Phantom Read Free Page A

big mess
that had been left on the floor. Is she dead, the boy wondered. No,
she just moved and made a noise.
    "She's had an asthma attack."
    "Has it happened before?"
    "Never like this-she never passed out."
    "Does she take anything for it?"
    "This." Michael held out the inhaler. "I
tried to give it to her but I couldn't get her mouth open."
    The two ambulance men studied the object
briefly and then handed it back to Michael.
    "Okay, let's take her in."
    One of the men started to set up the
wheelchair.
    "I don't think she's breathing," Michael
said nervously. "Would you please check?"
    "In the ambulance."
    "Do you have any oxygen?" Michael asked. "I
think she should have some oxygen. Fast."
    "In the ambulance. We got to get her in the
ambulance," the man with the wheelchair said. "That's the first
thing."
    His partner was down on the floor, examining
Linda. He checked her pulse, parted her lips, and he held the dial
of his watch to her nose.
    "She's sorta breathing," he announced,
standing up with a loud sigh. "Best thing is, get her to the
hospital where a doctor can take a look."
    The wheelchair was ready and the three men
tried to lift Linda into it, but suddenly she began to wave her
arms and kick her legs, violently resisting any attempt to move
her.
    "Hey, hey, what's this," one of the
ambulance men said. "Linda, honey, just relax and let us lift you
into the chair," Michael said.
    "She don't wanna go."
    Ned saw that his mother's eyes were wide
open now. They darted about wildly, frantically. It was as if she
was seeing a different world, or some other, unknown dimension. She
showed no signs of recognizing her husband or the apartment.
    "Okay, let's go."
    "One, two ... "
    They lifted again, and again Linda lashed
out with her arms and feet. They couldn't get her off the floor,
where she huddled to herself.
    "What's her name?"
    "Linda."
    "Last name?"
    "Covington. "
    "Mrs. Covington, we're gonna move you into
the nice big comfortable chair now," the ambulance man said
sweetly. "It's much nicer than where you are now, so just enjoy the
ride and let us do all the work, okay? Ready?"
    "One, two ... "
    He sounds like a goddamn Lawrence Welk,
Michael thought angrily.
    This time Linda pushed one of the ambulance
men away, breaking his grip completely, and her foot caught Michael
on the side of the jaw, knocking him over. The other man, who
hadn't gotten hold of her at all, looked on in disbelief. Linda
curled up on her original spot, half in and half out of the
bathroom. Her eyes danced.
    The ambulance men looked unhappy. They
picked up the inhaler and examined it a second time.
    "She take a lot of this?"
    "She takes it when she needs to," Michael
said defensively. Something was pushing up, trying to break the
surface in his mind. Something ugly.
    "You ever seen her like this before?"
    "No, I told you. The worst that ever happens
is she gets breathless and a little dizzy. She takes the inhaler
and sits down until she feels better."
    "You say it's asthma, but I've never seen
anybody with asthma act like this."
    "No way," the other ambulance man added
gratuitously.
    "Can't you do something?" Michael begged.
'
    "Not until we get her in the ambulance."
    "What is that, some kind of law?" Michael
shouted.
    "You ask me," the ambulance man went on
calmly, "I think she OD'd on this stuff." He held up the inhaler
like exhibit number one in a court case. "Took too much, you know,
pop, pop, pop. That's why she's acting crazy like. Now she's off on
a little trip."
    That didn't sound right to Michael. He had
never heard of an asthma inhalant doing that to a person.
    "Will it wear off soon?" he asked. "Should
we wait a few more minutes before trying to move her again?"
    "Beats me," one ambulance man said as the
other shrugged. "I suppose you could call her doctor and ask him
about it."
    These guys are truck drivers, Michael
thought in despair. They've probably been doing this for years and
they probably mean well, but they don't know a damn