Calling Carter.

“Silah, honey, the cut on your cheek is pretty deep, and covered in dirt. I’m going to have to –”

“SILAH! Are you okay?!” Kala shrieked, running into the room. “Carter said –” She fell silent at the slightly scolding look Layny gave her. “Sorry, Mum.” She whispered. “Is she okay?”

“We’ll see, first. As I was saying, I’m going to have to clean it out and then disinfect it. Then you’re gonna need stitches, I’m afraid.” She said. Carter returned as she was explaining what she was going to do, and left the room again without a word.

“Oh, no. Not the A+E again.” I groaned. “They know me entirely too well… I pretty much have a room with my name permanently on it.” I explained.

“You don’t have to go to the A+E, if you don’t want to. I’m easily perfectly qualified to clean you up, put the stitches in, and observe you for any signs of infection.” She smiled brilliantly at me. “Of course, you will have to come over every day, just so I can make sure.”

Kala carefully hugged me from the side. “Mum is a doctor,” she said quietly but excitedly. “She just got a job here at the medical centre.”

“Oh, I see…” I said with understanding. “That’s cool.” I was about to say something else, but then a wave of blackness washed over my vision.

“Silah, Silah, honey, stay awake. Can you hear me? Silah?” Layny’s voice was still calm and brisk, but carried an undertone of urgency.

“Ah… yeah… I can hear you… What’s wrong?” I asked, voice slurring slightly. It was hard to open my eyes, but I did it.

“You may have a concussion. You can’t go to sleep yet, okay? I still have to clean your cheek up but right now I need you to lift your head and tell me where it hurts.” I felt a bit like a small child, but she was only trying to help, so I lifted my fingers to the side of my head and was shocked to see more blood on them. Carter returned then, with a needle and what I guessed was surgical thread. I wanted to shudder at the thought of that needle entering my skin, but didn’t have enough control over my body.

“Keep talking to her, Kala. She must not go to sleep,” Layny instructed.

Kala immediately began chatting, but I could see how worried she was. After shooting the grim Carter a look I couldn’t read, she asked what kind of homework she had missed from Mr Louis this afternoon.

“None. I think he missed you,” I joked weakly. “No-one was arguing with him today, and – ouch.” I hissed in pain as Layny pressed her fingers to the side of my head, probing for I don’t know what. Then, she shone a light in my eyes, to judge how my pupils reacted.

“Sorry, sweetheart. Now, can you sit up?” Layny asked.

“Yeah.” I moved slowly, wary of the dizzy feeling I was associating with fast movements.

“I don’t think you have a concussion, which is good. Just a nasty hit on the head and a few cuts and bruises. Hold still, okay?”

She dipped a corner of the white cloth in the Dettol, staining it brown. I barely had time to register the cotton by my face when it started to sting, and I hissed again. The burning sensation went right to the bone, and as Layny carefully dabbed at the gash, I felt more blood starting to flow down my skin. It was warm and sticky. I grimaced as I remembered that it was all over Carter’s shirt, as well. And probably his jumper too, now that I had been wearing it for a while.

“Have you ever had stitches before?” Layny asked.

“No,” I answered, voice barely above a whisper. Kala took a light hold on my hand, as if knowing I needed the support. I thought I saw a flash of Carter’s red shirt in my peripheral vision, but I had just finished seeing spots, and couldn’t turn my head to check anyway. I told myself that he would have no reason to stick around now that I was in medical hands.

I forced myself to let go of Kala’s hand, before I crushed it. The icy feeling of the needle under my skin was the worst I had ever felt. My hands clenched into fists so tight that the knuckles turned red, then white, then mottled. My eyes were wide with the effort of remaining silent, as the tip of the needle flashed quickly in and out of sight, in and out of my face.

Layny was well-practised at stitching people up, and worked quickly and efficiently, but I was relieved when she was done. A strange silence had settled over the room, and for once, Kala did nothing to remove it. Carter moved into my line of vision then, taking the bloodied cloth and Dettol, and the bowl of warm water.

“Mum, can Silah please stay the night? Her parents will be worried.” Kala murmured.

“Of course. Actually, I would prefer it. I need to keep an eye on her.” Layny agreed almost instantly.

Kala quickly and efficiently rung my parents – apparently they already had my phone number – and asked me who was most likely to answer. I told her my mum’s name and watched as Layny introduced herself, then explained what had happened. I realised Carter must have given her a condensed version before she came to see me. I spoke to mum for a while. She was worried, but gave permission for me to stay the night.

I greeted the next morning groggy, tired, and kinda grumpy. I had stayed awake the whole night with Kala, because Layny wanted to make sure I didn’t go to sleep, because she wasn’t sure about my concussion. She was taking me into the medical centre to have tests done later today. No school for the next few days, apparently. Woo…