determined to catch her this time, he rushed to descend. He heard the crackling sound, but before he could react, a loud snap followed and the rung broke beneath his weight. By the time, he realized what was happening, his right leg had slipped through the ladder, catching him in midair and slamming him upside down, his back slapping against the rungs below him. He froze motionless, trying to regain his bearings as he dangled high above the ground. Braced only by one bent knee and trying to not look down, Julien inched his arms slowly to his sides. The wood continued to creak, echoing in the silent barn as he attempted to grab hold of the ladder’s frame. Without warning, another loud snap sounded and several more rungs gave way, dropping Julien to the floor below.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Too bright…
The intense fluorescent lighting stung Julien’s eyes.
“Julien… Julien wake up baby.” Rachael held his hand and gave it a light jostling.
Julien’s eyes fluttered and Rachael cupped her palm above his eyes to block the light until he could adjust.
Rachael rambled nervously, “Oh Jules, I was so scared. How do you feel? Are you okay?”
Her words came at him too quickly; her voice was an irritation. He pulled his hand away from hers and motioned for her to stop. He attempted to focus, blinking and looking around at their surroundings. Someone else was there, moving around the room and coming closer.
“Mr. Grenier, I’m Dr. Lind. The sedation will wear off pretty quickly now.” He chuckled.
What is he laughing at?
Who is that?
The words slowly registered. Julien’s tongue felt like thick-wadded cotton, obstructive and dry in his mouth.
Docteur…?
He narrowed his eyes and tried to get a good look at the man. He was older, heavy-set, easily in his mid-seventies, with stark white hair grown to his shoulders and a frizzy white beard resting halfway down his broad chest.
Rachael took Julien’s hand again. “I was so scared, Jules.” She pressed her lips to his knuckles.
Oblivious, Julien attempted to lift himself onto his elbows but succeeded only in teetering awkwardly to the side and nearly rolling off the table. The doctor and Rachael scrambled to grab him, forcing him to lay back.
“Give the sedation a little more time to wear off.” Dr. Lind winked and patted Julien’s shoulder. “Do you know where you are Mr. Grenier?”
Lind’s voice was booming.
Too loud.
Still disoriented, Julien ignored the question.
Rachael intervened, blurting, “You fell Jules…from the ladder in the barn.”
Julien stared at her, baffled and struggling to translate her English; his mind reverted to thinking in French.
La porte a claqué…The door slammed.
La jeune fille…The girl.
L'échelle…The ladder.
Out of nowhere, the doctor shone a thin light into Julien’s eye and he turned away. Lind paid no mind and checked the other eye. This time, Julien shoved the doctor’s hand away.
Lind smiled at Rachael. “Let’s give him a few more minutes to wake up and I’ll explain everything to him.” He chuckled again.
The doctor handed a paper cup of water to Rachael. “Small sips and try to keep him still,” he instructed. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to fill a prescription for you to take home…get him through the night.” He stepped away, leaving the door open behind him.
Julien motioned for the water and Rachael allowed him a few sips. The anesthesia was dissipating.
He cleared his throat several times. “If he laughs again, I’ll kill him.” Julien grumbled.
Rachael found this quite amusing. “He’s very nice,” she whined.
“Now we know what Santa Claus does the rest of the year,” he retorted; his tone riddled with sarcasm.
Rachael giggled; she had been thinking the same . She slapped a hand over her mouth embarrassed by the outburst. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re okay.”
Okay?
I don’t feel okay.
Rachael remembered him at the base of the ladder again. “I was
CHAPTER EIGHT
Too bright…
The intense fluorescent lighting stung Julien’s eyes.
“Julien… Julien wake up baby.” Rachael held his hand and gave it a light jostling.
Julien’s eyes fluttered and Rachael cupped her palm above his eyes to block the light until he could adjust.
Rachael rambled nervously, “Oh Jules, I was so scared. How do you feel? Are you okay?”
Her words came at him too quickly; her voice was an irritation. He pulled his hand away from hers and motioned for her to stop. He attempted to focus, blinking and looking around at their surroundings. Someone else was there, moving around the room and coming closer.
“Mr. Grenier, I’m Dr. Lind. The sedation will wear off pretty quickly now.” He chuckled.
What is he laughing at?
Who is that?
The words slowly registered. Julien’s tongue felt like thick-wadded cotton, obstructive and dry in his mouth.
Docteur…?
He narrowed his eyes and tried to get a good look at the man. He was older, heavy-set, easily in his mid-seventies, with stark white hair grown to his shoulders and a frizzy white beard resting halfway down his broad chest.
Rachael took Julien’s hand again. “I was so scared, Jules.” She pressed her lips to his knuckles.
Oblivious, Julien attempted to lift himself onto his elbows but succeeded only in teetering awkwardly to the side and nearly rolling off the table. The doctor and Rachael scrambled to grab him, forcing him to lay back.
“Give the sedation a little more time to wear off.” Dr. Lind winked and patted Julien’s shoulder. “Do you know where you are Mr. Grenier?”
Lind’s voice was booming.
Too loud.
Still disoriented, Julien ignored the question.
Rachael intervened, blurting, “You fell Jules…from the ladder in the barn.”
Julien stared at her, baffled and struggling to translate her English; his mind reverted to thinking in French.
La porte a claqué…The door slammed.
La jeune fille…The girl.
L'échelle…The ladder.
Out of nowhere, the doctor shone a thin light into Julien’s eye and he turned away. Lind paid no mind and checked the other eye. This time, Julien shoved the doctor’s hand away.
Lind smiled at Rachael. “Let’s give him a few more minutes to wake up and I’ll explain everything to him.” He chuckled again.
The doctor handed a paper cup of water to Rachael. “Small sips and try to keep him still,” he instructed. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to fill a prescription for you to take home…get him through the night.” He stepped away, leaving the door open behind him.
Julien motioned for the water and Rachael allowed him a few sips. The anesthesia was dissipating.
He cleared his throat several times. “If he laughs again, I’ll kill him.” Julien grumbled.
Rachael found this quite amusing. “He’s very nice,” she whined.
“Now we know what Santa Claus does the rest of the year,” he retorted; his tone riddled with sarcasm.
Rachael giggled; she had been thinking the same . She slapped a hand over her mouth embarrassed by the outburst. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re okay.”
Okay?
I don’t feel okay.
Rachael remembered him at the base of the ladder again. “I was
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