| [Chapter One] |
| Chapter One Can I have some aspirin again? Alicia Swanson scribbled on a piece of paper. She waited until her teacher turned to look at the board before she threw the paper onto Kate Rogers desk. Yep. Are you okay? This is the second time today and you�ve been asking for aspirin all week. The reply came. Alicia looked over at her friend who had pulled the bottle from the pocket of her backpack. I�m fine. It�s just stress. Alicia tossed the note back at her best friend. Okay. I�ve been thinking of telling Erik. He told me that if I notice you using more aspirin I should let him know. Alicia read the note and her heart began racing faster. NO! Don�t tell Erik! He�ll freak! I don�t want him worrying over something that�s just stress. Alicia quickly scribbled onto the paper, throwing it at her friend again. There was a longer length of time before Kate threw the paper back. Okay, I won�t. When Mr. Linden turns his back, I�ll give you the bottle. Alicia nodded, crumpling up the note. She threw it into the outer pocket of her backpack as she dug in it for a dollar to buy a bottle of water. Grabbing the dollar she pulled it out and reached over to grab the bottle of aspirin. When Mr. Linden turned around Alicia quickly raised her hand. �Yes Alicia?� he asked. �May I go to the bathroom?� Alicia asked. �Can it wait?� �No.� she said. �I really have to go.� �All right.� Mr. Linden sighed. Alicia quickly got up and left the room, clutching the bottle of aspirin and the dollar tightly. ~*~ The small group was laughing as they walked down the street. Erik and Kate began walking faster as they launched into a heated debate about something they had learned about in their English class. As Alicia and Colby fell behind, Colby moved closer to Alicia and threw his arm around her shoulders. Although Kate and Erik were fine with Colby and Alicia dating, they still didn�t like any of that mushy love stuff. Especially since they ended up feeling like the third and fourth wheel. �How was school today?� Colby whispered into Alicia�s ear. Alicia smiled, �It was fine. Boring as usual.� Colby smiled back quickly kissing her cheek. They walked in a contented silence the rest of the way. When they got to Alicia and Erik�s house Colby wrapped his other arm around her, pulling her closer for a hug. �See you tomorrow?� he asked her. �Yep.� She nodded. He kissed her and then ran to catch up with Kate who had just rolled her eyes and continued walking down the street. Alicia walked up to Erik who was the mailbox. She stared at her best friend and boyfriend as they continued to the end of the street where they would go on their separate ways. ~*~ Erik studied his twin sister as he pulled the mail out of the mailbox. �Are you okay?� he asked. �Yeah, why? Did Kate say something?� she asked looking at him. �No.� he said studying her. �You look pale, that�s all.� �I�m tired. It was a long walk.� Alicia brushed it off. Erik eyed her suspiciously. �The walk home from school has never bothered you before.� �I haven�t been as hungry lately. Maybe I�m getting tired because I haven�t eaten as much lately.� Alicia offered an explanation. �Maybe.� Erik agreed. �If you need to, we can start driving to school. Mom and Dad would let us take one of the cars.� �I�ll be fine.� Alicia assured him, smiling. Even though he was only five minutes older, he was very protective. He always looked out for his twin sister. If there was any challenge she had to face, or anyone she had to fight, he was there by her side. He�d even stand by her if she were going against his best friend, her boyfriend, Colby Peters. �All right.� He said smiling. �Let�s go inside. If you�re not feeling well it�s not a good idea to be standing outside in the sun.� Erik was right. Standing outside in sunny California on an unusually warm day was not good for her at the moment. She followed him up the driveway, letting his soft chatter wash over her as she looked forward to stepping into the cool house. Erik continued talking, oblivious to the fact that she was not listening. He heard a loud thump and looked behind him. �Ali?� he asked as he turned around. His heart thumped into his throat when he saw her. She was lying on the ground, her face pale, her eyes closed. �Alicia!� he yelled. Dropping down beside her. He felt for a pulse and felt a small wave of relief wash over him to feel the small beat in her wrist. He looked up when he heard quick footsteps coming his way. �What�s wrong?� Colby asked dropping his backpack down, kneeling by Erik. �I don�t know! I just turned around and she was here!� Erik yelled his heart beating quickly. �Okay. Calm down!� Colby commanded. �We need to take her backpack off. I�ll lift her up a little, and you slip it off, okay?� Erik nodded as Colby raised Alicia�s shoulders off the hot cement. Erik pulled the backpack off her shoulder and Colby lightly placed her back on the ground. Erik handed the backpack to Kate. �There�s a cell phone in the outer pocket of her backpack! Use that to call 911!� Erik yelled. �Erik! You go inside and get a cold, wet washcloth. Get a glass of water too! She might be dehydrated! The heat isn�t good for her either!� Colby yelled. �Is there anything I can do while you�re in there?� �Yeah, there should be a planner in her backpack. In the planner there should be Mom and Dad�s work numbers. Have Kate call them after she�s done calling 911!� Erik yelled and ran towards the door. Fumbling with the key he ran inside. By the time he came back outside, the sirens of the ambulance could be heard drawing nearer. Kate was hanging up and said, �I just called your Mom. She�ll meet you at the hospital. She�d like me to call your Dad.� The ambulance sped into the street. �When you�re done, put her backpack in the house by the door. You can shut the door, it�ll lock automatically. I�ll call you guys from the hospital as soon as we have any news.� The EMT�s rushed out of the ambulance and one came forward. �What�s wrong?� �We were walking towards house and she just fainted.� Erik yelled. Another EMT came rushing forward with a stretcher. Together, the two EMT�s slipped a board underneath Alicia and then picked it up and placed it on the stretcher. They wheeled it quickly towards the ambulance. Lights were flashing and the sirens were still going. Neighbors were stepping out of their houses to see what was going on. �Who are you?� the EMT asked. �I�m her brother Erik Swanson.� He yelled. �Are either of your parents home?� the EMT asked. �No, they�ll meet us at the hospital.� �Do you want to ride with Alicia to the hospital?� �Yes!� Erik exclaimed. �All right, get in the back, we�ll put her in after you.� The EMT commanded. Erik quickly climbed and got as far to the front as he could. The EMT got in after him and leaned out of the doorway, picking up the front end of the stretcher. The other EMT lifted the back end of the stretcher up and pushed it in. He shut the doors and ran around. Before Erik knew it the ambulance had lurched forward and was speeding down the street. ~*~ Erik nervously paced the waiting area of the emergency room. They had wheeled Alicia into one of the exam rooms. She had been on the verge of waking up. �Erik!� he heard a shout and looked up to see his mother rushing forward. �Hi Mom!� Erik said running towards her. �What happened? Is Alicia okay?� she asked quickly. �I don�t know. One minute she was walking with me to the house and the next she was lying on the ground!� he said quickly answering the first question. �She was waking up when they brought her in, but no one has told me anything.� �Where�s your father?� was her next question. �He�s not here yet.� Erik said right before he saw his father step through the sliding doors and look around before he spotted them. �Wait! He�s here.� Mrs. Swanson turned around and fell into her husband�s arms. Mr. Swanson squeezed her tightly before turning to Erik. �Where�s Alicia? Is she okay?� he asked quickly. �She�s in one of those rooms.� Erik said pointing. �They haven�t told me anything.� �Sit.� His father commanded Erik and his mother before turning and walking towards the desk. When he came back he was holding a clipboard. �I have to fill out this information. The doctor should be out shortly.� His father sat down and began filling out the forms, his mother peering over his father�s shoulder. Erik put his elbows on his knees, and began wringing his hands together. He had never been so nervous in his life. ~*~ �Would you please stand up and walk in a straight line for me?� the doctor asked. Alicia stood up and did as he asked, wondering what he needed her to do that for. �Now turn around and walk back.� He told her. She turned quickly, regretting it instantly as a wave of dizziness swept through her body. She stumbled a little before regaining her balance as she continued walking. �You can sit down now.� He said when she reached the bed. He jotted something down on the clipboard he was holding. �What did you have to eat last night?� he asked her. �Roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy and some corn.� Alicia told him. �Corn on the cob?� he asked. �No, just regular corn.� She answered. �What did you have to drink?� he asked. �Milk.� She replied. �Did you have dessert?� he asked her. �Yes.� She told him. �What did you have?� �We had cookies. No! Wait! We didn�t have cookies we had, um, we had�brownies! Yes, we had brownies!� she said trying to remember what they had had for dessert. �All right. What year is it?� he asked her. �2002.� She replied. �And who is our president?� �George Bush. The second one.� She told him. �Have you experienced any headaches lately?� �Yes.� She answered shortly. �Do they hurt?� �Not really badly.� She replied. �Have you been getting dizzy more frequently?� �Yes.� He jotted down some more notes. �Okay, I�m going to call your parents and brother in and talk to you guys. You can just sit down and wait while I get them and make sure the forms have been filled out.� �Okay.� She said as she wearily leaned back onto the bed. ~*~ A man in a white lab coat emerged from the room Alicia had been rushed into carrying a clipboard. He walked over to the desk in the center of the emergency room and picked up a phone. Dialing an extension he talked for a minute before walking over to the chairs and asking, �Mr. and Mrs. Swanson?� Erik and his parents stood up and quickly walked over to the doctor. �Hi. I�m Dr. Lou. I looked at your daughter when she was brought in.� the man introduced himself. �Hi. I�m Jack Swanson and this my wife, Janelle and my son, Erik.� Mr. Swanson said. �Why don�t I take you to your daughters room and we can discuss everything there.� The doctor suggested. Jack shook his head and they all followed the doctor as he walked to the room he had just come out of, knocking on the door before they walked inside. Once inside the room, Erik and his parents quickly rushed over to Alicia�s side. Dr. Lou shut the door and stood at the foot of the bed. �I feel that Alicia should be admitted to the hospital for testing. I�ve called the Pediatrics floor and they are expecting her. I have told them that a CT Scan and a MRI should be administered. They can look at my notes and do any other test they please. They will explain more about the tests later.� Alicia�s parents nodded their heads as Alicia sighed and closed her eyes. �We want to move Alicia up now. I�ll have an orderly come in soon.� The doctor said before shaking Jack and Janelle�s hand and leaving the door. �Are you all right sweetie?� Janelle asked her daughter worriedly. �Yeah, I�m fine.� Alicia said. |