Page 86 of Ward D
I stopped her once before though. Maybe I can do it one more time.
If only I had a weapon.
Mary’s knitting needle! It’s still in your pocket—stab her with it!
I grasp around with my right hand, and my fingers close around the cold steel needle. All of Jade’s attention is focused on my face, which feels like it’s turning blue. In another few seconds, I don’t know if I’ll be able to think straight anymore. I’ve got one chance to do this right.
As hard as I can, I jab the knitting needle right into Jade’s rib cage.
I hit the money spot. She screams and rolls off me, clutching her side. I’ve still got the needle in my hand, and I climb on top of Jade, using the weight of my body to hold her down. And then I take the knitting needle and bring the pointed end right close to her cheek.
“If you move one inch,” I say, “I swear to God, I will put this knitting needle right through your eye.”
Jade’s face is bright pink. There’s a sheen of sweat on her forehead. “Yeah, right,” she chokes out. “You don’t have the guts to do something like that.”
I bring the needle closer so that it is almost touching the white of her eye. She squirms. “Try me,” I say through my teeth.
I hazard a look over at Spider-Dan and Damon. To my utter shock, Spider-Dan has gotten the better of Damon Sawyer, who is now lying unconscious on the tiled floor. The dental floss has made deep indentations on his skin. I have to say, that was a very well-made web.
“I told you I would protect you, Amy,” Spider-Dan tells me.
“You did,” I acknowledge. “Thank you so much. I can’t thank you enough.”
“All in a day’s work for your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man,” he says. His voice is still monotonic, but I could swear I hear a touch of pride as well.
Before I can figure out exactly how to respond, I hear pounding at the door to Ward D. A man’s voice rings out: “Everything okay in there? We heard shouting.”
I almost laugh at how completely not okay it is in here.
“We’re locked in!” I shout at the door. “Please help us!”
The man yells back that he’s getting somebody to come open the door. As relieved as I feel, I don’t ease up my grip on Jade or the knitting needle. I don’t trust her for one second. That’s how quick she’ll turn on me, so until that door is open, I’m keeping my eyes on her.
“It’s over then,” she croaks. “It looks like you won.”
I just shake my head. At least five people are dead on this unit, including the boy that I used to think I loved. Five lives cut short. And it’s at least partly my fault. I could’ve done more for Jade. How can I call myself a doctor if I can’t even try to heal my best friend in the entire world?
It might be over. But I definitely have not won.
58
Idon’t release the knitting needle or my grip on Jade until I hear the alarm sound and the click that signifies the door to Ward D is now unlocked.
As soon as that happens, I stand up and throw the needle as far as I can. I raise my hands over my head just to be safe. There are a lot of bad things happening right here, and I don’t want anyone to get any idea that I’m responsible for any of it.
Jade scrambles to her feet as well, doing her best to smooth out her blond hair so it doesn’t look quite as wild. I might have been well served to do the same. Only about five percent of my hair is still in my ponytail and the rest is hanging loose around my face or possibly sticking straight up in the air. But at least I don’t have smeared makeup like she does.
A man bursts into the unit. He’s a maintenance worker who I vaguely recognize from the last two years, with gray hair, a belly that hangs over his work belt, and an ID badge that says “Chuck” in big black letters. I wonder if he recognizes me. Probably not. There are so many of us students.
Chuck’s eyes widen as he stumbles inside the unit. He takes in Jade with her wild blond hair and streaked mascara, me with my hands up in the air, Damon on the floor with his face covered in dental floss, and then Spider-Dan, looking quite proud of himself.
“What the hell is going on here?” Chuck barks.
He doesn’t even know this is just the tip of the iceberg. He hasn’t seen what’s in the seclusion rooms.
“She attacked me!” Jade swipes at her eyes as she glares at me. “She’s a crazy person. Thank God you came to our rescue!”
“That’s not true,” I say in a calm, even voice that belies what I’m feeling inside.
