Chapter 4

Sarah, Ashley's mom, was in the middle of charting at the hospital when her phone buzzed.

She glanced at the garbled text from Ashley: "Mom, sick. History. Teacher won't let me go nurse. Pain bad."

A knot of worry tightened in Sarah's chest. Ashley wasn't one to complain without reason.

"Pain bad" was serious.

Sarah immediately excused herself and dialed the school's main office.

"Northwood High, this is Carol speaking."

"Yes, this is Sarah Miller, Ashley Miller's mother. She's in Ms. Davison's history class and texted me saying she's very ill and the teacher won't let her see the nurse. Can you please check on her or have her call me immediately?"

"Ms. Davison's class? Oh, she has a direct line. Let me transfer you. One moment."

The line clicked, then rang several times before Ms. Davison answered, her voice sharp. "Yes? This is Ms. Davison's classroom. We are in the middle of instruction."

"Ms. Davison, this is Sarah Miller, Ashley's mother. Ashley texted me. She's in severe pain and needs to see the nurse. What is going on?"

"Oh, Mrs. Miller," Ms. Davison's tone was syrupy sweet, but with an undercurrent of steel. "Ashley is perfectly fine. She's just a little... unsettled about the upcoming exam, I believe. Teenagers can be quite dramatic, you know."

Sarah, a registered nurse, felt her blood pressure rise. "My daughter doesn't 'do' drama, Ms. Davison. If she says she's in pain, she's in pain. I need her to see the nurse or I'm coming down there myself."

"That really won't be necessary," Ms. Davison said, her voice hardening. "I'm sure she's just trying to get out of class. It happens all the time. I am not letting her come to the phone to encourage this behavior."

"Let me speak to my daughter, now!" Sarah demanded, her professional calm cracking.

"I'm afraid that's not possible. We need to continue with the lesson."

Before Sarah could argue further, Ashley's world went black.

A choked cry, then a heavy thud, echoed in the classroom.

Students gasped. Someone screamed, "She fell!"

Ms. Davison, startled, turned from the phone.

Ashley lay crumpled on the floor, unconscious.

Chaos erupted.

On the other end of the line, Sarah heard the commotion, the panicked shouts.

"Ms. Davison? What was that? What's happening?"

The line went dead. Ms. Davison had dropped the phone.