Author’s note: At this point – some things are no longer linear. I’m using the prompts to continue developing pieces of the story and the characters.
***
Walking home after tutoring the grade schoolers, Jamie and Helen noticed the Kyle crew on bikes in a vacant field. There were home-made jump ramps, made of bent plywood supported by broken concrete from old sidewalk or driveway; or bricks and rocks. . Even from a distance, the ramps didn’t look that safe. There was a buildup of maybe six or seven feet. Not high enough for xtreme bike tricks, but high enough that if a trick failed, the individual would likely carry scars.
Half a block away, Helen and Jamie paused to watch. It looked like the boys were flying and that they could let go and sometimes even spin the front wheel around. It looked like it would be fun. Well, maybe if one had coordination, and nerves of steel.
“And an unhealthy dose of stupid” Helen said as if finishing Jamie’s thought aloud. “Something my Auntie Edna used to say: “He suffers from an unhealthy dose of stupid. Why in the world would anyo” Helen cut off.
Frozen the two watched in slow motion as Kyle missed the landing and was thrown over the handle bars twisting, he hit the trash strewn earth, bounced/rolled and came to rest with his foot facing the wrong way.
“Shit man” Richard called out “You OK?” But Kyle didn’t answer.
“We’re gonna catch it now!” Said Dean.
“I’m outta here.” said Scott.
One by one the crew picked up speed on their bikes peddling toward home. Leaving Kyle alone in the dirt.
Jamie and Helen unfroze when they heard a wail coming from the lot. They ran toward Kyle. Helen pulling out her phone to call 911. They could see blood soaking the torn pant leg below Kyle’s left knee.
Helen was the epitome of calm as she explained their location, what had happened and that it appeared Kyle (16-year-old Male) had suffered a compound fracture of the left tibia. And possible head trauma. Plus, likely other contusions. Either Helen watched a lot of television – which Jamie doubted, or she had paid attention to the first aid class back in middle school. Helen seemed to remember everything.
Jamie set his backpack down and knelt next to Kyle, talking softly. “We can’t move you, not until help arrives. That was quite a fall you took. We’ve called an ambulance. Should we call your parents? We’ll watch your bike for you.” Jamie dug in his backpack for his windbreaker. He laid it over Kyle.
Helen was still talking. Kyle had stopped bawling and was more moaning. Finally in the distance, they heard an ambulance approaching. The crew splinted Kyle’s leg and got what information Helen had on Kyle’s dad. It seemed they had him loaded in the ambulance and on the way to the hospital faster than it took them to get there.
Jamie picked up Kyle’s bicycle. The front rim was bent.
“Gravity always wins in the end” Helen commented as they began the chore of wheeling the bike to Jamie’s. Jamie was able to hoist it on the back wheel and push it along.
“I just hope he’ll be OK. Did you see how his crew just scattered.”
“Like rats abandoning a sinking ship.”
“Helen, I’m serious, It’s sad. His so-called friends just left him there. What if he’d hit his head. What if he, I don’t know nicked an artery or something. They just left him in the field.”
“I bet, that from now on, Kyle will be a little more down to earth and a little less high and mighty. I’m not saying he’ll want to have us as friends, or even acknowledge us. But he might not go out of his way to mess with us either.”
“You’re sure calm in a crisis. I want you around when things happen. You’re very grounded.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment. What are you going to do with the bike?”
“I think my grandpa George has something in his workshop that will fix it.”
“Why would you do that for Kyle?”
“I’ve got an ulterior motive. I want to talk to Grandpa George. This would give us an excuse to be in the workshop together.”
— Lkai
***
Walking home after tutoring the grade schoolers, Jamie and Helen noticed the Kyle crew on bikes in a vacant field. There were home-made jump ramps, made of bent plywood supported by broken concrete from old sidewalk or driveway; or bricks and rocks. . Even from a distance, the ramps didn’t look that safe. There was a buildup of maybe six or seven feet. Not high enough for xtreme bike tricks, but high enough that if a trick failed, the individual would likely carry scars.
Half a block away, Helen and Jamie paused to watch. It looked like the boys were flying and that they could let go and sometimes even spin the front wheel around. It looked like it would be fun. Well, maybe if one had coordination, and nerves of steel.
“And an unhealthy dose of stupid” Helen said as if finishing Jamie’s thought aloud. “Something my Auntie Edna used to say: “He suffers from an unhealthy dose of stupid. Why in the world would anyo” Helen cut off.
Frozen the two watched in slow motion as Kyle missed the landing and was thrown over the handle bars twisting, he hit the trash strewn earth, bounced/rolled and came to rest with his foot facing the wrong way.
“Shit man” Richard called out “You OK?” But Kyle didn’t answer.
“We’re gonna catch it now!” Said Dean.
“I’m outta here.” said Scott.
One by one the crew picked up speed on their bikes peddling toward home. Leaving Kyle alone in the dirt.
Jamie and Helen unfroze when they heard a wail coming from the lot. They ran toward Kyle. Helen pulling out her phone to call 911. They could see blood soaking the torn pant leg below Kyle’s left knee.
Helen was the epitome of calm as she explained their location, what had happened and that it appeared Kyle (16-year-old Male) had suffered a compound fracture of the left tibia. And possible head trauma. Plus, likely other contusions. Either Helen watched a lot of television – which Jamie doubted, or she had paid attention to the first aid class back in middle school. Helen seemed to remember everything.
Jamie set his backpack down and knelt next to Kyle, talking softly. “We can’t move you, not until help arrives. That was quite a fall you took. We’ve called an ambulance. Should we call your parents? We’ll watch your bike for you.” Jamie dug in his backpack for his windbreaker. He laid it over Kyle.
Helen was still talking. Kyle had stopped bawling and was more moaning. Finally in the distance, they heard an ambulance approaching. The crew splinted Kyle’s leg and got what information Helen had on Kyle’s dad. It seemed they had him loaded in the ambulance and on the way to the hospital faster than it took them to get there.
Jamie picked up Kyle’s bicycle. The front rim was bent.
“Gravity always wins in the end” Helen commented as they began the chore of wheeling the bike to Jamie’s. Jamie was able to hoist it on the back wheel and push it along.
“I just hope he’ll be OK. Did you see how his crew just scattered.”
“Like rats abandoning a sinking ship.”
“Helen, I’m serious, It’s sad. His so-called friends just left him there. What if he’d hit his head. What if he, I don’t know nicked an artery or something. They just left him in the field.”
“I bet, that from now on, Kyle will be a little more down to earth and a little less high and mighty. I’m not saying he’ll want to have us as friends, or even acknowledge us. But he might not go out of his way to mess with us either.”
“You’re sure calm in a crisis. I want you around when things happen. You’re very grounded.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment. What are you going to do with the bike?”
“I think my grandpa George has something in his workshop that will fix it.”
“Why would you do that for Kyle?”
“I’ve got an ulterior motive. I want to talk to Grandpa George. This would give us an excuse to be in the workshop together.”
— Lkai
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