Mind Split
by Ross Richdale

EXCERPT

CHAPTER ONE

The dark sky turned pale in the east and the all-night party entered a quiet stage as the graduates drunk their full and returned from the row of bedrooms to gather on the patio. Twenty or more were awake and talking quietly when the attack came.

The bees descended in a swarm larger than anyone ever recorded in history and engulfed everyone. It was a planned attack, premeditated and ruthless. Screams and waving arms failed to dissuade the creatures. Sobs and groans followed as shocked bodies were pierced with violent stings. It was over within moments after everyone there was stung ... once in the neck. Nobody was excluded and not one sole received more than one sting. That may have been the intention but even the best-made plans of whatever it was that organized the assault could not have anticipated one slight imperfection.

Madison Evans stood on her wobbly legs when the attack came, felt the agonizing pierce of her skin on the side of her neck and flung her hand up to ward off the insect. She stepped forward but her weak right leg crumpled and she crashed against Leona, one of the other girls, who was sitting on the carpet beside her. Just as a bee headed for the Leona's neck, Madison's leg bumped it aside; the sting pierced her own ankle.

Her reaction was one of surprise and relief. For the first time since the car accident six weeks earlier she felt pain in her leg. It wasn't the piercing sting still throbbing in her neck but a low prick. She never really had time to absorb the news for her body reacted again. Her friends around began to spin, a sort of purple cloud hovered before her eyes and she grabbed a supporting arm of her friend, Kirsty.

"Two of the bastards stung me and I don't feel too good..." She collapsed on the floor.

"Madison," Kirsty screamed. "Oh my God. Help me, someone. Madison's collapsed."

But Kirsty was on her own. Everyone seemed to be in a drunken state and wandered around crashing into each other. Most of the girls were crying in pain while the boys bravely attempted to show male fortitude by squinting back tears and holding their wounded arms. Haunted cries rung throughout the patio as everyone held their necks in a futile attempt to stop the pain.

And it did stop, for everyone it was at exactly the same time. As the swamp flew off in a cloud the victims' necks stopped throbbing and became just a tender spot. It was as if an anesthetic had kicked in ... and it had.

Except for Madison lying unconscious on the floor they all stopped and began speaking at once. Kirsty's screams pierced their minds and they turned to gaze at the girl on the floor.

Norris Moore, on the other side of the room ignored the girl he'd been chatting with and tore across the room.

"She's having a fit," he cried and bent down beside his friend. "She'll come through it. It's happened several times since the accident."

"It's not," Kirsty gasped. "Look at her. She's like a ghost and isn't moving."

"She's been stung too," Norris said. He grabbed Madison's wrist and frowned.

"Well?" someone else muttered.

"There's no pulse," Norris gasped. "No ... wait a minute. It's very faint but ... Hell could someone call for help?"

"I've already done it," one girl replied.

* * *

The two air force officers ignored the No Admittance to Operating Theater Wing and turned to the stern nurse who intercepted them.

"This is a restricted area," the nurse said in an icy voice. "The security guard should not have let you in. Please leave at once."

One officer spoke. "Colonel Brad Davis," he snapped and flashed an identity card. "We believe at young woman was sting earlier by ... err... bees and is being operated on. It is imperative that we speak to the surgeon before he proceeds with any corrective surgery."

"It is an emergency operation. I cannot..."

"You will madam," Phillips cut in. "Not only is this young woman's life threatened but there are far more serious consequences. I have a code red security order directly from Washington."

The nurse held the cold gaze, nodded and took a mobile phone from her pocket. "Is Doctor Joel Mitchell still in the theater with Miss Evans?" she asked. She listened and nodded. "I see ... two air force officers are here and wish to speak to Doctor Mitchell immediately... Yes I know that. Apparently... "Her voice continued in a hushed but authoritative tone. Principal Nurse Zanna Perez was the second highest staff member on duty that morning and except for Mitchell himself, her word was law.

* * *

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