The Past Unknown

Found

MAYA'S POV

The teen continued looking away the rest of the ride to the station. She was almost frozen in time right now, watching something playing in the back of her mind. 

We pulled into the station with the bright lights of the barn bright above us. The aid car came to rest with a small squeak, but the teen continued with her blank stair.

"Okay," I said softly, "We're here."

I tried to smile as the teen slowly looked over and around, finally out of the trance she was in. She pulled the oxygen mask off of her face, puzzled by it, and then started coughing.

"How about we get you inside and then back on some O2?" I suggested, reaching out a hand to help her up.

She still stared at me,  batting my hand away, but nodded in agreement.

"Okay," I uncertainly. "Let me help you."

She glared up at me and tried pushing herself up, but winced and fell back down, looking at the burns pealing away on her palms. I pulled her up and helped lift her out of the car until her feet were on the ground. She instantly began coughing and wheezing, struggling to hold herself up anymore. I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and lead her inside and to the couch in my office. She looked up at me as we walked, her blue eyes storming with confusion and fear. I looked down giving her a reassuring smile. I turned around and went and grabbed an O2 tank and mask, before getting her settled back down. Her shoulders began to fall and her wheezing ceased.

"See?" I said. "It's helping and we aren't at a hospital."

She nodded silently, still refusing to say a word.

"Okay," I sighed standing up. "I'll be right back."

I waited for her to nod once more before walking out and around the corner. I quickly pulled my boots and suit off and grabbed my phone from the cubby. My gold metal hung in front of my face. There was never sympathy where I came from. I remembered coughing and wheezing while recovering from bronchitis after I got off the track. All the parents were gathering around making sure I was okay and offering me water or help to find the trainer nearby. Meanwhile, my dad had just smacked my back, congratulating me on winning, but my time wasn't good enough for him. I had looked up to see my mother looking worried, but she turned and walked off to the car. I had kept yelling that day I couldn't breath, but dad kept making me run over and over down the street. So I didn't always know how to react. I tried my best to replicate what the other parents would've done or tried to do, but it still didn't always feel natural to me. However, my wife was the opposite.

"Hi, Carina," I dialed the phone.

"Si, my love," Carina picked up on the other end.

"Could you come to the station?" I asked promptly.

"What's going on?" her tone switched to worry, "You haven't asked how my day was, so what's going on?"

"We had a bad fire," I started, "There is this teen. Definitely has a few burns and I want her checked out by someone more qualified than me. But she is refusing to go to the hospital."

"Why?" Carina asked, she knew I rarely broke protocol.

"I don't know," I huffed, "Something is off. The fire wasn't in the best part of town. We've had some cases of human trafficking, drug mules, parents involved in things, all sorts of stuff over there. She wont talk, but she's little and I'm scared she will run if we try taking her there. Could you come check her out please?"