Spooky

he small pharmacy beside the hotel, which was a waiting room the size of a small coffee shop and another room at

lowering the top half so I was in a laying position, and th

wound, boy?” She said, her

while playing soccer

like you got injured by a sharp

r to shut up and mind her business, but my eyes seemed to do t

e waiting room. I glanced warily at both my parents, they were clueless as they’d been when we got in and were content to just standing in a position and looking all around or tapping their phone screens. It was Mom I watc

s the case only half the time. Half the other time she was cracking under Mom’s pressure to snitch on us

ing matter when it really happened—well except you don’t consider it funny when Mom and Jessie pretended to be horrified when they had probably known for the entire day that it was me who invited forty-

estions about my injury. Dad and Jessie followed, carrying bags of soda and snacks; we waited an extra ten minutes for Mom t

und and she gave me this one for free,” She chatted in a

ce,” I whispered

sonal guide to giving fir

about a roadside nurse’s first aid in

shot me a dark look. “S

eful.” Jessie swatted my sho

excited tone. “She uses chocolate to calm down sobbing kids while she cleans their wounds, clear

r the road again, pausing at the exit w

m good.”

,” said

t,” Mom

ow?” Da

o; they’re either discussing politics or

American football was the greatest sport to have been ever created, but all Mom usually

f CD players and slotted one in, sounds of guitars and dru

doesn’t like American football

for me, Jessie,” Mom said with her head bobb

hes album for twelve years and you don’t kn

m answered, still moving her head

or surprise or a combination of both, he restarted the

cident scene between a bus and two minivans. There were five nurses moving between the mass of dead or unconscious bodies littered on the fl

a split second, her fi

ou going?” D

e with me one of you.” She r

you guys go instead? You k

y!” Jess said, putting

forward, jumping out the car

what that nurse had told me earlier,

re excited.” I

ys a privilege to

,” I

corner, watching the entire ruckus and clueless on what t

knows we needed an extra hand.” One of the nurses si

d glint in her eye. “You two sure you know how to give firs

recently learned a way to calm children down w

rupted. “This is a scene between a bus full

p nurse cast me a frown almost immediately; Mom nudged

in the accident.” She said through gritt

nurse gestured to Mom. “We could use

pulled me by my elbow, leading me to a

chubby finger to the back door while she stared at me. “Help

t she meant by supplies. I moved deeper in the van, craning my neck in every little corner while warily avoiding the injured bodies on the bed on either side. The van jerked violently and I fe

been acquired, now

sub

meant, quickly I lunged for the exit doors, but then a

oman who seemed to be in her seventies—was pulling me to her sickbed, while

managed to break free and headed for the doors again, which shouldn’t have been a problem since it wa

ould fight or keep trying to run, I decided on the second opti

head banged against a hard surface and seared with pain. The world went b

ed on each side and staring at me with bloodshot eyes and ope

me, the only result was my chest