Between Worlds

What Jason Feared the Most

I sat in homeroom, exchanging glances from the empty desk beside me and the clock that struck 8:15. The bell rung. It was over. Koda was late. I couldn't help but think that Koda was still upset about Kujo. When we left for first period, Aya met me in the hall, and I knew the look in her eye when she knoticed Koda was not beside me, where she usually would be. "Where's Koda" she said, I tried to respond with a calm tone. "I don't know", obviously I knew right away, I could not "play it cool".

Second period. I sat in English and stared at Koda's empty seat beside me. I looked at the clock; quarter to ten. My heart pounded in my ear, and my ears rang. I kept on fearing the worst. I don't know why. Suddenly, from a quarter a mile away, everyone could here a startling screech, and a sudden crash. I couldn't help it, I wanted to cry. Everyone jumped. "What was that" said Ethan, an upper class ninth grader who sat behind me. He sounded as scared as I then felt. "Was that a car" suddenly ambulance horns honked. The scariest thing is, I was thinking about this earlier. Now everyone was hearing the exact noise that haunted me for the past two hours.

We hall heard quick footsteps from down the hallway, Jill came bursting through the door. She was panting, and looked to be under distress. She looked around, then at me, "I just came from the main office, my mom was there too. Police called the school, Koda was in a car accident. She's unresponsive". I froze, my heart practically stopped. I couldn't bare those words which I just heard. All around I heard gasps from our peers, and just barely a voice crack from our English teacher, Mrs. Riser. Before I knew it, I was looking at my best friend's crushed car, with her mangled body, barely alive inside, a little cheap TV screen. I jumped up and left the room for a hot spot, where I could call her Mother, and inform her of what just happened, then minutes later found myself talking to my mother to get a early dismissal slip, so I could visit her in the hospital.

In my car, I sat at the wheel, with Aya beside me, and Jill in the backseat. Her parents already knew. Without even being informed, I knew exactly where she would be going I pulled behind the line of ambulances and police cars and followed them across Collegville to Montgomery Hospital, where I met her parents in the parking lot. I hopped out and Faye and Bryson ran right to me. No one smiled. We all knew, Koda, or should I call her, Heidi, was not alright. I followed Mrs. Renk along with her husband through the front door of the hospital, with Faye in my arms and Bryson at my side. Aya and Jill weren't too far behind. When we came through the door the lady recognized Mrs. Renk immediately,  I introduced myself, "Are you Koda's brother?" I was shocked at the miss identification, however, we have been mistaken as cousins, so I was used to it. "Uh no, I'm a good friend of her's". Aya and Jill introduced themselves, and then the lady asked a question that shocked us all. "Where's Koda? " we all looked at each other. She didn't know. Until someone's walky - talky told her everything. We followed her quickly to Urgent care, and eventually caught up with the nurses rolling Heidi's gurney to an open urgent care room. Koda had a bunch of cuts and bruises that rendered her unrecognizable. She had an oxygen mask. They were already giving her fluids. Everyone was in a rush to get her to a room and under surgery quickly. Faye cried, "Koko!" I held her close and hushed her gently as she buried her face in my shirt, and cried. Bryson grabbed my shirt and hid. I held them both close. This was a moment none of us, standing before our beloved; best friend, big sister, or eldest child, Heidi Elizabeth Renk, would never forget. I wanted to cry, but I bit my lip. I was brave. Mr. Renk held his wife who cried on his shoulder. Aya and Jill held each other. Koda was so beat up, the staff couldn't even recognize their own top nurse's daughter. One of the nurses approached her parents, "Janet, are you sure this is Heidi" a nurse in light green scrubs asked Mrs. Renk. "Yes!" Koko's Mother cried. "I could compare a picture we took recently together" said Jill. The man allowed it. Jill whipped out her smartphone and found the picture. I looked at it, and for a moment I smiled. She was smiling, happy, and more alive than she is now. Jill handed the phone to the nurse, and the nurse zoomed in on Koda's face and held the picture next to Koda's mangled body. It was confirmed. That was Koda. At a low point, I sat in the hospital cafeteria, at a round table with Faye, Bryson, Aya, and Jill. No one spoke to each other. Faye and Bryson held each other and cried. And I thought about the Obituary of my nightmare. The exact obituary, which had haunted my silent nights alone in my bedroom. I recited it as if, we had already lost her. "Heidi Elizabeth Koda Renk. Some of you here of which may just know her in school, you may be her mother, her father, aunt, uncle, cousin, sister, or brother, you may be a friend. Heidi, or as we may call her Koda, was not just my next door neighbor, but she was my best friend. Not only that, but she was the most incredible girl I knew. She was smart, she knew how to make me smile, she would not stop trying until she heard my laugh, and she may have done the same for you. She was ready for anything, and even though she wasn't any super hero, she was definitely mine. Those of you might say the same. She loved all, she'd  help all, she did her work, and she'd help me with mine. She was quite the rock in my world, I will never forget you, I love you". Mrs. and Mr. Renk approached the table, by then I was in tears. Mr. Renk placed his hand on my shoulder, and rubbed. "They found her a room, cleaned her up, took some x rays. She's not dead, just unconscious. Though they're not sure when she's gonna wake up. Her wrist is crushed, ankle's broken, rotator cuff dislocated, and she's got a major concussion. She's gonna be in the hospital awhile". Jill and Aya stood up, "We'll help her when she's out" they said, "and we'll collect her work". Jill looked at me, I smiled and rubbed my eyes. "Me too" I stretched. "We'll make her bed so it's nice for her when she comes home" said Bryson. "I talked to Beth, her nurse, and we agreed to let you kids in to see her after school, I'm going to check on her between patients" Mrs. Renk said, "Her father would be watching her when neither I or Beth can", "Can you call me when she wakes up" I said. Mr. Renk smiled, "sure" he said.

In Koda's room, late at night, I sat quietly by her bedside, and held her hand. "Koda, by the love of God, I promise you, everything will be alright". A quiet Friday night, I sat with her and watched cartoons, and hoped that she would wake up, but as the night grew old and the clock struck twelve, I officially fell asleep by her hand.