One Step Too Far
"Go on then...do it!" she urged. His hand cupped around her throat. His forehead pressed against hers so hard that she could feel the anger from him surging through her body, like an electric circuit that had just been completed. His jaw clenched making his veins pop out of his temples, his eyes red and bloodshot like he is hunting for blood. "I'm not scared of you!" she sneered whilst staring into his wicked eyes.
She might have looked confident on the outside: but on the inside she was terrified of the monster that stood before her and what it was going to do next.
Warren's hand tightened more around Kirsty's throat and just as Kirsty was about to speak. Smack!
After several crashes, thumps and bangs, there were footsteps running down the staircase from above. The teen looked down the staircase to the basement and turned and looked at him with tears streaming down her face.
"How could you do it, Dad?" Nita cried. But he did not answer. She walked closer to him, her full body shaking from head to toe with fear, anger and frustration. "Answer me!"
Warren walked towards his daughter, holding his arms out in front of him as if he wanted to give her a cuddle. Nita, who was still stood with tears running down her face, didn't know what to do and was about to walk towards her Dad. Slam!
A car door had been slammed shut not far away causing the pair to jump out of their skin. A set of frantic footsteps were making their way towards the door, gradually getting louder and louder, the sound of gravel crunching underneath them.
There was someone at the door, banging their fist against the wood. "Kirsty? Are you okay? Kirsty?" It was Adam, but he was too late to stop it from happening. He charged the door open with all of his might, sending the hinges flying.
"Leave us ALONE!" Warren roared, turning on his daughter. He had hurt Nita for the first time and he backed up against the wall, horrified at what he had done. Nita was curled up in a corner, clutching her side where the door handle had dug into her, gasping for breath.
"Warren!" Adam boomed as he ran at the man and punched him straight across the face, knocking him out instantly. Adam backed away, staring at what he had just done, then he spotted Nita slumped behind the door, doubled up in pain.
"Adam! He pushed her..." Nita cried, "He pushed Mum!"
Adam got up and charged down stairs towards the limp, lifeless body of Kirsty. He gasped at the sight of all the blood surrounding her, seeing it running down the side of her pale cheeks. What on Earth had he done?
Adam reached for her wrist – it was cold. She seemed to have cuts, bruises and broken bones everywhere. She needed help – now. Every minute was vital.
He reached into his pocket for his mobile phone. He dialled 999 very shakily and asked for an ambulance to Kirsty's address and said that she was in a bad way.
He flipped the phone shut and shoved it back into his pocket as all he wanted to do now was concentrate on saving Kirsty.
He checked her neck for a pulse – but there wasn't one.
He looked at her chest to see if she was breathing – but it didn't move. Adam was starting to get worried. What if she didn't pull through?
He glanced at her face and saw how pale she was. Blood was dripping from her split lip and bruises were quickly starting to form across her left cheek.
Adam started to perform chest compressions to try and get her heart working again, but after 15 compressions and two rescue breaths, he checked to see if there was a pulse – but there was no improvement.
He checked her pulse every three minutes to see if it had came back. But it didn't. The more chest compressions he did, the more tired and scared he got of losing her.
Whilst he was working, Nita had managed to get up and walk down the stairs, still clutching her side. Warren had probably broken one of her ribs.
"Nita, I need you to be brave for me," Adam said between breaths. "Can you do that for me?" Nita nodded and crouched down next to her mother and held her hand tightly, praying that she'll be ok.
Adam turned and looked at her. "Nita, I need you to go outside and wait for the ambulance to arrive – tell them what happened and show them where it happened. Once you've done that, get one of them to check you over." she nodded and got up wincing slightly and made her way up the stairs, occasionally looking back to see her Mum.
As Adam tried to save Kirsty he couldn't help but think of what Warren had done to her and Nita. Neither of them deserved this. Every time he looked at either of them, his hatred for Warren rose and he was determined to get revenge on Warren for what he had done.
Adam gave Kirsty another rescue breath and checked again for a pulse – but still nothing. He wiped his forehead and face with the back of his hand to get rid of the mixture of both sweat and tears.
"The...there...down there." Nita said shakily as she tried to hold back her tears. As Adam glanced up, he saw Jeff rushing down the stairs with a med-i-pack slung over his right shoulder.
"Oh my God," Jeff said as he reached the foot of the stairs. He kneeled down next to Kirsty and ripped open the bag. He took out an oxygen canister and placed the mask over Kirsty's bruised and battered face. "I need to go and get the defribulator, I'll be back in a minute." Jeff said as he got up and raced back up the stairs.
"Kirsty come on, don't leave me," Adam whispered in her ear. "I'll help you through this," he said whilst going back to doing compressions which caused his voice to raise slightly. "You know that I'll always be here for you, I will never leave you Kirsty. Come on Kirsty, you can pull through this." Adam said.
Jeff had got the defribulator and was breathlessly running back down the stairs. "Hopefully this will bring her back to us." Jeff said as he sorted out the defrib. Adam reached over towards the machine and pulled away the BPM and clipped it onto the end of Kirsty's finger.
As Adam did this, he couldn't help but notice how neat and perfect her nails were. Adam thought Kirsty was perfect in general, but little things like this made him remember how much he loves her and that he would be lost without her if she didn't pull through this.
Adam got pulled away from his thoughts as the monitor bleeped into life, but it was one continuous bleep. "Charge the paddles up, we need to shock her." Adam told Jeff, who was obediently following the orders thrown at him.
"Charging 360. Oxygen away," Jeff said as Adam placed the two gel pads onto Kirsty's chest. Adam removed the oxygen mask from her mouth as Jeff placed the paddles on her chest. "Shocking."
Adam watched with teary eyes as Kirsty's body shook whilst the charge ran to her heart, trying to re-start it again. Adam placed his fingers on her neck to see if there was a pulse. "No, try again!" Adam demanded, as he started compressions.
"Charging, oxygen away and shocking." Jeff said as he placed the paddles back onto Kirsty's chest. Again, they watched as her full body shook as the charge ran to her heart, but this time it had worked. Her heart was beating again.
"There's a pulse!" Adam sighed, never had he been so pleased to get a heart beating again.
"She's still not out the woods Adam, we need to get her to Holby – now," Jeff said. "If we don't hurry she could arrest again."
"Well what are we waiting for? Radio Dixie and tell her what we need." Adam demanded.
"Dixie, are you there?" Jeff asked his partner down his walkie-talkie.
"Yep, what do you need?" she asked.
"Can you bring me down a stretcher please, Kirsty needs to get to hospital now, we can't wait for another unit as it would be too late." Jeff told her and Adam winced at the thought of losing her again.
"Ok, I'll be down in a tick. Nita also needs to go in as she has got a fractured rib and a couple of others look rather bruised." Dixie told the pair.
Jeff attached his walkie-talkie back onto his belt just as Dixie charged down the stairs with the stretcher.
"Good God!" she hissed as she handed Jeff the stretcher.
"Ok, gently roll her over," Jeff said sliding the stretcher under Kirsty's bruised back "On the count of three lift her up...one...two...three."
Adam and Dixie were carrying the back whilst Jeff was supporting the front and guiding them safely up the stairs without causing more damage.
As the trio were about to lead Kirsty out the door to put her in the ambulance, Jeff noticed a slumped body lying in the shadows, blood oozing from his nose which looked rather crooked. "Who's that guy?" Jeff asked, sounding rather confused.
"That's the thug who's responsible for this." said Adam plainly whilst looking at the unconscious man again, trying to resist the temptation to go and do him some more damage. After all, Adam thought he deserved it.
"So that's Warren?" Jeff asked Dixie, who nodded her head. "Why is he unconscious?" Jeff asked sounding even more confused.
"I punched him when I saw him push Nita into the door. You're lucky I didn't do more." Adam said bluntly. He was beginning to feel sick from thinking about what he had witnessed.
They were finally back at the ambulance and as they appeared at the ambulance door, Adam spotted Nita sitting in one of the seats. She was still shaking with shock and fury but as soon as she saw her Mum, she jumped out of her seat as quickly as she could to see her.
"Mum!" Nita cried as they loaded Kirsty into the ambulance, securing her for the journey ahead. Adam watched as the teen held her mother's lifeless hand.
"Nita, when we get to the hospital, you'll have to let one of the doctors check you over, but I promise you that I will stay with your Mum until you get back and I will come and find you as soon as I find something out, ok?" Adam asked her.
"Yeah, sure, I just want my Mum to be alright," she told him, clinging onto Kirsty's hand to try and keep herself calm. "What's gonna happen to my Dad?" she asked but Adam didn't have a clue.
"I really don't know, Nita. But he'll probably end up going to jail for abusing your mum under attempted murder...but you don't have to worry about that for now, just concentrate on yourself and your Mum." Adam told her.
"Jeff, could you pass me a saline drip please?" he asked, and started attaching it to Kirsty's forearm.
Adam turned and looked at Nita who still had tight hold of her Mums hand. "You're doing really well, you've been really brave today." Adam said to her, rubbing her back gently.
Eventually, the ambulance sirens stopped blaring as they pulled into an empty ambulance bay at Holby. Jeff, Nita and Adam carefully climbed out the back of the vehicle and waited for Dixie to come and help them wheel Kirsty out.
As they wheeled Kirsty towards the ED doors on her trolley, Adam's brain was going into overload. What if she didn't pull though? What will everyone think? Will everyone be asking me questions about it? What would actually happen to Warren?
The ED doors burst open as they rushed through with Kirsty, everyone around them gasped in disbelief at the sight of Kirsty on the trolley. No one knew about the abuse Kirsty was getting at home apart from Adam and Nita.
"Ok, we've got Kirsty Clements; she's been assaulted and pushed down a flight of stairs in her home. CPR was performed at the scene, but she's back with us now. Confirmed broken bones in her left arm and left leg and there's also a deep laceration to the back of her head. She has made no effort to respond to anything and has been unconscious the full time." Jeff explained to the doctors and nurses.
As they wheeled Kirsty round the corner and headed towards RESUS, Adam, Jeff, Dixie and Nita were followed by Nick, Zoe, Tess and Jay. They went through the double doors into RESUS where Adam guided them to a bed and helped everyone lift her across.
"Ok, we need ABCs, LFTs, U and E, we need a CT scan and book x-rays someone, we also need some immobilisers now please." Nick commanded to all the staff who were eagerly awaiting his instructions as they wanted to try their best to save their friend and work colleague from more harm.
"Kirsty, if you can hear me, try and squeeze my hand or try to open your eyes for me please." Zoe asked, but there was no response.
Kirsty just laid there, no hand squeezed Zoe's in return, her eyes stayed tightly closed showing no sign of opening. She just laid there on the bed whilst her colleagues hurried round her doing all they could to help her.
Whilst all this was happening, Nita had slowly walked over towards the bed where her Mum was. Her face was damp from the tears that were dripping from her red, sore eyes. "Please wake up, Mum." Nita pleaded. She wanted to help, but she knew there was nothing she could do except hold her Mums pale hand and pray that she would pull through.
Zoe let go of Kirsty's hand and placed it gently back on the bed. She lifted her head and looked at Adam who was sat by Kirsty's side, he had been holding her hand the whole time that they had been in RESUS.
"Adam, do you know who did this?" Zoe asked whilst glancing back at Kirsty's injured face, wondering who on Earth would want to hurt such a kind and friendly person.
"Her husband did this Zoe. He's been abusing her for nearly fifteen years." Adam replied. As he said it, he saw Nita turn away and cry.
"Oh my god," Zoe said sounding shocked. "Why didn't she tell anyone?"
"She was probably scared that he would find out and to be honest, I don't blame her." Adam replied but as he said it, he never took his eyes off her face.
"Right, we need to get her up to x-ray now, they are waiting for her" Nick explained whilst walking over to the bed where Kirsty lay. "Adam, I want you to wait down here. Go and get a coffee or something, she'll be fine."
Adam got up slowly, still keeping his eyes focused on Kirsty's pale face. He gently lifted her hand up and kissed it before placing it softly back onto the bed. As he turned to walk away, his eyes filled with tears. He didn't want to leave her.
He took a slow walk towards the double doors with only one thing on his mind. Will he ever see the love of his life again? He held the door open as he watched Nick lightly place the monitor onto the end of Kirsty's bed, preparing her for the journey to x-ray. Adam watched them wheel her past on her trolley, fighting to hold back the tears that were causing his eyes to redden and sting. He was determined to stay strong. Not only for himself, but for Nita and Kirsty too.
He followed Nick and Zoe to the lift where they guided her in before following. Nick turned to Adam and saw the distraught look on his ghostly white face.
"She will be ok you know, she's a fighter." Nick said reassuringly, trying to comfort Adam as much as he could. The doors to the lift slid shut, leaving Adam staring at the dull, grey metal.
After standing there for what seemed like minutes, he finally remembered about Nita. He turned to see where she was and saw her sat sobbing in a chair just down the corridor. Adam walked towards her, wiping away his own tears to try and encourage her that it isn't as bad as it looks and that her mum will be ok. He sat down next to her, not sure what to say.
"Will my Mum be ok?" she turned and asked. Adam didn't know what to say even though he did this several times a day. But this was different. Very different.
"Hopefully she will be, after all she's a fighter. If you want to help your mum, just stay strong. Not only for her, but for yourself too." Adam said, telling her what he was constantly telling himself.
The pair of them just sat there, lost in their own thoughts and feelings. Nita busy thinking about how much she would miss her Mum if anything happened to her and what was going to happen to her Dad. Would he really go to prison? Adam sat thinking about whether this would still have happened if he had got there earlier and whether there was anything that he could have done.
Just down the corridor, Jay came bursting through the doors from cubicles and spied the pair, both of them sat staring into space. He slowly crept over towards them as he didn't want to disrupt their thoughts but as he got nearer, Adam noticed him out the corner of his eye and turned towards him.
"Tess said you two could go and sit in the staff room if you want to. It'll be quieter and you can have a cup of coffee in there as well." Jay explained gently. Adam turned and looked at Nita who had already tuned into the conversation. She got up to move when suddenly she dropped back into her seat, clutching her side.
"You'd better get that checked Nita, it could be serious," Adam said looking concerned. "Why don't you go through to cubicles with Jay and he'll check you over whilst I wait here for news on your Mum. I promise I will come and find you as soon as I find out anything. Is that ok?" Adam asked Nita who nodded gently. Jay moved closer to help her get up off the chair and they disappeared through the doors, leaving Adam alone.
Adam got up and looked around the department. Everyone was getting on with something: Noel answering the phone and registering people in at reception, Big Mac transporting people from one place to another, Lenny stood talking to someone on the phone – probably trying to get a patient transferred upstairs. Adam started walking, he didn't know where he was going to go but he just couldn't bare sitting on that chair for much longer waiting for news. If he didn't do something to take his mind off what was happening, he was going to go mad. He headed towards the staff room taking Jays' advice, thinking a coffee might make him a bit calmer. Adam rounded the corner and opened the door to the staff room, hoping to find it empty as he couldn't put up with being asked questions about Kirsty.
The door clicked shut behind him as he walked past the wall of lockers. He walked towards the sofa and made his heavy body fall and sink into the softness of the material around him. He lent back and closed his eyes. What a day today is turning out to be!
Suddenly, Adam was whisked away from his thoughts as he heard the familiar sound of the door opening, letting in the buzz of busy people outside and then a click as it closed. Adam swivelled round to see who it was. Tess.
"Do you want a coffee? I'm just about to make one." she asked casually but Adam just sat there and didn't reply. Tess pottered about by the kettle then walked over carefully to where Adam was, carrying two freshly-made coffees.
"Get that inside you, it will make you feel better." Tess said as she passed him the hot, steaming mug. Adam took the mug and watched as the steam rose up in the air and disappeared out of sight.
"She'll be alright you know, she'll pull through this." Tess said softly, placing her hand caringly onto Adam's lap.
"How do you know that Tess? What if she doesn't?" Adam replies, now looking into Tess' eyes.
"I don't, but you've got to stay positive Adam." Tess explains whilst looking into Adam's desperate eyes.
"I just don't want to lose anyone else, I've already lost Jessica and Harry, I don't want to lose Kirsty too."
A few days later
"Adam, what are you doing down here? I thought you were with Kirsty?" asked a puzzled Zoe.
"I am, but I've just popped down to ask a favour off you guys," Adam explained, "I would like you all to record a little message on my iPod for Kirsty so that I can play them for her to see if she will come round." Zoe just stood there and looked at him.
"Adam, can I have a quiet word please?" asked Zoe who started to edge away from the crowd of eager colleagues. Adam followed her reluctantly, wondering what it is she wants to say.
"How's she doing?" Zoe inquired, after all, she was a good friend of Kirsty's.
"She's stable, but there still isn't any sign of her coming round any time soon. That's why I thought recording messages for her off people she see's everyday might help." Adam explained.
"Adam, please just remember one thing – she isn't Jessica." Zoe said, she then turned and walked away, leaving Adam thinking about what she had just said. Am I really thinking it's like Jessica all over again?
Adam eventually came out of his thoughts and started to walk towards the lift when he heard someone shout his name. He turned round and saw Charlie walking towards him.
"Just to let you know, I have set up your iPod in the staff room so people can record their messages during their breaks. I'll let you know when everyone has done them." Charlie explained. Adam stood there and started at him. He never knew how caring and thoughtful his friends are.
"Thanks Charlie, that's really kind of you. I'll let you all know as soon as there is any change." Adam said just as the lift arrived. He turned his back on Charlie and got into the lift with only one thing on his mind. Please let there be some improvement.
The lift stopped abruptly causing Adam to be jerked out of his thoughts. He walked down the corridor, past wards, offices, bathrooms and theatres until her came to Kirsty's room. He gently opened the door and slid into the small, cosy room. He slowly glided towards the bed where the pale body of Kirsty laid peacefully. The only noise was the beeping of her monitor and the sigh of her ventilator. Adam sat in the chair next to her. This is where he spent most of his days, just watching for any movement or signs of change.
Hours had gone by and Adam was still sat there talking to Kirsty about all the good memories they have had together, hoping it would help bring her round. As he did this, doctors and nurses would swan in and out of the room to check on how Kirsty was doing.
Suddenly, a bleep came from Adam's pocket – it was his phone. He flipped it open to see "1 new message" plastered across the screen. It was off Charlie to say that everyone had recorded a message for Kirsty. Adam flipped his phone shut and placed it back in his pocket just as another nurse wandered in to check on Kirsty.
"Excuse me?" Adam asked, "Would you be able to stay with her for 10 minutes whilst I quickly pop down to the ED to collect something?" He didn't want her to be left by herself.
"Sure, that's fine." The nurse replied whilst drawing up the correct amount of medication for Kirsty.
Adam rose out of the chair, leant over Kirsty and gave her a kiss on the forehead before walking out the room. He headed back towards the lift to the ED but as he stepped into the lift, he didn't know what was just about to happen back in Kirsty's room.
As the lift passed by the many floors of Holby City hospital, doctors and nurses were franticly rushing around doing their bit to try and save Kirsty. Her heart had stopped beating and the rest of her body was shutting down. It was like she had had enough of fighting and just wanted the war to end. She was giving up: admitting defeat.
The doors slid open and Adam stepped out into the hectic ED, still oblivious to what was happening to Kirsty floors above him. He walked the familiar path to the staff room and when he got there, he found it empty. Adam spied his iPod laying on the side with a little note placed on top of it saying;
Hope this does the trick!
Tell her we are all thinking about her
Us x
A smile grew across Adam's face as he read the note and recognised the familiar, scrawny handwriting of Charlie. Once again, Adam left the staff room and made his way across the corridor to the vending machine. As he rummaged in his pocket for a coin, all he could think about was if his idea was going to work. Adam pulled a pound coin out of his pocket and pushed it into the machine and pressed the button for a can of coke. He heard the familiar rumble as the can rolled its way to the dispenser. He bent down and grabbed the cold can just as Charlie came running towards him.
"Charlie, thanks for doing that for me it was really..." but before Adam could finish he was cut short.
"Never mind about that Adam, you need to get yourself back upstairs!" Charlie gasped trying to get his breath back.
"Why? What's happened? Is it Kirsty?" Adam said frantically as he started to edge back towards the lift.
"They've just rang up and said she's starting to deteriorate and that you need to get back upstairs as soon as you can..." Charlie explained but before he could finish Adam rushed off towards the lift. Charlie watched as he repeatedly pressed the button for the lift thinking it will make it arrive faster. There was a quiet bleep as the lift door silently slid open and Adam sprinted in and closed the door before anyone else had even realised the lift had arrived and in a flash he was gone.
As the lift passed by the many floors of Holby City once again, all Adam could do was pace around in the small tiny box. Thoughts were flooding through his head and it took him a few seconds to realise that the lift had stopped but as soon as he did, he raced out the lift and down the corridor.
As he darted down the corridor, he passed door after door but still Kirsty's room was nowhere in sight. People flattened themselves against the wall as Adam hurried past, not wanting to get in the way of his path.
Finally, after what seemed like minutes, Adam burst into Kirsty's room to find it full of doctors and nurses. Adam just stood there open mouthed at what he was witnessing – this couldn't be happening. It felt like Adam's entire body was in shock. He couldn't move, everything he wanted to say got lost before he could say it, all the noises and talking going on around him didn't make any sense – it was like it had all been mingled into one. He had become immobile and just stood there in disbelief as swarms of medics hurried past him, trying to save Kirsty from the horror that was about to happen. Suddenly, Adam's hearing seemed to pop back to normality.
"Right, she's been down for 20 minutes. She's had several doses of adrenaline and several cycles of CPR and there is still no change. I think we should call it – she's been through too much already. Everyone agreed?" The doctor asked and everyone around him nodded in agreement. Adam just stood there motionless as people moved around him disconnecting tubes and switching off machines.
"Adam, I am so sorry," The doctor said, "There was nothing more we could do. She was just too weak." The doctor explained. He placed his hand on Adams shoulder and gave it a little squeeze. "Take as much time as you want, I'm just down the corridor if you need me." The doctor said before turning and walking out of the room. The remaining nurses and doctors filed out of the room and before Adam knew it, he was all alone.
He slowly walked over to the bed where Kirsty's pale body lay. He sunk into the chair next to the bed like he has done for the past couple of days and took Kirsty's hand – it was still warm.
"Why did this have to happen? Why? You didn't deserve it," Adam sobbed, tears rolling down his face. "Please let this be a dream, please!" Adam pleaded. He lent forward and kissed Kirsty's colourless hand. Adam lent back in the chair, memories of Kirsty spinning round his head, tears still streaming down his face.
Suddenly, Adams phone bleeped in his pocket. He slowly slid it out of his pocket and read the new message – it was off Charlie asking if everything was ok. Instead of replying, Adam just flipped the phone shut and placed it back into his pocket as if the message didn't exist. Then there was a click as the door to the room opened and Adam rose his head to see that the doctor had returned carrying a see through bag. Adam knew straight away that these were Kirsty's belongings.
"Adam, we need to get Kirsty ready to go downstairs now. You can come back and see her after she has been placed in the chapel of rest." The doctor explained. "I thought you would want her things that were with her when she was brought in." He said and held out the bag as he watched Adam walk over to take it. Adam gently grabbed the bag and just stared at the objects inside it. He could see Kirsty's phone, house keys and a bit of loose change. Adam turned and looked at the doctor. "Thanks." He replied dimly and he walked past the doctor and out of the room, never wanting to return there.
He strolled down the corridor, lost in his thoughts. Why did everyone he get close to have to go? First it was Harry, then Jessica and now Kirsty, then there was his Mum and Dad when he was young and then his brother. Instead of taking the lift down to ED, he opted for the stairs thinking there would be less people about as the last thing he wanted was people questioning him.
He gradually made his way down the stairs to the ED. He peered through the window and looked at how everyone was carrying on with their jobs like usual, oblivious to the fact that a work colleague and good friend has just died. Then a thought swept across Adams mind – how was he going to tell everyone? He didn't have a clue, but the longer he stood there, the more upset he got. He glanced at the plastic bag he had been carrying and saw something he hadn't spotted earlier. He ripped open the plastic bag and grabbed the photo. Adam stared at the photo and broke down in tears, his legs bucked beneath him causing him to slide down the wall and onto the stairs. The image he held in his hand was of him, Nita and Kirsty. He remembered that image so well, it was the hottest day of the summer and they all decided to go to the beach for the day as Warren was out. It was one of the best days in Adams life.
Once again Adams mind wandered into its own little world but was whisked away as he heard footsteps in the distance. He got up off the stairs and went to place the picture in his pocket when he saw a flash of writing on the back. Adam slowly turned it over and saw the familiar handwriting of Kirsty. There was a message on the back of the photo addressed to Adam saying;
Adam, if you are reading this then I am no longer with you – but I will always love you.
Look after Nita for me and don't let her make the same mistakes as me.
Love always, K xx
Adams eyes began to sting as he fought to hold back the tears as he grasped the photo in his hand with all his might. He pushed open the door to the emergency department and made his way through the swarms of injured people towards the staff room.
Adam was glad to find the staff room empty when he arrived as he needed to think things over in his head. He still couldn't believe what had just happened. How can Kirsty be gone? If anyone should be dead, it should be Warren. As Adam said that, something snapped in his mind – Warren should pay for this. He should die. Adam shot out of his seat and went to unlock his locker to get his car keys so that he could go after Warren and kill him, but as he rummaged through his jumbled locker, something in the back of his mind was telling him not to do it. His left hand sunk into his jeans pocket and grasped around the photo again. Nita. Who was going to tell her? How would she cope?
Adam slammed his locker shut, giving up on finding his keys. He couldn't kill Warren for Nita's sake, he cared too much about her, but that anger was still building up inside him. Why Kirsty? Why now? Why did she deserve this?
Adam turned and punched his locker with all his might. It was like the lid had just popped off his emotions. All the anger, frustration and sadness was about to be unleashed as he kicked and punched the defenceless lockers. Tears were rolling down his face like a waterfall, his whole world was falling to pieces around his eyes.
Suddenly, Zoe burst through the door of the staff room to see what all the commotion was about, Charlie not far behind her. Neither of them knew what had happened but they knew whatever it was: it was bad. Zoe saw Adam slumped in the corner, broken cups and objects laid around him. She walked over to him, being careful not to tread on any remains and knelt down in front of him, noticing the tears rolling down his devastated face.
"Hey, what's happened?" Zoe asked softly, but Adam just stared at his hands unable to reply. "Is it Kirsty?" she asked again but Adam just sat there not saying a word, tears still flowing down his face. Charlie, who had been hovering near the door had decided to venture towards Adam and knelt down near him to try and find out what had happened.
"Adam, we're here to help you, but we can only do that if you tell us what's happened." Charlie explains, but again there was silence, the only sound being the sobs coming from Adam.
"If you're not going to tell us, then who are you going to tell?" Zoe enquired and instead of there being silence, Adam replied.
"It's Kirsty." he sobbed. Zoe and Charlie both looked at each other with a worried look then back at Adam.
"Adam, what's happened to her? Is she okay?" Zoe asked with concern.
"She...she's gone," Adam cried, "Gone because of that thug of a husband." Adam looked at Zoe who's eyes had began to water, then to Charlie who's face had began to go ghostly white.
"You...you mean she's dead?" Charlie choked, the words struggling to escape from his throat. But by this point Adam was unable to speak and just merely nodded and more sobs and tears joined Adams as Zoe and Charlie struggled to hold them back. They both knew when they had entered the room that something bad had happened but they weren't expecting anything like this. Charlie managed to pull himself together and slowly stood up.
"Right, we need to inform Mr Jordan about this so I shall do that now. Zoe, you can stay in here and comfort Adam, I'm sure we'll manage without you for a bit." Charlie explained as he walked towards the door. As he closed the staff room door behind him, he peered back at the couple sobbing in the corner and wondered why this had to happen.
As Charlie walked up the stairs, he was struggling to take in what he had just been told. Kirsty had always been such a good and caring nurse, she didn't deserve to die like that.
As Charlie rounded the corner, Nick's office door was in sight, but Charlie didn't have a clue how he was going to tell him. He paced round in front of Jordan's office thinking and thinking when he decided just to knock on the door and go for it.
When he knocked, he felt the smooth wood hit off his knuckles then the familiar voice shouting to enter. He cupped his shaking hand around the handle and opened the door to Nick's office.
Nick was sat in the far corner of the room placing file after file into his draw.
"How can I help?" Nick said, unaware of who he was actually speaking too. However, Charlie did not reply but just stood there, incapable of speaking causing Nick to stop what he was doing and look worryingly at his fellow colleague.
"Charlie, are you alright?" Nick asked sounding concerned as he examined the devastated look on his chalk white face. It was not like Charlie to behave like this, especially to someone who he got on so well with but all Charlie could do was open and close his mouth silently, clueless at what to say. His eyes were beginning to fill up again as he struggled to hide his emotions. Nick got up and helped guide an upset Charlie into the seat in front of Nicks desk. "Charlie, what's going on? What's happened?" Nick asked again, hoping for an answer.
"It's Kirsty," Charlie croaked. "She's dead."
Nick leant back in his chair, rubbing his hands up and down his face causing it to wrinkle.
"Charlie, I am so sorry," Nick replied. "Does Adam know?"
"Yes, he was the one who told me and Zoe as we found him tearing up the staff room." Charlie replied whilst reliving the memory in his head.
"Where is he at now?" Nick enquired.
"I left him in the staff room with Zoe as she was quite upset." Charlie replied
"Right, I'll go and have a word with them. Then I will call everyone together to tell them as they will all need to know," Nick explained to Charlie.
"Can I come with you?" Charlie asked. He couldn't face having to sit there by himself knowing that people will be suffering below him.
"Yes, of course you can." Nick replied and the pair got up and walked out of the office and back down the stairs.
As they entered the staff room Charlie noticed that neither Adam or Zoe had moved from when he left them. They were both still in the far corner of the room with bits of glass and pot littered around them. Nick and Charlie both walked over towards them and saw that Adam was holding something in his hand.
"Adam, I am so sorry about Kirsty." Nick said whilst kneeling down on the floor.
"What am I supposed to do now?" Adam asked whilst using his free hand to wipe away the trickles of tears.
"Find Nita and tell her what's happened and be there for her. You can help each other through this. It'll be hard to begin with, but over time it will get easier. Trust me." Nick said sensitively.
After a few moments of silence, Adam began to move and rose up off the floor. He went to his locker and began hunting for his car keys once again. He found them inside his coat pocket which he yanked out of locker and swung over his shoulder as he reached for the door handle.
"Adam, where are you going?" Zoe called but Adam didn't look back and just carried on walking down the corridor, through the double set of doors and out of the hospital.
As he passed the ambulance bays he saw Jeff and Dixie preparing their ambulance ready for their next shout. He saw Jeff climbing out the back of the ambulance, getting ready to say something to Adam but the last thing he wanted was to have to talk to people.
"Adam! How's Kirsty?" Jeff bellowed, but Adam just carried on walking pretending not to have heard anything.
He quickly walked across the car park to his car which he unlocked then got in to. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his mobile once again. He searched through his phonebook until he found the number he was looking for and pressed the call button. He sat there in silence as he heard the familiar ringing sound which abruptly stopped when he heard a young girls voice down the other end.
"Adam, is that you?" Nita asked, her voice sounding all hoarse and croaky.
"Yeah it is..." Adam started but before he could finish Nita interrupted him.
"Mum's dead Adam, she's gone!" Nita cried down the phone, "I don't know what to do, please come and get me." Nita pleaded down the phone.
"Okay, where are you?" Adam asked sounding worried. Why wasn't she with her grandparents?
"I'm at the park on Belvourne Road." She whimpered.
"I'm on my way." Adam replied. He placed the keys in the ignition and started the engine and pulled out of the car park turning his back on the hospital. He was determined that him and Nita were going to get through this no matter what and that he would help her in every way possible. As he drove down the road, the words on the back of the image of the trio were etched in the back of his mind as Adam was going to do everything in his power to make sure Nita was okay.