Till Dark

Jordan's body lay lifeless on the sandy beach she was just walking down, but she was unaware of the happenings around her. All her thoughts were of the past. She was dreaming of her husband and son at the park laughing and playing on the swings and slides. The sky was a picture shade of blue with white fluffy clouds singing overhead. It was the first time they had ever taken Cody to the park and he was enjoying himself thoroughly. Laughing and running, first to the slide then the Se-saw. His eyes were as bright as the sky and his normal devious grin was replaced by one of pure excitement. He had two friends there to play with him. They had been playing together since they were born. The twin boys Jonathan and Jayson were six months younger than Cody but just as lively. She tossed Cody in the air and he squealed with delight. Then they climbed the ladder to slide down into his father's open arms. He was waiting at the foot of the slide to catch Cody and tickle him till he could no longer stand it. The day had been perfect with a picnic lunch they had shared with their good friends and neighbors. What more could they want.

Jordan was brought back to reality briefly by a loud noise close by; she faded in and out, calling for Darien as they loaded her in to the ambulance. The paramedic asked Andy questions concerning her but he had no clue as to what her name was or if she even had any medical problems. "I don't really know her. The last thing she said before she blacked out was something about sugar." "Sugar?" The paramedic asked. "Yeah, she said she needed sugar." "Thanks for your help sir we will take care of things from here." "Wait! I'm going with you to the hospital." Andy called as the paramedic turned to leave. "Sir we can't let you ride with us. You can meet us up there" "but..." Andy began protesting then he remembered Jordan's belongings on the beach. "I will meet you there." He turned on his heels and ran to the lounge chair Jordan had been using. Grabbing the multicolored striped beach bag sitting under the chair, he spilled the contents onto the chair and sifted through, putting them back in the bag as he called each one out quietly to himself; "Hair brush, book, paper, pencils, suntan oil, pills, keys, gum. Pills! What?" He reached back in to the bag and pulled out the bottle of pills, turning it over in his hand he looked for a name on it. The label was worn but he could make out her name. "Jordan Mackenzie" he said softly to himself as he sat there on the chair for a split second reveling in this newly acquired information. It suited her he thought. Reality came back quickly when he heard the ambulance's wail as it began the journey back to the hospital. In a flash Andy had covered the distance to his home down the beach and jumped in his jeep. He was racing toward the only hospital on the island.