Chapter 3
They were screaming. Mostly the mothers. One mother fainted, Abby saw, when she heard They kept saying things about their own children.
"Angela! Oh my darling Angela! I hope she's all right!"
"Alex! Not Alex, please let it not be Alex!" another mother cried. There was one father, holding a little boy, tightly in his arms. There was no mother.
"Dad, is Claire OK?" the boy asked.
"She's a smart girl, Claire, she'll be fine, Joey," the father smiled down at his son. Abby could see everyone so worried but she knew they needn't worry for their own child. For it wasn't a child that had been shot up there, oh no, Abby was sure of that. It had been a doctor. I doctor that was probably dead right now. She was dead silent. Her voice had failed her. She was shocked, she couldn't believe what reason told her was true.
"CARTER!" she screamed when she got over the shock, tears in her eyes, "Carter!" she pushed Frank out of the way of the radio.
"Carter! Can you hear me?" but there was silence on the other end. She kept screaming his name and sobbing.
---------------------
It all went pretty fast. First the shot, then the bullet. Then, he felt it hit his stomach and bury a tunnel through the flesh and sinew into his body. It was less painful than Carter though dying would be. Oh, there was pain. When the cold metal struck him, it burned. Like dry ice. But as he felt where the bullet had gone and saw his own blood seeping out or him, the pain lessened and he remembered. When had he had this dazed state of mind before? When had he felt as if everything was going in slow motion like in the movies? Everything looked so unreal and blurred. He had the sense that it was all just a dream. And that's what he hoped it was, too. When had this happened before? Why couldn't he remember? He couldn't think of anything but the pain, but the strange sensation of déjà vu was upon him and he couldn't place it. He fell to the floor, slowly, every passing second coming closer to death.
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"Hey everyone, Abby's on the news!" someone in the ER shouted.
"Abby?" Luka's head poked out of an exam room, "What's she doing on the news?" he came out and soon again, the whole ER was staring at the screen.
"Though all these mourning parents are worried for their children, one mother, who they let pass the police tape, is screaming hysterically for her child. Ma'am, why are you so worried for your son or daughter?"
"I'm not worried for... My child... Go away!" Abby said. Luka saw she was crying and wondered why.
"But you're so distraught! Isn't your child in there?"
"I don't even have a child!" Abby screamed at the reporter, who looked quite shocked by her outburst.
"But... Then, are you worried for the others?"
"Ma'am, there was a gun shot just fired!" Abby said, "My friend was on the radio in contact with us saying the terrorist was threatening to shoot. The terrorist found him talking to us..." Abby couldn't continue.
"Oh my!" the reporter said, "So your friend was the spy? What was his name?"
"No comment!" Frank said, pushing his way in front of Abby, "Leave the woman alone!" and he turned his back to the camera, trying his best to comfort Abby. The reporter turned to face the camera again.
"What a tragic loss! A substitute teacher who wasn't even supposed to be there. He put his own life in jeopardy to try and save the children. What a shame it didn't work, ladies and gentlemen, what a horrible shame!" Luka slowly turned off the TV. The reporter didn't sound to have an ounce of sympathy. Everyone was silent. Dave was shaking his head and retreated to the wall. He leaned against it, staring at the TV screen still, shaking his head. He slowly fell to the floor. Was Carter really dead?
---------------------
"Is Carter really dead?" some kids whispered. Claire was the one. She was the one who realized the danger he was in. She broke away from Jay's grasp and sprinted to the bleeding body.
"Carter!" she cried, then turned to the terrorists, "Who do you think you are, hm? You'll be sorry! He really needs a doctor and he's the only one who is a doctor!"
"Claire..." Jenna took her hand, trying to reassure her.
"No, Miss Morgan! He's dying! He needs medical attention! Get a doctor in here! If you take good care of him, you can get more money for him! You have their respect! They know you're serious! If you save Carter, you can always threaten to kill him again! Have them bring in a doctor!" Claire pleaded. Jay's eyes were full of hatred.
"Why should I let him live?"
"I just told you why!" There were tears in Claire's eyes and no one understood why. Mitch stood up.
"Why did you shoot him anyway?" Mitch asked, bravely.
"He stole the line! He was playing spy!" Jay snarled.
"No, he wasn't. I... I saw you drop it. I didn't know what it was so I put it on the teacher's desk. I must have turned it on. So if anyone, you should shoot me," Angela looked up at Mitch with awe. She knew all this was a lie. She knew that Carter had indeed stolen the communicator and that Mitch had seen it. But she didn't know or understand why Mitch, of all people, was confessing to a crime he didn't commit. For a minute, Jay drew his gun again and Mitch flinched, waiting for what was coming.
"No," Em put her hand on the gun, "Jay, the girl's right. If we show some humanity, it will be better. Call the police. Tell them to send in a doctor. No one else. They will agree if it's to save a life," Claire looked at Em. There was the smallest ounce of compassion in her eyes, the smallest ounce of kindness when she looked at Jay. But when she turned back to the children, her eyes, once warm blue were now an icy blue, so full of coldness they were like the vast glacial deserts of Antarctica. Hard, like a falcon's eyes. Jay looked at Em, then at Mitch, then at Carter, then at his gun, then back to Em.
"All right," he sighed, picking up the communicator.
"Get a doctor up here now. No tricks, you hear? No snipers, no hidden weapons, no secret agents, no hidden microphones. If you do, I will just let this man die. And if any harm comes to any of us, one of these children will be shot. Em will meet you at the entrance."
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"Send me up," Abby pleaded Frank.
"We can't. Would you be able to handle a gunshot wound on your own?" Frank asked.
"Well..."
"Send me," someone interrupted. Abby spun around and saw Dave standing there, a solemn look on his face.
"Dave?" Abby asked.
"It's my fault he was in there in the first place," Dave said. Luka came running up behind him.
"Weaver let me off a little early. What's happening?" Luka asked.
"Dave.. Are you sure you want to do this? It will be very dangerous, I don't think they will let you come out..." Frank said.
"I want to help Carter," Dave was stubborn, "I am a qualified doctor-"
"Ask if two can go," Abby said, looking at Dave, "It's at least a two person job."
"Wait, what's going on?" everyone had ignored Luka.
"Abby, I hope you aren't volunteering to go with him, because-"
"Not me, Dr. Kovac," Abby interrupted Frank, finally turning to the Croatian man.
"Me?" Luka asked, "Go where? Do what? I'm confused!"
"Dr. Kovac?" Frank looked Luka up and down.
"No! No way! He's not coming! I've already gotten Carter into this, I don't want to-"
"Dave, you know you need someone else!" Abby was half pleading Dave to let Luka come along.
"Not Kovac!"
"What about me? Abby, what is happening?" at last acknowledging Luka's questions, Abby answered him.
"Luka, Carter's been shot. They've called for a doctor to go up. Dave wants to go already but we need someone else to go with him."
"Hurry, you're running out of time..." Jay's voice taunted over the radio.
"We are sending up three doctors," Frank said. Abby looked surprised.
"Three?" she asked.
"I can see how much you want to go, Abby, and three is better."
"Three?" Jay asked the same thing, "No, no more than two!"
"See, I can't go anyway!" Abby declared, "Luka and Dave!"
"Fine, men, are you up to it?" Dave nodded, Luka still looked slightly confused.
"Yes," Dave answered, noticing no move on Luka's part.
"Good. You should probably go in alone. If they see an agent with you, they will feel threatened and may start shooting. Be very careful."
"Wait, so we have to go in there and help Carter?" Luka was comprehending.
"Yes," Dave told him. They exchanged looks, took in a deep breath, and headed for the Junior High together.
---------------------
Claire couldn't believe her eyes. First her mother, then her brother, now Carter was dying. She shook her head. She couldn't believe it. So many people in her life had died or left her. It just wasn't right. Was there really a God? Did he watch over Claire, did he really care? Did he care that two people she loved had been murdered? Did he care that one she probably could have grown to love was bleeding, dying, in her arms? Did anyone care? Or was Claire alone in the world. Suddenly, Em came in with two men.
"I am Dr. Kovac," said one with black hair and a thick accent, "This is my colleague, Dr. Malucci. We're doctors, we're here to help."
"Very well," said Jay, "There," he nodded to where Carter was on the floor, in Claire's arms.
"Carter!" Dave gasped and ran over to him, "Carter, come on man, come on!" Claire let go. It was now time to let the doctors take over. She had let the doctors take over her mother, and yet, they had let her go, they had given up. Though Claire had clung to her hand until the very last breath of life was out of her. Her brother, when he was killed, she wouldn't let him go. Would the doctors let Carter die? She wouldn't let someone else leave her life, no matter how short a time they had been in it. Not now, not ever.
"H-H-He's dying!" she stammered, "Help him!"
"Don't worry, we will," Dave promised. Luka was now with Dave. They were both working on Carter, Dave trying to get him conscious.
"Carter, come on, come on, man, come on! Work with us, here, wake up, come on!" Carter opened his eyes slightly.
"Dave?" he choked. He turned his head, "Luka?"
"Yes, Carter, it's us, don't worry. We're going to save you, you'll be fine!" Luka told him.
"What are you doing here?"
"Don't worry about that now," Luka said.
"The pain!" he groaned.
"He can't be dying!" Claire shouted. There were tears in her eyes. Still, no one knew why she was so attached to a person she had only just met, but Angela knew, "No, no, no, no!" she curled herself into a ball and hid in the corner.
"Shut up, girl!" Jay shouted, "Dee! Watch that one there!"
"Yes," Dee grunted.
"OK, Luka, exit wound?" Dave said, pushing everything aside and getting to work.
---------------------
"Coffee?" Abby woke with a start to sound of that voice. She knew that voice like she knew the whisper of the wind. Just faintly, she remembered. Her vision was blurred, but she recognized where she was. She was on the couch in the ER staff room. She saw a blond woman pouring some coffee, but couldn't make out who it was.
"Just thought you'd like some. I mean, this shift must be really hard for you. Three good friends of yours all trapped in that school building up there... Tough!" the woman had her back to Abby. Abby squinted and noticed that the back of the woman's sleek white doctor's coat was bright red and she didn't know why. Then, she realized.
"Are you bleeding or is that a patient's blood?" Abby asked her. The doctor turned to Abby, a warm smile on her face, holding the coffeepot in one hand and a mug in the other. Abby finally saw her face.
"Oh, that," she looked over her shoulder at the large stain of red liquid, "It's nothing, don't worry," she turned back to Abby, "Just a couple small cuts I got."
"But... That's a lot of blood! Are you sure they're just small cuts and nothing serious?" Abby asked. The woman sat down next to Abby, her face pale and sickly, but the warm smile still in place and took Abby's hand.
"It's not important. I'm not important, Abby. A patient just got a little out of hand, it doesn't matter. I am unimportant. But you are important. You have people who love and care about you."
"But you do too! Loads of people! Your family, Carter... Just loads!" Abby couldn't understand. The woman changed the subject.
"Abby. I know that I don't know you very well, and you don't know me very well. But there is one thing I do know and that is that you are depressed. You have reasons, I know, but you should try to find a way to get over that depression."
"I am not depressed!" Abby declared.
"You are. You are worried for Carter and also for Dave and Luka. Your worried for the three of them. And you're sad. Depressed. But you have to be strong. Be brave. Be happy. I want you to be happy. Be strong, like them. Look outside," the woman nodded at the door. Abby eyed her, suspiciously and looked outside the room. Decorations were everywhere. Music was playing, loudly. Abby could tell they were slow today. Then, Kerry came in and told them to turn down the music. Abby went back in the staff room.
"What's wrong out there?" Abby asked, "They seem pretty happy."
"Sure, now," the woman said, "But in a few minutes, this place will be hectic. Look again. Do you see Dr. Carter anywhere?" Abby looked outside and looked around for Carter. The woman was right, Abby saw him nowhere.
"So... Where is he?" Abby asked. The woman just smiled, mysteriously.
"Do you really want to know?"
---------------------
Abby awoke with a start and looked around, hoping not to find herself in the presence of a ghost.
"That dream was freaky!" she sighed. Then, she remembered where she was. The school, "But my life is worse!" she sighed and laid her head back down on her arms.
"What did you dream about?" the voice and question startled her and she looked around. She saw the smiling face of Elizabeth Corday.
"What are you doing here?" Abby asked, "When did you get here?"
"About fifteen minutes ago. I am here for the same reason you are. We're slow back at the ER and my shift has ended anyway. So, what did you dream about?"
"You don't want to know!" Abby said, "I can't believe I dreamed about it. I haven't even thought about it for a long while now..."
"Abby, tell me," Elizabeth said, gently, squeezing Abby's hand, reassuringly.
"Well... I dreamed about Valentine's Day. You know, when Carter and Lucy were stabbed? Only... Lucy was sitting with me, bleeding and pale, talking to me, telling me things... Advice, almost," Abby sighed, "But that has nothing to do with this."
"Sometimes the best help comes from unexpected places," Elizabeth said.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Abby smiled for the first time in hours, "I have to be strong, like you."
They were screaming. Mostly the mothers. One mother fainted, Abby saw, when she heard They kept saying things about their own children.
"Angela! Oh my darling Angela! I hope she's all right!"
"Alex! Not Alex, please let it not be Alex!" another mother cried. There was one father, holding a little boy, tightly in his arms. There was no mother.
"Dad, is Claire OK?" the boy asked.
"She's a smart girl, Claire, she'll be fine, Joey," the father smiled down at his son. Abby could see everyone so worried but she knew they needn't worry for their own child. For it wasn't a child that had been shot up there, oh no, Abby was sure of that. It had been a doctor. I doctor that was probably dead right now. She was dead silent. Her voice had failed her. She was shocked, she couldn't believe what reason told her was true.
"CARTER!" she screamed when she got over the shock, tears in her eyes, "Carter!" she pushed Frank out of the way of the radio.
"Carter! Can you hear me?" but there was silence on the other end. She kept screaming his name and sobbing.
---------------------
It all went pretty fast. First the shot, then the bullet. Then, he felt it hit his stomach and bury a tunnel through the flesh and sinew into his body. It was less painful than Carter though dying would be. Oh, there was pain. When the cold metal struck him, it burned. Like dry ice. But as he felt where the bullet had gone and saw his own blood seeping out or him, the pain lessened and he remembered. When had he had this dazed state of mind before? When had he felt as if everything was going in slow motion like in the movies? Everything looked so unreal and blurred. He had the sense that it was all just a dream. And that's what he hoped it was, too. When had this happened before? Why couldn't he remember? He couldn't think of anything but the pain, but the strange sensation of déjà vu was upon him and he couldn't place it. He fell to the floor, slowly, every passing second coming closer to death.
---------------------
"Hey everyone, Abby's on the news!" someone in the ER shouted.
"Abby?" Luka's head poked out of an exam room, "What's she doing on the news?" he came out and soon again, the whole ER was staring at the screen.
"Though all these mourning parents are worried for their children, one mother, who they let pass the police tape, is screaming hysterically for her child. Ma'am, why are you so worried for your son or daughter?"
"I'm not worried for... My child... Go away!" Abby said. Luka saw she was crying and wondered why.
"But you're so distraught! Isn't your child in there?"
"I don't even have a child!" Abby screamed at the reporter, who looked quite shocked by her outburst.
"But... Then, are you worried for the others?"
"Ma'am, there was a gun shot just fired!" Abby said, "My friend was on the radio in contact with us saying the terrorist was threatening to shoot. The terrorist found him talking to us..." Abby couldn't continue.
"Oh my!" the reporter said, "So your friend was the spy? What was his name?"
"No comment!" Frank said, pushing his way in front of Abby, "Leave the woman alone!" and he turned his back to the camera, trying his best to comfort Abby. The reporter turned to face the camera again.
"What a tragic loss! A substitute teacher who wasn't even supposed to be there. He put his own life in jeopardy to try and save the children. What a shame it didn't work, ladies and gentlemen, what a horrible shame!" Luka slowly turned off the TV. The reporter didn't sound to have an ounce of sympathy. Everyone was silent. Dave was shaking his head and retreated to the wall. He leaned against it, staring at the TV screen still, shaking his head. He slowly fell to the floor. Was Carter really dead?
---------------------
"Is Carter really dead?" some kids whispered. Claire was the one. She was the one who realized the danger he was in. She broke away from Jay's grasp and sprinted to the bleeding body.
"Carter!" she cried, then turned to the terrorists, "Who do you think you are, hm? You'll be sorry! He really needs a doctor and he's the only one who is a doctor!"
"Claire..." Jenna took her hand, trying to reassure her.
"No, Miss Morgan! He's dying! He needs medical attention! Get a doctor in here! If you take good care of him, you can get more money for him! You have their respect! They know you're serious! If you save Carter, you can always threaten to kill him again! Have them bring in a doctor!" Claire pleaded. Jay's eyes were full of hatred.
"Why should I let him live?"
"I just told you why!" There were tears in Claire's eyes and no one understood why. Mitch stood up.
"Why did you shoot him anyway?" Mitch asked, bravely.
"He stole the line! He was playing spy!" Jay snarled.
"No, he wasn't. I... I saw you drop it. I didn't know what it was so I put it on the teacher's desk. I must have turned it on. So if anyone, you should shoot me," Angela looked up at Mitch with awe. She knew all this was a lie. She knew that Carter had indeed stolen the communicator and that Mitch had seen it. But she didn't know or understand why Mitch, of all people, was confessing to a crime he didn't commit. For a minute, Jay drew his gun again and Mitch flinched, waiting for what was coming.
"No," Em put her hand on the gun, "Jay, the girl's right. If we show some humanity, it will be better. Call the police. Tell them to send in a doctor. No one else. They will agree if it's to save a life," Claire looked at Em. There was the smallest ounce of compassion in her eyes, the smallest ounce of kindness when she looked at Jay. But when she turned back to the children, her eyes, once warm blue were now an icy blue, so full of coldness they were like the vast glacial deserts of Antarctica. Hard, like a falcon's eyes. Jay looked at Em, then at Mitch, then at Carter, then at his gun, then back to Em.
"All right," he sighed, picking up the communicator.
"Get a doctor up here now. No tricks, you hear? No snipers, no hidden weapons, no secret agents, no hidden microphones. If you do, I will just let this man die. And if any harm comes to any of us, one of these children will be shot. Em will meet you at the entrance."
---------------------
"Send me up," Abby pleaded Frank.
"We can't. Would you be able to handle a gunshot wound on your own?" Frank asked.
"Well..."
"Send me," someone interrupted. Abby spun around and saw Dave standing there, a solemn look on his face.
"Dave?" Abby asked.
"It's my fault he was in there in the first place," Dave said. Luka came running up behind him.
"Weaver let me off a little early. What's happening?" Luka asked.
"Dave.. Are you sure you want to do this? It will be very dangerous, I don't think they will let you come out..." Frank said.
"I want to help Carter," Dave was stubborn, "I am a qualified doctor-"
"Ask if two can go," Abby said, looking at Dave, "It's at least a two person job."
"Wait, what's going on?" everyone had ignored Luka.
"Abby, I hope you aren't volunteering to go with him, because-"
"Not me, Dr. Kovac," Abby interrupted Frank, finally turning to the Croatian man.
"Me?" Luka asked, "Go where? Do what? I'm confused!"
"Dr. Kovac?" Frank looked Luka up and down.
"No! No way! He's not coming! I've already gotten Carter into this, I don't want to-"
"Dave, you know you need someone else!" Abby was half pleading Dave to let Luka come along.
"Not Kovac!"
"What about me? Abby, what is happening?" at last acknowledging Luka's questions, Abby answered him.
"Luka, Carter's been shot. They've called for a doctor to go up. Dave wants to go already but we need someone else to go with him."
"Hurry, you're running out of time..." Jay's voice taunted over the radio.
"We are sending up three doctors," Frank said. Abby looked surprised.
"Three?" she asked.
"I can see how much you want to go, Abby, and three is better."
"Three?" Jay asked the same thing, "No, no more than two!"
"See, I can't go anyway!" Abby declared, "Luka and Dave!"
"Fine, men, are you up to it?" Dave nodded, Luka still looked slightly confused.
"Yes," Dave answered, noticing no move on Luka's part.
"Good. You should probably go in alone. If they see an agent with you, they will feel threatened and may start shooting. Be very careful."
"Wait, so we have to go in there and help Carter?" Luka was comprehending.
"Yes," Dave told him. They exchanged looks, took in a deep breath, and headed for the Junior High together.
---------------------
Claire couldn't believe her eyes. First her mother, then her brother, now Carter was dying. She shook her head. She couldn't believe it. So many people in her life had died or left her. It just wasn't right. Was there really a God? Did he watch over Claire, did he really care? Did he care that two people she loved had been murdered? Did he care that one she probably could have grown to love was bleeding, dying, in her arms? Did anyone care? Or was Claire alone in the world. Suddenly, Em came in with two men.
"I am Dr. Kovac," said one with black hair and a thick accent, "This is my colleague, Dr. Malucci. We're doctors, we're here to help."
"Very well," said Jay, "There," he nodded to where Carter was on the floor, in Claire's arms.
"Carter!" Dave gasped and ran over to him, "Carter, come on man, come on!" Claire let go. It was now time to let the doctors take over. She had let the doctors take over her mother, and yet, they had let her go, they had given up. Though Claire had clung to her hand until the very last breath of life was out of her. Her brother, when he was killed, she wouldn't let him go. Would the doctors let Carter die? She wouldn't let someone else leave her life, no matter how short a time they had been in it. Not now, not ever.
"H-H-He's dying!" she stammered, "Help him!"
"Don't worry, we will," Dave promised. Luka was now with Dave. They were both working on Carter, Dave trying to get him conscious.
"Carter, come on, come on, man, come on! Work with us, here, wake up, come on!" Carter opened his eyes slightly.
"Dave?" he choked. He turned his head, "Luka?"
"Yes, Carter, it's us, don't worry. We're going to save you, you'll be fine!" Luka told him.
"What are you doing here?"
"Don't worry about that now," Luka said.
"The pain!" he groaned.
"He can't be dying!" Claire shouted. There were tears in her eyes. Still, no one knew why she was so attached to a person she had only just met, but Angela knew, "No, no, no, no!" she curled herself into a ball and hid in the corner.
"Shut up, girl!" Jay shouted, "Dee! Watch that one there!"
"Yes," Dee grunted.
"OK, Luka, exit wound?" Dave said, pushing everything aside and getting to work.
---------------------
"Coffee?" Abby woke with a start to sound of that voice. She knew that voice like she knew the whisper of the wind. Just faintly, she remembered. Her vision was blurred, but she recognized where she was. She was on the couch in the ER staff room. She saw a blond woman pouring some coffee, but couldn't make out who it was.
"Just thought you'd like some. I mean, this shift must be really hard for you. Three good friends of yours all trapped in that school building up there... Tough!" the woman had her back to Abby. Abby squinted and noticed that the back of the woman's sleek white doctor's coat was bright red and she didn't know why. Then, she realized.
"Are you bleeding or is that a patient's blood?" Abby asked her. The doctor turned to Abby, a warm smile on her face, holding the coffeepot in one hand and a mug in the other. Abby finally saw her face.
"Oh, that," she looked over her shoulder at the large stain of red liquid, "It's nothing, don't worry," she turned back to Abby, "Just a couple small cuts I got."
"But... That's a lot of blood! Are you sure they're just small cuts and nothing serious?" Abby asked. The woman sat down next to Abby, her face pale and sickly, but the warm smile still in place and took Abby's hand.
"It's not important. I'm not important, Abby. A patient just got a little out of hand, it doesn't matter. I am unimportant. But you are important. You have people who love and care about you."
"But you do too! Loads of people! Your family, Carter... Just loads!" Abby couldn't understand. The woman changed the subject.
"Abby. I know that I don't know you very well, and you don't know me very well. But there is one thing I do know and that is that you are depressed. You have reasons, I know, but you should try to find a way to get over that depression."
"I am not depressed!" Abby declared.
"You are. You are worried for Carter and also for Dave and Luka. Your worried for the three of them. And you're sad. Depressed. But you have to be strong. Be brave. Be happy. I want you to be happy. Be strong, like them. Look outside," the woman nodded at the door. Abby eyed her, suspiciously and looked outside the room. Decorations were everywhere. Music was playing, loudly. Abby could tell they were slow today. Then, Kerry came in and told them to turn down the music. Abby went back in the staff room.
"What's wrong out there?" Abby asked, "They seem pretty happy."
"Sure, now," the woman said, "But in a few minutes, this place will be hectic. Look again. Do you see Dr. Carter anywhere?" Abby looked outside and looked around for Carter. The woman was right, Abby saw him nowhere.
"So... Where is he?" Abby asked. The woman just smiled, mysteriously.
"Do you really want to know?"
---------------------
Abby awoke with a start and looked around, hoping not to find herself in the presence of a ghost.
"That dream was freaky!" she sighed. Then, she remembered where she was. The school, "But my life is worse!" she sighed and laid her head back down on her arms.
"What did you dream about?" the voice and question startled her and she looked around. She saw the smiling face of Elizabeth Corday.
"What are you doing here?" Abby asked, "When did you get here?"
"About fifteen minutes ago. I am here for the same reason you are. We're slow back at the ER and my shift has ended anyway. So, what did you dream about?"
"You don't want to know!" Abby said, "I can't believe I dreamed about it. I haven't even thought about it for a long while now..."
"Abby, tell me," Elizabeth said, gently, squeezing Abby's hand, reassuringly.
"Well... I dreamed about Valentine's Day. You know, when Carter and Lucy were stabbed? Only... Lucy was sitting with me, bleeding and pale, talking to me, telling me things... Advice, almost," Abby sighed, "But that has nothing to do with this."
"Sometimes the best help comes from unexpected places," Elizabeth said.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Abby smiled for the first time in hours, "I have to be strong, like you."