Warm and Dead by Mike Krentz

Author:Mike Krentz [Krentz, Mike]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: TouchPoint Press
Published: 2022-09-12T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Forty-Nine

Bridget put her phone on speaker mode and set it on the coffee table in front of the couch where Marshall half-sat, half-laid.

She forced her voice louder, albeit raspy and painful. “I’m on speaker, Zack. What can I do for Marsh while we wait?”

“How is he?”

“He can’t move his right arm or leg now. His face looks funny, the right side droops.”

“Sounds like an evolving stroke. Do you have any aspirin in the house?”

“Maybe. I can look.”

His voice became distant, like he was holding the phone away to speak to someone else. “Cameron Station, Alexandria.”

He came back on the phone. “What’s your exact address?”

She told him and he relayed it to the Uber driver.

Then back to her. “Try to give him one adult aspirin.”

Bridget ran up the stairs to Marshall’s bathroom. In the back of the medicine cabinet, behind some prescription medications, she found an old bottle of Bayer Aspirin. She grabbed it and ran back downstairs.

Marshall now lay slumped on the couch, eyes closed. He appeared unconscious.

“Marsh?” She shook him.

He opened his eyes; didn’t seem to recognize her. Unintelligible syllables rolled around the drool that ran out the right corner of his mouth.

“Zack, he’s getting worse.”

“Try to get the aspirin down him. Can he swallow?”

Bridget hurried to the kitchen and filled a glass with water. She returned to Marshall, sat next to him, and lifted his shoulders and head. She asked, “Can you drink this?” her voice barely audible. She put the glass to his lips. He didn’t sip.

She picked up the phone to talk into the speaker. “He’s not taking water, Zack.”

“Don’t force it. We don’t want him to aspirate. Crush the pill and put it on his tongue, as far back as you can.”

Bridget ran back to the kitchen, grabbed two spoons, and crushed the aspirin pill between them into a fine powder. With the powder in one of the spoons, she thrust it into the back of Marshall’s throat. He gagged and spewed spittle and aspirin dust all over himself and her.

“I heard that,” Zack said. “Hopefully, he retained some.”

“What else can I do?” Her strained voice would quit at any instant.

“Keep his airway open. Make sure he’s moving air.”

“Okay. Seems good.”

“I’m at least twenty minutes out.” A brief pause. “Do you know CPR?”

“Yes.”

“Where are the boys?”

“Dustin’s at Mass with friends. His phone is off. Grant went on a movie date. I’ll try him next.”

“Okay. Hang in there, Bridge. Either EMS or I will be there soon.”

Marshall started to gag. His face turned blue.

“He’s gagging. Can’t breathe.”

“Clear his airway. Lift his jaw forward. Stick your finger in his mouth and sweep for a foreign object.”

Bridget positioned herself over Marshall. She pulled his chin forward, which seemed to improve his breathing. She reached a finger into his mouth and swept from back to front. Nothing.

“Breathing a little better. Unconscious.”

“Keep his airway open. I got an update from 911. EMS is en route. They should get there before I do.”

At first, Bridget thought she only imagined the approaching siren, but it became louder.

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