Southside

Chapter Eighteen: The Hospital

"W-what?" I stammered. Everyone was looking directly at Ricky. He looked like he was going to break down.

"That was the hospital... Randy's been shot." 

"Somebody run and get their car, now!" Jack ordered. Larry reached for something underneath the counter. 

"Boy's, take my car," he said as he threw a pair of keys at Ricky.

"Thanks, Lar," Ricky said in return.

"Thank me later and go see if he's okay! Go on now!"

We all bolted out the door and ran to the car. Jimmy, Mike, Lucy, and Danny hopped in the back seat and I sat in the front between Ricky and Jack. Ricky started up the engine and we skidded down the road towards the hospital.

"I can't believe this is happening..." Ricky mumbled as he tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

"Well believe man! This time these Richies have gone too damn far!" Jack yelled as punched the ceiling of the car.

"No..." I whispered. "You don't think it was the Richies do you?" I asked. Jack looked at me and said,

"Of course it was those sons of bitches! Remember what they said in the lot!" 

"Ya but... They wouldn't go that far. Maybe Randy was accidentally shot by some street gang, or crazy old man, or got involved in a rumble with some tough greaser gang. Those fights have been known to go too far all the time," Jimmy suggested.

"Ya, Randy probably walked in at the wrong time in the wrong place during some street fight... It's been known to happen when somebody gets shot from something like that. Remember when John got shot in the shoulder when he walked in on the fight between Brain's gang and Keith's gang?" Lucy tried to reassure.

"Ricky," I asked. "Did they say how serious it was?

The whole car got quiet so they could listen to what he had to say.

"Nah... They just said he'd been shot and was staying at the hospital. They didn't say where he was shot or if it was real serious or how it happened.. They just called to let us know." Everyone got quite. I can't believe this was happening... I hope it wasn't serious. That he got shot in the leg or the arm.

"But he'll be okay.. right?" Mike asked. "Randy is tough, he can get through it... Right?"

"I dunno man..." Jack whispered. "I just don't know..."

We were about five minutes away, so Ricky drove as fast as he could. All of a sudden there were flashing lights behind us and a loud siren. 

"Shit! Not now!" Ricky screamed.

"It's the fuzz!" Jimmy screeched. Ricky started to slow down and was about to pull over, but Jack climbed over me and stomped on Ricky's foot that was on the gas.

"We're almost there! He can tag along!" Jack was right and we were there in under a minute. We skidded to a halt and we jumped out of the car and ran inside the building. Danny ran up to the counter where a nurse was sitting.

"Randy Carter! We are here to see Randy Carter!" Danny cried. She looked down to her papers then said,

"He is staying in room 7D, but he has just come out of surgery and there are no-" Danny grabbed my hand and we ran down the hall leading the others.

We all ran towards the elevator and piled in. Danny pressed the level 7 button and we stared heading up. When the door opened we all ran out and headed down the hall.

"7A.... 7B... 7C... Here it is!" Jack grabbed the handle and turned it, but it wouldn't open. He punched the door in anger. "It's locked!" He cupped his hands and looked threw the small window. We all took turns looking in. He was laying on his back covered with blankets. He had needles sticking in his arm which led to various machines and bags filled with liquids. He had a tube down his mouth that was pumping him air.

A doctor came around the corner and he looked at us and asked, "What are you all doing here?"

Ricky ran over to him and grabbed his shirt. "Listen man! You gotta let me in there! That's my cousin!" he cried. Tears started dripping down his face.

"You're all Randy Carter's family?" the doctor asked.

"We're all that he's got," Jimmy told him.

"Well he just got out of surgery minutes ago so you can't go see him."

"How is he? Will he be okay?" I asked with tears forming in my eyes.

The doctor sighed and said, "Well, I'm not sure how he will do. He was shot in the chest and it did some pretty bad damage. We patched him up as best as we could and now it's just up to him to keep fighting. Listen, to be completely honest... His chances ain't looking so good. I'm sorry but I think you all should just go home and check in tomorrow. There is no way you'll be able to see him today." The doctor patted Ricky on the shoulder then walked away.

"Oh gosh..." Lucy mumbled with tears dripping from her eyes. I looked at Danny. Tears were streaming down his face. Randy was always like an older brother to Danny and always protected him. I walked over to Danny and put my arm around him. I kissed his cheek and whispered to him,

"Randy will be okay... He's a fighter." Jack ran to the wall and kicked it as hard as he could. 

"DAMN IT!" he bursted out in frustration. 

"I guess we should go guys..." Jimmy said. We all started to slowly make our way to the elevator. Jack was leading the way when he stopped in front of a glass window into a room. We all looked inside to see what he was looking at and there were the four Richies from earlier today. They were sitting at the bedside of another Richie with a broken arm. They smiled at us and waved.

Jack slammed his fists into the thick glass and screamed at the top of his lungs. I've never seen him so mad in my life.

"You bastards!! We know it was you!!" He proceeded to name them every dirty word the the book. He was pounding on the glass so hard that I'm surprised he didn't break it. Mike and Ricky both grabbed one of his arms and dragged him away while he was still kicking and screaming.

"Jack! Come on! They're gonna throw us out and not let us back in tomorrow!" Jack shoved them off and flipped up the collar of his leather jacket. 

"I think you guys should come down stairs with me," a voice said from behind. It was the cop that had been chasing us down for speeding.

"Just perfect.." I whispered.

-------------------------------------------------------

End of chapter Eighteen!

Leave Comments! I'd love to know what you think of it so far!

I post chapters everyday so keep checking for updates! :)