“Sure, yes, I’ll do that,” said Kate, pulling out her phone.
“Please hold off on using your phone until you’re past those doors,” Dr. Lambert pointed.
“Oh, of course — sorry,” said Kate, embarrassed.
“No problem. Just get word to the nurse’s station when you’re ready.”
“What do you think is past the maze?” asked Jack.
“I don’t know. I was thinking about it, and when we go in, the first thing we do is go straight to the ground floor, right?”
“Yeah, the drawing room is probably right at ground level,” answered Jack.
“Then, we go up one floor, and another, and we’re in the attic.”
“Yeah.”
“But then the pit is what, forty feet deep?” asked Stephen.
“Yeah, about that.”
“So, it seems like the place goes deeper than the drawing room. And then we go down the stairs, and into the maze. I think there’s at least two more levels,” Stephen said.
“Well aren’t some of the levels on the same floor? Like the spiral room and the maze are really on the same floor, and then the latest thing — the vents with the traps — that’s on the same floor too,” said Jack.
“True, true. I guess I mean two more floors then,” said Stephen.
Jack was about to speak when he saw his mom approaching.
“Who’s got Ben’s phone? I need to call his dad,” she said.
Stephen pawed through the bag and produced the phone. Kate scrolled through the numbers until she found the entry marked “Dad.”
“Thanks,” she handed the phone back to Stephen.
“What’s going on, mom?” asked Jack.
“Tell you in a minute,” said his mom as she headed towards the automatic doors to the outside.
“We should go see him,” said Jack.
“I don’t think we’re supposed to,” cautioned Stephen.
“Who cares, come on,” Jack rose.
“We don’t even know where he is,” said Stephen.
Stephen was half out of his seat when Jack’s mom came back through the doors. “I can’t get him — straight to voicemail,” she said.
“He’s probably working,” said Jack. “Ben never bothers to try him until after eight, because of the time difference.”
“Well, keep an ear out for Ben’s phone — I told him that if he can’t reach me he should try Ben’s, and you would get me the message. I can’t use my phone in the exam area.”
“Sure, no problem. Is Ben okay?” asked Jack.
“Oh, yes, he’s going to be fine, but I wanted to get one of his parents on the phone before they give him stitches.”
“Is it going to take a lot?” asked Stephen.
“I don’t know — they didn’t say,” Kate replied. “Okay, so you boys sit tight — are you hungry?”
“Not yet,” said Jack. “We brought snacks.”
“Excellent, good work,” she said. “You hold tight and I will let you know what’s going on in a minute. If you hear from Ben’s mom or dad, come through these doors and find me.” she pointed. “There’s a nurse’s station through there and you can ask them. Okay?”
“Okay mom,” said Jack.
“Sure, Mrs. Randolph,” said Stephen.
Kate strode back to the examination area, turning off her phone on the way. She turned when she got to the double-doors and waved goodbye to Jack and Stephen.
“You know what I just realized?” asked Jack.
“What?”
“The money is supposed to be refilled tomorrow,” said Jack.
“Is that tomorrow?”
“Yup,” said Jack. “Whether or not Ben comes back with us, I think we should find a way to check it.”
“Deal,” said Stephen. “I guess we’re not going to be able to stake the place out though.”
“Yeah — too bad,” said Jack.
After another hour, Kate came out to check on Jack and Stephen and tell them that Ben was about to get stitches. An hour after that she came out to announce that they could go see him. She led the boys up to room two seventeen in the pediatric ward. They found their friend stretched out on a bed and watching television.
“Are you going to stay here?” asked Jack.
“Yeah, they want me to stay overnight for observation,” said Ben. “Just one night though.”
“That’s cool,” said Stephen.
“You got a private room?” asked Jack.
“Yeah, it’s great, I can watch TV all night,” said Ben.
“Not all night,” interjected Kate.
“Did you play the game at all?” asked Jack.
“No, I didn’t get a chance. Shoot, I don’t know what I did with it,” Ben said, nervous.
“I put it in the closet with your clothes,” said Jack’s mom. “That reminds me: Jack, I’ll take Ben’s phone now.”
Jack dug the phone out of his pocket and handed it to his mom. “How many stitches did you get?” asked Jack. “Too bad you have that bandage on, we can’t even see everything.”
“Yeah, how does it look?” asked Stephen.
“I got four stitches, and it looks okay I guess,” said Ben. “They didn’t cut much hair off at all.”
“Just four? That thing was huge,” said Jack.
“Yup, just four,” said Ben. “But I have a concussion.”
“No wonder,” said Stephen, “you hit that tree hard.”
“Yeah,” said Jack.
After a small tap on the door, Jack’s dad poked his head in. Seeing that he had the correct room, he came in. “Hey Ben, how are you feeling?”
“Pretty good, Mr. Randolph,” Ben replied.
Kate smiled at her husband as Greg crossed the room and leaned over Ben. “They taking good care of you here?”
“Yeah, so far,” Ben said and smiled.
Kate stood up from her chair, “Ben? Are you getting tired?”
“A little, I guess,” he replied.
“Honey,” she turned to her husband, “why don’t you take Jack and Stephen out for a bit and come back later.” she turned back to Ben, “I’ll stay here with you for a bit so you can get some rest,” she said.
“Thanks,” said Ben.
“Okay boys, let’s get going,” said Jack’s dad. “What can we get you from the outside world, Ben?”
“I’m okay I guess, I don’t need anything,” said Ben.
“Nonsense, we’ll bring you back an after-dinner milkshake. What flavor?”
“Chocolate!” said Ben.
“Anything for you honey?” he asked his wife.
“I’m fine. I have my book,” she said.
“Great, see you soon,” he said. Greg herded Jack and Stephen out of the room.
“Bye Ben. See you later,” called Jack.
After dinner, Jack’s dad brought the boys back to Ben’s room. Ben finished eating his dinner and Kate ran down to the cafeteria for a snack.
Jack’s dad had taken the boys out for ice cream after dinner and they had brought milkshakes to the hospital — a large chocolate for Ben, and a small strawberry for Kate.
Sipping her milkshake, Kate took her husband aside to update him on her communication — “I talked to his dad this evening and told him that everything was okay. He was relieved and he’s not going to come out just for this,” she said to Greg privately.
“That’s good — anything from Sheri?”
“No answer, but apparently there’s something wrong with her phone, so she might not get the message,” said Kate.
“Why don’t I go over there and track her down?” asked Greg.