CHAPTER 34

  The time it took to get to the hospital felt like the longest for Carly. She didn't know if it was because the hospital was a distance longer or if it was because of her fear.Teddy had mumbled incoherently all the way  which he hadn't done during the other two episodes. She wasn't sure if she could have managed if she had been alone.

When they got to the hospital, her father took over and carried him inside without hesitating. He was immediately admitted and it was then that she managed to breath  even though her heart wouldn't settle from worrying. At least the doctor's would know what to do with him now and since she didn't have anything useful to do,she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.The next thing she heard was when he mother stood next to her and touched her.

        "He's going to be okay."

   It was as if her tears were waiting to hear just that. They flowed freely and she let them.Her mother took her into into her arms and hugged her. She rubbed her back reassuringly.Carly sobbed softly against her.The contact felt so good and gave her hope that indeed everything would be okay.It was all she needed  at that moment. 

        "Come on sweetie.Let's go sit down over there.The doctor's said it's going to be a while."

   Carly released her hold and looked at her mother.

        "I have never seen anything like this before. It has never be this intense and I am afraid."

       "Do you already know what's wrong with him?What did the doctors there say?"

        "They said that it could be a genetic condition but they never got to a conclusion.The moment I decided to come back here,I knew he would be treated a lot better and since he has been okay for a long while I didn't think this would happen so soon."

         "Maybe it's the long flight and being in an environment he hasn't been before triggered it."

         "Maybe," she stated simply. "Sometimes when I sit down to think I do wonder if what's happening to him is as a result of what I did  back then,going against you. My strong headedness and disobedience."

        "Tell me you seriously don't believe in such kind of things."

         "I don't know what to believe mom," Carly replied shaking her head."I have done so many terrible things and I can't stop to think that maybe I'm paying my past mistakes through this.My son is paying for my mistakes and it is so unfair to him."

 Her mother took her hand into hers and looked at her directly.

       "Hey,listen to me.None of you is paying for any mistakes. These things happen and the doctors are gonna figure out what's going on with him.We will ensure that he is treated and everything will be okay.Do you trust me?"

     Carly nodded,"Yes,now more than ever."

         "Good.Now,come sit down with me.Let's wait for the doctor's report.Teddy is in good hands."

    Carly followed her mother to the waiting bay where her father later joined them.He had gone back outside to park the car properly after Teddy had been admitted. He remained standing though, pacing from one corner to another, appearing to be in deep thoughts. Carly looked at the time, it was a few minutes past four. With luck,they would get the results at around six so there was plenty of time to kill.A cold wind whistled across her body and she shivered.In the moment of panic, she had forgotten to grab a sweater.Her father noticed and took of his coat.He placed it around her and patted her lightly on her back but didn't say a word.

          "Thanks dad," she whispered and it was the last thing that was said for a long while.

               ★★★

   Dylan had just turned in her bed when her phone on the night stand rang.At first she wasn't sure she had heard right but the constant ringing brought her to full consciousness. She turned, stretched her hand and grabbed it.Struggling to open her eyes,she brought it closer to her but the call ended before she could see who was calling.She looked at the time.It was barely half past four and on normal days,she had like three more hours before she woke up. She might have been a worker holic  but she wasn't an early riser.She could work for long hours into the night but when it came to sleep,she didn't take it too well.She groaned wondering who could be calling her at that time.But then in her line of work,these calls weren't uncommon. She unlocked it but just as she was about to view her call logs,it rang again.She swiped right to answer.

        "This better be good snobby," she said curtly. It was a name she had given to her annoying partner. "What's up?"

         "Oh good,you have awoken from the dead," he replied on the other end."The chief has been trying to get you for a while now and when he couldn't, he called me.It seems like my phone works miracles. "

    Dylan closed her eyes and tried to control her anger and not snap at him,"What is it,just go straight to the point."

          "It's Peterson from the break in last week. He called in a few minutes ago,said that there was a disturbance in the store next to his."

        "And why am I being called. We handed the case over to the detectives.This one is related to it,they should handle it."

        "Maybe because it's the police work to go there first  and also because you are closest to Peterson's."

         "Oh yeah,and then the big guys from the investigations department come along later after everything has been made easier for them,got it," she replied and slowly got out of bed."Okay,I'm heading over there in a moment."

   When the call ended,she put the phone down and headed to her bathroom. She brushed her teeth and washed her face then went back to her bedroom. She grabbed a shirt from her closet,not bothering to put on the uniform and put on a pair of jeans.She grabbed her police badge and car keys then headed out.

  After checking the gun she always kept in her glove box,she started the car and sped away.

Peterson's hardware store was not a long distance away.She got there within ten minutes.

      Everything was quiet when she got out of the car.Eerily quiet once she approached the store.She held her gun in both hands and moved slowly, now fully alert and her eyes focused ahead.Next to the hardware store was another one which mostly dealt with car spare parts and which the disturbance had been reported.She decided to go to Peterson's first.His residence was just behind the store and he could easily hear when she called from the outside.

    After making sure that no one or nothing was in sight,she released her gun and stood next to the steel door.She banged loudly thrice.

         "Peterson?"

No answer,she banged again and called out a bit louder.There was still no answer.She shifted in her spot and glanced  to to all directions before she called again.She waited a long while wondering if he had made the call then went back to sleep.She decided to take a look around and see if she could gather something helpful. She hadn't gone more than five steps when she heard movement behind her.She turned almost too sharply.

       "Don't move!" the voice ordered. The front light had been turned off and the darkness was too much to see clearly. All she could see was a silhouette of a person,not knowing if he had a gun or not but it was definitely a man.She regretted having left her flashlight behind in the car.Being in the dark had made her paranoia grow especially now that she had someone who made her look over her shoulder every time.Even though the voice had come out too deep and a little shaky,it was vaguely familiar but she wasn't sure if it was Peterson's.

         "Peterson, is that you?" she tried her initial guess."It's officer Lewis from last week.You called earlier about a break in and I was just taking a look around."

   He shone his flashlight on her and sighed loudly. He then moved forward and met her midway.

      "Thank God,I thought it was someone else.This town is becoming so dangerous to live in and when they broke into my shop and carried several things,I swore that I would be more vigilant, even catch the bastard if I can."

   Dylan looked at him.Under the light from the flashlight that shone more than a car headlight,she noticed that he was holding a metal rod in his right hand.He also wore dark clothes,pants a size bigger and a big hooded sweater.She remembered him having a slim body that had been wasted away by drugs and alcohol.

          "Isn't that too heavy for you?" she asked pointing at the rod.

         "I can manage," he replied.

         "Could you lend me your flashlight for a moment?I should take a look around and I left mine in the car."

          "Sure," he replied and handed it to her.

  Dylan took it and shone it on the ground between the two stores then moved forward. The door seemed intact but when she looked closer,she noticed that the lock was broken. It was placed in an angle that one could have easily not noticed.She tried the door and it moved.

        "Did you hear anything like a lock breaking?" she asked.

        "The noise wasn't clear enough to know what was happening. I forgot to switch off the lights last night before going to sleep and I decided to come switch them off, you know,save on power." Dylan nodded for him to go on. "That's when I heard it,and some sort of movement. I didn't want what happened to my store happen to my good neighbor so I called it in."

         "You did well," she replied and went ahead to open the door.She tried to push it but something blocked the way.It didn't barge.Her first thought was that maybe it was someone. But then the kind of weight against it was too much to be a person. She motioned for Peterson to help open it.

    The door moved quite easily with both their weights on it.She shone the flashlight inside but saw nothing. With her gun poised in the air in front of her,she took a step inside and felt something sticky under her sandals. She looked down and noticed that she had stepped on a puddle of blood. She shone the flashlight on the ground further along and that was when he saw the body of a man lying face first on the floor.She quickly swung into action forgetting that she might be contaminating the scene.She knelt beside the man and felt his pulse with her fingers.

  By then,Peterson had already joined her.

        "Oh God,poor Mr Powell.Is he alive?" 

         "Barely," she replied as she retrieved her cellphone from her pocket. "Yeah,Lewis here.I need an ambulance right away." She quickly stated the location and ended the call then went back to the victim.

     He seemed to have received a heavy blow on the back of his head from behind, judging by the position he was in.He had already lost so much blood judging from the pool on the floor. It wasn't the first time she was seeing this but seeing the blood oozing from his head brought back so many memories. She knew that he would be lucky to survive.Her own mother hadn't survived this same blow. She remembered finding her lying in the bath tub with a pulse that could barely be felt.She had tried to resuscitate her but had failed.The ambulance had arrived when it was too late to do anything and she had been taken directly to the morgue.She didn't want it to happen again so she handed Peterson the flashlight and began performing the same thing on the guy.

         It was after a while that the medics arrived with the ambulance. She stood aside and let them take over and she finally sighed knowing that she had tried her best and it was out of her hands now.

        "You are the officer who found him?" one of them asked.

         "Yeah.Is there something wrong?" she asked in alarm.

           "No,you did a great job but you will have to come with us to the hospital."

         "Whatever for?I have done my part already," she said wanting nothing more than to go back to her apartment, sleep and wake up fresh for the days work.

         "Orders from the department."

          "Alright," she replied with a sigh,"Do I have to ride with you in the ambulance?I have my car here."

          "No,you can follow behind us."

    Dylan moved towards her car half heartedly.She wiped some of the blood she had come in contact with.Luckily she always carried an extra pair of shoes in the car.So she removed the bloody ones and bagged them. She then started the car and drove after the ambulance.