A TWIST OF FATE
Chapter Twenty-Five
Susie pulled her shawl around her shoulders
and started down the road. Normally someone would walk with her. Tonight was
one of the odd nights when no one was able to. So she had no intentions of
hanging around. It was home as quickly as possible.
She hurried down the pavement, her shoes clacking on the floor. She thought she
saw some movement at the bottom of the road, her head shot up to see what it
was. But she couldn't make anything out, all was still. She carried on towards
the alleyway. This was the bit she didn't like. She crossed off the pavement
and into the road so she wasn't too close to the dark entrance. As she passed
she glanced down it and was surprised to see a bundle of rags lying in the
middle of it, partly lit by the street light. She stopped to look again and was
startled to hear a low moaning noise.
"Hello?" she called softly. "Who's there?" She stood still
listening. Her heart thumped, she was feeling very nervous now. She looked
around her, no one was in sight.
The moan came again and to her surprise the bundle of rags moved. It slowly
dawned on Susie that it wasn't a bundle at all, it was a person.
"Hello?" she called again, but too afraid to approach. "Are you
Ok?"
The person moved slowly a little, raising his head and trying to drag himself
forward. Susie peered into the gloom. She thought she recognized the mop of
hair.
"Jack, is that you?" she whispered. "It's Susie"
"Susie?" the man replied in a pained voice
Susie realized it was Jack and that he was badly hurt. She rushed over and
knelt beside him.
"Oh my God Jack, who did this to you?" She was horrified to see the
blood matted in his hair; his face so swollen and bruised it was almost
unrecognizable. His shirt was stained red from the blood and his breathing
seemed labored.
"I dunno", Jack replied groggily.
"Where are you hurt?" Susie asked then realized what a stupid
statement it was.
"Where doesn't it hurt" groaned Jack. He still lay on the floor.
"Let me go and get help" Susie said desperately.
"No "groaned Jack. "NO, I don't want any of the guy's to see me
like this. Give me some pride." He tried to laugh but the pain made him
choke.
"Help me sit up"
"Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"Yeah. I can't lie here all night. The floors too hard."
Susie was relieved he still had a sense of humor. But he was in a real mess.
"Here" she said giving him her hand. "I'll help you."
With a lot of moaning, coughing and struggling, Jack gingerly sat up.
"Are you sure you don't want me to get help?"
"No, I just want to get home. If you want to go Susie I'll understand. You
don't have to stay."
"I can't leave you like this. What kind of friend would I be?" Susie
looked a little worried. "How we gonna get you home?"
"Slowly." Jack sat, head in hands, his whole body racked with pain.
He guessed he had a couple of broken ribs at least. "Jeez" he
muttered to himself. He knew he had to get home somehow. This meant moving,
something he wasn't looking forward to.
"Help me get up." He asked Susie. Very slowly he tried to get up,
wincing to himself. Susie supported him as best she could. He nearly fell back
down once or twice, but she somehow found the strength to hold him up. Leaning
heavily on her he tried to walk.
"Take it steady" Susie said soothingly.
They very slowly began the walk back to Jack's apartment block. They had to
stop often to Jack a break to get his breath and for Susie to rest. They walked
in silence except for Susie occasionally Jack if he was OK. Jack said little
but coughed and groaned often. No one passed them or came in sight. Jack
thought a few times he would pass out. The thought of blacking out on Susie and
the thought his bed spurred him on. He wanted to sleep and possibly never wake
up. The pain was unbearable.
The five-minute walk to the apartment took almost an hour. Their problems
hadn't ended there. Jack lived on the top floor. Susie helped him up the first
few flights, stopping for a rest on each landing. She was tired out by now and
not much help to Jack. He decided to crawl up the remainder, Susie beside him
encouraging him. It seemed an eternity to Jack before they got to his door. His
key was still in his pocket. Susie opened the door for him and helped to the
chair. Jack slumped forwarded onto the table. He was exhausted and in agony.