Halley
Part Two
By Claire
cartersgirl@handbag.com

Notes- It is strongly recommended that you read the first part of this series before reading this. Some readers may find parts of this story distressing, as it deals with the issue of rape and the damage done to people who have been through the ordeal. Also some bad language, but nothing too bad.

Mark opened his mouth to say something to Carter, but he was interrupted by the sound of the paramedics crashing through the doors with a gurney. ‘Give me the bullet’

‘Halley Freeman, beaten and raped, five rib fractures with a tension pnemou and possible internal bleeding.’ They looked down at Halley who was still unconscious. Her face was bruised with lots of blood and cuts. Mark said ‘Get a chem. 7, type and cross and hang four litres of O-neg. Lily could you please get me a rape kit.’

They stabilised Halley and intubated her. After the rape kit had been done, Mark and Carter took her up to the ICU on a gurney. Carter said ‘I’m gonna stay with her until she wakes up.’ Mark nodded and said ‘page me when she wakes up. I’ll phone the police as soon as she does’ Carter nodded and went in and sat next to Halley’s bed. He held onto her hand and prayed that she would be ok. He couldn’t believe this had happened to her, Halley was a good friend of his.

The next day Halley was still unconscious, and Carter was still sitting with her. Halley’s eyes started fluttering open and Carter looked down at her and said ‘Hi Halley. Don’t try and speak, we had to put a tube down your throat to help you breath. I’ll take it out.’ He pulled the tube out and Halley coughed a few times. ‘Halley, do you know where you are?’ When she didn’t reply, Carter prompted her and said ‘Halley, do you know where you are?’ She nodded slightly and Carter could hear her trying to say something. He leaned as close as he could to her and he could hear her whispering ‘Kennedy’ over and over again.

Carter held onto her hand and said ‘Is Kennedy the man who attacked you?’ Halley looked at him with wide eyes and nodded. Tears started to roll down her face as the memories of the attack came back to her. Carter felt like someone was ripping him up inside; he felt like going to find Kennedy and beating the living shit out of him, but first he had to get Mark up there. He said to Halley ‘I need to go and page Mark but I’ll be back in a minute ok’ Halley nodded and Carter went to page Mark.

When Carter came back, he sat back down next to Halley and said ‘you are going to be ok Halley, I promise. I’ll never let him come near you again.’ Halley lay there crying and Carter held her hand while he waited for Mark to come up. He didn’t know what to do; he was worried that if he hugged her she might feel threatened, but he just felt so useless sat there while she was sobbing.

Mark came up and motioned for Carter to come outside. He went outside and Mark said ‘How is she doing?’ ‘She’s distraught. But she knows who attacked her. It was that Kennedy guy.’ ‘The guy who threatened her earlier in the evening?’ ‘Yeah. If I could get my hands on that son-of-a-bitch I’d rip him a new…’ Mark interrupted saying ‘That’s not going to help Halley. We all have to help her through this.’ Carter said softly ‘I just can’t believe this had happened. Did her STD tests come back?’ ‘Yes they were negative. We gave her the morning after pill as well so it should stop her from getting pregnant’ Mark sighed and said ‘Has she complained of any pain?’ ‘No, not yet’

Both of them went back into her room and Mark said to Halley ‘Hi Halley’ She replied softly with ‘Hello’ ‘Do you remember what happened?’ Halley started to cry again and nodded. ‘Was the man that attacked you Kennedy?’ ‘Yes, please don’t let him come near me again.’ ‘Don’t worry Halley; no one is going to let him go near you. I have to go back down to the ER and phone the police ok. You should try and rest, I know it must be difficult for you, but you need to rest. I’ll see you later ok.’ Halley nodded and Mark left. Carter pulled his chair up to Halley’s bed and he said to her ‘I’m going to help you through this Halley. You are going to be ok and Kennedy is never going to touch you again’

Halley looked at him and said ‘Thank you.’ Carter held her hand and said ‘Do you want me to get you something to help you sleep?’ Halley nodded and Carter went off to find some sedatives. He found some in a medicine cabinet and went back to Halley. ‘This should put you to sleep ok’ He administered the drugs and Halley looked at him sleepily, feeling herself drift off to sleep. Carter looked at her and kissed her forehead, brushing away the stray tears from her face.

TO BE CONTINUED