Page 609 of One More Kiss

Now, if only I could have an investigation to work on or something that actually use brain cells in grey matter.

That wasn't as far away as I expected. I smiled back but Josie looked over my shoulder, her mouth falling open in a pretty ‘o’ shape that sent every drop of blood in my body rushing south.

“Oh my god.”

I spun on my heel enough to fall on my arse, but it was her neck that cracked as she pushed past me in a flurry of soft hands and delayed urgency.

A young twenty-something man I recalled from the camera crew lay on the ground a dozen meters behind me, twitching as though he was in the middle of a fit. Josie’s slow, dream-like steps sped up until she sprinted the short distance and fell to her knees.

“Ambulance,” I called as I followed her. “You phone. We’re on Burnham Road. Nearest corner is Hatchley St.”

I pointed at the nearest stage crew personnel I could spot, though plenty came running at the commotion. A ridiculously bright bulb illuminated the area, flaring over the area. Someone had the nous to turn on a giant spotlight, likely for night scenes.

I reached Josie as she stretched her hands out as though seeking to help the boy, but he let out a gurgle and she pulled them back sharply to cover her own mouth. A muffled cry broke from her as I gently shifted her aside to reach the kid.

The dormant skills that could have curled up and died over boredom for the day burst to life in a shot of pure adrenaline. My hands moved of their own accord, already inspecting the kid’s mouth as his body shook, trying to remember the recovery position and what I needed to do to protect an epileptic.

I needed to try and keep him from the danger his body tried to make to himself. Was I supposed to pull the tongue out? Jesus Christ, I need to update my first aid course. That was top of my list tonight, as soon as this was done. But that didn’t help me right now. The kid trembled on the ground, his eyes glazed and bugged, unseeing.

Behind me, someone shouted the directions I’d given earlier, and a wave of relief swept through me. At least there was enough reception to get a call out.

Slowly, the tremors subsided. I breathed my relief only to choke on it as a small amount of foam spewed past his lips. The bubbles turned pink in the next instant, and nails clawed into my arm through my shirt.

Josie leaned forward, hovering beside me as I tried to help the kid who looked like he was ODing in front of me. But her whispered words were what froze me on the spot.

“Oh, hell. Not again.”

---