Read Online Atlantic Island by Fredric Shernoff - Free Book Online
Authors: Fredric Shernoff
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showed that he himself was not too worried about troublesome teens.
Theo and his friends shook Menendez's hand and hurried off in the direction of the hospital. When they arrived, a small line had formed in front of the desk. Clearly word had not yet spread that visitors could inquire about the patients. Theo approached the desk when his time came. A heavyset woman sat at the desk. Theo wondered just how large a woman she had been before the reduced rations had slimmed everybody down.
"Who are you looking for?" she asked. Theo gave the names of his friends and she typed some things into her computer. Though he knew the computer was operating on an internal network and had no connection to the Internet, Theo felt a sense of calm at the appearance of a device so rooted in the world he had known before the Event.
"Your friend Mark is in Room 403. Take the elevator at the end of the hall to the fourth floor and make a right."
Theo felt lightheaded as happiness washed over him. "And what about Jamie?" asked Kylee, looking nervous.
"She was discharged a few days ago. According to this," the woman pointed at her monitor," she has been staying in the room with your other friend. They a couple, I take it?" Nobody responded. "Okay, I get it, none of my business. You all go on and see your friends."
They signed in quickly, thanked the woman at the desk and made their way to the elevator. Theo was concerned to see that the elevator denoted the fourth floor as "ICU."
The smells of sterility and various cleaning agents filled Theo's nostrils as he stepped out of the elevator. It was a very short walk down the white tiled floor to room 403. Without knowing he intended to, Theo took a deep breath and held it as he stepped inside.
The beeps of the machines and the ragged sound of artificially controlled breathing told him that his friend was in bad shape before his eyes even focused on the sad form in the hospital bed. Mark's face was swollen on one side and covered in yellowing bruises. His head was wrapped in gauze. One leg was elevated in a large cast. The rest of Mark's body was under the blankets but Theo could see the tubes keeping his friend alive. Jamie was sleeping in a chair in the corner. Her arm was in a sling and she also bore fading bruises on her face, but nothing compared to the extent of Mark's injuries.
Theo and the rest spread out around the hospital bed. Their faces, Theo observed, were all grim. Bill reached out and put his hand lightly on Mark's arm. Bill's jaw was tight and Theo knew he was trying very hard to keep his composure. For several minutes nobody said a word. The quiet seemed to stretch on forever, as if time had lost all meaning in that small room. All that mattered was the series of machine noises that collectively meant that Mark was still alive.
After what seemed an eternity, Jamie stirred. She rubbed her eyes and looked confused at the crowd in front of her. "What…who?"
Kylee stepped toward her. "Jamie, it's Kylee. Michelle's here."
Jamie's eyes opened wide and began to fill with tears. Kylee and Michelle embraced their friend. Theo felt a pang of jealousy as his friend was still unconscious, and immediately hated himself for it.
"Oh my God," Jamie was saying over and over. "I thought you were all dead!"
"We're fine," said Kylee, taking Jamie's hand. "We've been so worried about you."
"We've been here for a long time," said Jamie, "and Mark's been like that for a while so it's just been me and…" she broke into sobs again and her friends held her silently for a while.
When Jamie had composed herself, she looked up at the boys standing by Mark's bed. "He'd really be so happy you guys are here."
Theo walked over to her. "Can you tell us what happened to you? I mean it's okay if you aren't ready to talk about it."
"No, no," said Jamie, "I'm so ready. Just to be able to talk to people other than the nurses and doctors is amazing. Just give me a second to
Theo and his friends shook Menendez's hand and hurried off in the direction of the hospital. When they arrived, a small line had formed in front of the desk. Clearly word had not yet spread that visitors could inquire about the patients. Theo approached the desk when his time came. A heavyset woman sat at the desk. Theo wondered just how large a woman she had been before the reduced rations had slimmed everybody down.
"Who are you looking for?" she asked. Theo gave the names of his friends and she typed some things into her computer. Though he knew the computer was operating on an internal network and had no connection to the Internet, Theo felt a sense of calm at the appearance of a device so rooted in the world he had known before the Event.
"Your friend Mark is in Room 403. Take the elevator at the end of the hall to the fourth floor and make a right."
Theo felt lightheaded as happiness washed over him. "And what about Jamie?" asked Kylee, looking nervous.
"She was discharged a few days ago. According to this," the woman pointed at her monitor," she has been staying in the room with your other friend. They a couple, I take it?" Nobody responded. "Okay, I get it, none of my business. You all go on and see your friends."
They signed in quickly, thanked the woman at the desk and made their way to the elevator. Theo was concerned to see that the elevator denoted the fourth floor as "ICU."
The smells of sterility and various cleaning agents filled Theo's nostrils as he stepped out of the elevator. It was a very short walk down the white tiled floor to room 403. Without knowing he intended to, Theo took a deep breath and held it as he stepped inside.
The beeps of the machines and the ragged sound of artificially controlled breathing told him that his friend was in bad shape before his eyes even focused on the sad form in the hospital bed. Mark's face was swollen on one side and covered in yellowing bruises. His head was wrapped in gauze. One leg was elevated in a large cast. The rest of Mark's body was under the blankets but Theo could see the tubes keeping his friend alive. Jamie was sleeping in a chair in the corner. Her arm was in a sling and she also bore fading bruises on her face, but nothing compared to the extent of Mark's injuries.
Theo and the rest spread out around the hospital bed. Their faces, Theo observed, were all grim. Bill reached out and put his hand lightly on Mark's arm. Bill's jaw was tight and Theo knew he was trying very hard to keep his composure. For several minutes nobody said a word. The quiet seemed to stretch on forever, as if time had lost all meaning in that small room. All that mattered was the series of machine noises that collectively meant that Mark was still alive.
After what seemed an eternity, Jamie stirred. She rubbed her eyes and looked confused at the crowd in front of her. "What…who?"
Kylee stepped toward her. "Jamie, it's Kylee. Michelle's here."
Jamie's eyes opened wide and began to fill with tears. Kylee and Michelle embraced their friend. Theo felt a pang of jealousy as his friend was still unconscious, and immediately hated himself for it.
"Oh my God," Jamie was saying over and over. "I thought you were all dead!"
"We're fine," said Kylee, taking Jamie's hand. "We've been so worried about you."
"We've been here for a long time," said Jamie, "and Mark's been like that for a while so it's just been me and…" she broke into sobs again and her friends held her silently for a while.
When Jamie had composed herself, she looked up at the boys standing by Mark's bed. "He'd really be so happy you guys are here."
Theo walked over to her. "Can you tell us what happened to you? I mean it's okay if you aren't ready to talk about it."
"No, no," said Jamie, "I'm so ready. Just to be able to talk to people other than the nurses and doctors is amazing. Just give me a second to
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