Story: Destiny From a Tip of a Rifle (chapter 2)

Authors: sneekie

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Chapter 2

 

Cody was never one to keep still and she eventually climbed out of her bed and went into the next room where the woman she almost killed was sleeping. She walked up next to her and looked over her swollen face.

Cody shook her head when the woman opened her eyes focusing on her. Cody was at a loss before spilling her words.

“I am so so sorry. I had no idea you were out there. Please believe me.” She looked at the board above her bed which read Jane. “Jane… I did all I could to stop.”

The woman didn’t respond. She just looked at the glass of water by the side of her bed.

“You thirsty?”

The woman slightly nodded and Cody picked it up and put it near her mouth. The woman sucked on the straw before lowering back down. Cody looked her over when she heard a low growl from the doorway.

“Cody Wilson, how many times do I have to tell you, get back into your bed.”

Cody knew the voice of nurse Hitler and rolled her eyes “Yes... Well I-”

“You are still carrying a nasty head injury and your shoulder needs to mend, now don’t make me tell you again.” She berated.

Cody left the room and Jane’s eyes followed her before closing again.

A few days later Cody appeared by the doorway in Jane’s room. Jane was sitting up, resting. She noticed the person in the doorway.

“Do I know you?” Jane huffed out.

Cody smiled “Kinda. I bumped into you.”

Jane scoffed. “You mean you drove into me, nearly killing me.”

Cody looked down. “I am sorry, I didn’t know. No one is usually out there. Why were you?”

What! You a cop also?” She hissed.

Cody sensed her resentment. “No... I apologize.”

“Do you farmers always drive like maniacs on dirt roads? No consideration for anyone else?”

“No…. only the ones that have been shot.” She showed her bandaged wound to Jane.

Jane looked at it for a long time “Well... Thank you for not leaving me there.”

“So do you have a last name Jane?”

“I don’t remember my name. Jane is what they give to people that don’t know, Jane Doe.”

“Oh… jeez, I am so sorry. I let you be.” Cody went to leave.

“Wait… don’t go. I’m sorry ,please, I don’t know anyone.”

Cody sat for a moment talking about her station, unsure why someone tried to shoot her. Jane was unable to add anything to her life because she couldn’t recall. They were disturbed by a voice in the door way.

“Cody….” shrilled the woman.

Cody sighed. “Oh boy.” She whispered rolling her eyes at Jane.

“I’m going….” Cody gets up and left walking past nurse Hitler.

Jane smiled at the event “See ya Cody.”

As days dragged on Cody’s headache got worse but she didn’t say anything to the nurses. She just wanted to get out and back to her homestead.

Jane was reading a magazine when something caught her eye. A four legged creature with a tail went running past, followed by Richard. Jane didn’t like him, always asking questions. He nodded at her but she ignored him.

Cody was resting when she felt something by her. She opened her eyes.

“Toby.” she cried.

He jumped on the bed and began licking her excessively. Cody was in pain from him jumping on her, but didn’t care.

She roughed him up and hugged him. “Oh boy I’ve missed you.”

Richard walked in. “Toby, get off the bed.”

Toby wouldn’t move and sat against Cody.

Cody’s eyes watered. “Thanks Richard, I’ve been thinking about him heaps.” She kissed Toby. He then started barking and both Richard and Cody tried to quieten down his excitement.

Jane got out of bed and grabbed her ribs clutching from the pain. She walked out and peered into Cody’s room watching the commotion.

“Toby enough.” growled Cody. The command quietened him. “He smells lovely.”

“Yeah well, Meredith gave him a bath this morning and put some smelly stuff on him.”

Cody hugged Toby. “Oh who is being spoilt, don’t think you are getting that when we get home mister.”

Jane smiled to herself but that soon changed when she saw nurse Hitler striding down the hallway “Uh oh.”

Richard and Cody were chatting when the nurse growled. “What in the hell is that flea bitten mutt doing in my hospital?”

Richard stuttered. “Ummm to help Cody with recovery.”

“He’s not flea bitten, he has had a bath.” She hugged him.

He has to go.”

She went to grab him to pull him off the bed when Toby growled and bared his teeth at the nurse.

“Hey stop that Toby.” berated Cody.

Richard called him off the bed and Cody apologized.

“If you don’t start resting I will sedate you Cody, do you hear me?”

Cody sulked. “Ok ok, I just had enough of being in here.”

“That makes two of us.” growled the nurse. “We will be x-raying your head tomorrow and see how that bruise is going.”

“You won’t find anything in there.” Richard joked. “Pretty empty.”

“Oh ha-ha old man, so then I can go home once it comes back….” She grinned.

“No… not until that shoulder gets some more movement.”

“Ohh.” groaned Cody loudly before the nurse left.

Richard put Toby back on the leash. “Cody…. I want to ask you something and please be honest. I won’t judge you and I will help you through it.”

“What…”

Richard swallowed. “Did you… did you try to kill yourself?”

Jane listened curious at the answer.

Cody just stared at him in disbelief.

“Look it’s ok… but depression is taken very seriously out in the country and it needs to be addressed.”

Cody’s demeanour changed to one of coldness. “If I was going to kill myself Richard, don’t you think I would have done it by now?”

“I’m only concerned love. You are a fair way out of town and perhaps it was an accident.”

Cody looked up at the ceiling and scoffed. “I did not try to shoot myself and if I did I would not have missed Richard. Look I’m tired thanks for bringing Toby in.” She rolled away from Richard.

“Ok-ok, I’m sorry love, I just needed to ask. I’ll see you later.” He left the room.

Jane quickly returned to her bed just as Richard stopped by her room.

“How are we today Jane…”

She looked at him. “If you mean have I remembered anything, the answer is still no.”

Richard smiled but he found her suspicious.

Cody’s head was hurting even more and she couldn’t settle so she left her room walking past Jane’s room. Jane watched her walk by and then walk back past again.

“Cody, that nurse will be chasing after you again.”

Cody entered standing next to Jane’s bed. “Yeah, I’m just not one for sitting still.”

“I take it from all the commotion earlier that was your dog.”

Cody laughed. “Yes that’s Toby. He’s my…. companion I guess.”

“He really is quite adorable. I was never allowed to have a dog but I do like them.”

Cody grabbed her head and cursed.

Jane sat up “Cody what’s the matter? You’ve gone pale.”

Cody started to lose balance, her head was spinning. She tried to grab the bed but fell. Jane watched her go down and convulse.

Shit, nurse…. NURSE!” Jane pressed her buzzer a couple of times before getting out of bed. She knelt down and cried out in pain as her rib cracked. She grabbed hold of Cody’s head to stop it from hitting the ground.

People from all directions came in and took Cody away. Later in the day Jane asked after Cody but no one had an answer.

That night Jane was woken by voices and she watched them wheel a bed into Cody’s room. She waited a few moments before going in. Cody’s head was bandaged up, her face swollen and a ventilator was breathing for her. Jane went over and touched Cody’s hand. It was cool.

“You and Cody are the worse patients a nurse could have.” said nurse Hitler.

Jane ignored the comment but faced her. “What happened? Is she going to be alright?”

“It’s too early to tell. Her brain was bruised in the collision. We didn’t pick up how bad until now. The surgeon has removed part of her skull to relieve the pressure after having a stroke. At the moment the machine is breathing for her.”

“Is she going to die?”

“Like I said.”

“Has her family been contacted?” pushed Jane.

The nurse paused.

“I mean if there is a chance that she may not recover, shouldn’t she have family here?” Jane asked now showing some compassion.

“Cody has no family. Her parents were killed in a bushfire when she was 21. She was off rescuing her neighbour’s kids from a fire front and was unable to get back in time to save her parents.”

“Oh…”

“I wouldn’t even guess how to get in contact with her ex-girlfriend and their daughter.”

Jane listened realising she had stumbled onto a town gossiper.

“Really.”

“Yeah about a year after she lost her parents she became involved with a single mum who had a 9 month old girl. Now…. What was her name…. something china, ah Crystal, the little girl’s name was Crystal, can’t remember the mother’s. They raised the girl until she was about 6. She was a beautiful little thing and Cody doted after her. Everywhere Cody went, Crystal was there. And then one day when Cody returned home from out in the paddocks she was gone. The woman had packed up and taken off with Crystal. It shattered this dear girl. I heard she tried to track her down but no good. Since then she keeps to herself, occasionally comes to town for supplies and then back to the station where she lives by herself.”

Jane looked at Cody. “Poor Cody.”

“Yeah that was….gee, over 10 years ago now. That little girl must be about 16 by now. Anyway back to bed you.” ordered to Nurse.

“In a bit.” said Jane.

“Now.”

Jane squared off. “I will go when I’m good and ready nurse.” She spoke in a strict, authoritarian tone.

The nurse stepped back shocked. “Suit yourself then.”

Jane turned around and took hold of Cody’s hand squeezing it and smiled. She put down her hand and went over to the machine that was breathing for her. She looked closely at all the buttons and read what information was on them. Jane returned to her room.

Next day Jane was in Cody’s room talking to her, touching her hand when Richard walked in.

“This is a surprise.” spoke Richard.

Jane got up. “Well I thought she could do with some company. It was the least I could do for her saving my life.” She promptly left the room.

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