Island Secrets Ch. 02

Matthew waited anxiously for Sharon to arrive. He looked at the desk that had been assigned to her and the overflow of documents. If the truth was to be told he admired the pretty dark girl who sat at her post for three hours each Friday. She barely spoke apart from having to ask for more documents for filing. But today he waited anxiously for other reasons. He turned his head as the door opened and immediately he frowned. He saw her put her hand to her mouth as her shoulders shook while she coughed. His eyes narrowed as he looked keenly into her face. He could be mistaken but somehow to him she looked a little more drawn since the last time he had seen her. She raised her hand in greeting before sliding into her seat. She raised a trembling hand to take up the first document just as Maxwell stepped out of his office.

"Is Sharon here yet? Oh there you are. I need you in here for about half an hour before you get started on those."

Sharon looked up at him as he spoke. Her spirit sighed as her body forced itself to stand on her shaky feet. The few feet from the desk to Maxwell's office seemed to open up like a chasm as she moved one foot in front of the other. She felt her breathing become labored as she heard her heart begin to pound in her ears. Her hands felt clammy and she felt her body grow cold. She looked at Maxwell and he seemed as if he started to melt right before her. She saw him open his mouth but for the life of her she could not hear one thing he was saying. The rushing in her ears grew louder and louder and she was reminded of the times she had gone to the beach as a child and had been caught up in a game of jumping waves. She felt her foot take another step before a huge wave came out of nowhere and knocked her flat on the ground. She closed her eyes and allowed the darkness which had been pursuing her all day to overtake her.

***

"Holy shit! She's burning up!" Matthew was the first to get to her side. Maxwell sprang into action immediately. He ran to the inert figure of the girl in the middle of the office. Michael, for once, was being useful as he ran into the outer office. He came back followed by a few of the secretaries and a first aid kit that someone had managed to find. Maxwell looked around and saw the gathering crowd. This would not be the best environment to tend to the unconscious girl. He scooped her up into his arms, surprised at how light and frail she felt. He made his way back to his office with his brothers in tow along with the secretary who bore the first aid kit. He stretched her out on the couch then stepped out of the way. Matthew, the doctor in training, took charge. He loosened all her restrictive clothing while not exposing her. He used his hands to check her pulse: it was fluttering erratically. He remembered that she had been coughing as she entered and he pressed his ear to her chest as she breathed. He frowned slightly. This was nothing that their little office first aid kit could handle. He turned with a grim look.

"She's burning up and I don't like how her chest sounds. We have to get her to the hospital."