AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Jess. It’s just Jess. I take a deep breath, and another, and the dizziness starts to recede. A few seconds later I’m in the hall, fumbling with the locks, flinging the door open. I grab Jess by the hand and pull her inside.
‘Jess! Oh my God, I’m so glad— It’s Pete, there’s something wrong, I think it was Megan, we need an ambulance, please …’
‘Mary! Mary, slow down. What are you talking about? What was Megan? Where’s Pete?’
She takes both of my hands in hers and forces me to stand still, her expression one of absolute confusion. I gulp in some air, feeling light-headed again, realising I’m not making any sense.
‘It’s Pete. He’s …’
‘Mary, we’ve been trying to call Pete,andyou,’ she says, interrupting me. ‘Neither of you have been answering your phones, that’s why Steph sent me over to check that everything’s OK. Why haven’t you picked up? Breathe, OK. Tell me, slowly.’
‘OK. OK, sorry.’
I pause for a couple of seconds, trying to collect my thoughts, but the panic is rising again. I’ve left Pete up there on his own for too long. What if he’s got worse while I’ve been down here? What if something terrible’s happened?
‘Something’s wrong with Pete. He went for a lie-down and now I can’t wake him up, and his breathing’s all funny, it’s like he’s been drugged or something, but I don’t even know how that’s possible, unless Megan did something to him while she was here … Oh God, Jess …’
‘Drugged?’
She’s still looking at me with a bewildered expression.
‘And I did hear my phone, but I was upstairs trying to wake Pete up, and I’d left it down here, and I can’t find his anywhere, I looked for it to call an ambulance but it’s just vanished, I didn’t hear it ringing either … Jess, please, we need an ambulance …’
My words are tumbling over each other, my voice shrill with fear, and she nods, seemingly finally understanding.
‘Why didn’t you use your panic button? OK, never mind. Come on, show me where he is. I’m first aid trained so I’ll have a look and yes, if we need an ambulance I can radio …’
‘I forgot, I was freaking out … Thank you! Thank you so much!’
I wrench my hands from hers and bound up the stairs, feeling like an idiot for forgetting the house is rigged with panic buttons and yelling at her to follow, and seconds later we’re both in Pete’s room. He hasn’t moved, but as I rush over to him, my heart hammering in my chest, I see that his breathing doesn’t seem to have worsened, which calms me just a little. I turn to Jess.
‘See what I mean? He’s unconscious. I’m scared, Jess.’
‘OK. Let me just make sure he’s stable, and then I’ll radio and get an ambulance here right away. Don’t panic, all right? I’m sure he’ll be fine.’
She walks to the other side of the bed and sits down carefully beside Pete, lifting his eyelids and then putting the back of her hand against his pale cheek, frowning as she does so. She’s just begun to check his pulse when the radio on her belt crackles.
‘Oscar Sierra One, Oscar Sierra One receiving Oscar Sierra Five, over.’
It’s Steph’s voice, and my stomach rolls.
Has something else happened?
Still holding Pete’s wrist, Jess fumbles at a button on the side of her radio.
‘Oscar Sierra Five, go ahead, over,’ she says.
‘Please confirm all safe and well, over.’
Jess looks at me and hesitates.
‘Not really, are we?’ she mouths. I shake my head, and Jess releases Pete’s hand and says, ‘Medical assistance required. Over.’
There’s a few seconds of silence, and then Steph’s voice again, her tone urgent now.
‘I’m coming in. Front door open, please. Over and out.’
Jess looks at me.
