Bury Me In Black, chapter 5

A single tear fell down her cheek. She'd known this boy less than a day, knew hardly anything about him, and still he meant so much to her. She couldn't stand to see him lying there motionless.

"Help! Somebody get help! Please!" she cried in hope that someone would listen. It made no difference how loud she screamed, they all looked down on her like she was worthless. Just because they had money and family and homes, they thought they had to make those less fortunate feel even worse. How she hated people like that. She was just an ordinary girl stuck in a bad situation.

She looked back down at Travis who still hadn't moved. He can't be dead, she thought, he only fell off a little swing. Oh god, please don't be dead Travis, please...

All of a sudden sirens interrupted her thoughts. She stopped crying instantly and looked up to see an ambulance in front of her, and people walking over to her and Travis. Who called the ambulance? she thought.
"What's happened miss? And what's this young lad's name?" the paramedic questioned.
"He just fell off the swing! I don't know why he just won't wake up! His name is... " she trailed off. What was she supposed to say? Travis wasn't his real name. The paramedic stood there anxiously awaiting her answer.
"Look miss, we need to know a name so we can contact his parents-" he began to say, but Kelsie cut him off.
"No! I mean - you can't, they died a few years ago. He lives with me," she said, hoping it would work.

The paramedic shrugged as he turned back to where Travis was being lifted into the back of the ambulance on a stretcher. The paramedic pointed to the ambulance, and Kelsie climbed up into the back. She sat down next to Travis, gripping his hand tightly. She couldn't lose him, not yet. They'd barely had time to talk, and now they might not even get the chance.

When they finally arrived at the hospital, the doctor told her she'd have to sit in the waiting room while they tried to figure out what was wrong. It seemed like hours she sat there, seeing others come and go in front of her. She hated it, but it gave her time to think. Time to think about all sorts of things. But the first thing on her mind was Travis. She realised she didn't know him at all. She could say she knew a little bit, but that would be lying. All she knew was he was nameless and on the streets, and that's all really. Why had it hurt her so much then, when she saw him lying unconscious? When he didn't move or speak, her heart felt like it was being ripped apart. But she couldn't figure out why. She had to know if he was ok. It was killing her not knowing.

"Miss, we have some news," the doctor said, stepping out of the room. Kelsie crossed her fingers and waited to hear. "Your friend - he has severe concussion from the fall, but it looks as if there was previous damage, which only made it worse. Can you think of any accident or severe knocks to the head he has had, miss?"
"I don't really remem-" she stopped. His parents. She had seen the bruise on his face and the way he looked when he talked about them. It was probably from them. God, she hated them for doing this to him. She clenched her fists tighter until her nails were cutting into her hands. She could feel the blood in her palms. She was not one to get angry.

"Excuse me, miss?" the doctor said, confused at why she suddenly looked so full of rage. She snapped out of her trance and just shook her head. She didn't exactly know for sure, and it wasn't her place. All the doctor said was, "I see," and then he disappeared back into the room, leaving her once again on her own in the waiting room.