As I changed into dry clothes, I listened my favorite song Shield by Cozi Zuehlsdorff. I loved her music, and after a long day at the aquarium, I needed some time to myself. I took my time, getting my hair to look really nice and making sure my eyeliner looked equally as good. I wanted to impress Sawyer.
I finally finished, wondering if Sawyer was finished yet. I took my earbuds out and listened for any noises in the boy's side of the locker room. All I could hear was Winter and Hope clicking, calling for something.
I quickly gathered my belongings into my backpack and walked over to see the dolphins. I saw Winter splashing around violently in the pool and Hope was trying to push something onto the platform. As I got closer, I saw that Hope was pushing a body onto the platform.
"Sawyer!" I screamed, sprinting full speed towards him. I pulled him onto the platform, checking for a pulse and breathing. Good, he's still breathing. I quickly take notice of the bruises already forming around his right eye and his cheeks.
"Dad! Dad! Someone help!" I cried desperately into the air. I cried out louder and louder. I searched in vain for my phone, but I accidently left it in the locker rooms. I just sat there, crying over Sawyer's unconscious body.
Finally, I heard footsteps running down the hall. "Hazel!" my dad called, scanning the area for me. When his eyes found Sawyer and I, he accidently stopped and ran to the nearest phone.
"Is he breathing?" he called across the deck.
"Yeah!" I yelled back. "He looks like he was beat up. And I think his ankle is broken." I noticed that his ankle was bent at an odd ankle and swelling up quickly.
"The ambulance is coming." Clay called as he walked in our direction. When he reached us, he bent over Sawyer's body and I could tell he was about to cry. "Who would do something like this?"
"I don't know, Dad," I replied, as Sawyer started to stir. His eyes slid open as I grabbed his hand. "Stay still, Sawyer. Help is on the way." All he did was nod his head in agreement, but I could see the pain in his eyes.
"It was my dad," he said hoarsely after a few moments. I looked at him startled. "It was my dad," he repeated. "He was drunk and angry that I didn't tell him the truth. I tried to grab me." Tears were streaming out of his eyes and down his bruised cheeks.
I heard the wail of the ambulance was it approached the aquarium. "It's going to be ok, Sawyer," I said, trying to comfort him, but more than that, trying to comfort myself. I watched as the paramedics hurried in, getting him onto the stretcher, and took him away from me.
