Bringing You Closer To Me

Chapter 25

Demi's POV

"Josh, go on up and tell your sister to come down will you?" I instruct.

He runs upstairs calling out her name. I don't hear her reply, she must be sleeping. I can hear her music, Iris is playing. She really does have a good music taste.

I dump my bags and head upstairs. Taking off my jacket, I head into my room. “Josh, keep it down!” I yell, he’s shouting her name again. I pull up my hair into a bun, leaving my jacket on the bed. I pick up the hoodie and pull it over my head. I walk back out of my room, slipping my phone into my pocket, I head into Nicole’s room. The curtains closed and she’s lying on the bed with her back towards me. I wrinkle my nose at the foul smell radiating around her room. I notice the almost empty vodka bottle. How did she find that? I start to panic slightly.

“She won’t wake up.” Josh says. I walk around and open her curtains, I turn to face her. I spot a puddle of sick on the carpet. I move closer to her, and move the duvet slightly. Spotting the towel next to her body, I glance down at Nicole’s arms. My heart beat rises as I take in the sight in front of me.

“Josh, grab me a towel from the cupboard and then go downstairs and watch TV, okay?” I instruct him, trying to keep as calm as possible. I grab the towel that’s next to her and press it against her wrists. She’s already lost a lot of blood and she’s cold. I can feel her pulse though, she’s still with us. Josh returns with another towel. He lools at me worried.

"What's happening?" he asks confused.

"Don't worry Josh. Just go watch TV, yeah?" I reply, flashing him a reassuring smile. He nods and eventually runs down stairs. I put one towel on each wrist and apply a fair amount of pressure.

“Come on Nicole.” I mumble. Grabbing my phone from my hoodie and using one of my knees to keep the towels in place, I dial 999.

“Hello, what emergency service do you require?” a man answers.

“I need an ambulance please.”

“Okay, I’ll put you through.” The line beeps and a woman’s voice comes over the line.

“Hello, ambulance emergency, can I help?”

“Hi, yes. I need an ambulance. She tried to kill herself.”

“Can you tell me what’s happened?”

“She’s cut her wrists, and I think she might have overdosed. Her pulse is weak and she’s cold, and she’s covered in vomit. Please, come quickly.” I beg.

“Okay, they’re on their way to you. Apply pressure to her cuts, and make sure her air way is clear.” The woman tells me. Raising my shoulder to my phone, I put the towel over my finger and clear out her mouth.

“Okay, I’ve done that.”

“Keep the pressure on and stay with her. They’ll be with you in a few minutes.” The line cuts dead. I end the call on my end and then search for Jennel’s number. Clicking call, I trap my phone between my ear and my shoulder again.

“Hello?” She answers on the fourth ring.

“Jennel…its Nicole.” I say as the tears start rolling down my face.

“What’s happened?” The situation dawns on me.

“She…Sh-she-“

“Calm down Dems, take a deep breath.” I do as she says and then start talking again.

“Nicole tried to kill herself, she’s out cold and the ambulance is on the way.” I manage to spit out quickly.

“Shit. Okay Demi, you need to stay calm okay. Wait for the ambulance and go with her okay? I’m coming home now.”

“Your interviews?”

“Fuck them Dem. This is far more important. I love you Dem. See you soon.”

“I love you too.” I sob into the phone as she hangs up. I let the phone slip down on to the bed and keep pressing down on Nicole’s wrist. The screaming sirens come into hearing range and are soon right outside. Doors slam and the door bell rings. “JOSH LET THEM IN!” I shout down to him. I can hear them talking. “UP HERE!” I shout down again. Feet pound up the stairs and they burst into the room.

“Hi, what’s happened?” A tall blonde woman asks putting her bag on the floor.

“This is Nicole, I think she’s overdosed and she’s cut her wrists.” I tell them between sobs. The shorter man next to her came over to me. I move away from Nicole slightly, grabbing my phone and putting it into my hoodie pocket.

“What’s her name sweetheart?”

“Nicole.”

“And yours?”

“Demi.”

“You her big sister?”

“Erm, something like that yeah.”

“Jess, get some bandages and I’ll wrap her wrists and then we’ll get her to hospital.” The bloke says. Jess rummages through her bag for a second before passing him the things he requires. He gets to work on Nicole as Jess leaves to get a stretcher.

“Demi?” someone calls from downstairs. I hesitantly look between the door and Nicole.

“Go, we’ve got her.” The man says smiling reassuringly at me. I wipe away my falling tears and make my way downstairs.

“Mrs. Rigby?”

“Demi, what’s going on?”

“It’s Nicole.”

“Oh darling. I’m sorry.”

“She needs to go to hospital. Would you mind looking after Josh for me?”

“Of course, where’s Jennel?”

“She’s making her way to the hospital now.”

The paramedics come down the stairs slowly carrying Nicole on their stretcher. They place her on top of a trolley and wheel her out towards the ambulance. “Are you travelling with us Demi?” The man says.

“Yes please.” I reply. “I’ve got to go, but thank you again Mrs. Rigby. You have my number if there are any problems.”

“I hope Nicole is okay darling.”

“Thanks.” I check I have my phone and grab someone’s keys before I head out of the door. I jump into the back of the ambulance and take a seat nearest Nicole. I brush the hair out of her face, ignoring the little crowd that had formed around our house. The doors are closed and Jess works on Nicole. I mumble things to Nicole in hope she can hear me.

Shortly, we arrive at the hospital and Nicole gets wheeled through into a big open room. I’m told to wait outside. I stand away from the door, looking through the glass. I can see people running around Nicole’s bed. The male paramedic leaves the room and stands next to me.

“Is she going to make it?” I ask, not letting my eyes leave Nicole’s body.

“I’d prepare for the worst; she’s lost a lot of blood. However she does seem like a fighter, just don’t give up on her too quickly.”

“I’m never giving up on her.” I breathe. Beeping escaped from the machines, whilst an organized ciaos spread through the room of doctors and nurses. Orders seemed to be flying everywhere. Time seems to stop. “W-what’s h-hap-happening?” I stutter, eyes wide.

“She’s gone into a cardiac arrest, which means her heart’s stopped pumping blood around her body. They’ll use an ambu bag first with CPR and if that doesn’t work they’ll use the defibullator.” He calmly replies. I watch them put ambu bag on her, one of the nurses squeezes the bag twice after another has done CPR. After what feels like years, they attach two orange pads onto her chest, using the defibullator they shock her.

“Why isn’t it working?” I ask, tears running down my face. I can’t lose her.