Rhys stood looking at Kane.He knew he should
help him, but something was stopping him.It was so tempting to just walk
away.Leave the mongrel to die , he was to blame for everything that had gone
wrong.Dani , Kirsty, everything.They had all been happy before he came into
their lives.But he couldn't just leave him, could he.Leave him to bleed to
death.Why not?Who would know?For what seemed like ages he fought a battle with
his inner self,then he walked away and as he did he told himself he had done it
for Dani.
Even as he walked home he was regretting his
decision wondering whether to go back.That damned dog hadn't helped, whining
and running after him.He'd had to throw a rock at it in the end to get it to
stop.He despised himself , he knew he was wrong, but he just hadn't been able
to bring himself to help that beast , that rapist swine.By the time he got home
he was shaking.He grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the drinks cabinet and
locked himself in his room.
"Oh my god , what have I done?" he sobbed.
Hayley and Alex had been walking along the path
some distance away.
"Hey , isn't that Rhys Sutherland being chased
by that little dog?" laughed Alex.
"Oh no . Poor little thing .He just chucked a
rock at it.That's not like Rhys is it?"said Hayley.
"Isn't that Kane's dog"asked Alex.
"Dunno."said Hayley, "but it can't be cos
Shadow never leaves his side."
About an hour later ,on their way back
from the diner, Alex and Hayley saw the little dog again.It was frantic by now
, whining and barking.
Shadow spotted them, and ran up to them ,
beseeching them to follow. "Look he's hurt .He's got blood on him ,try and
catch him," shouted Alex.
As they tried to catch him Shadow lead them to
where Kane lay.
"Oh my god!Is he alive?" cried Hayley.Alex
checked Kane's breathing and pulse , both were weak and irregular.He had a
horrendous head injury and was bleeding badly , Hayley called for an ambulance.
The paramedics worked on Kane trying to
stabilize him for the journey to hospital.Hayley and Alex were both thinking
the same thing.Rhys had come out of these bushes the first time they saw
Shadow,surely he couldn't have done this.
Hayley followed the ambulance to hospital in
her little car.Alex had been asked to wait and talk to the police.
Hayley rang Summer Bay High and told Irene what
had happened.Irene brought Kirsty out of school and straight to the hospital.The
poor kid's going to need lots of support ,Irene was thinking, looking over at
Kirsty's pale anxious face.
After what seemed like an age a doctor finally
came out and spoke to them.
"Are you relatives?" he asked.
"Well not exactly," said Kirsty. "I'm his
girlfriend."
"To be blunt , it's not looking good and in a
situation like this we need to speak to the relatives first."said the doctor
abruptly.
"But he doesn't have any relatives, only me ,
please tell me what's going on.If you don't believe me look in his wallet ,
you'll see on his ID ,he's got me down as his next of kin.Please."Kirsty
begged.
Irene was getting cross with this doctors
attitude, "Look the boy's got no family, Kirsty is his whole life tell her
what's flaming happening!"
"Well, we've managed to stabilize him, but the
head injury is serious , as is the amount of blood he lost.He is unable to
breathe for himself , so when you are allowed to see him please do not be
alarmed.We have transfused a large volume of blood but hehas arrested twice.We managed to get his
heart going again, but I must warn you he is very ill,and the next few hours
will be critical!"
Kirsty felt faint, what was he saying?Kane
could die?NO!She would die too
Irene sat Kirsty down.
"Listen ,darl,I know what the doc said , and
maybe it doesn't look good.But you know what a tough cookie your Kane is.Look
at how he got over that snake bite.Who got him through that?You did and you'll
get him through this.That boy'll survive anything to be with you.He'll hear
your voice even if he's unconscious and he'll fight.Come on love they don't
come much tougher than Kane do they?"
Kirsty wiped her eyes and nodded , she would
stay strong for Kane.
After what seemed like ages they let Kirsty in
to see Kane.She was so glad Irene was with her.He looked so pale under his tan,
he was attached to a ventilator to aid his breathing, there seemed to be a
million monitors,tubes and lines.And he lay so still.Kirsty was scared
.The last time she felt this scared
was when she thought she had lost him after the shipwreck , just before the
rescue helicopters appeared.Well he made it through that , and he'll get better
this time too,she tried to think positively, as the tears rolled down her
cheeks.
help him, but something was stopping him.It was so tempting to just walk
away.Leave the mongrel to die , he was to blame for everything that had gone
wrong.Dani , Kirsty, everything.They had all been happy before he came into
their lives.But he couldn't just leave him, could he.Leave him to bleed to
death.Why not?Who would know?For what seemed like ages he fought a battle with
his inner self,then he walked away and as he did he told himself he had done it
for Dani.
Even as he walked home he was regretting his
decision wondering whether to go back.That damned dog hadn't helped, whining
and running after him.He'd had to throw a rock at it in the end to get it to
stop.He despised himself , he knew he was wrong, but he just hadn't been able
to bring himself to help that beast , that rapist swine.By the time he got home
he was shaking.He grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the drinks cabinet and
locked himself in his room.
"Oh my god , what have I done?" he sobbed.
Hayley and Alex had been walking along the path
some distance away.
"Hey , isn't that Rhys Sutherland being chased
by that little dog?" laughed Alex.
"Oh no . Poor little thing .He just chucked a
rock at it.That's not like Rhys is it?"said Hayley.
"Isn't that Kane's dog"asked Alex.
"Dunno."said Hayley, "but it can't be cos
Shadow never leaves his side."
About an hour later ,on their way back
from the diner, Alex and Hayley saw the little dog again.It was frantic by now
, whining and barking.
Shadow spotted them, and ran up to them ,
beseeching them to follow. "Look he's hurt .He's got blood on him ,try and
catch him," shouted Alex.
As they tried to catch him Shadow lead them to
where Kane lay.
"Oh my god!Is he alive?" cried Hayley.Alex
checked Kane's breathing and pulse , both were weak and irregular.He had a
horrendous head injury and was bleeding badly , Hayley called for an ambulance.
The paramedics worked on Kane trying to
stabilize him for the journey to hospital.Hayley and Alex were both thinking
the same thing.Rhys had come out of these bushes the first time they saw
Shadow,surely he couldn't have done this.
Hayley followed the ambulance to hospital in
her little car.Alex had been asked to wait and talk to the police.
Hayley rang Summer Bay High and told Irene what
had happened.Irene brought Kirsty out of school and straight to the hospital.The
poor kid's going to need lots of support ,Irene was thinking, looking over at
Kirsty's pale anxious face.
After what seemed like an age a doctor finally
came out and spoke to them.
"Are you relatives?" he asked.
"Well not exactly," said Kirsty. "I'm his
girlfriend."
"To be blunt , it's not looking good and in a
situation like this we need to speak to the relatives first."said the doctor
abruptly.
"But he doesn't have any relatives, only me ,
please tell me what's going on.If you don't believe me look in his wallet ,
you'll see on his ID ,he's got me down as his next of kin.Please."Kirsty
begged.
Irene was getting cross with this doctors
attitude, "Look the boy's got no family, Kirsty is his whole life tell her
what's flaming happening!"
"Well, we've managed to stabilize him, but the
head injury is serious , as is the amount of blood he lost.He is unable to
breathe for himself , so when you are allowed to see him please do not be
alarmed.We have transfused a large volume of blood but hehas arrested twice.We managed to get his
heart going again, but I must warn you he is very ill,and the next few hours
will be critical!"
Kirsty felt faint, what was he saying?Kane
could die?NO!She would die too
Irene sat Kirsty down.
"Listen ,darl,I know what the doc said , and
maybe it doesn't look good.But you know what a tough cookie your Kane is.Look
at how he got over that snake bite.Who got him through that?You did and you'll
get him through this.That boy'll survive anything to be with you.He'll hear
your voice even if he's unconscious and he'll fight.Come on love they don't
come much tougher than Kane do they?"
Kirsty wiped her eyes and nodded , she would
stay strong for Kane.
After what seemed like ages they let Kirsty in
to see Kane.She was so glad Irene was with her.He looked so pale under his tan,
he was attached to a ventilator to aid his breathing, there seemed to be a
million monitors,tubes and lines.And he lay so still.Kirsty was scared
.The last time she felt this scared
was when she thought she had lost him after the shipwreck , just before the
rescue helicopters appeared.Well he made it through that , and he'll get better
this time too,she tried to think positively, as the tears rolled down her
cheeks.