Chapter 10:
If there was ever a time I really missed Father Dom, it was now. I know he'd be opposed to the whole thing, but everything just seemed to work out better if he at least knew what I was up to. I really needed an outlet and there was no one to talk to about this besides Susannah, who I really doubt would approve of this plan.
During my postponed lunch hour, I went to the computer lab and went online to find the least complicated but legit exorcism I could find. The best out of them was Brazilian voodoo. Good thing the specialist didn't get too good a look at the print out. I sought out Sarah and Steve afterward, who were also distressed at Gina and Shannon's "accident."
"I was right there, man," said Steve hardly believing what had happened. "She was three feet from me when Gina suddenly looked up and shoved Shannon away." Sarah explained that Shannon wasn't really walking with them, but alone just a few feet away and going to lunch too. Gina had been looking up to see if it was going to rain and saw the oncoming slab of stone. We made plans to go to the hospital to visit them. I neglected to tell them the other reason I was going there.
After school, I gave Carrie and Jenny the details of where I was going and both understood. Carrie would have gone to see Shannon, but she had to make sure Jenny got home all right. Steve, Sarah, and I hopped on a bus to the hospital quite a bit away. We were mostly silent because of the day's events. It really had been my fault Gina and Shannon were hurt. I had gotten Bryan so riled up the night before that he didn't even bother to be discreet. But I was going to fix it. I was going to haul Bryan's arrogant ass into his real afterlife and make sure he never hurt anyone ever again.
We walked to the hospital from the station at about 4:30. Asking the front desk first, Sarah found out that Gina and Shannon were in the same wing of the hospital and we were allowed to go see them. We trudged through the halls and found Gina's room first. She was lying in the hospital bed, playing with the buttons that moved the upper half of the mattress up and down.
Gina waved happily, "Hey, my crew!" Except the vowels were stretched out to make it sound more like "maa cruuuuw."
Steve grinned and went to her bedside, "They've got you on codeine, don't they?" Sarah also joined Gina's side.
"Hell, yeah," replied Gina with that goofy grin. "Hey, Jess, I think some of that superhero rubbed off on me. I hardly knew what I was doing until I felt that giant stone crushing me." I tried to smile amenably, but I must've looked hurt since she went on, "Aw I'm joking, Jess. I'll be good as new in a few days. Nothing serious."
I went to her other side and said sincerely, "I'm glad to hear it, Gina."
Gina hit me playfully on the arm, "Don't look at me like that, Jesse. Save that for your lady love. I hear she's just a few rooms down."
I straightened up. "Thanks. Will you guys be all right here? I need to speak with Shannon."
She waved me off, "It's cool, Jess. Just promise me something. You will show me this kick-ass apartment of yours when I get out of here."
I laughed, "Of course, Gina."
Shannon's room was only five rooms away from Gina's. The door was wide open and I stepped on to the threshold, but no further. The reason was because the room was already full. At least half of the senior class was in Shannon's room. Shannon's usually giggly girl friends were crowded around her bed, tissues in hand. The guys were hanging on the outskirts awkwardly. I noted that Justin and Josh were also there. Shannon saw me though and said, "Hey, Jesse."
Everyone turned to look at me. Under all those stares, I only just managed to not step back a bit out of anxiety. I was suddenly conscientious of my tousled hair that I kept messing with when I was nervous. The girls didn't seem to mind me being there at all, but some of the guys gave me glares. I cleared my throat to make sure my voice didn't squeak under the pressure, "Hello, Shannon. Would you, um, mind if I talked to you?"
The glares intensified. One guy asked roughly, "What's stopping you?"
I continued as polite as I could, "I'd like to speak to Shannon alone, please." That got some whispers from Shannon's girl friends, but the guys didn't budge.
That is, until she said, "C'mon, you guys. You heard what he said." And with that, all of them filed out the door, shooting me various looks I didn't bother to acknowledge. I walked to the foot of Shannon's bed, glancing around the room. Perhaps checking for vengeful spirits. Her room was much nicer than Gina's, painted a light lavender and spacious for a single patient. There was actually a window on the far wall. She smiled up at me, although she did noticeably have the same distant-but-content glaze to her eyes as Gina did. Must be the codeine.
"Hello, Shannon. How are you feeling?" I asked conversationally. I couldn't really ask for what I needed outright without break the ice.
She lay back in her fluffy pillow comfortably, "Oh, just dandy, Jess. I should be out in a few days, but my parents don't want me to push it." Giving an odd sort of laugh, she added, "I've been shoved around a lot recently, haven't I?"
"Yes, I'm sorry about that."
"Nah, don't be sorry. It's not like it's your fault." Well, not all of it anyway. Just the last part. She sighed and looked out the window. There wasn't much of a view, just buildings. But since this is New York, I suppose even that isn't so bad. "I don't think I can make it, Jess."
I asked, puzzled, "What do you mean, Shannon? Not make it?"
She laughed again, "No, not like that. I mean for Friday. I don't think we can go out on Friday. As soon as I'm out of here, my parents want to move. I guess this was the last straw after the whole Bryan thing. Sorry about that." I relaxed.
"It's no problem, Shannon. But I have a question for you." I suppose this was the best time to ask, when she was feeling open and perhaps a little out of it because of the drugs. "Did Bryan happen to give you anything beforehand? Like a picture or something to remember him by?"
She nodded, "Oh, yeah. Sure." Shannon reached under her pillow and pulled out her purse to rummage through. I had no idea girls kept so much in those things. Was it really necessary to have that many shades of lip-gloss with you wherever you went?
She finally found what she was looking for. A slim leather wallet was in her hand. Opening it, Shannon flipped through the plastic inserts meant to hold photos or cards. Somewhere in the middle (between her free bowling pass and Friday's card), she selected a small photograph of Bryan. He was in his football uniform, holding his helmet to the side proudly. Kinda scary how in death he doesn't even need those muscles to beat anyone senseless. I asked casually, "Do you mind if I borrow this? My stepsister was thinking of doing an article about you in the school paper if you didn't mind." Carrie really was too. On the school paper, I mean. She had been planning a little "bon voyage" piece when she found out Shannon was moving.
Shannon offered the photo to me. "I don't mind. He gave me enough to fill a telephone booth anyway."
I took the picture of Bryan and stuck into my back pocket, thanking her gratefully. All I needed now was a quick stop to my place for candles (I had some leftover from my previous years of ghost busting) and I'd be set. Turning back to her, I smiled and said, "I wish you the best of luck, Shannon."
She grinned back, "It's really too bad, Jess. They don't make 'em like you anymore." I suppose that was a compliment, so I politely inclined my head and quietly left.
Walking back to Gina's room, I saw that Steve and Sarah were standing outside of her door. Sarah informed me that Gina's family had arrived, so they gave them some privacy. Her parents and all five brothers came. Five brothers. No wonder Gina was such a tough girl. Her family life practically demanded it. Gina's mom told them that we could visit her tomorrow after she was fully rested.
As we left the hospital and waited for the bus, it was pretty dark. The winter season making daylight hours shorter and all. Even though there weren't many stars to be seen due to the bright lights of the big city, the moon was full and lustrous from its borrowed light. A single glowing beacon in the inky sky. I was strangely nostalgic for those sunsets in Carmel.
Steve must have noticed me staring since he leaned back on the bench, also basking in the serenity, and asked, "Been a strange week, hasn't it?" I nodded silently, still looking at the moon. "You really are a hell of a guy, Jesse."
I turned to look at him, "What do you mean by that?"
Sarah smirked, "He means it's too bad we only met you yesterday, Jess. You're… different from everyone else here. And we only get you for a semester."
"A semester isn't too bad." I didn't comment on the other part. Being different goes two ways. And if they meant it in a good way, I wasn't really one to take compliments well. They just made me feel awkward.
Steve nodded, still leaning back and smiling broadly. "And we'll make it the best damn semester ever. Starting with seeing this place of yours, Jesse, when Gina gets out."
The three of us sat there for a few more minutes, staring at the moon, until the bus came. In those few minutes, I thought that just maybe things would 'different.'
Oh, and how different they were…