The Fall of Candy Corn (11 page)

“That makes me the second,” Sue said. “At least I wasn't the first.”

“Josh told me that mummies often fainted from the heat. I guess it's true,” Candace said.

“Yeah, there is just no air. My skin can't breathe, and it gets so hot in the maze. I started to get dizzy. I tried to head for an exit, but I guess I didn't make it.”

“Wow. At least I'm still conscious,” Candace said.

“Nothing like a little perspective, huh?” Sue asked. Her laugh sounded weak, and she was slumping a little.

“Maybe you should lie back down,” Candace suggested. “You want me to help you get some of your costume off?”

“I'll help her do that,” the nurse said, bustling in. “The only thing I want you doing is finding your own cot,” she said to Candace.

Candace nodded. Fortunately the one next to Sue was vacant, and she eased herself down onto it. She sat for a moment, not really wanting to lie down in the short skirt.

“If you don't want to lie down, at least sit still until I can take a look at you,” the nurse said, noticing her discomfort.

“Thank you,” Candace said. As soon as she sat, she realized just how tired she was. She watched as the nurse unwound the bandages from Sue's head and Sue's face appeared bit by bit.

At last Sue's head was completely free, and she sighed in relief. Her face was really pale. The nurse got her some water, and then Sue drank it and lay back down.

“Are you doing this on top of the janitorial job?” Candace asked.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Extra money,” Sue said.

“Isn't it really hard to do both with your college classes?” Candace asked.

“You have no idea,” Sue said, sounding like she might cry.

“What's wrong?” Candace asked.

“Nothing. I still don't feel well,” Sue said.

Candace got the distinct impression that there was something Sue wasn't telling her. Before she could press her, though, the nurse bustled over.

“Okay, missy, it's your turn. What happened to you?”

“I got hit in the head,” Candace explained.

The nurse pulled a small flashlight out of one of her smock pockets and shined it in Candace's eyes.

“Where did you get hit?” she asked.

Candace pointed, and the nurse pulled apart her hair and examined the skin. It still hurt, and Candace could tell there was a slight bump. The nurse made tsking sounds as she looked it over.

“How bad is she?” Sue asked.

“Well, she has a mild concussion. Doesn't look like anything to write home about. However, no sleeping for you for at least eight hours,” the nurse said, directing the last at Candace.

“But all I want is to go home and go to bed,” Candace protested.

“I'm sorry, but you can't run that risk with a concussion. If you go to sleep and your brain swells too much, you might slip into a coma and never wake up.”

“That would be bad,” Candace said.

“Very bad,” the nurse agreed.

“How on earth am I going to stay awake that long?” she croaked. “I'm already exhausted.”

“You'll have to get someone to stay up with you.”

“Who?”

“I think I can help there,” Josh said, appearing as if by magic.

“My hero,” Candace said. She stared at his fangs and cape. “Is it wrong to call a vampire my hero?” she asked.

“Wow, you're really out of it,” he said. “Do you want me to take you home or to a hospital?”

“Home,” she said.

He looked at the nurse, who nodded. “That should be fine as long as you keep her awake until morning.”

“I think I can handle that,” he said. “Come on, let me take you home.”

She was grateful Josh was there. With how tired she was and how much her head hurt, she wasn't up to figuring out how to get there by herself. She was definitely getting a little more fuzzy-headed.

9

“Thanks for bringing me home, Josh,” Candace said as she climbed the steps to her door.

“That's what friends do.”

“You don't have to stay and keep me up all night.”

“I beg to differ. I promised the nurse I would.”

“Thank you. I appreciate it.”

She unlocked the door, and they went inside. All she wanted to do was sleep, but she knew that she couldn't.

“I better let my parents know what happened,” she said.

“That would probably be a good idea. I wouldn't want your dad to be surprised in the morning when he sees me on the couch.”

Candace nodded. Her head was still throbbing, and she wished she didn't have to wait a couple more hours before taking more aspirin. She climbed the stairs and knocked lightly on her parents' door.

She heard rustling inside, and then her father said, “Come in.”

She opened the door and moved inside, leaving it open so the light from the hallway lit her way. Her mom sat up and switched on the lamp next to the bed. She yawned and glanced at the clock. “Aren't you home early?”

“Yeah. I got hit in the head by a loose board. The nurse at The Zone said I have a mild concussion, nothing bad.”

“What happened?” her dad asked.

Candace told them briefly. Her mom started to get up. “Well, I better make you some cocoa. You can't go to sleep with a concussion.”

“It's okay,” Candace said. “Josh brought me home. He's downstairs, and he's volunteered to stay up with me.”

Her parents exchanged a quick glance. Candace wasn't sure what it meant, but she didn't feel like speculating. “It's okay, we'll be downstairs.”

“It's Josh?” her dad asked.

“Yes.”

“That's fine,” her mom said. “Josh is a very nice young man.” She reached for her robe.

“I said you don't have to stay up,” Candace said. “I don't want you to have to miss work in the morning.”

“I won't be up long. I'll just make you and Josh some cocoa.”

“Thanks,” Candace said. Cocoa sounded good, and she was too tired to argue. She followed her mom downstairs.

“Good evening, Josh,” she said.

“Good evening Mrs. Thompson,” Josh said, rising from the couch. “I'm sorry to disturb you like this.”

“Nonsense. I'm just grateful you brought Candace home and have volunteered to keep her up all night.”

“It was no trouble.”

“Have you had a chance to call your parents yet?”

“I called them and let them know where I was going to be while I waited for the nurse to release Candace.”

“Good. Come into the kitchen. I'll make us all some cocoa.”

They sipped hot cocoa and talked for half an hour before Candace's mom excused herself. “You're sure you don't need me?” she asked one last time as she started up the stairs.

“No, we'll be fine,” Candace said, moving with Josh into the living room and sinking wearily onto the couch.

Josh sat beside her, and she looked at him for a minute. “What shall we talk about?” she asked.

“I heard from my brother, James, this morning,” he said.

“I didn't know you had a brother. Where is he?”

“Iraq.”

Candace felt suddenly much more awake. “Is he okay?”

Josh nodded. “He's due to get out in a few weeks. It looks like he's going to make it home just in time for Christmas.”

“That's wonderful!” Candace said.

“Yeah, we're all pretty excited. Mom and Dad are already planning a big coming-home party for him.”

“So he must be a few years older.”

“He's five years older. He breezed through college in just under three years and immediately signed up to serve two years.”

“Wow!”

“Yeah. He's an overachiever. Kinda runs in the family.”

Candace smiled. “So, what's he going to do now?”

“Looks like he's going to work with Dad.”

“How about you? What are your plans?”

“Long-term or short-term?” he asked.

“For college.”

“I'm pretty sure I'm going to go to Florida Coast.”

“What are you going to major in?”

“That I haven't decided yet. I'm thinking of going in as undeclared. I want to sample a little bit of everything before I make a decision.”

“No family business for you?”

He shrugged. “Maybe. How about you? Where are you looking at going?”

“I was thinking I'd apply to Cal State.”

“Planning on staying at home?”

She nodded.

“That's cool. And your major? What do you want to be when you grow up?”

“Grown up.”

“Smart aleck.”

She smiled. “Seriously? I haven't a clue. I mean, not at all.”

“I think you'd be a terrific Game Master.”

“Please.”

“No, seriously. I still think your Balloon Races is an awesome idea.”

“And I think you're the one with the concussion.”

“Yeah, that's it. You should think about it though. You don't know what you want to do anyway.”

“Okay. I'll think about it if we can change the subject,” she said. “I have a concussion, I want to be amused. This is too much heavy thinking.”

“Deal. Now, how can I entertain you?”

“Tell me another secret,” she said.

“Sorry. You already know the only one I have. Careful, though, or I'll make you tell me another one.”

Candace was sitting in the nurse's office at The Zone on Tuesday afternoon, having just finished her follow-up for the concussion. She was staring at Martha, her supervisor from the summer, who was filling out some forms the nurse had handed her after examining Candace. Martha was a wise older woman with lively eyes and a gravelly voice. She had stuck by Candace through the hard times over the summer, and Candace had been relieved to see her in the nurse's office until Martha had delivered the news.

“Why am I being taken out of the maze?” Candace asked indignantly. “I didn't do anything wrong. It wasn't my fault the board was loose.”

“I know that, Candace,” Martha said with a heavy sigh. “It's policy, though, that if someone gets seriously injured, they are moved to a different position for four weeks until a full investigation has been done and the nurse clears the injured person to return to her previous duties.”

“But, this is Scare. Four weeks and the whole thing will be over with.”

“I know.”

“So that's it. I'm not going to be working Scare at all?”

“I didn't say that. We do have a position we'd like to move you to.”

“What?” Candace asked.

“We need a candy corn vendor.”

“You have got to be kidding me.”

“Wish I was,” Martha said with a sigh.

“I'm going to be back on cart detail?”

“Yes.”

“Don't I have any other options?”

“Not unless you want to quit. I wouldn't blame you by the way.”

Candace was stunned. After everything that had happened, she was going to end up as a cart vendor again. She briefly thought about quitting, but she had committed to working Scare and she wanted to do that.

“Okay. Tell me when and where,” Candace said with a sigh.

“You'll only work Scare nights. Same hours as before. You can pick up your cart in the cart storage area before the park opens. You can start Thursday.”