Tom Schreck: Out Cold

I heard the roof cave in the clinic, creating a loud 'whoosh' of air that sent billows of smoke and flames to the sky.

"Get back, you've got to get back," someone yelled. Whoever it was helped me to my feet and we ran together toward the back of the lot. As we did the clinic collapsed on itself. Seconds after, the ambulance carrying Claudia sped past me.

I sat there and watched the place burn. Trina was the first one there and Monique came by shortly after. We didn't say much; it just felt really weird.

A crowd of onlookers gathered. The fireman had the thing under control, but they continued to spray water on charred hunks of what used to be the clinic. I guess that's what they have to do to stop it from starting up again.

I walked up to a fireman who was changing his coat at the back of one of the trucks.

"The lady they took away-is she going to be-"

"You the guy who went in and got her, and did CPR?"

"Yeah."

"Well, pal, you'll never forget today. She was gone-flat lined and you brought her back. She was responsive and talking in the ambulance. How does it feel to save a life?" he said with a big grin.

"There's no way I could explain it to you." I walked back to my small circle of co-workers.

"What do we do now?" Trina said.

"I'm taking a personal day," I said. Everyone laughed. I started to head toward the El Dorado, which had its finish singed. I didn't know what fucking universe I was in, but I knew one thing. When AJ turned the knob on his front door at 12:01 I would be behind him.

"Hey, Duff!" A voice came from the other side of the lot, a little down the street. I couldn't make out who it was, but it looked like some guy walking his daughter. I walked toward thetwo of them while they walked toward me. As we got closer I noticed it was Sparky.

"Hey Duff, hell of a thing," he said.

"Yeah, unbelievable," I said.

"Kristy," Sparky looked at the little girl. "Say hello to Mr. Duffy."

"Hi Mr. Duffy," Kristy had two little ponytails and blond hair. She could've been the Sunbeam bread girl.

"That's my daughter, Duff," Sparky said with a big smile.

"But, I thought Paula said-"

"Weird, Duff. Last night I got my first call from Paula in years. Asked me if I heard about some drill at the school. Then she says it was no drill and she saw some stuff no one else did. Said she didn't know why, but she followed you and your buddy out into the woods and saw what really went down. Said she heard all sorts of scary shit. Said she saw my counselor doing some sort of heroic stuff and she changed her mind about me and Kristy." Sparky smiled.

I looked at him with my mouth open.

"So when they get the clinic open, you'll still be my counselor, right?"

"Well, I don't know if I'll be around. Remember-"

"You had some paperwork trouble." Sparky nodded to the clinic. "Doesn't look like there's any paperwork for anyone to check, if you ask me."

"Sparky-"

"Paula says she's callin' the clinic and rescindin' her complaint about you breaking that confidentiality shit. Gonna say she made it up to get me in trouble," Sparky said.

"I think the files are kept in metal file cabinets so they are fire protected. They're probably in that mess somewhere," I said.

"Duff, my experience tells me that the right incendiary device combined with the right accelerant will raise the temperature of a fire sufficient enough to incinerate metal and reduce it and its contents to cinders." Sparky looked me in the eye.

"Say 'thank you' to Mr. Duffy," Sparky said to Kristy.

"Thank you, Mr. Duffy," Kristy said in the absent-minded way kids repeat things.

"Sparky-"

"I'll call for an appointment, Duff," he said. "We gotta go. We're going to the zoo and then the movies." He waved as he walked down Central Avenue.

I was on Schlitz number three, watching the local news report the fire at Jewish Unified Services was caused by a faulty electrical outlet. Jerry Number Two came in, but focused on his laptop, and AJ loaded the coolers.

I didn't mind.

Number four slid in front of me as the door opened and Trina came in. AJ asked what she wanted and she ordered a Jack and Diet Coke.

"You saved Claudia's life?"

"Don't remind me," I said.

"With CPR and mouth-to-mouth."

"Talk about nightmares."

"And there are no clinical records left. None to be reviewed, no treatment plans, no discharge summaries…nothing." I shrugged.

"Welcome back."

She leaned over and kissed me, ever so lightly, on the cheek. I could feel her brush up against me as she did.

"And you're not getting married any more," she said looking me right in the eye.

"Geez, I haven't given that much thought lately. I guess I've had some other stuff on my mind."

"You feel like getting out of here? I got a twelve pack of Schlitz in my fridge."

"The way to a man's heart…"

I threw some money on the bar and followed Trina out. We took my car to her apartment and Elvis sang us there with

Dylan's Don't Think Twice, It's Alright. We got to Trina's front door and I took her into my arms.

"Did I say 'Thank you' to you."

"You did."

"Not enough," I kissed her. We kissed for a long time and for the first time in a long time I didn't think of anything but how good it felt.

Trina broke the kiss.

"I'm glad Claudia wasn't the only woman from the office you wanted to kiss," she said.

"Talk about nightmares," I said as we headed inside.