Page 45 of Guilty Minds
I shake him again. “Justin!”
Not knowing what to do, I call the only person who knows what to do in this situation. After all, she was an ER nurse in a very busy hospital. She picks up on the fifth ring. "Kayla? What happened?" Freya's sleepy voice drips with concern.
“Justin just crashed on my freaking floor!”
There is a moment of silence before she speaks. “Justin is at your place?”
"Yes! Haven't you heard the part where he crashed and is currently on the floor?" I'm nearing hysterics.
I hear Alex’s voice murmuring something to Freya, and she tells him quietly, “Justin just crashed in Kayla’s home.” I like how she calls it home when most people would call it ‘a trailer’.“He is at her place?”There is a wonder in his voice. "Yeah. Do you know what he was going to do? He's seemed really off lately." Freya's worried, I can tell. She's worried for him, and I'm concerned for him too. I don't know Justin at all and don't know his problems. He seems like he doesn't have many unless you consider me as a problem. What if he’s in trouble?
And why aren't they worried that he just collapsed? All her questions concern his general well-being, not his body splayed on my floor.
I mentally slap myself back to reality. No matter how big of a bully he is, he needs my help. Suddenly, cold fingers squeeze my chest from the inside. What if he’s ill? What if he has some serious illness, and he won’t be here anymore? Like forever. I feel dread settling in the pit of my stomach while Alex and Freya still murmuring something to each other. “Freya! What do I do? Do I call 911?”
“No.” She signs. “Let him sleep it off.”
“Sleep what off?”
“His insomnia.” She yawns.
“What?”
“He’s a chronic insomniac. He just crashed after probably a few days being awake.” She says after another lengthy yawn.
“Justin has insomnia?” That was the last thing I expected.
“Yes. And quite severe.”
I try to digest what she just said. In such a small town, it's nearly impossible to have secrets, and such a big secret like this would be difficult to hide. Yet, he managed it. Not like it's a life-changing thing that would change how people view him. "Are you sure? He acted weird. What if he just had a stroke and I don't do anything to help? Is he going to die?" My voice takes a high pitch at the end.
“He is not going to die. I saw him crashing like that. It’s normal.” She explains in a calm voice.
“It’s not fucking normal, Freya. He just collapsed on my floor." I wave my hand at Justin's body as if she can see me through the phone.
"I mean, it's normal for him." She yawns again.C’mon,I understand it’s nighttime and all, but it’s a life and death situation. I think.
I touch his forehead with my fingers. “He’s cold.”
“What?” Her question doesn’t really hold any genuine interest.
“His skin is cold. And two minutes ago, he was burning up.”
"It's a normal reaction of a body on the verge of crashing." She clears her throat. “Well, not exactly normal, but typical for severe cases. He used up all his fuel that was left plus some more, so his body was throwing him a warning sign. I’m surprised he hadn’t noticed it. What exactly was he doing before that?” I can almost imagine Freya narrowing her eyes with suspicion.
“Nothing.” I rush my answer.
“So why do you sound guilty?” She sounds interested, if not suspicious when she should sound concerned. Damn, what’s happening with this world? And Freya, of them all.
“I’m not. What are you talking about?” My guilt is too apparent.
“Rrrright.” She hums.
“So, what do I do?” I ask in a hurry, trying to divert her attention from the embarrassing subject.
“Check his pulse.”
"Finally, some sound advice from a medical worker," I say with sarcasm, hoping she will feel a little remorse.
