Chapter three

Screaming at the emergency service operator Blake shook the girl in his arms. A desperate attempt to wake her.

“We’re on the south side of Mooerean woods,” Blake took an unsteady step as he stood up, snapping at the operator “Send an ambulance, she’s hurt!”

His body lurched with the effort of lifting Lillian with his free arm, hoisting her into both arms, and dropping the phone in the process. Its screen shattered against a rock, a spider web of cracks flooding its glassy face.

Blake swore.

“Sir?” the operator on the end of the line spoke in a sharp feminine voice. It crackled slightly through damaged speaker. The operator continued to call out “Sir, are you there?”

Blake’s knees almost buckled as he bent down, swiftly grabbing the phone. He looked down at Lillian’s face, bruises already beginning to bloom where Jeremy had struck her. Panic trod through his chest. Stamping away any semblance of calm he once held.

“I’m heading towards the road,” he grunted. “She won’t wake up!”

Blake tried to swallow but his mouth was dry. Swearing aloud Blake leaped over a ditch, running as fast as he could with the extra, dead weight he carried.

“The ambulance is almost there, please wait by the roadside.”

Her voice seemed almost cold, too professional and desensitised. Blake wanted to scream at her. He could hear a car whizzing by, the grey asphalt of the road shone through the last few sparse trees. He could hear the siren swiftly approaching so he ran as fast as he could but his heart sank to his feet as he watched the stark white of the ambulance speed by.

He stumbled out on to the road, slipping on the muddy bank. “Wait. Wait we’re here!” he shouted, sluggishly running after the vehicle. He began crying, “Wait…” Blake slowed his steps, and stopped, sobbing quietly as the ambulance blared away.

“It’s ok…” her hand weakly brushed off his cheek. Blake looked down at the girl, his tears landing on her face. “Um...Put me down, please?” her voice was quiet but solid. Taken aback Blake quickly set her down on her feet. She wobbled but didn’t fall.

Blake put an arm over her shoulder to support Lillian, she stabled herself, wrapping her arm around his waist, clutching his jumper in a tiny balled fist.

Lillian chuckled, smiling sheepishly up at Blake she said "So, how bad do I look?"

Blake blinked before responding "Eh," he fumbled in his mind for words "you wouldn’t win any beauty contests to say the least"

Lillian giggled, smiling at his comment "You're not too hot yourself Mister"

She continued her sweet chuckle and Blake joined in, amazed at how the girl seemed to just be laughing off the situation so easily. His trailing thought was cut short as a siren sang loudly behind them.

The wail of tires startled them both. They turned to face the insulting noise. The ambulance was racing towards them, the growling engine harmonising with the screaming and colourful flash of the siren. It screeched to a halt just before them.

A young women with dusty blonde hair tied in a loose ponytail stuck her head out the driver side window, her dark jacket emblazoned with a swirling crest “Did you kids call an ambulance?”

Lillian just narrowed her eyes at the women with a look that said my face is covered in blood and I’m pretty sure I have a black eye. So no, we did not call an ambulance…of course we called the god dammed ambulance!

Two men jumped out of the rear doors, dressed in the same navy uniform as their colleague, heavy boots stomping towards the pair. The latter of the two dragged out a clunky gurney.

Neither Blake nor Lillian said anything (Lillian’s face was still silently judging the woman. Deciding that she immediately didn’t like her) they just staggered towards the approaching emergency service workers.

Lillian fell into the arms of the shorter man, his sun beaten face a mask of professional concern. Blake still held tight to her hand, unwilling to let go, blatantly refusing to until the other emergency response worker pried him away from her and hoisted him onto the gurney.

The EMS worker handling Lillian wrapped a foil shock blanket around her, placing a comforting hand oh her shoulder. She smiled up at him, thanking him for their help.

Her head was still fuzzy, the occasional white spot burned through her vision as she relayed the events that had just occurred, refusing to show the residue of panic that still glazed over her eyes. Her speech was calm, confident and she was sure of every word that rolled out. The man just nodded as she spoke, his hazel eyes staring straight at her.

She felt extremely embarrassed with how she had fainted. Mentally kicking herself for it. That was a show of weakness she could not excuse. Though the irritation she felt towards herself couldn’t even rival her frustration at the way they were treating her, it made her feel small but she put on a grateful smile and thanked the man politely.

Lillian spied the man’s name tag, in neat black ink the name “Edwards” stood without a first name companion. Edwards crossed the small space between him and his partner, quietly whispering something into the other man’s ear.

A pang of guilt shot through Lillian when she locked eyes with Blake. She had been so involved in her silent fuming that she had completely forgotten he was even there. Bruises were forming across his face, his split lip was scabbing over and his dark hair was sticking up at odd angels, dulled by dirt. He looked a mess. The same foil blanket was draped over his shoulders, he shook it off.

Blake winced as he shrugged off the blanket. A dull medley of pain pricked his whole body. A steady ache of fatigue and spent energy flooded his system. Blake turned to the man who was repeatedly placing a shock blanket over his frame.

Exasperated, Blake snapped as politely as possible. “Thanks but I’m ok, look after her. Not me.”

The man didn’t respond, only placed the blanket back on his shoulders for the third time. Blake sighed and silently accepted the blanket.

“We’re going to take you two to the hospital to get your insurance details and contact your guardians” the shorter man addressed to both of the slightly shaken youths. Then, pointing with a pen that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere he said “And you,” he gestured to Blake “you need to get a proper examination at the hospital, we need to make sure there are no serious injuries.”

Blake whined in protest but was silenced as Lillian hopped into the back of the ambulance, beckoning him to follow. He stepped down from the gurney and, grimacing with the effort and joined her in the vehicle.

The interior was as medically glorious as expected. Sealed packets lined the walls, and a second bed was tucked into the wall. Machines glowed and beeped in the coldly lit chamber.

The two men loaded the gurney back into the rear of the vehicle. One joined the driver in the front seat. Edwards joined the two youths in the back, awkwardly stepping up from the asphalt road.

The sun beating down on the road had caused bubbles of melted tar to pool in sticky puddles. As Edwards pulled his boot up from the tarry surface, a string of black gloop stuck to the soul of his shoe. He didn’t notice.

A pulling, sucking sound squelched each time he took a step in the sterile vehicle. Edwards gestured to two plain plastic seats attached to the far wall of the ambulance. Lillian and Blake took seats opposite each other.

Not looking to either of them, Edwards plonked himself in a seat at the far end of the gurney and took out his phone. No one spoke.