Jack's gut wrenched over and over again as Officer Burton's squad car slowly rolled down the alley where Ox used to live. Jack could see that the garage door was closed and hoped that meant that Ox wasn't there, but instinctively he knew Ox would be hiding out there. Officer Burton glanced back at Jack who was in the back seat of the squad car.
"I want you to see if you can get him to come out...when we stop I'm gonna let you out to knock on the door...If he's there you need to get him to come out."
"Are you gonna arrest him?"
"I'm going to handcuff him and take him to the precinct for questioning."
"Why doesn't he get to be questioned at the school?"
"Because he left the school."
"OK...I'll do it if I can come to the precinct with him."
"Fine...but don't try to do anything stupid...I've got two squad cars patrolling the block if he tries to run and then he'll be charged with resisting arrest."
Jack nodded in agreement. Officer Burton stopped the car and let Jack out. Jack walked up to the garage and knocked. At first he didn't hear anything, but then it sounded like someone was shuffling their feet inside and then it came.
"Dat you country boy?"
"It's me Ox."
"Mrs.H out der wit ya?"
"No Ox...it's me and the cops."
"I need you to come out and tell them how you protected me from Josiah."
"I ain't comin' out to no cops."
"Come on Ox...they need to know what happened."
"Call Mrs. H country boy...I's need to be home."
"Open the door Ox."
"I can't."
Jack looked at Officer Burton who was motioning for Jack to open the door. As Jack reached to turn the handle and lift the door open he heard a thud inside the garage.
"You alright Ox?"
There was no response from the garage. Jack opened the door as quickly as he could. Ox was unconscious on the floor with blood running from his side. Officer Burton rushed over to Ox and checked for a pulse. He radioed in for help and within ten seconds had two squad cars racing down the alley. The other officers called for an ambulance and Jack stood frozen looking at his larger than life friend lying on the ground with his mouth open and eyes rolling back into his head. Jack turned around and did what he had felt like doing since everything went down less than two hours ago; he threw up everything in his system.
By the time the ambulance arrived the police officers were performing CPR on Ox. Jack watched as the paramedics raced to put Ox on a stretcher, stick a needle into his arm and load him on the ambulance. Jack instinctively followed Ox. After Ox was loaded on the ambulance the paramedics and police had a rapid exchange of dialogue that Jack couldn't follow. One of the paramedics pulled Jack onto the ambulance and the ambulance raced off.
The ambulance ride was chaotic and intense. Every time the ambulance turned or raced ahead it seemed like the paramedics were doing something to Ox. They started by doing their best to slow the bleeding. They also attached intravenous fluids to the needle in Ox's arm. There was also a constant check to his blood pressure. Still, Ox lied motionless on the stretcher.
As the ambulance got to the hospital a group of nurses and doctors greeted the ambulance. Ox was raced off to into the emergency room and Jack just sat in the ambulance. He felt too scared to do anything else. He sat for a minute until one of the paramedics noticed him.
"You should probably go inside and wait for your friend."
"I'm not sure I have it in me to do much right now."
"That's normal...you still should go in and see if you can help fill out some paperwork or something."
"I didn't even know his real name until today."
"Why don't I take you in and you can call your parents."
"Yeah...that sounds good."
The paramedic took Jack into the emergency room and found the courtesy phone. Jack picked up the phone and called his mom's office number. She didn't answer it so he called their home number. There was no answer at home. He tried to remember her cell phone number. She just got a cell phone a couple weeks ago and Jack wasn't used to the number. He tried one set of numbers, but it was wrong. He tried another and his mom answered.
"Hello?"
"Hi mom it's Jack."
"Hi honey...what's up?"
"I'm at the emergency room."
"What?!...where are you?"
"There was an accident at school...Ox is in the emergency room...can you come to the hospital?"
"I'm on my way now...what hospital are you at?"
"I don't know."
Jack turned to the paramedic who pointed towards a sign.
"I think we're at St. Joe's or something like that."
"Is Ox ok?"
"He got stabbed mom."
"What!"
"He was trying to protect me mom...it's my fault...he was trying to protect me."
Jack felt warm tears melt into cold drops along his cheek and they kept coming.
"Did you get hurt Jack?"
"I'm fine mom...but the police think Ox did it on purpose or something."
"What part of the hospital are you in?"
"I'm at the phone in the emergency room."
"Stay there honey...I'm coming as fast as I can."
"I'll wait right here for you."
Jack hung up the phone. He was in shock. The paramedic helped him find a seat and then went back to the ambulance. Jack stared at the wall and relived the chain of events that led him to where he was. If he had only walked away from Keevan. If he had just played for Greg's team and not insisted on playing for Mr. Roderick. If he had not stopped in the alley the first day he was in Denver. Jack couldn't figure out where he went wrong, but he knew he might lose his friend because of his own stupid decisions.
After thinking things through over and over again he felt the cold hands of his mother hug him. She had tears in her eyes and a frantic look in her face. She asked where Ox was. When Jack responded that he didn't know she told Jack to stay where he was and went to find out. She was gone long enough for Jack to get a little more composure. When she came back she was with a doctor and Officer Burton.
"Jack?...This is Ox's doctor and you already know Officer Burton."
Jack did not know how to respond, but he thought about what Mrs. Cordova had said. He was not going to be a zebra.
"Hello...is Ox ok?"
The doctor glanced at Officer Burton and Jack mom and then spoke.
"Your friend is going to be fine. It's lucky you found him when you did...I think you may have saved his life. If he had lost any more blood he might not have made it...You are very courageous young man."
Jack didn't feel courageous. In fact, he felt downright lousy about everything. He looked up at Officer Burton.
"Are you gonna still arrest him?"
"No Jack I'm not. The other kid who Ox protected you from confessed that the knife was his. He had a small cut on him that bled pretty good, but Ox got the worst of it. I'll be sure to add in my report to the school that you fully cooperated with me and that you both should be allowed to go back to school."
Jack felt as if a giant weight was lifted off his chest. In one fell swoop he felt vindicated, relief, and humility.
"Thank you officer...thank you so much."
"It's my job son...take care and don't get it into any more fights...this is what can happen."
"I won't sir."
"Jack honey...the doctor says we can go see Ox."
Jack jumped out of his chair and hugged his mom as tight as he could. The doctor walked them back to the room where Ox was resting. He had lots of tubes and monitors hooked up to him and it seemed like he was only half awake.
"Hey Ox...how you doing?"
"I's good. Thanks Jack...thank you."
"You welcome Ox...I was really worried for you."
"I's gonna be fine...Doc say I's gonna
git ta go home in a day or two."
"Good Ox...Good."
Jack stood next to Ox and grabbed his hand. Ox squeezed back. Jack looked over at his mom who had tears running down her face. She smiled at both of them and Jack knew things would be alright.