12.13.2015
“Has this ever happened before?” she asked.
“I’d seen some of these lights earlier in the day, a couple times. But I’ve never freaked out like this before.”
“It was scary shit, and I only observed.”
Liz walked back into the bedroom and brought a glass full of water that was dripping a little onto the carpet as she walked.
She told Tern to open his mouth, which he did, and she tipped the glass up to let some fall into his mouth. He swallowed a few gulps, and then Liz gave him the pills, which he also swallowed.
Christy asked, “How do you feel now?”
He adjusted himself in the bed before he responded, “Less hazy now. But still a killer headache, and just like I have no energy.”
“Have others with the ESL ever had this?” Christy asked. “An episode like this?”
“Not that I’ve heard, but I don’t know anyone else personally.”
“Once you’ve rested up, you should look into that. Or get in touch with Smokestack.” Christy said.
“I do have the number for a clinic in town they’d given me.”
“Good,” both Liz and Christy said.
“Is it okay if I take a nap?”
Christy stood up from the bed and let Liz sit down.
“Of course it is. I’ll be here until about five, and then I head into work, but you can reach me there too if you have anything you need.”
Tern smiled as his eyes sagged. He looked to Christy, “And I hope I’ll see you again, even though things went south.”
She replied, “Just glad I could help you get back here. I’ll give Liz my number.”
Both Liz and Christy walked into the hallway and Christy shut the bedroom door.
“Who knows what would have happened to him if you wouldn’t have been there.”
“Probably would have ended up in an emergency room. Which might not have been the worst thing.”
“My girlfriend will be home not too long after I leave tonight. I’ll give her a heads up, and we’ll keep an eye on him,” Liz said.
In the kitchen now, Liz dug a pen and a pad of paper from a drawer of knick-knacks. Christy wrote down her number and email.
“Please, have him let me know how he is tomorrow.”
Liz stuck the piece of paper to the refrigerator with a magnet as she replied, “Of course.”
They walked toward the apartment door and Liz opened it so Christy could step back out into the sunlight and chill air.
“Thank you so much again,” Liz said, the air stirring her hair in a slow ripple.
“Of course! Have a good rest of your day,” Christy said.
Liz raised a hand in a goodbye as she shut the door and bolted it from within.
Christy stepped down the steps, onto the beige sidewalk, as a few snowflakes fluttered around and glinted in the sunlight.