Life snatched in a Moment
Disclamer: I don't own Code Lyoko.
Author's Note: This story is dedicated in the memory of one of my best friends, Seth Hodge. Seth was killed in a car accident. He was 17, same as me. In a way, I guess writing this is my way of dealing with the shock of what happened. At the end, I will go into more detail about the accident. As for the reason I chose Odd is not because I don't like the character, but because Odd and Seth are alike to me. Seth was one of those people who loved life and lived every minute of it. So, I hope this explains the basic premise.
"Odd? Odd! Wake up, Odd! Come on! This isn't funny!" A brown haired boy checks his friend's neck for a pulse. He doesn't find one.
"ODD! HELP! SOMEBODY CALL AN AMBULANCE! HELP! HELP!" The boy's screams are loud enough to wake people on the street, and the next street over. Some rush out to see what the matter is. Ulrich, the brown haired boy, continues to try to save his friend by yelling and shouting. A black haired girl runs out from the crowd and stops only when she reaches Ulrich.
"Ulrich! What is it? What's the matter?"
"Odd! He doesn't have a pulse! He won't wake up, Yumi!" Yumi fearfully looks over at Odd's car, a tangled mess of metal.
"What happened?"
"We were driving up to his house for one of his movie marathons, since we're off school tomorrow. He went to pass me, then it just looked like he lost control. I stopped and ran over, noticed he was out. Then, I found no pulse." Yumi felt sick at the thoughts she had. The emergency crews pull up, rushing Odd off to the hospital. There is one man who stays behind at the scene, examining the crash damage and taking statements from witnesses. He is a local police officer, and to him the scene is all-too familiar. He approaches Ulrich and Yumi.
"Excuse me. Would it be possible for me to speak with the two of you?"
"Sure. What do you need?"
"Well, you see, I need to get statements from you. I know you will want to be at the hospital. Therefore, I will try to take up as little of your time as possible. After I collect your statements, I would be glad to drive you both there."
"Thank you."
"Now, can you tell me what happened?"
"Well, I was driving with Odd up to his house. On weekends, Odd likes to have movie marathons for pretty much the entire night. We were going up early to set up. The rest of our friends were going to show up if and when they could. I was in front of him, he pulled out to pass me, and then he just lost control. I got out to check on him, and he wasn't moving. I went to check on him and he didn't have a pulse. That's when I started yelling for help."
"Okay. And you, miss?"
"I was at home, in the living room. I heard a crash, then Ulrich yelling. I ran outside,and that's when he told me what happened."
"Okay. Hop in, I'll take you to see your friend."
"Sir?"
"Yes?"
"We have two other friends, both attend our school."
"Of course. I understand. Hop in. We'll stop there first." The officer drives to Kadic Academy and stops. With the help of Ulrich and Yumi, he finds the Principal's room. Ulrich knocks.
"Mr. Delmas? Are you in there?"
"Who is it?" The officer speaks up.
"Sir, I am an officer with Kadic Police Department. I need to speak to you for a moment." Delmas opens the door.
"Mr. Stern? Ms. Ishiyama? What is the meaning of this?"
"Mr. Delmas, there has been an accident. These two students were witnesses. The person involved in the crash was sent to the hospital. I understand that there are two others here at the school that are also friends witrh the individual."
"I see. Who was it?"
"Odd, Mr. Delmas. It was Odd. He wrecked right in front of me."
"I see. Feel free to let your friends know. I'll wave off curfew for you all."
"Thank you, sir. Officer, if you'll follow us, we'll leave shortly."
"Look, Mr. Stern-"
"Ulrich. And this is Yumi."
"Look, Ulrich, why not call your friends and have them meet us at the front gate?"
"That works too." Ulrich starts dialing.
"Jeremie?"
"Ulrich? What is it? An attack? The scan isn't showing anything!"
"Whoa slow down there. It's Odd. He was in a car wreck. Get Aelita and meet me at the front gate."
"Is he alright?"
"Don't know yet. Just meet me at the gate."
"Got it." A few minutes later, Jeremie and Aelita show up at the gate. The officer clears room for them and they leave. Soon after, they arrive at the hospital. The officer leads the group into the waiting room, promising to find out about their friends condition. He walks over to the nurses station.
"Hey sis. Got a question."
"The answer is no."
"A medical question sis."
"Oh. I thought you were trying to set me up with one of your cop buddies again."
"No, I think we all learned our lesson after you sent the last one to the ICU."
"Hey that was not my fault. Getting back to the topic at hand, what'd you need?"
"Car crash just came through. You know anything about it?"
"Maybe. Name?"
"Odd Della Robbia. Had a heck of a time trying to get it written down."
"Oh, no."
"What?"
"This Della Robbia, the paramedics brought him in with no vital signs whatsoever."
"Were the paramedics able to provoke any tyupe of vital sign?"
"No. He was pronounced five minutes ago."
"Did they have anything during the ride here?"
"Deosn't look like it. Looks like he died at the scene."
"Does it say what killed him?"
"Evidence suggests a broken neck. Just like what happened to-"
"I know."
"What are you going to do?"
"Pray. Pray for the strength to tell those kids in there that their best friend died tonight. Pray for them to heal. Pray that none of them try to blame themselves." The officer leaves and walks back into the waiting room,, a different air about him. Now he gives off an aura of weariness, one that is all-encompassing. He sits down, not sure of how to approach the subject.
"Hey, you're back. Did you find anything, Officer?"
"Could all of you please sit down for a moment? I'm not really sure of how to say what it is that needs to be said."
"Is something wrong?"
"Unfortunately, yes."
"Is Odd okay?"
"I'm so, so sorry. He didn't make it here. The medics believe he died on scene."
"WHAT? HOW COULD HE BE DEAD?"
"The evidence points to a broken neck."
"I should have been in the car with him. I could have gotten him to drive more carefully, I could have done something."
"No, Ulrich, you couldn't have. Don't you start believing otherwise. If you had been in the car, you could also be dead. What happened out there tongiht was not your fault. It was a freak accident. Don't blame yourself."
"How can you be so collected? We just lost one of our best friends!"
"I only look collected. On the inside, my heart and all my being goes out to you guys. I've been down this road before myself, from your point of view."
"Huh?"
"I had one of my best friends die in a car wreck when I was 17. Unlike you, Ulrich, I didn't see it happen in front of me. I don't envy you, though."
"Really?"
"Yeah. He was going to another friend's house one night almost ten years ago. We all knew he had a lead foot. He took a turn too quickly, lost control, and hit a tree. The air bag deployed, and his neck was broken. He didn't have a chance. So I know what it is you're going through." The officer pulls out a picture.
"This was me around your age. The friend who died is on the left. This is the last picture I have with the guy in it. A week later, he was dead."
"Where was this taken?"
"I'm not really sure."
"Who's the girl on the right? Your girlfriend?"
"Nope. My sister. His girlfriend."
"Oh my."
"Yeah. Sis is still tore up about it. I don't think she ever really forgave herself for what happened."
"Why?"
"She had invited him to the friend's house to begin with. She was the one who talked him into it. For a while, it was touch and go with her. She just stayed in her room, staring at his picture. The only time she came of there was to take a bath and go to school. She didn't even come out to eat with the rest of us. It just broke my parents' hearts." The officer then reaches into his pocket.
"Now you know my story. Take this; it has my cell numbers on it. If any of you ever feel the need to talk, blow off steam, whatever, don't hesitate. And whatever you do, don't blame yourself for what happened tonight. Understand?" The gang silently nods.
"Okay. I'll give you guys a ride back to the school." He drives the gang back and drops them off, then drives to the nearest bar. The bartender is a familiar one.
"Hey there, Officer. Hard night?"
"Harder than you know. Another kid was lost tonight." The bartender reaches for a glass and begins to pour, knowing full well what the officer meant. The officer pulls out the picture of his friend and takes the glass in the other.
"Well, buddy, here's to you and the new guy." He downs the glass and sets his money on the bar, then walks out.
A/N: Okay, that's the story. Like I said at the beginning, this is dedicated to the memory of my good friend Seth Ryan Hodge. A couple of months ago, he was driving with a friend when he lost control and slammed into a tree. The airbag deployed and it caught him under the chin, breaking his neck. He died instantly. I guess I just wrote this as a way of coping. All I know is that this idea would not leave me alone until I had written it, keeping itself implanted in my head until it was completed. A few times, when I was stuck, I thought about deleting it, but I didn't. Now I have it done. Reviews are not necessary for this story. I thank you for reading this and making it this far in the story. Seth, you better save me a spot up there, you hear me?