The TimberWolf Effect (Book I)

CHAPTER THREE - The Longest Night

"Timber! Wake up!" Timber shot out of her bed with her silver fur on end and a loud growl, ready to attack and defend herself. "Easy, it's me. Get up. We have to go right now."

Chad was standing over her looking as though he had fallen to pieces. Timber looked passed him and her anger vanished instantaneously as soon as she saw Emily in Grace's arms. Her skin was wax-like and colorless and her little body was limp. Her small head bobbed up and down as she was carried in the arms of her anxious mother. The entire front of her lavender unicorn pajamas had been drenched in acidic vomit. Her eyes were closed and Timber could smell that something was wrong. Emily didn't smell right and it wasn't because she was covered in puke. Timber ran as fast as she could, climbed into Grace's large tote, and didn't move as she was picked up and roughly put in the backseat of the car.

When the car started moving she got out of the purse and began snuggling Emily without caring about the vomit that was getting in her fur. She was still breathing, but scarcely. She had been placed upright in her car seat and buckled in but her head flopped around with the movement of the car. Timber whined and tried to get her to open her eyes but she wouldn't wake. All Timber could think of to do was keep her warm and keep her head up and steady so she could get more oxygen into her lungs.

The drive seemed to take forever even though Chad sped through every stop sign if he saw no cars but there were too many red lights on Main Street. It seemed like they hit every single one. Chad was becoming frantic and he muttered several swear words at every light. Grace had her head down and her eyes closed. Her hands were folded firmly in her lap and she was praying desperately for God to save her baby. Timber did her best to keep Emily's head up. A light suddenly went from green to red and Chad was forced to slam on the brakes. The sudden lack of momentum compelled Timber's body to fly off of Emily. She hit the back of the passenger seat and landed on the floor but she got right back up and kept her cousin's head from flopping around.

"Timber, get in the bag please," said Chad as they finally arrived at a parking lot. He pulled into an empty parking space and turned off the car. He reached for her and she snapped her jaws at him. She was not leaving Emily. "Timber, now!" Again he reached and this time, she bit him hard enough to get her point across.

"OW! DAMN!"

"Chad, leave her be."

Chad got out of the driver's seat, opened the back door, and picked up his daughter. He and Grace ran toward a large, bright white sign with the word EMERGENCY lit up in red letters. Timber followed closely, making sure Emily stayed in her line of sight. She had no idea where they were but she knew that Emily needed medicine and she would get it here. They went through an automatic door and into a large white room. There were dark teal chairs in rows on a grey carpet. Opposite the door, there was a rounded desk with a receptionist behind it who looked up as they came in.

"I need a doctor here now," yelled Grace, holding onto Emily's floppy head.

The young woman appeared looking frantic and left the desk when she saw Emily in her mother's arms. She radioed for an ER nurse to come immediately. Timber's heart was beating so hard it was painful and her padded paws were sweaty. She was terrified. Not for herself but for the little bundle of happiness that she had begun to see as her best friend. She already watched her mom and dad die. Nothing was going to happen to her cousin if she could help it. A small group of men and women came out of a set of metal doors with a bed on wheels.

"This is Emily Frunden," said Grace quickly as tears poured like rain from her worried eyes. "She's five years old. There have been no prior issues like this before. She's been sick and vomitin' all day. Please! Take care of my baby!"

Emily was handed to a nurse, placed on the bed, and wheeled away. Timber followed the bed against Chad's orders and barely made it through the metal doors before they closed. She ran behind Emily unnoticed until the bed was wheeled into a sterile white room full of empty beds, complicated-looking equipment, and light blue curtains.