PART 2: THE AMBULANCE
The lead paramedic was a woman named Rachel.
She knelt beside me and spoke calmly.
“What’s your name?”
“Olivia.”
“What happened?”
Before I could answer, my mother interrupted.
“She fell. She’s always been clumsy.”
Rachel didn’t even glance at her.
Her eyes remained on mine.
“Olivia. What happened?”
My throat tightened.
“I was pushed.”
Tyler cursed under his breath.
My father immediately stepped forward.
“She’s confused.”
Rachel ignored him.
Her partner examined my legs.
“Can you feel this?”
“No.”
He touched my left foot.
“How about now?”
Nothing.
His expression changed instantly.
Then he carefully lifted the back of my shirt.
He froze.
“Rachel.”
Just one word.
But something in his voice made everyone nervous.
Rachel leaned closer.
Her face became serious.
“We need to transport her immediately.”
“That’s ridiculous,” my father snapped.
Rachel stood.
“No. What would be ridiculous is waiting.”
As they secured me to a spinal board, Tyler followed beside the stretcher.
His confidence was gone.
“Liv,” he whispered. “Don’t make this into something it isn’t.”
I looked directly into his eyes.
“You pushed me.”
“It was a joke.”
“You’ve been saying that my whole life.”
For a moment, he looked afraid.
Not worried about me.
Afraid for himself.
Outside, the ambulance doors closed.
The siren wailed.
As the lake house disappeared behind us, memories flooded my mind.
The bicycle crash when I was twelve.
The swimming pool incident.
The bruises nobody asked about.
The Christmas when Tyler locked me in the basement and everyone laughed.
Every single time I was told I was overreacting.
Every single time they chose him.
This time felt different.
For the first time, professionals were involved.
May you like
For the first time, someone was actually listening.
And deep down, I sensed the truth was finally about to come out.
