Psychic Schoolkids - Part 23

I hate hospitals. I don’t think there are words that quite cover that. I don’t especially have a reason for it – no relative has died in a hospital or anything like that. But I just get creeped out every time I am in one. But everyone was taken to the Sisters of Mercy hospital, and so I went with them.

Emily and Dane were rushed quickly checked over and found to have nothing really wrong with them except for a lot of blood on their faces – the joys of Lisa’s handiwork. She had managed to get to the common room and stop a lot of the damage before anyone else arrived. She couldn’t help everyone however, no matter how hard she tried.

Chloe and I had stayed after everyone else had gone home, looking at the bed where Mr Harding and Ms Ellis were lying. Harding’s entire face was covered in bandages. Lisa had tried her best to heal the cuts that Chris had made all over his face, but had found some sort of resistance against them. Obviously Chris was strong enough to stop his wounds being healed. We had overheard the doctors say that he was never going to have sight again, and that as long as the cuts all healed on his face, he would be fine, but scarred for life.

Ms Ellis’ situation was a bit touchier. She had apparently taken a very bad blow to the back of her head. She hadn’t regained consciousness since we had left the school, which was not a very promising sign. I wanted to ask both her and Mr Harding so many questions – about their powers, about the school, about everything – and it looked as though my chance before I was going to be able to get any of them answered was going to have to wait.

Chris, well we had no idea what had happened to him. They had taken him to the psych wing of the hospital after he broke a paramedic’s hand and had to be sedated. Since Chloe and I were lowly members of the public, we weren’t allowed to go see him. We did however see Chris’ family go in a few hours after we arrived. They hadn’t emerged so we assumed that either he had killed everyone or he was calm enough to see people without hurting them. Or he was tied to a bed and rambling like a crazy person. There were definitely options.

“I’m sorry, visiting hours are over.” A nurse came to us eventually. “I’m going to have to ask you both to leave so that patients can start to get some rest.”

I looked up at the nurse, and then looked at Chloe. She was tired, and I felt not too far behind her.

“I don’t think their condition is going to change by the morning.” The nurse continued. “I think the most helpful thing either of you can do is to get a good sleep. They wouldn’t want you killing yourselves just because they’re in such a bad way.”

The nurse was right in a way, if Chloe and I didn’t sleep even if we got answers to our questions we wouldn’t be able to do much about them. We grudgingly got up and made our way to the front of the hospital. We brushed past the various staff and other visitors bustling around, even bumping into a nun as she rushed to talk to the nurse that had asked us to leave.

We ended up going back to Chloe’s house. Her parents were out of town yet again, and so we figured we both deserved a day off school. By the time we awoke the next morning it was well and truly day time, and well and truly school hours. But neither of us felt like moving. Chloe was still in a crappy place over Nathan’s death. I was surprisingly ambivalent over it. If anything Chloe’s reaction was concerning me more – I couldn’t help but think she shouldn’t be so distraught over the death of an ex who she has long since moved on from.

It was about midday before I emerged from bed, Chloe was still sound asleep, obviously worn out from the night before, or even worse, dreaming about the days to come. It wasn’t looking to be pretty. Aside from the obvious – Nathan’s funeral – the police had appeared to be quite interested in how Nathan had died, so unlike in Neil’s case there was going to be an investigation into the death. I suppose it’s a small kind of justice, but at the same time the last thing we needed was the police poking around. At least we didn’t have to worry about fighting for our lives with the police floating around.

I was about halfway through making pancakes when Chloe stumbled downstairs.

“I’m surprised you know where things are in my kitchen.” She said.

“I did just spend an hour looking for some things. Who the hell puts the saucepans under the sink? And a spatula in a cupboard as opposed to a drawer? This kitchen is not natural.”

“They’re both logical places for them!”

“No, they’re terrible places. Did your parents just put things in weird places to fool any guests who come into your house?”

“Maybe they just didn’t want my boyfriend making me pancakes. Maybe they knew how much of a terrible cook you are and tried to avoid the disaster that ensues.”

“There’s nothing wrong with my cooking!”

“You’re pancakes are burning....” She said.

“I hate having a psychic girlfriend sometimes.” I said.

“I don’t need to be a psychic to tell they’re burning, just have a sense of smell. You should try it some time!” She shouted after me as I ran to try and rescue my feeble attempt at cooking. “Besides, you love having a psychic girlfriend. Who else will inform you of impending crises that will compel you to act all noble, heroic and sexy?”

“I look noble? And heroic?”

“You forgot sexy...” She said.

“Well I know I look sexy. The other two I wasn’t so sure about.”

She just shook her head at me. “Okay well I do actually have a crisis that’s impending. So stop messing around.”

“Is it the kind of crisis you can tell me about while I try to make pancakes that aren’t burnt? Or are you happy with a burnt breakfast?”

“Go cook. I need a wholesome breakfast.” She ushered me back towards the stove.

“Okay so shoot.” I said, pouring more of the mix out.

“The school is going to fall apart.”

“What...metaphorically? Literally?”

“I’m not sure. I just know that things are going to get worse before they get better. Oh and we need to find Matt. “

“Oh that was definitely on my to do list...that weasel.”

There was a knock on the door. Chloe left me to attempt to cook in peace and answered it. A few minutes later Emily and Dane arrived.

“We met on our way here.” Emily said as she sat down at the kitchen table. “We both figured this was the best place to find you.”

“I actually went to school today.” Dane said, sitting down next to her. “It’s a bit crazy there.”

“Crazy how?” I asked.

“Well in addition to teachers in hospital and dead students, just people being all that little bit more on edge. And everyone is avoiding the atrium. It was completely empty.”

“It’s the ghosts...” Chloe said. Everyone turned to look at her with matching ‘huh’ expressions on her face. “Jacob...you said that where the ghosts come from is a room under the atrium right? And Ellis said that the game, all of us fighting, was something to do with who gets to stop the ghosts right? Well no one won that...so maybe that’s what’s going to happen at the school? And everyone there is getting the creepy vibe so they’re avoiding the atrium? It fits right?”

“Plus if Ellis and Harding are gone...they were like the senior people there when it comes to superpowers right? Maybe that’s throwing things out of wack?” Emily said.

“Makes sense.” I said. “Just what we need another crisis...”

“Well, I have news from the hospital.” Emily said. “Chris is getting transferred to Broadleaf.”

“Oh god..” Chloe said.

“Broadleaf? That’s the Asylum right?” Dane said. “That must mean that they don’t think he’s going to get better. And that he’s dangerous...”

“And he is a suspect in what happened to Nathan funnily enough. One of two prime suspects..” Emily continued

“Who is the other?” Chloe asked.

“Harding.” Emily said. “Apparently the fact that he was spending a lot of time with Chris and Nathan raised their attention.”

“Any word on Matt? Either of you?” I asked.

“Nothing.” Emily said. “Except that the cops want to talk to him too...”

“Nothing at the school either, he must be hiding pretty well.” Dane added.