Try To Change Me

Chapter 18

Carrissa stepped inside the back door, gazing around in mild curiosity. The room, with a small table and chairs, was elongated, giving the effect of stretching to infinity. A kitchen was snuggled in the far corner, but the woman wobbled through a doorway at the other end. The group followed closely, mr Irving panting with the effort.

"This is a lovely house you have here," ms Smith called from the end of the line, standing on tip toe to try and see the woman over the teenagers. Her hair was more wild and wooly than normal, certain curls protruding like coiled springs. "Mrs..."

The woman turned, smiling broadly. "Ms Pesky. Call me maggie."

She wasn't overly tall, or overly thick, and her hair was a dull, flat grey. Her back was slightly hunched but she moved quickly and easily.

She somehow got behind them and herded them into a comfortable lounge room. A couch was set against the wall with two armchairs in each corner. There was a half knitted sock on the coffee table with a cat snoozing on the wool. Maggie tsk-ed and nudged him off.

"Now, let's see what we have here," She said, approaching hazmat. She pushed him down into an armchair, and mr Irving rolled his shoulder.

"The blood..." He began halfheartedly, but she shushed him.

"Will wash out."

Ms smith sunk onto the couch with Carrissa and Salena, nervously tapping her fingers across her thigh as Maggie knelt beside her patient. She unwound mr Irving's shirt and peeled back his blood stained trousers, pointing at a table to the side.

"Fetch me my scissors, would you Finnegan."

Finn was halfway to the table before he realised he hadn't told her his name. He shook it off and dug through the sowing kit, spying the iron scissors and snatching them up. A needle stabbed him in the thumb and he winced.

Salena took the scissors from him as he struggled with his thumb, passing them to Maggie. She knelt beside her. "Can I help at all?"

Maggie smiled at her, and nodded. "Of course, child. Would you grab some bandages? The first aid kit is under the sink."

Carriss snorted at her as she passed. "You are going to help the old woman? You who's thrown up a million times this afternoon?"

"At least I'm being helpful, Carrissa," the girl snapped back, storming out.

Carissa's nose twitched and she folded her arms across her chest. Salena had never been scared of her, not like ebony, and it annoyed her that she was the only girl in the school not under her thumb. Carrissa was comforted by the fact that Salena spent most of her time by herself.

She looked up to see Maggie watching her. "Sometimes people are lonely by themselves, Carrissa. Did you ever consider that?"

The teenager made a face at her and turned away as Salena re-entered with the first aid kit. She and Maggie set about cutting Hazmats pants leg off and wiping the blood away. Ms smith sent mr Irving a look and he shrugged.

"Ms Pesky..." She began, licking her lips but the woman cut her off.

"Call me Maggie, Ella."

Ms Smith's mouth fell open. Mr Irving coughed and sunk into the other armchair.

"Forgive me...Maggie," he smiled, "but how do you know that?"

She didn't reply for a second, pulling a bottle of alcohol out of he kit. She spilled some on the bullet wound, and hazmat groaned in his sleep.

"I know everything, Anthony," she said softly, almost sadly, as she pulled out a needle and thread.

Carrissa yelped. "What the hell are you doing?" She demanded.