A Race Against Time
Chapter 1
"Oh, looks like your coming around." The young nurse said smiling. "I think you will be okay." She closed his chart and walked away.
Lucas slowly opened his blue eyes and surveyed the small room, it was a white, sterile hospital room, and he didn't recognize any of it.
The young nurse came back in with a tray. She poured him a cup of ice water and helped him sip. His head pounded from the effort.
"Ugh, Where am I? What happened?" Lucas whispered.
The nurse forced a smile. "Well, you are at County General in Savannah, Georgia and as to what happened to you, we don't know. Jeff, a local cop, was walking the beach and found you. You must of hit you head pretty hard, but I need to ask you some questions just the norm, name? Age? Who to call?"
They seemed like simple questions but… Lucas didn't know the answers.
"I…uh…I don't know." His brow was wrinkled with effort.
The nurse's smile disappeared quickly. "Oh, that's okay I sure it will come back to you."
"But…but why can't I remember now?"
"Well it happens sometimes with this type of head injury.'
"What happened to me? My head?"
"We don't know, you came in with a serious concussion, a fractured ankle and a lot of bumps and bruises. We don't know how you sustained these injuries. We put your description out on local channels but nothing, you have been out for a couple days now." The nurse answered quietly.
"What will happen to me?" Lucas was becoming increasingly agitated.
"Whoa, calm down, shhh it's okay, we'll find you a place don't worry." She smiled reassuringly. He looked so young, he couldn't of been older than 16, what was his name, where were his parents? How come no one had come looking for him? He didn't seem as frightened as young people his age would usually be. He was so precious looking, almost angelic. Someone had to be looking for him.
Lucas had fallen back asleep almost instantly, obviously the past few day had been hard on him.
* * * *
- Lucas slept till the next afternoon. When he awoke an older woman was sitting next to his bed. She was sitting straight back, with her hair in a tight bun at the nape of her neck, she was clutching her handbag, as she stared out into space.
Lucas shifted slightly in bed, but it cause the lady to snap out of her reverie.
"Good afternoon." She spoke with a heavy southern accent.
"Do I know you?" Asked Lucas puzzled.
"Oh, no no," she said laughing, "I am Mrs. Jean Barclay, a foster parent, I guess you don't remember anything new?"
"Umm…no, why are you here?"
"Well, since you don't remember who you are or who to contact, the hospital has appointed me guardianship, until you do remember who you are or who to contact. Is that okay with you?" She asked gently.
"Yeah, I guess, I guess I don't have much of a choice in the matter."
"Well, I can definitely tell you are not from the south, not with that accent!" She laughed. That got a smile and she smiled back. "If you ready, do you want to come home?"
* * * *
- Lucas stared at the small, but bright sunny room. It had yellow wallpaper with white flowers bordering it. The wood floors were scuffed and worn. On the right side of the room were bunk beds and a window. The left side of the room had a desk and a big chest of drawers. The room obviously had one occupant, their books were strewn on the desk, the trash was littered with drawings and the top bunk was unmade.
- "Now, you will be staying with Baz, he is 16 and is an aspiring artist," Mrs. Barclay said laughing, "he is at school now, you can meet him later. There are 5 other foster kids here Kyle and Cole are 12 year-old twins, and quite the handful. Leslie is 14, she has bad asthma, but is very sweet, Bob is 8, and Austin, he's 3. So now there is 7 including you and Baz. You can meet them all tonight at dinner, along with Tom, my husband. But now why don't you take a nap, I'll wake you when dinner is ready." Jean Barclay noticed he was swaying and leaning heavily on his cane. He obliged quickly and lay down on the bed on top of the covers. He didn't notice when Jean laid a quilt over him and kissed his forehead.
- "Welcome." She whispered and left.
- * * * *