Part 14 - Tad Fight Aftermath
The doctors came and went from Christie's cubicle between working on Valerie and Tad but did not make any apparent move to admit or release her. They'd just listen to her breathing, check her eyes, ask her how she felt, and then scurry off to work some more on their more seriously injured patients again.
"I'm really starting to feel the love here, Mom," Christie complained after the fourth or fifth flying visit - she really had lost count!
"I suspect they'd like to keep you at least overnight for observation, dear, for the hospital protocol's sake if nothing else." Amanda soothed. "You have quite the technicolor neck collar where that thug tried to choke you. I know there's no long-term damage or blood-deprived tissue problems, but those folks are merely doctors, not sorceresses."
"I really would rather just go home, Mom."
"I know, Christie, but we have to keep up appearances. Trust me! if I didn't have my gifts, I wouldn't let you out of this hospital until I had blood oaths that you were not at risk." Amanda paused for a moment, her lips pursing in concentration. "I most likely should have been more demanding and frantic about this and their current level of inattention to you. Oh well, too late now. It would just cause more scrutiny now, and besides, they have their hands more than full with Valerie and the thug."
"Well, don't waste any power helping Tad! Not before Val is heading for recovery."
"Oh, trust me, child, I wouldn't, and I won't! Heavens, at full power, and with all the goodwill in the world, I couldn't do much for him in any case, Christie. I briefly checked on him after checking Valerie? I gave his knee a quick scan, and frankly, I never imagined that a knee could just disintegrate like that. The knee cap is broken, all the major tendons are torn, and the knee is barely holding together with bits of cartilage and skin. Knees just don't move like that! There's nothing in that leg that is fixable, at least to someone with my ability level. The surgeons might be able to replace the entire joint, but more likely, they'll have to fuse it. He'll be lucky to walk again."
"And that, Jeja, is something we need to speak about. There is simply no way that you should have been able to cause that severe an injury in that precise manner. You're simply aren't strong enough, nor are you yet skilled enough in your current body to cause that much damage without a weapon."
"Sa Bum Nim, Charlie wasn't skilled or strong enough, either. I was hoping I'd catch Tad on the side of his knee with that kick. I put everything I had into it because I wanted him down on the ground and in no condition to chase Valerie and me. It . . . Papa Kim, his knee. . . it just folded backward underneath my strike, and, oh god, the sound it made. Like when Donnie does his breaking routines, only louder and sharper! It was awful, but I had to get to Val. And then I saw her, just collapsed on the ground in a heap. She couldn't have run! Grandfather . . . Sa Bum Nim, if Tad had tried to get back to his feet? If he'd even looked like he was still a threat? I'd have . . .I would have . . . Oh GOD!! MOM!"
Amanda rushed to her daughter and cradled the suddenly sobbing girl in her arms, rocking her and murmuring soothing sounds as she tried to calm her.
Grandfather Kim moved to the other side of the bed and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It is all right, Jeja. I know what you would have had to do. You would have had to remove him as a threat to protect your friend and yourself. He was bigger and stronger than you, and you would have had to strike your hardest. And it would have been in defense of the defenseless and in self-defense. There would have been no shame in that act. Do you understand me, child?"
As she heard the old teacher's words, Christie had begun to calm, but the tears kept streaming. "I had already decided to ax-kick him in the head," she admitted quietly. "I couldn't let him get up before help got there. He could have killed Valerie!"
"Well, given the result of your back kick, it is as well you didn't have to respond to that. An ax kick delivered to the head with the same force as your earlier strike would have been deadly. I can only surmise that, during a fight or flight situation, when you focused for that kick, you somehow augmented its power with . . .your other gifts."
Amanda looked up from cradling her daughter at the Papa Kim. Quietly she said, "You think she unconsciously used her magic when she struck at him? That's why the blow was so devastating?"
"I cannot think of any other way it could have occurred, Amanda. Even with my long experience, skill and technique, I highly doubt I could have caused similar damage with the same move."
Amanda nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, well, let's just look and see, shall we?" Christie's Mom's eyes went blank, then focused wholly on her daughter's body. Moving slowly around the bed, she seemed to examine Christie in minute detail, her lips moving with no sound coming forth. Finally, Amanda's eyes returned to normal, and she looked over at her daughter's teacher. "Papa Kim? Her aura is sparking and fizzing like a witch's brew on an old-fashioned fantasy horror movie. Her power is smoldering in her, just beneath the surface."
"Power, Momma? I'm manifesting again," Christie asked with concern in her voice."
"Indeed you are, dear. So, yet another little spark of power. Heavens, more than just a little spark this time, too." Amanda said softly. "First precognition, then fire, then healing and now augmenting yourself physically. Your next birthday is less than three weeks away, and you are starting to sparkle with power. I think, my dear one, that your transformation decision is upon us. Everything I have read in our family archives, and all of my Mother's and my personal experiences, indicate you will be ready. You will know how to accomplish your trial's last challenge on your birthday."
"But I don't know enough yet, Mom!" The words started as a yell and finished as a frantic, hissing whisper.
"If you don't know enough, you won't be able to accomplish the transformation, but everything I've seen? You will have the ability. So, I think you'd better decide what you want to do when the decision is forced upon you."
"And in the meantime, Jeja," Papa Kim put in, "I believe you would be best served to practice your poomsae, help train the lower belts and work with the heavy bag. Until we are more certain of your control of this. . . augmentation effect, you will not be sparring with anyone not named Kim."
Christie only nodded and began to relax. "Okay, Sa Bum Nim. In the meantime, how about using your Jedi-Mind trick on these doctors to let me go home? I think I need my own space to come to terms with all of this, and so does my Mom."
"Now, Christie, stop it! Any competent doctor should keep you overnight for observation based on your symptoms. If anyone not affected by Papa's 'mind-trick' reviews the records of your time in the ER? Trust me that someone will. There will be questions asked by those higher-ups in the hospital as to why you were released. Tonight's staff won't have any acceptable answers. Remember what I told you about keeping our abilities under wraps and not coming to the attention of outsiders."
"But, Moooommmm. . ."
A single eyebrow disappeared into Amanda's tousled hairline. All she said was, "Chris - tie!" but she still brought to bear the full power of the dreaded Mother's Voice (TM) all moms have, no magic required. "I'll see about getting them moving about a room for you."
"I guess Val will be in the ICU, Mom?"
"I expect so. The doctors will be worried about her brain swelling and other such issues should the damage spread. I think I've stopped the spread, but I am not sure of that. Besides, the doctors have no way of knowing what I've done. They'll want to be able to respond quickly if they need to operate or some such thing."
"Okay, I guess. But, Mom?" Amanda's chin lifted in response, "I want out of here as soon as possible tomorrow, and then? I want to go to the range and perforate some targets. I think I need that discipline and routine."
Amanda smiled. "I'll see what I can do. But no painting Tad's face on any of those bulls eyes, young lady."
"Came too close to doing something like that already. Once was enough. I don't even want silhouette targets, just nice, harmless concentric circles."
Pleased by her daughter's response, Amanda gave her a quick kiss before hustling off to get the hospital bureaucracy in motion.
"And I am an old man, Jeja, and it is approaching my bedtime. I will see you, probably tomorrow. Let me know how you do at the firing range, eh?"
"Sure thing, Sa Bum Nim. Rest well. Thank you for being here for Mom and me. Good night."
"Good night, Christie."
~-~
Comments
Christie's Moment of Truth Is At Hand
Christie is blossoming- or metamorphosising- into a very powerful sorceress. If she accepts her changes and remains as Christie, she will have all of Christie's and be more enhanced as a martial artist than Charlie could ever have been. Seems like a no brainer to me that Christie should stay.
Good News
About Tad's knee. That should keep him from coming after her again.
Did the police or somebody get pictures of the bruising around her neck? That's strong evidence that she was fighting for her life; and justifies the injury she gave him. (Sorry, if you said so I missed it.)
"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin
Pictures would have been taken at the hospital
The responding officer gave Grandfather Kim permission to transport Christie to the hospital in lieu of being interviewed at the scene by detectives or being examined by an EMT. Therefore it is unlikely there would be pictures taken at the crime scene.
The hospital most definitely would have a carefully documented the injuries with pictures, x-rays and narrative descriptions because Christie was brought in to the ER as a crime victim. And even if the hospital hadn't photographed her neck, the image would be clearly visible on the surveillance video that the hospital has in place at the ER.
In the real world
You are correct. But this is not the real world, this is a fictional story. The story says the doctors and nurses hurried in and out of her ER room paying no attention to her treatment. So it is quite possible that no one thought to take the time to document her injuries photographicly. It isn't mentioned in the story, AFAIK. Even in the real world things can sometimes get missed because everybody just assumes somebody else did it. Seen it happen irl. The normal procedure has been disrupted, and as they say, sh*t happens.
It's a simple one line fix if the author chooses to do so. I merely pointed it out, what she does is up to her.
PS Don't count on the surveillance camera to catch a bruise. It takes time for a bruise to develop, so it might not have been easily visable when she first came in. And most surveillance systems are not as well maintained as you would think. When I was on the job I had the occasion to view more than a few camera records, and for the most part they left a lot to be desired. Many needed the lens cleaned. Also, many systems still have lower resolution cameras that were state-of-the-art when they were installed years ago and never upgraded. That's even true in banks, where the need for good cameras is high.
Just remember O'Toole's commentary on Murphy's Law: Murphy was an optimist.
"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin
For Those Of Us Old Enough To Remember...
After Tad recovers- to the extent that he will with a fused knee (presuming he doesn't lose the leg)- and if he survives a couple of decades in prison after being convicted for attempted murder of a two teen age girls, I do see a possible future for him.
He could be a supporting actor in a revival of the television western Gunsmoke in the role of Chester, or even Grandpa (the Walter Brennan role) in a revival of The Real McCoys. Of course all of this will depend upon him getting serious help for his emotional problems and/ or acting lessons so he can pretend to be a human being.
Tad will be putting a call to
Tad will be putting a call to the local ambulance chasers and will be looking for compensation for his life-changing injuries.
After then she attacked him and the other girl with baseball bats or something like that.
The way Tad will tell the story there was a whole gang that attacked him.
The injury to the other girl was caused by her too.
Tad just helped her up when she was hit in the head.
Tad will be going after her mother's money and the Kims too.
At least that is the story he will tell his lawyers and the police.
it is the kind of thing someone like Tad would say.
https://mewswithaview.wordpress.com/
With a history of documented
With a history of documented unsocial behavior he'll have a hard time of convincing a jury of his assumed godhood. And if his previous dates are called as witnesses that will put a few more nails in his coffin.
Grandfather
As a 10th Dan he should have more than enough power and control to break a knee like Christie did, considering they're able to break stone plates and bricks. And if the leg with the affected knee stood straight on the ground then there's a lot of leverage involved. So under the right circumstaces, even without augmentation, Christie could have been able to break Tad's knee.
Well..... at least Christy is ok
Tad well hell never truly walk again. Valerie though is my main concern & Christy's too. Now 4 powers my this girl WILL be powerful. I THINK she will stay in her current form & learn to control her gift better with the heavy bag & sparing with only the master Kim's. Some good MUST come from all this. Christy will be devastated if she looses her best friend. I hope & pray that dosen't happen to the poor girl.
Love Samantha Renée Heart.
The depth of this story…
This story continues to amaze me with the depth of the characters involved. Christie doesn’t just soar through the assault, there is survivor’s guilt, the pain of the attack, a realization of how much worse it could have been,, fear of what she might have done. None of these are simple things to deal with and Tigger and Paula, you’ve done wonderfully. I’m not clear whether Christie HAS to transform into Charlie at least once as part of her sorcerer’s final “test”, but I do hope she gets a little distance from this horrific event. If not, or if something terrible happens to Valerie, it could driver her to a decision she may not ultimately be happy with. But I keep thinking that this is a once-and-done thing. Maybe a sorcerer can bounce between two lives? Wouldn’t that be something!
It will all be Christey's fault
Tad never once considered the consequences of his actions. He never once stood before a mirror and examined himself to discover why others loathed him. Never once did he see it was his attitude toward girls that kept him dateless.
Where did Tad get such a macho attitude? From his father, or another family member, or guys he hung with? Who told him never to admit self fault, but always blame others for his shortcomings or failures?
Tad will now have plenty of time to reflect on his plight. He will have plenty of time to plan his revenge for what Christey did to him. His shattered knee is all Christey's fault, because he didn't do anything wrong, in his mind.
Whoa there, Christey gaining another ability? A power ability? No wonder she turned Tad's knee into mush. Even so, she isn't happy with what she did, or would have done to protect Val and herself. It's good she feels bad because of what she had to do, it shows she isn't the type of person who enjoys physically hurting others. But as grandfather Kim told her, she was protecting Val and herself from attack.
Up to now, Christey hasn't had a lot of major decisions to make. How hard to practice, being there at dance for Cindy, how hard to study for her classes at school, helping where she could. Nothing like the decision she'll now have to make, stay Christey and retain her manifested powers. Or, return to being Charlie and regain his red belt. Of course, if Charlie returned, maybe Val wouldn't have been hurt because Tad wouldn't have stalked Christey.
Christey has been lead to help others more than Charlie every did. Would Christey give up all her powers and return being Charlie in the chance Val wouldn't have gotten hurt?
Others have feelings too.