Kapitel 42: Chapter 42

Once they were finished with me, I went back and sat down at Paul’s bedside. After a few minutes, I got up and paced to the sliding doors of the ED. I stared out of them, then turned and went back to Paul. I glanced at my watch and repeated the procedure.

This time I passed close to a doctor in a white lab coat talking to a nurse in blue scrubs. “Eh,” he said. “He’s got a grocery list of injuries.”

I didn’t pay much attention until the doctor mentioned the lacerated scalp, and then I playedback the list. A collapsed lung, four fractured ribs, a broken nose, a dislocated elbow, cuts,scrapes, and contusions, the scalp wound…Paul. My stomach twisted, and I thought I was going to throw up.

“Excuse me. Water fountain?”

They pointed me in the direction, and I bolted toward it. You can’t fall apart, I told myself as I gulped down some water. That won’t do Paul any good at all. A couple of deep breaths and Iresumed my pacing.