Fractured Light (25 page)

I froze. I completely froze. Or I should say my mind froze; my body couldn’t have been more frozen. Christian had used the word Light. And he hadn’t said it in a weird spiritual sort of way either.

I heard the screeching of tires. “We’re here!”

This is when things really became crazy. I heard car doors opening and closing. I felt myself being jostled around and then Christian barking orders to hospital staff. There were lots of voices I didn’t recognize, asking all sorts of questions. I tried to listen to them all, to distinguish one voice from another, but something strange began to happen. The only way to describe it is I felt my body begin to separate, followed moments later by a bright light that slowly began to fill the dark space in my mind.

I hadn’t been able to focus on most of what was happening around me, until I heard this conversation: “She’s surprisingly warm for being pulled out of a frozen lake.”

“I agree, but I still can’t find a pulse. Ron, can you?”

“No. Is the defibrillator ready?”

“Almost.”

“Ready.”

“Clear!”

A strange humming sound, followed by a loud thump.

“Again,” someone shouted.

I heard someone else curse.

“Clear!” Thump sound again.

“Nothing, Doctor.”

Silence.

“What? No! She’s still alive,” Christian yelled. He sounded further away than the others.

“Get him out of here,” a deep voice said.

There were sounds of scuffling and then the sound of something crashing into a wall.

“You have to believe me. She’s still alive!” Christian said again.

I wanted to scream that he was right, but even as I thought it the Light in my darkness grew dimmer. That, coupled with the sudden feeling of floating, had me worried.

“I’m sorry, son, but there’s nothing else we can do. By the looks of her, she’s been without oxygen for too long.”

“No!” Christian was furious. “Try again. She’s still alive!”

Then Mr. Steele, “How do you know, Christian?”

“Because there’s still Light,” he blurted. “She doesn’t have much longer. Please! We can save her.”

I then heard more scuffling followed by more shouting. It sounded like a fight had broken out. Someone yelled, “Call security!”

“Save her!” Mr. Steele called.

I tried to pay attention, but I began to drift off. The peaceful feeling had returned.

“Hang on, Llona,” Christian said.

I felt my body jerk and then heard a sound like bones breaking. I think they were mine.

In a quieter voice, Christian said, “Don’t let go of the Light and you will live. Just stay with me.”

I wasn’t sure what he meant by saying “hold on to the Light” until I saw the light begin to fade away like a retreating sunset. I didn’t want this to be the end and something told me the moment Light disappeared, I would too. As peaceful as it was, I didn’t want to die.

“Don’t leave me,” I shouted at the retreating light. “I want to live!”

“Come on, Llona. Open your eyes,” Christian said, his voice tense.

In my mind I imagined my eyes opening. Not calmly, but violently. I pictured everything I could think of to pry them open: crow bar, knife, scissors, anything that would tear them open.

“Open your eyes,” I screamed at myself over and over until, finally, my eyes opened.

“A
MAN IS NOT COMPLETELY BORN UNTIL HE IS DEAD
.”

I was dead, but now I am born again. I don’t think my experience is exactly what Benjamin Franklin meant when he wrote the words, but I was born again. Not in the spiritual, found God sort of way, but I felt different. A strange sort of excitement for life, and I knew I’d never be the same again. I was going to fight. I didn’t know how, didn’t even know if it was possible, but somehow I was going to find a way not to be vulnerable anymore. The Light inside me seemed to leap at my new determination as if it too were ready to fight.

“Llona?”

Christian came into focus.
Christian
. Christian knows. He knows about me.

“How?” I asked him.

“She’s alive,” I heard someone call.

Within seconds, Christian was pushed away, and I was swarmed by doctors and nurses. They asked me all sorts of questions, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Christian. I kept having to move my head around to see him through the many people who were bombarding me. I had to know how he knew.

“Do what they ask,” Christian whispered from across the room, but I heard it as clear as if he were shouting. And then he was gone.

I collapsed into the bed, suddenly very aware of how badly my chest hurt. I cried out in pain.

“It’s your sternum,” a doctor said. “It’s going to be sore for awhile. And you probably have a few broken ribs too. How does the rest of you feel?”

“Other than being sore, I’m cold.” And suddenly very self-conscience. A sheet had been pulled up to my shoulders, but I still felt very exposed.

“Here’s a gown,” a nurse said. “I’ll go get you another blanket.”

The doctor stared down at a chart in his hands. “You are quite the miracle girl. We thought we’d lost you. If it wasn’t for that determined young man, we probably would have.”

I nodded. “How long do I need to stay here?”

“At least overnight.”

“I need to call my uncle.”

“I believe someone already has. Are you ready to be moved?”

“Where to?”

“Fourth floor.”

I nodded. A couple of nurses wheeled my bed into the hall and into an elevator.

My new room was very simple, a mini version of the ER, but at least it was private. After the nurses situated me and left, May was the first person in. She gave me a big, but gentle, hug.

“How do you feel?” she asked. Her eyes were red and swollen.

“I’m okay.”

“I thought you were dead.”

“That’s what I keep hearing.”

“What happened?” She sat at the foot of my bed.

“I went after the football and the ice cracked. I guess this is what I get for being cocky and trying to show Mike up.”

“Kind of a severe punishment, don’t you think?”

I sort of smiled. “Where’s Christian?”

“Getting dressed.”

“Huh?”

“He didn’t have a shirt on.”

“So what happened after I fell into the ice?” I wanted to put the sounds I’d heard with some sort of picture.

May shook her head. “It was crazy. We were all watching you on the ice when Christian came running up to me. He was totally freaking out, saying you shouldn’t be out there when all of a sudden you fell. Everyone started screaming, but Christian ran after you. I thought he was going to get to you in time, but then you just disappeared. Christian looked so panicked I thought his head was going to pop off. He was staring down at the ice like he could see through it or something and then he started moving around. That’s when Mr. Steele came to help.”

“Mr. Steele?”

May kept talking, “And then Christian stopped moving and dropped to the ground. He started pounding on the ice as hard as he could. He was saying something, but I couldn’t hear what from the shore. Then Mr. Steele did something that, now that it’s over and I can think about it, makes me totally fall in love with him.”

“What?”

“With one blow, he punched through the ice and grabbed you.”

“That was Mr. Steele?”

“Yeah. He pulled you out and then Christian carried you to his car.” May lifted her hands. “Now don’t get mad, but something happened.”

“Like what?”

“To keep you warm, Christian undressed you. But I told him to keep your unmentionables on.”

I smiled. “Good.”

“I helped a little too,” she said.

“What do you mean?”

“I held your hand and warmed you up. At first, I was afraid I’d light you on fire, but luckily that didn’t happen.”

“Yeah, lucky.”

“I just focused really hard on not letting the full extent of my powers go. And I think it worked, because by the time we got to the hospital your skin didn’t feel like ice anymore.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it. So what happened in the hospital?”

“More craziness. I’m surprised nobody got arrested.”

“What do you mean?”

“When they brought you in, you didn’t have a pulse. The doctors tried shocking you, but nothing worked. They finally said you were dead. When Mr. Steele heard this, he punched a whole in the wall.”

“He did?”

“Yeah, it was weird. And then Christian didn’t stop yelling that you were still alive. The doctors were trying to push him out of the room when all of a sudden Mr. Steele starting fighting everyone. He shoved a doctor across the room and punched another.”

My eyes grew big. So that was the scuffling I’d heard.

“And then he told Christian to go and save you and he did.”

I shook my head. “Bizarre.”

“I know, right?”

“Where’s Mr. Steele now?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. Once they said you were alive I didn’t pay attention to much else.”

There was a knock at the door. Both of us turned our heads.

“Come in,” I said.

Christian walked in wearing my favorite black shirt of his. “I’m glad you’re alive,” May said and squeezed my hand. “I’ll leave you two alone. Can I come see you tomorrow?”

“Of course.” My eyes didn’t leave Christian’s. He moved to the side of my bed and pulled up a chair.

As soon as May was gone, I asked again, “How?”

“I can’t explain now, but I will. I promise. You’re uncle’s on his way up. I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m fine.”

“How’s your chest? I’m sorry I hurt it.”

“Don’t apologize. You saved my life.”

Christian’s eyes moved to the dark window and then back to me. “It’s still a full moon. You should feel better tomorrow.”

I stared at him, mouth gaping. “How do you know all this?”

He placed his warm hand over mine. “Tomorrow. I promise.” He was silent for a moment, head bowed, and then, “This is going to kill me to leave you tonight.”

“Then don’t.”

“Jake will want to be with you.”

I sighed, knowing he was right. Jake was probably freaking out.

“I owe you an apology,” I told him.

“For what?” It was his turn to be surprised.

“I should’ve listened to you and gone home.”

“No, it was selfish of me to ask you not to come. It’s just easier for me when I know you’re home, know what I mean?”

I shook my head. “Not at all.”

“You will, but it doesn’t matter anyway. I could never have predicted what happened tonight.”

“Were you expecting something to happen?”

“Yes.”

“What were you expecting?”

“Definitely not you falling through the ice.”

“Then what?”

The door opened suddenly.

“Llona,” Jake cried. He rushed to my side. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Jake, just tired.”

“Are you sure?”

I nodded.

“What happened? The doctor said you fell through some ice, and they had to revive you.”

“That pretty much sums it up.”

“What were you doing on the ice?”

“It wasn’t her fault, Mr. Reese. She was just getting the football for everyone. They told her it was safe.”

Jake scowled. “Since when did you start trusting teenagers?” He then turned to Christian. “And when did you start calling me Mr. Reese?”

Christian shrugged. “Sorry, Jake.”

“Well, I’m just glad you’re okay. I would never have forgiven myself if something happened to you.”

Christian stood up. “I’ll leave you two alone. Llona, I’ll come see you tomorrow.”