Page 27 of Freshman

He dropped it to the floor with a grimace and handed the torch back to Marie.

“He’s still not breathing.”

Alfie knelt at Queenie’s side, assumed the correct position, and pushed down with his linked hands. Queenie’s body jolted with the count of thirty, but his lungs didn’t start on their own. Alfie shuffled toward Queenie’s head, pinched his nose, and covered his blueing lips with his.

Alfie didn’t know how long he carried out CPR, but it was long enough for Henry to appear in the doorway, wheezing.

Henry cleared his throat into his tissue, shook his head, then muttered, “Such a shame.”

Alfie ignored him and kept trying. That’s what they’d taught him in the first-aid class. Keep going until the ambulance arrived. If you got tired, swap with someone else. Marie was comforting Glen in the corridor, and Henry looked like performing CPR would most likely kill him.

Alfie continued till his biceps ached and his shoulder throbbed. He breathed so forcefully into Queenie’s mouth it left him panting, and his head spun after the two vital breaths. He had practised for two minutes on the stupid mannequin’s chest.

It had been fun.

They had laughed.

But this…

The real thing wasn’t fun. It was the worst moment of his life, and he felt Queenie’s lips go cold beneath his.

“Give it up, Freshman. Queenie’s gone.”

The voice was low, defeated. Henry didn’t hear, and Glen and Marie were too busy consoling each other to care that Nate had spoken. Alfie shook his head, denying Nate’s words. He liked Queenie. In his head, he could admit it. He knew he was there for a violent crime, knew it must have been particularly savage for him to be placed on H-wing, but he liked him.

Henry’s hand curled around his shoulder. “That’s enough, lad. These things happen. I’ll tell Ryan you tried your best, tell him you three were quick to respond.”

“But we weren’t quick enough!” Alfie snapped.

Henry leaned closer and spoke directly into his ear. “Shhh. We need to look after our own.”

Alfie shook his head and shrugged his shoulder to remove Henry’s hand. “I need to do my job.”

Henry sighed and backed away. Alfie pressed down on Queenie’s chest, weaker than before. He heard the gate clang in the lobby and the stairs taking a metallic battering from feet. Just as the ambulance crew filled the doorway, Queenie coughed, spluttered, and Alfie helped him to roll onto his side.

Alfie swayed on his knees as adrenaline flooded his exhausted body one final time.

Queenie kept coughing, and Alfie patted his back firmly. Another brown object shot from Queenie’s mouth and landed on the floor.

Queenie groaned, and it was the nicest sound Alfie had ever heard.

Alfie staggered to his feet and moved aside for the paramedics. He stumbled out of the cell, then slumped down the wall, shutting his eyes and getting reacquainted with breathing just for himself.

“Nice one, Freshman.”

He turned his head at the voice, so close to his ear he expected Nate to be there, sat with his back to the wall and legs bent in front, just like him. The words wrapped around Alfie’s neck, soothed the cramped muscles. He hadn’t realised he was leaning against Nate’s cell and was too worn out to shuffle away. He panted and pressed his sweaty forehead on the cool metal.

“Breathe,” Nate whispered.

Alfie thought it was meant for Queenie and rolled his head against the door.

“He is breathing,” Alfie gulped.

“I meant you.”

Alfie snorted. “I’m all right.”

“Breathe deep and slow,” Nate said softly.

---