The Vision. Linda Blum
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described what happened last night. Will heard the tension in her voice so he invited her over. When she got off the phone she told Ren and Jay about the invite. At first they didn’t seem enthusiastic to go, which surprised her. Judy, on the other hand, was raring to leave.
Along the way Ren and Jay seemed to perk up, which made Judy wonder if there was some kind of negative vibration in the house that had affected them. She made a mental note to ask Uncle Will how she can alter these vibes.
Uncle Will lived twenty minutes from the city, in a two-story house that was nestled amongst a small forest. Over the years this house had become her safe haven. A place she could retreat to when the world became too much. As they pulled into the winding driveway, Judy’s mind flashed back to when she was fifteen.
It had been a stormy day with lots of rain and wind. The air was cold and damp. The kind of dampness that seeped through your whole body leaving you feeling chilled. This was typical weather for March. The time of year when winter was almost ending and spring was just around the corner. Judy shivered and pulled the zipper higher on her coat, as she stood inside the entrance of her school. She scanned the line of cars that formed in front of the school to see if her mom was there, but there was no sign of her. Minutes passed as she watched the cars slowly disappear, until only a scattered few were left. Looking at her watch she wondered where her mother was. As the last car pulled away an uneasy feeling came over her. She always hated getting this sensation, as it usually meant something terrible was about to happen. The sound of footsteps from behind momentarily diverted her thoughts.
Turning she saw the principal, Mr. Ken Vanderbelt, approaching. He had been her principal since kindergarten. When she was done elementary school she figured it would be the last time she would see him. That was until he got promoted and took over at her high school.
She remembered being intimidated by him in her younger years, but at the age of five that seemed the normal way to feel when around new adults. Once she got to know him, however, her fears subsided. He had a friendly and caring attitude towards everyone. Often, he could be found in the schoolyard playing games with the kids. He knew all the students by name and always listened intently to each one as they chattered on about the events of their day. His kind demeanour earned him the respect of both the teachers and students. When problems arose he was a disciplinarian and handled situations with a sense of fairness.
Normally he appeared calm and at ease, but Judy noted he seemed to be moving with a sense of urgency. She saw a look of concern in his eyes and a feeling of apprehension came over her.
“Judy, I’m so glad I found you,” he said when he reached her.
Judy’s breath caught in her throat. She could feel his anxiety. The more she was near him the more she succumbed to these feelings, which seemed to only intensify her already uneasy state. Judy took a deep breath trying to will these emotions away, but the energy was too strong.
“Why, what’s wrong?” she asked.
“I don’t want to speak to you here,” he replied evenly. “Let’s go to my office.”
Obediently she followed. When they got to his office, he opened the door, stepped aside and motioned for her to go in. She stopped abruptly when she caught sight of her Uncle. He was a big man at six two with broad shoulders, and muscular arms. Looking at the man slumped in the chair before her he suddenly appeared smaller.
His normally well-kept brown hair was mussed up and his blue eyes were staring blankly out the window. When he turned to look at her, Judy noticed the weariness in his eyes, the lines of concern that ran across his face and the tension in his body.
Mr. Vanderbelt strode past them and claimed the chair behind his desk. He waved his hand at the empty seat beside her uncle, waiting for Judy to sit. Judy couldn’t move. The emotional energy coming from these two men was overwhelming. She began to back away in hopes that by putting some distance between them, it would lessen what she was feeling.
Uncle Will watched his niece. She looked like the proverbial deer caught in the headlights. He wished he could take away the fear that shone in her eyes, but knew he couldn’t. How could he tell her what happened? How could he ease the blow she was about to receive?
Mr. Vanderbelt was the first to speak. “Judy, please take a seat.”
Judy realized leaving was not an option, so she walked over to the empty chair and sat down.
“Your mother is in the hospital,” her uncle said and paused for a second before continuing, “She was shot.”
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“Is she all right?”
Her Uncle dreaded having to tell his niece that her mother was in critical condition and not expected to live. He debated whether to tell her the truth. His hesitation made Judy panic.
“Is my mother all right!” she cried.
Mr. Vanderbelt looked at her uncle waiting for him to reply. He sympathized with him, for it wasn’t that long ago when he had to break the news to Judy that her father had a heart attack and died. The memory of this was still etched in his mind. He remembered her mother sitting in the same chair sobbing uncontrollably, while Judy looked on in confusion. She was in no state to tell her daughter what had happened, so Mr. Vanderbelt had the unpleasant task of doing so.
Her uncle’s silence meant that Mr. Vanderbelt was going to have to take over. He decided to not let Judy know the severity of the situation just yet.
“Judy, your mother is in critical condition.” He paused noting the look of despair that flashed in her eyes. “She is a strong woman, though, and may pull through.”
Judy looked at Mr. Vanderbelt then her Uncle. She loved them both, had come to depend on them and had always trusted them, until now.
Judy looked Mr. Vanderbelt straight in the eyes and asked, “Is she going to die?”
He was shaken by her question and rendered speechless.
Uncle Will replied quietly, “No one knows for certain.”
Tears welled up in Judy’s eyes. Please God, not my mom. You already have my dad. Leave my mom alone, she silently begged.
On the drive over to the hospital Judy was quiet. She took no heed of the familiar surroundings that passed by her, as her mind was on her mother. Judy intuitively knew that she was dying, as she could feel her slipping away. The sensation of it all was devastating and no amount of praying would change the situation. The only thing Judy wanted was to see her mother alive one more time.
Her stomach tightened when the sight of the hospital came into view. Her uncle quickly parked the car and headed towards the building. When they entered, Will swiftly guided her towards the elevators. They joined the crowd of people who were waiting patiently for the next available one to arrive. Within a matter of seconds, more than one appeared. Everyone stood aside when the doors opened to let the occupants exit before they piled in.
Judy glanced nervously at her uncle as he pressed a number. Her heart beat rapidly as she watched the light advance from floor to floor. It wasn’t long before the door opened and they exited. Judy’s breathing became stifled the closer they got to the room. Uncle Will was immediately by her side.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
She grabbed his arm for support. “It’s mom. We have to hurry she doesn’t have much longer.”
Uncle Will didn’t question Judy’s remark. He knew what she meant as he could feel it too. He put his arm around her shoulder and they quickened their pace. When they reached the room Judy was startled to find a police officer sitting outside the door. The officer got up as they approached and stopped them from going any further. He questioned their relationship to the patient before allowing them to go inside.
Judy felt dazed and confused by what she just experienced. She couldn’t comprehend why the police were there. The questions that were forming in her mind came to an abrupt stop when she saw her mother’s lifeless body. Her