Chapter 2
Pinewood Forest Hospital
Jacob was carrying Kendra like she was his wife coming across the threshold. Britney was the last to leave the car. There was a pain in her chest and it started to become hard to breathe. “Sheriff . . .
Star, can I ask you something,” Britney asked as if she was testing the waters. After Star had discovered the smell of marijuana in the car things between them had become very uncomfortable. Though she was gorgeous looking, she was still an officer of the law. Will had to keep reminding himself of it and luckily Britney hadn’t noticed the several glances that he had taken of her.
“What is it sweetie,” asked Star as if she was addressing a little child. She walked across the car and began to walk with Britney up the front steps, “Why did we not take an ambulance?” “Ambulance,” shrieked the sheriff almost laughing at the very idea that a hospital should have an ambulance. “Oh dear our ambulance isn’t running . . . as a matter of fact it hasn’t been running for as long as I can remember”. Britney shook her head in disbelief, “But what if there is an emergency . . . a serious one?” Star continued to laugh this time putting her hand on her chest to try to calm herself down. “Oh hun, I told you that this town is almost dead. Why my husband and I are the only police force in this town.” They walked through a revolving door, “What’s your husband’s name?”
The hospital did not look any better on the inside as it did on the outside. Rust ran down the metal gurneys and brown water stains blotted the walls. The walls were peeling as well, and the dry wall littered the dirt covered floor. “His name is Trey,” Britney took Will’s hand. “He has a brother named Trey as well.” Star gave a friendly smile and they walked up to a rickety white desk. It was littered with manila folders and a cup of coffee complete with an additional flavoring compliments of the several flies buzzing around it. A woman walked out from a pair of double doors. She was overweight and resembled a drop out from nursing school. Her white scrubs were stained a dark gray with stains littering the front of it. Britney almost recoiled at the very sight of her. “Hey Annabel,” Annabel smiled, “What seems to be the problem here”? “Is this place really sanitary?” Annabel’s shot an angry glance at Britney, “If you want to go to another hospital be my guest.” Britney tried to look as intimating as Annabel was “Well where is there another hospital?” Star chuckled, “I told you this is the only hospital in or even near this town.”
Jacob came running up to Annabel, “Will you shut up and help my girlfriend! Your all just so calm and acting normal . . . help Kendra!” Annabel gave a giant sigh as if she had a long day. Annabel walked to her desk and pushed some manila files over to reveal a black telephone. She pushed a button, “Hey Pedro, will you get down here please, we have a patient.” She hung up the phone, which sent up a cloud of dust into the air. “Pedro will be right down to help her.”
A man walked into a room with a grey jumpsuit on. He looked very young to be working in a place like this. Buzzed black hair with a matching mustache, he pushed through the double doors a Gurnee bed. He did not have to go far as Jacob was already hurriedly placing her on the bed. Pedro smiled and Star took out a flashlight. She began to open her eyes, shining the light into her face. She leaned over checking each one of her eyes. Will walked over to the bed and saw that the sheriff ’s shirt was falling down. He turned away. He could not look. He could not betray Britney like that. When Star leaned back up, Pedro began to wheel her into the double doors. “I’m coming with her,” yelled Jacob, but Annabel held out her enormous hands. Her fingers were the size of the polish sausages. “You can’t go with . . . doctor’s orders.” Jacob shoved her hand away, “Don’t touch me, I am going with her”! Annabel looked up at Pedro, who shrugged his shoulders, “Alright”. Pedro nodded his head in agreement and all three of them exited through the double doors. “You two can seat down until the doctor calls you up.” Annabel took out a clipboard handing them to Britney and Will, “You will need to fill these out while you wait.” Britney took them, and Will took a quick glance at Star who gave an affectionate smile. Will smiled back to her and sat next to Britney on a padded lime green couch.
Sheriff Star sat in a ripped padded seat directly across from him. “You know you could head out Sheriff Star,” Will peered over his clipboard as Star leaned back in her chair. The top of her shirt was now becoming unbuttoned exposing more and more. “No, there is nothing going on tonight. In fact I was just over at my Uncle’s house.” Annabel giggled, “Did they crash near his house.” Star giggled, “Sure did . . . besides Trey is out running around. I better make sure these guys are processed right.” Annabel was now going through some of the files that sat on her desk as Star had now gotten up from her seat. She began to walk up to the desk shaking her hips as she seemed to glide. Will peered over his clipboard again and watched her sway a little as she walked. Annabel whispered to Star, “Go ahead, they will be fine here.”
When Will began to write again, he heard a swishing of papers. To his surprise he saw a bent over Star picking up the papers that had fallen on the floor. Will was looking down her chest. He couldn’t help it, her chest was just so, well there was no other word to use, breath taking. He knew that he was staring to long. He knew that Britney would catch him. About to put his head back down to the clipboard he caught Star’s eye. Will and Star locked eyes for a moment and for a faint second Will thought he saw her pucker her lips at him. Star stood up and handed the papers up to Annabel and walked out of the revolving door. Will turned and saw Britney frowning. The cut on her forehead looked deep and the bruises on her face were now starting to swell up. She eyed him suspiciously as he lowered his head to the clipboard a little ashamed of himself.
Britney slammed her pen down and took the clipboard out from Will’s hand. “Hey, I wasn’t finished,” “You’re done enough,” she shot back at him. Annabel took the clipboards, “The doctor will be with you when he is finished treating your friends.” Britney returned to her seat as he was now watching the sheriff outside in her car. “Will you stop staring at her?” When Will did not respond to her she began to shake his shoulder. “What . . . what are you doing Britney?” Britney was now turning red in the face, “Can you stop drooling all over that sheriff ”? “I think that she is smoking pot,” Britney stood up a little to get a better look, “It looks like she is smoking a joint.” Britney glared down at Will, “She is not smoking.” Britney sat back down on the seat and crossed her arms. “I am hurt and you don’t even care! You never asked me once if I was alright.” Will rolled his eyes, “I knew you were alright you were walking around and talking.” “You still didn’t ask,” she replied sulking into her chair. “You never care about me,” Will decided to return his gaze out the window. It was the first time that he started to actually look around. Britney was still talking as Will noticed the hospital was surrounded by a forest. There was one road that connected the hospital with the main road.
Britney ceased her complaining when Annabel picked up the phone “Yes doctor right away.” Annabel hung up the phone and picked up a clipboard “Britney the doctor will see you now.” Will reached for Britney’s hand, but she stood up and walked away, “When I get out you and I are through!” She stormed off through the double doors and did not look back.