Page 15 of Teaching the Kot'oll Coach

I... My feet remain rooted to the ground. I want to follow and see what will happen but, at the same time, do I really want to know?

One of the medic raises his hand. “Anyone saw what happened and want to go with us?”

My legs move on their own and when I realize it, I’m standing right there in front of the medic. Now, he looks at me.

I clear my throat. “I saw it.”

“Okay, let’s hurry to check him out.”

I don’t even know what happened or how I managed it, but it feels like when I can breathe again, I’m already in a room with a doctor.

The doctor may be the nicest being ever, but her white doctor’s robe screams at me as if she is shouting at how useless I was. It wasn’t like I’d stand a chance helping Telke. Everything happened within a blink. Even if I managed to make a move, I’m not sure what I could’ve done to make things better. I’m not strong enough to stop a spaceship on my own, and I obviously wouldn’t be quick enough to save the kid before Telke so he didn’t have to risk himself.

The doctor is watching me, but I’m sure I’m not the one needing care. She clears her throat. “So... What happened? Are you fine?”

I’m fine. I’m not injured. Why her question?

She gets up and goes to the side of her office, where a water dispenser sits. It doesn’t take long before she comes back with a cup of water. “Here, take a sip.”

I do as I’m told.

She says, “Tell me what happened when you’re ready.”

Oh... Maybe I didn’t manage to answer her question that first time around.

I take a sip of water. The cold water smacks me, and it feels like I’m awake by now.

“Telke... There was a kid chasing a ball, then a spaceship came, then Telke... He fell on the floor.”

“So, the kid is saved, but Telke is injured.”

I nod. I think the medical staff pulled Telke to the examination room, and therefore I’m here with the doctor to tell her what happened.

She sighs as she marks something on the clipboard. “How did he get injured? Can you go into detail?”

“He held the kid in his arms, then... He rolled up the front of the spaceship, then he rolled down and ended up on the ground.”

“Did he make a noise? Moved after he was hit?”

I shake my head. “I don’t think so. He just fell on the ground and that... was it. The kid got out of his arms and cried. I’m not sure whether she was injured. But the kid was crying for sure, so it can’t be that bad.”

“We are checking on her too. Don’t worry about that.”

I’m not worried about the kid, even though maybe I should care a bit when that’s a student in the school, but I can’t seem to be bothered when Telke could be dead.

I clench a fist as I imagine a dead Telke in my head. I gasp, trying to calm myself, but my heart is still hammering in my chest, and it feels like I may die too.

Why did this even happen? Why can’t everyone be safe and call it a day?

The doctor says, “Take your time. His name is Telke...?”

“Telke Stek.”

“And he is...”

“A coworker. We work in the school, just across the street from where the accident happened.”

“I see.” She marks it down, even though there’s obviously a way to figure that out without asking me.

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