of my head before exiting the car, leaving me inside, alone.
I heard mumbles but couldn’t make out what they were saying.
