Ghostly

{PROLOGUE}

   "Let's move it! Go! Go! Go!"

   "He's unstable- just slipped under,"

   "Oh my gosh!"

   "Where's the doc?"

   "Room 201B,"

   "Then go get him, Shannon! This is an emergency!"

   Shannon's frizzy red hair disappeared around a corner. Nurse John gripped his blond hair in frustration. This is bad, this is very bad. Nurses dressed in pale blue had splatters of red on their shirts as they pressed buttons, yelled directions, and swarmed around the bleeding, unconscious seven year old boy. His hazel eyes were closed, his shaggy chestnut hair covering them, and his face was unnaturally pale, specked with cuts and bruises. One could barely see his chest rise and fall shallowly.

   "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, my baby!" wailed a hysterical, light-haired woman, her head buried in her shaking hands. A dark-haired man whispered comforting words into her ear, but his hands were also shaking, his voice wavered, his breath was shaking, and his eyes held a mixture of fear, sadness, and shock. For some reason, John couldn't help but notice how they looked like they didn't belong there. The couple seemed average, they didn't belong in the white walled building filled with uncertainty. Nonetheless, he approached them.

   "Excuse me m'am, but what are you and your child's names?" John asked. She looked up, her eyes swimming with tears.

   "I- I-" she stuttered hardly able to speak. Her husband came to her rescue.

   "Travis Kriplean. This is my wife Jane, and our son's name is Alec," he said in a strained voice. Dr. Nathan strode quickly around the corner, almost in a run.

   "What happened?" he asked in a serious, determined voice.

   "Car accident. Travis and Jane Kriplean's car got hit head-on by another car and flipped on St. Mary's street. They have a few bruises and scratches, nothing major. The man in the other car is pretty shaken up, but has no injuries," John reported. "However, the Kriplean's son just slipped unconscious. He has severe cuts over his right arm and leg where the door smashed on him," John lowered his voice so the couple couldn't hear, "His heart's not doing well. It's failing, and we don't know if he'll make it,"

   Dr. Nathan took a deep breath.

   "Okay, let me see what I can do," he walks over to the bed.

   "Is he stable?" he asked. A nurse shook her head.

   "Ok, we're going to have to do an emergency operation. Tracey, hand me the scalpel," he ordered, holding out his hand. Tracey placed one into his hand, her heavily mascaraed eyes wide with worry. Everyone was worried. Paula didn't even bother to fix her usually perfect black hair, which was now escaping from underneath her hairnet.  John turns around to the parents.

    "I must ask you to leave the room for this," he said. Jane opened her mouth to protest, but Travis laid a hand on her shoulder and led her out of the room. John turned around to the operation.

   "John, he's not doing well, he just went into a coma. It's bad, it's really bad," Dr. Nathan groaned, shaking his head sadly, frustration edged in his voice.

"Should I hook him up?" John asked. Nathan only nodded.

"We're trying, we're trying," he muttered desperately.

   Suddenly, the red light on the machine began flashing, beeping loudly and urgently. Everyone in the room's eyes grew wide, and Nathan cursed under his breath. His hands worked frantically, the nurses scrambled around, trying to save the boy.

   The beeping grew louder and faster, as if yelling in alarm, warning the doctor and nurses of what's coming next.

   Then the beeping grew into one long beep until it stopped abruptly. The screen went blank. Alec had breathed his last.

   All work stopped. Everyone froze. Silence wrapped around the room. Finally the doctor sighed sadly, his eyes remorseful. He lifted the blanket and covered the face of the pale child.

   "I'll tell them," he whispered, and left the room.

   Dr. Nathan stepped out into the hall, where the distressed parents sat, hugging. He closed the door behind him. The couple looked up, their eyes hopeful. He took a deep breath, his heart heavy.

   "Jane, Travis, I regret to inform you-"

   Jane burst into tears.