I raced along the walkway and half-jumped, half-fell down the stairs, taking them three and four at a time. I ran. Away from Eva and her pale-blue eyes. I ran till I doubled over with the stitch from hell stabbing its way out of my side. Dragging the cool night air into my lungs, I fought to get my heartbeat back under control.
What was the matter with me? Going with Eva had been a big mistake. What was supposed to be half an hour's oblivion had turned into anything but. It was as if I hadn't even allowed myself to inhale until I'd left her and her seedy flat. That's how bad it was. I didn't want to even share the same air as her. I started walking in no particular direction, feeling like nothing on this earth. I took out my mobile and phoned directory enquiries to get a phone number. After I'd got the number, the operator asked if I wanted to be connected to it. I almost said yes. Which just goes to show how switched off I was feeling. I declined the offer and wrote the number on the back of my hand. It took me ten minutes to find a working phone box.
I phoned the hospital.
'Could you put me through to your intensive care unit please?' I asked.
'Just a moment,' the receptionist said, her tone bored.
Moments later I was talking to someone else.
'Intensive care. Can I help you?'
'How is Cara Imega?' I asked.
'Are you a member of the immediate family?' the male voice asked.
'Yes, I'm Joshua Imega, her uncle. I only just heard what happened,' I said without even blushing. 'I'm on my way down to see her now but I wanted to know how she was doing.'
Silence.
'Hello?'
'She's not doing very well,' the male voice said with apologetic sympathy. 'We can't really give out much information over the phone, but if I were you, I'd get here as soon as possible.'
'I see,' I said.
And I put down the phone.
