June 8, 2020

11:57 P.M.

Foster Residence

Adam Foster

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The two run out of Angie's room and down the staircase of the main foyer, their thundering footsteps breaking the silence of the house. They turn the corner to the lounge and Adam stops in place. Their parent were indeed not moving, their mother leaning against the back of the main couch, and their father slumped in an armchair nearby. He stares in disbelief. 

They're not dead, are they?

Angie quickly makes it over to their mother and checks her pulse. Not feeling anything, she tries in a different spot. Adam's sister grunts in frustration and stands up, running her hands through her hair as she tries to process the situation. 

"Ok, ok. We need to call paramedics," Angie motions to Adam. "Give me your phone." 

Adam continues to stand in the lounge's arched entrance, distracted by a flurry of panicked thoughts racing through his head. 

"Adam! Phone, now!" Angie snaps at him, no longer attempting to hide the panic in her voice. Adam jumps slightly, coming back to reality. He digs through his pocket and then tosses the phone to Angie. Adam shifts his gaze to his father, still sitting limp in his chair. 

"Adam what the hell," Angie show him the phone screen, which is still black. "Don't you charge your phone more?" 

"Hey, it was at half battery a few minutes ago," Adam raises his voice in defense. The memory of how his phone had been acting strange upstairs comes back to him. "It started crashing or something in your room before you came. My service went out and then it just died." 

"Fantastic," Angie tosses the phone back to Adam, who drops it on accident due to shaking hands. The device lands face down, and he winces as he hears the screen crack. Angie takes a deep breath and closes her eyes for a moment.

"Go check the phone in the kitchen and see if it's working," Angie instructs her brother, making an obvious effort to calm her voice. "Maybe we'll have better luck in there." 

"They're rich, I seriously doubt they'd have a landline on display. Out of fear of looking poor or something," Adam reasons. Angie scurries back to double check their parents for any sign of a pulse. 

"Just go check anyways," She shouts. "Can you please just listen to me? I know you don't care that much for them but they're family and you have to at least try to help, Adam." 

"Well I'm kinda freaking out if you haven't noticed," Adam starts moving towards the kitchen. "Not up to my best working standards ya know?"

"That makes two of us, you're not special."

"Alright, Alright." Adam yells back as he rounds the archway to the kitchen. Ok, ugly phone where you at?  He scans the kitchen, it's pristine counters neatly organized with a variety of items. Food, papers, and the like. He spots a phone attached to a wall. Scrambling over to the device, Adam grabs it and his eyes go wide as he sees that it's screen is on and seems to be working. He dials 911 and presses the phone against his ear, able to hear hit heart pounding in between each ring. 

"I'm sorry," an automated message begins playing," your call can not be taken right now. Please leave a message and we'll get back to you as soon as --." Adam hangs up.

"The phone works Angie, but I couldn't get a call through," He shouts to his sister. "What should I do now, Angie?" 

"Try someone else then!" she responds. "Maybe call --- wait isn't your friend Carter's dad a doctor?" 

"No I think he's a pharmacist."

"That works too, just make the call!"

Adam quickly dials the number for his friend's phone, remembering with dread that his own cell phone wasn't working at all. Adam sighs with relief when Carter picks up on the second ring.

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11:58 P.M. 

Li Residence

Carter Li

"Can't talk for long," Carter opens a medicine cabinet and examines the contents. "What is it?"

"My parents aren't breathing," Adam almost cuts him off. "Can you send your dad over?" 

"Sorry Adam, that's not happening. My dad just fell down the stairs and isn't responding. Mom thinks he's having an allergic reaction." Carter finally locates an EpiPen and heads out of the bathroom. "Peanut allergy has gotta be a bitch." 

"Ok, sorry to hear that," his friend responds. 

"Hey I've gotta go Adam. Good luck." Carter goes to hang up.

"Wait, how's your phone working?" Adam catches his attention before he can hang up. Carter runs to where his mother is tending to his father at the bottom of a staircase. He tosses her the EpiPen and goes to get a washcloth at his mother's request. His father was bleeding from the forehead where he hit the ground. 

"Um, its working just fine. Is there a problem with yours?" 

"Yeah it shut down, I'm calling you from the landline." 

"You probably forgot to charge it." 

There's a pause on Adam's end, as he listens to his sister. Seconds later he returns. 

"Angie needs my help." Adam states. "Hey, if shit gets bad you know where to find me."

"Yep," Carter responds, while wringing the extra water from a washcloth in the kitchen. "Stay safe. Good luck with your parents. Sorry I can't do more."

Adam ends the call and Carter slides his phone back into his pocket. Running back to his mother, he gives her the washcloth and kneels down to check on his father. Things weren't looking good. Nothing life threatening, but that fall was definitely going to leave a concussion. There could be internal damage too, but it was hard to tell where because neither him nor his mother had witnessed the fall. 

"Carter, can you check on the twins and make sure they're asleep?" His mother instructs him. She works on cleaning the wound on her husband's head and doesn't look up. "I really hope it didn't wake them. They don't need to see this." 

"Yeah of course. I'll be right back." 

Carter stands to his feet and begins to walk up the stairs. The twins would most likely still be sleeping, unless they were up and playing on the Xbox they had in their room. Why their parents had allowed the kids to keep it in their room, he had no idea. James and Danny had just finished fifth grade a week before Carter's graduation. Carter had been forced to sit through a toned down graduation for them. Apparently schools made a big deal about the transition from elementary to middle school these days. 

He reaches the door to their room and opens it slightly, being careful not to let it creak too loudly. He relaxes when he spots them both fast asleep. His graduation ceremony earlier that day must've taken a toll on them, as they'd normally be up gaming on a summer night. As he starts to close the door, he notices James twitch slightly. 

"Poor kid must be having a nightmare."

There's movement from the bed closer to the door, and Carter's little brother Danny groans and  props himself up on his arms, squinting towards where he stood.

"Hey cut it out," he complains, turning over to flop back down onto the bed, sinking his face in the pillow. "

"Sorry Danny," Carter apologizes. Danny mumbles something into his pillow and rolls over again. Carter sighs and closes the door quietly. 

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11:59 P.M.

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He makes his way back down to the stairs, where he find his mother wearing a tired smile on her face.

"I think the EpiPen is finally working," She brushes a small stand of black hair out of her eyes and behind her ear. "He moved a few seconds ago and was stirring a bit. Whatever he ate must've screwed him up bad."

"That's great, I was getting worried for a second." 

"Twins are asleep?"

"Well," Carter rubs the back of his head. "James was. I woke Danny up on accident. Heard him swear at me, that was new." 

"Hmm, I'll talk to him tomorrow about that," his mother sounds disappointed. "We taught him better. I bet it's those kids they've been around at school."

"Yeah, probably," Carter laughs. "Don't go too rough on him, he's a brand new middle schooler trying to figure the world out. I bet he's doing it to try and fit in." 

"Perhaps, but I'm not going to have him cussing in our home."

"That's fair. Do you need me to get you anything else?" 

"No I think he's fine. Dad will have a bad headache though." 

Carter looks down to the father, who begins to move some more. He'll definitely need some medical attention, but the roads were probably the best option right now with the panic happening outside. He'd have to sleep it off for a bit. 

"Actually Carter, can you go get a glass of water for you Dad?" His mom asks as he starts walking back upstairs. 

"On it." Carter turns back and steps around them. 

"Thanks Carter, love you." She smiles at him, and then returns to cleaning the wound.

"Love you too." 

He quickly fills up a glass from the tap and then walks back to deliver it. His mother sets the glass on one of the stair steps. Carter is relieved to see his father stirring, attempting to sit up. 

"Head on to bed, Carter. I can take it from here." His mom strokes a hand on her husbands cheek. 

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June 9, 2020

12:00 A.M

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Just as Carter is about to head up the stairs, his father opens his eyes. Slowly, seeming to be groggy and disoriented, which Carter figured was normal for someone suffering a concussion. 

"Hey there handsome," his mom says. "You gave us quite a scare." 

His father doesn't respond. Instead, he simply shifts his gaze to and from the both of them. His mother waits a moment, confused. She waves a hand in front of his face. To Carter and his mom's surprise, his father grabs it and squeezes. Hard. 

His mother winces in pain, as his father pulls her closer to him. Carter watches, not knowing entirely what to do.

"Dad?"