Distant Minds

Chapter 20: Remorse

          Daniel Red and Jacob run to the ambulance and sees a paramedic standing next to the accident scene. "Um, kids, this is no place to linger around. I'll have to ask you to leave, Please." Red points at the ambulance. "Sir, we know her. We need to see her right now." "Kid, I'm afraid we can't do anything about-" Daniel yells out "Let us come with you! We can't just walk away knowing she could be in critical danger and you guys aren't being a huge help to us at all! Just do us a favor please." The paramedic shakes his head. "Sigh, fine. Come with me."

    The sun begins to set once again in the small city of Springville, and Ralph and Kate sit on a bench with their bikes pressed up against a tree. "Well, since were just gonna sit here, tell me more about Arizona." Says Kate. Ralph puts his arm around her. "Well obviously, it's very hot over there, and there was so much open space. I would play basketball with my buddies for hours after school." "How about Randall?" Kate wondered. "Do you guys spend time with each other?" "Well he moved out ever since he became a manager at a cool dealership, but the only quality time we had was when we played video games after midnight. I got my drivers license and asked Randall if he wanted to do a road trip. A road trip here. I kinda wanted to make it a surprise but I wanted to tell you and Daniel first." Just then, a blue Tesla speeds down the neighboring road in front of sunrise park and gives Kate and Ralph a Jolt. Kate scrunches her eyebrows and tells Ralph. "That's Braden's car. I wonder why he's going so fast down the road somebody could get hurt!" Ralph Shrugs. "Must be an emergency I guess, there's always trouble when he's around."

    Red Denniel and Jacob sit in the back of the ambulance with a paramedic watching. The siren wails as Red takes an unconscious Gabby's hand. "You're going to be okay." Red whispers. "I'm trying to call Ralph and Kate," Denniel says worried, "but none of them are answering their phones!" Red looks up. "Then call Randall. He needs to know right away." Denniel nods. Beep Beep Beep-
Hello? Daniel?
Hey Randall we kinda have an emergency.
What is it?
Hurry over to the Central Plaza Hospital. Gabby had a bad car crash.
Randall drops his phone with an expression of horror on his face.
Hello? Randall? Hello?
Randall picks up his phone, leaves the house, gets in his car, and speeds down the road.
    The paramedics open the back of the ambulance and swiftly take Gabby's stretcher into the hospital. Daniel looks at the paramedic assisting them the entire time. "Can we go inside with her?" "You three can go inside, but the most you can do is stay seated outside of the room she is resting in." "Got it." The paramedics rush to an empty operating room followed by the scurries of Daniel red and Jacobs footsteps. They close the doors as The three peer into the window, hoping, praying that Gabby will be okay.

    Ralph says to Kate, "hey, since you and Braden split, have we ever mad it official?" Kate smiles and holds Ralph's hand. Ralph smiles back but suddenly sees a figure running towards them from a distance. Kate turns around to see the same. It was none other than Troy. He stops in front of the two and they give him a glare. "What do you want?" Ralph says. "Well, nothing." Troy answers. "It's a coincidence you two are out here, but since I'm seeing you two right now, probably for the last time, I would like to say something." Kate reluctantly answers, "And that is," "I Asked your sister if she wanted to hang out tomorrow, but ever since she got back with Randall, she changed her point of view on me and I don't think I'll see her for a long time." "Why is that?" Ralph questions. "See, I'm leaving for military school in two days. It's all the way in Washington state and I couldn't decline an opportunity to serve the country. After I got rejected one final hangout, I kind of gave up at this point." "Well," Ralph answers "you may have been a cruel person for the past years, but it's good to see you let go." Ralph stands and shakes Troy's hand. "Let's let bygones be bygones, and forget all of the problems you caused. You're a changed man now." "Thanks dude. I'm still working on the changed man part, but I appreciate it. Hey, shouldn't you two be at the hospital? I mean, that's the whole reason why I took this quick jog in the first place." "What do you mean?" Kate said abruptly. "Gabby is in the hospital. She had a bad car accident and I talked to Klint about it and told me to go for a jog to get my mind off-" "AND YOU DIDNT TELL US!?" Kate yelled. "I- I'm sorry I thought you knew!" "We need to get going right now. Troy can you please take us to the sunrise parking lot?" Troy Kate and Ralph sprint to the parking lot and Troy watches Kate and Ralph enter the car. "Thanks for understanding Troy. And through everything we've done with and against each other, I hope you live an amazing life." "Anytime man. And one more thing, Kate?" "Yeah?" "When Gabby is fully recovered, tell her I'll miss her." "Will do. Thanks again Troy. Enjoy military school!" The three take their final wave at each other, then Ralph and Kate speed down the driveway.

    Randall Opens the door to his car and begins to sprint to the entrance of the hospital, only to see Ralph and Kate full speed ahead. "Hey! Ralph! Kate! Over here!" Ralph and Kate stop running and look back. "Dude I thought you'd be here already!" Ralph said. "There was a whole bunch of traffic down highway 16. And I got pulled over for speeding." The three begin to run to the entrance of the hospital. "Us too." Kate pants. "Yeah, some cops don't take hospitals as an excuse." The three enter the near empty hospital and make their way quickly towards the front desk. "Excuse me, do you have a patient named Karina Delgado? "Yes yes, she is located upstairs room A113-" "thank you thank you, let's go!" The three run to find Daniel Red and Jacob sitting outside the operating room, on their phones. Jacob looks up. "Red! Daniel! Kate Ralph and Randall are here!" The two look up. Surprised. Red stutters. "T- took you guys long enough." "What happened?" Randall says as he peers into the window. Daniel answers. "Me Red and Jacob were there the whole time. Some blue Tesla sped across the highway, coincidentally startling Gabby from her driving. She swerved left onto the bus and spun very quickly onto the side of the highway. Fortunately the bus we were in took the impact of the car. None of us inside were hurt. But I cant say the same for Gabby." Kate wonders, then her eyes widen. She turns to Ralph with huge fear in her eyes. "What's wrong Kate? It looks like you've just seen a ghost!" Kate trembles. "Remember the blue Tesla we saw speeding in the park?" Ralph's eyes widen. "Oh shit. It was Braden."