Tragic Glance: the Glance Series, #1

Chapter One

Susan woke up in her apartment, experiencing a cold sweat yet again. The nightmare which had been haunting her dreams over the past few years always troubled her. She could not understand why it kept recurring.  Those blue penetrating eyes, coming through the dark of night until they were almost upon her.  Closer and closer they came, terrifying her.  There was never a body attached to them, yet she had the impression they seemed to consume her, at which point, waking was the only way to get away from them and back to reality. Susan had come to realize this nightmare usually presented itself when she was stressed.  Five long years of being a student at Lakehead University, in Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada, were about to come to an end.  Susan would be appearing before the university panel later on this day to defend her thesis.  Knowing she was definitely under a lot of pressure had her comprehending why those blue eyes had once again filtered into her sub-conscience. It was her hope the nightmare would go away once her time at university was complete, as they had only begun since her arrival on campus five years before.

When she was just a young girl, Susan had come to appreciate the gift or ability which she possessed.  Premonitions or forewarnings sometimes came to her at different times when she was in deep sleep. This ability could be thought of as a gift or a curse. She had no control over when they came, or what they meant, until the situation revealed itself at a later date.  Often years went by before she understood why she had received such a clear vision. Never had there been such a vivid nightmare that would later correlate with a real life circumstance.  Could the blue eyes actually be a forewarning of some terrible event in her future? It gave her a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach whenever the nightmare occurred. 

It was late in the afternoon on this lovely cool September day in 1990, when Susan walked out the doors of the campus building towards the bus stop, with the thought of going somewhere relaxing. She knew just the place, her favourite diner, where she often went to enjoy a quiet time by herself.

The ginger ale was placed in front of Susan, as she thanked the waitress before returning to her thoughts. She recalled the first four years of university, when she obtained her Bachelor of Science Honours Degree.  When she then applied for a Master of Science Degree in Forestry, she was pleased to be accepted at the same university to complete those studies.  By the way she had presented herself earlier that afternoon in front of the thesis panel, she realized from their comments she would be receiving an honours mark. It was her last step in the education process in order to receive the important certificate that she had worked so hard to obtain.

The upcoming week was going to be extremely busy, packing her belongings in the apartment she rented, and shipping everything by rail back to her home in Toronto. Other chores no doubt would present themselves but the tough part would be saying good-bye to all her friends. Susan knew she would keep in touch with a few of her close friends, but long-distance friendships can be difficult to carry on for years.  It was important to be thankful for this moment, appreciating all life had given her during her time away from home.

Thunder Bay, ‘the land of the sleeping giant,’ the phrase the local people used to describe the northern Ontario city, had been Susan’s home for five years but she now looked forward to getting back to Toronto, where she had been born and where her family still lived.  As she glanced towards the back of the diner, large windows permitted a view of the rolling countryside.  She was going to miss the beautiful scenery. The slight feeling of frost in the air on this fall afternoon, reminded Susan of something she was never going to miss, the oncoming winter weather which could chill a person to the bone. Remembering the months from November to March, when she experienced the mountains of snow which covered everything and the below zero temperatures, would only be a memory once she was back in Toronto. Although there was always some snow on the ground during the winter in Toronto, there was no comparison to the amount received, or the major fluctuation in temperatures. Once she was home again, she would no longer be trying to walk through snow which could be up to her knees in 30 to 40 degrees below zero temperatures.

Happy with herself and her life in general, Susan saw no harm in splurging on a piece of delicious coconut cream pie which she had ordered with the soft drink, as a reward for having completed an afternoon full of mental pressure. A little snack would keep her stomach from complaining too much, and her parched throat would appreciate the moisture after all the talking she had done earlier that afternoon.  Arrangements had been made with her best friend Stephanie to go out at eight o’clock and have a celebration dinner.

This diner had a homey atmosphere, decorated in country décor with red and white checked tablecloths, covering very sturdy tables attached to steel legs which were unmovable.  As Susan’s eyes roamed around the quaintness of the place, she enjoyed the mouth-watering scents permeating in the air, which made their way into the main eating area from the small kitchen in the back.  Susan appreciated all the memories she had made and will be taking with her when she left this city.

For one last time, Susan inserted a coin into the juke-box cabinet attached to the wall where she sat. There were 79 songs the patrons could choose from by selecting their desired tune, pressing the alphabetical and numerical buttons coinciding with a particular song.  Selecting one of her favourites, she pressed C7. Within seconds, the classic tune ‘Always on My Mind,’ sung by Elvis Presley, could be heard by everyone in the diner.

Settling back in her seat, Susan reminisced about all of the times she had listened to that particular song over and over with girlfriends throughout her high school years. Even though Elvis had been deceased for a number of years before her time in high school, she and her friends had been fans of his music.  Susan was delighted, when settling into her new life in Thunder Bay, she discovered this diner with the old-fashioned music box.  While listening to the song, Susan made sure she ate up the last morsel of her pie before heading back to her apartment to prepare for her evening out with Stephanie.

It was 6:15 p.m. and although the bright sun was still high in the west, it had started its descent. The train was instantly derailed when an eighteen-wheeler started over the tracks at the exact moment the train arrived to cross over the road.  It was thought the truck driver had possibly been blinded by the sun; the only reason given by the police at the time that made any sense.  The cacophony of noise immediately caught the attention of Susan and everyone else in the diner, with the loud screeching of metal on metal, as the train’s engine and several cars vaulted over gravel, asphalt and concrete, with one car finally coming to a stop partially inside the small diner, bringing death and destruction to life and structure.

Pinned between a wall and the heavy steel table, Susan knew she was in trouble.  She gasped as she saw blood on the floor, a definite warning some part of her body was hurt but the shock of pain had not yet reached her brain.  Bruce, her sweetheart since high school, rushed into her thoughts.  He was taking his residency in medicine at Toronto General Hospital, and could have diagnosed what was wrong. Susan wished they were not 1500 miles apart. Shock was quickly taking over her body, stopping any cognitive process.  Closing her eyes, Susan prayed for Divine intervention as she drifted out of consciousness.  It was a scene of noise and pandemonium with the arrival of fire, rescue, police and ambulances, as the task of dispatching the injured to the hospital began.

Stephanie was getting ready in her apartment for her evening out with Susan when she heard the news on the radio about the train wreck. She was totally shocked to discover Susan Russell’s name mentioned as one of the casualties. It would take longer for the names of the dead to be released.  Tossing her fancy dress on the bed, she then quickly dressed in a pair of jeans and a shirt.  Next she raced down the buildings stairs and out the door to the parking lot, where she swiftly got into her Pontiac Acadian. Once inside the vehicle, Stephanie took a few moments to get her breathing under control before she put the key in the ignition. Pointing the car in the direction of the hospital, her hands trembled on the wheel.  Since she had been born and raised in the area, it was her hope that once she reached the hospital, she would recognize one of the nurses on duty. Knowing it was usually only the next of kin who were privy to medical information, maybe an acquaintance might make an exception to the rule.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Stephanie went directly to the emergency department, where Veronica a classmate from high school approached her, asking if she was there to see Susan.   Veronica had been an R.N. for a year and had often seen Stephanie and Susan in the downtown area.  She was very kind and helpful, knowing that Susan did not have any relatives in Thunder Bay. She informed Stephanie, that Susan was in surgery and consulted the patient’s chart in order to divulge any information she was permitted to give.

Once out of surgery, Susan will be in recovery for many hours, Veronica informed her friend.

I’d appreciate your help with the authorities, Stephanie told her. If you would please let them know that I’ll call Susan’s parents right away to tell them about their daughter.  I don’t want them to receive a cold call from the hospital or police.

Extremely grateful for the information, Stephanie thanked Veronica and left the hospital.  Having met Eric and Betty Russell a number of times when they had flown to Thunder Bay to visit Susan over the years, Stephanie had spent many hours with them, becoming fond of them both.

Driving home from the hospital, Stephanie did her best to compose herself before phoning the Russell household in Toronto.  Rehearsing what she was about to say and praying for the right words to come seemed the best action to take.  It would be important during the upcoming conversation, to make sure everything she reported was as clear as possible.  There would be time for crying after she had made the call.  It was going to be difficult enough for Eric and Betty to hear about the accident and absorb all of the pertinent information, without having to listen to Stephanie weep.  It was paramount for her to convey to Susan’s parents that their daughter should recover, no matter how badly she’d been hurt.

Stephanie managed to dial the phone even though her hand was shaking. She listened when Eric Russell answered in his normal cheery voice, and then heard the surprise in his voice when he realized it was Stephanie calling from Thunder Bay.

What do we owe the pleasure of this call? he asked.

I’m so sorry, Mr. Russell, Stephanie told him, But I have some bad news for you and Mrs. Russell.

Stephanie did the best she could under the circumstances to relay to Eric Russell the facts given to her by the nurse at the hospital.  She heard the catch in his voice when

Eric became quiet as he listened.  His wife would describe to Stephanie at a later date, how his whole countenance just instantly changed, as she watched the blood drain from his face in disbelief.

Stephanie could hear Betty in the background asking questions as she became aware something terrible had happened. Then she could hear Betty crying, once she realized something very bad had happened to their daughter, when her husband told Stephanie he’d call her back with flight numbers and their arrival time.

What’s wrong? Betty cried, as Eric hung up the phone and turned to face her with uncontrollable tears in his eyes.

What’s happened to Susan?  Why was Stephanie calling us?  What did she tell you? Please, Eric, tell me what’s going on. You’re scaring me.

Once Eric relayed to Betty all the information he had just received, Betty fell into his arms. The two stood holding each other, weeping.  Being so far away from Susan left them feeling totally inadequate.  The only comfort they had was in holding on to each other as they prayed their daughter would be okay.

It was now 9:30 p.m. and as they had flown to Thunder Bay in the past, Eric knew the earliest flight would not be taking off until the next morning, which caused them even more anguish. Their brains were going into overdrive, worrying about their daughter and what they would find when they arrived at the hospital.

After consoling each other, Eric finally pulled himself away from Betty so he could call the airport. When all was arranged, Eric placed a call back to Stephanie. 

Stephanie answered her phone on the first ring as she had been waiting for the call. I’ll pick you up at the airport, Mr. Russell, and then take you both to the hospital.  Is there anything else I can do for you at this time?

No, Stephanie, we know you’re going through turmoil yourself. Once we arrive in Thunder Bay you’ll be looking at two extremely tired humans.  Betty and I will probably not get much sleep tonight.

I hope you haven’t called and made a reservation at a hotel.  My apartment has two bedrooms and you are both welcome to stay with me, as it’s hard to say how long you’ll be here.

That’s most gracious of you, Stephanie, and thank you.  We’ll accept your offer for a few nights until we see how our girl is doing.

The flight out of Toronto at 7:00 a.m. was without incident, however during the time in the air, the distraught parents had the sense of it never coming to an end. They were so anxious to reach their destination they sat throughout the journey with muscles tense and heads aching with pounding uncertainty.

By 11:00 a.m. Susan’s parents were vigilantly sitting beside her bed, praying their daughter would wake up. The doctor had been very kind and thorough as he explained the trauma Susan’s body had been subjected to in the accident.

Twenty-seven hours would pass before the patient was fully conscious. A number of operations had to be performed to start her body on the journey of healing. The left leg had been broken in three places with two bones carving their way through the skin.  The fibula on the outside of the lower leg, and a much larger opening was made by the femur, all thanks to the wide steel table legs which had pinned Susan down. Her abdomen had also been hit hard by the table which had trapped her, causing internal bleeding.  Her spleen had been traumatized, which ultimately meant an emergency splenectomy. The doctor said if Susan had been standing at the time of the accident, the damage would not have been so severe to her body but because she had been sitting down, she had been thrown into the wall and crushed like a grape.

Susan was extremely grateful once she became conscious and realized she had been one of the lucky ones, as ten people had died in the horrific train crash.  The destruction caused by the train wreck would take many more days to even partially clean up.  One person who died was a man in his fifties.  He was a husband and father of four boys.  An autopsy proved he suffered a major brain aneurysm and was most likely already dead when the eighteen-wheeler truck he had been driving, ploughed through the railway crossing guards and caused the accident.

Betty was the first person to notice Susan attempting to open her eyes and the first person who came into Susan’s line of vision. The eyes of Susan’s mother brimmed over with tears of thankfulness as she said, Welcome back, sweetheart.

Once she was lucid enough to realize her mother and father were by her bedside, Susan focused on her left leg which hung in traction out in front of her.  Next, she noticed the needle in her hand where the morphine was being administered and tubes were in her nose. Suddenly the pain in her body made itself known.  She was very confused and wanted to know where she was and why.

The doctor was notified Susan was at last awake and entered the room to assess his patient.  Eric and Betty were very interested to speak with him again. Dr. James mentioned how impressed he was that Susan had come to after such a short time frame, noting patients often do not come out of their comatose state so quickly after their body had gone through so much.  He checked a few things and then provided more information such as how long Susan would need to be hospitalized and what to expect in the next few days as the pain started to subside, with healing taking place.

It’s time to give Kevin a call, Betty told Eric. He’ll be pacing in the house not knowing what’s happening with his sister.  He needs to know Susan is awake and will fully recover. You’ll also need to call Bruce, although I don’t know if he’ll be working at the hospital or waiting with his parents for news.  Kevin and Bruce can then call and report our news to anyone else who needs to know.

It took some time for Susan to come to terms with the pain she was feeling and to totally understand why she was in the hospital, as she listened to the explanation of the chain of events which had taken place in the last two days.  She had been ready to go home to Toronto but more importantly, home to Bruce and the plans they had made.

It had been a long five years of sacrifice and emotional strain for the couple in order for each to receive the university degree which they aspired to. The summer months and Christmas holidays were the only times available to reunite. They had always been successful in securing employment in Toronto through the months of May to September.  By living with their parents, it was a smart way to save money. The past summer had been an exception, with Susan remaining on campus in order to finish her Masters.

Susan was told she would be in the hospital for a number of weeks, and it worried her as arrangements had been made to vacate her apartment in the upcoming week.  Her Mom and Stephanie assured her they would pack everything and have it shipped back to Toronto by rail and leave the apartment spotless. Susan had always been fortunate to sublet her apartment to a student taking summer courses at the university, when she went home in May, returning when classes began again in the fall, but this year she would be leaving for good.  Both women wanted to alleviate any worry Susan might experience regarding all the tasks which needed to be done, as she required time to heal and get well.

Feeling very blessed to have her mother and father at her side and Stephanie constantly on call to run errands and take care of her parents, kept Susan calm and reassured things were going to work out okay. Once Susan’s parents understood there was plenty of room for them in Stephanie’s apartment, they decided to accept her invitation to stay with her while Susan recovered in hospital.

Stephanie had also just graduated from Lakehead University with a Bachelor of Science Degree, with the intent of also working in the field of Forestry.  She and Susan had met quite by accident on a bench outside the university’s library during Susan’s third year, when Stephanie was just starting her second. The two became friends quite quickly. They had considered being room-mates but realized they did in fact need some time on their own.  They spent so much time together, not only because they were good friends but also because there was no one else in their lives to spend their days with outside of the lecture halls. Susan had no intention of dating while at university, having no interest in anyone but Bruce.  Stephanie had made the important decision before she had even met Susan, that dating was not to be a consideration until she was finished with her education.

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The few boyfriends she had dated in high school had just complicated her life, when she had been so focused on getting good grades. She wanted no one to interrupt her concentration as she studied for her university degree. Stephanie had accepted a position with the British Columbia Provincial Forestry Department but would not be reporting to work until January. The timing was perfect as far as she was concerned, leaving her available to help Susan.

Stephanie’s family all lived in Thunder Bay but having a number of brothers and sisters all younger than herself, her parents decided she could have her own apartment when she started university, providing her with privacy and the quiet she would need to study.  Stephanie’s parents were well off financially and so paid for the apartment and the tuition.  Many people in Stephanie’s family were glad to give Susan and her parents any help they could while the patient recovered from her injuries.

Susan was also fortunate to have parents who could afford her tuition and apartment costs. She put aside any money she made during the summer months, to buy a car once she graduated.  Both women would be graduating without debt hanging over their heads for years to come.  Most of their class mates were not going to be so lucky.

On the second day she was awake, Susan was thrilled to see her boyfriend Bruce, when he gave her a wonderful surprise by walking into her room and kissing her ever so gently, while she noticed tears rolling down his face.  She knew he was overcome at the sight of her lying in the hospital bed, as he could hardly speak.

Eric and Betty simultaneously extended their hands to welcome Bruce.

We’re glad you could come, Eric told him. I know our girl is thrilled to see you.

I’m glad the person responsible for this is dead because I would have killed him myself, Bruce remarked.

Susan took a small gasp of air.  She had never heard him speak with a vengeful heart and it surprised her. Oh, Bruce, you’re only upset because of all these tubes and seeing my leg hanging in traction but you’ll soon be a doctor and doctors preserve lives; they don’t take them, Susan scolded.

Eric and Betty were appalled at Bruce’s outburst, even though they knew how disturbed he was about the accident. On the third day of sitting beside Susan’s bed with Mr. and Mrs. Russell, Bruce was finally able to speak with Dr. James, who assured him Susan was going to recover and would be back in Toronto whenever she was able to travel. Bruce had never been in Thunder Bay before and didn’t know how to navigate through the city.  As a result, any time not spent at the hospital, became very boring for him in his hotel room.  Bruce decided to say good-bye to Susan and her parents and fly home.  He had only taken a few days off work due to this emergency and did not want to infringe on the thoughtfulness of the head of his department at Toronto General Hospital.  He promised to get in touch with Susan’s brother when he returned to Toronto, to provide him with firsthand information concerning his sister.

Susan’s brother Kevin was three years younger than his sister, and still living at home while he attended the University of Toronto.  He was grateful his father called every night to give him up-dates on Susan’s progress. The siblings were very close and he was finding it extremely difficult to concentrate on his studies while worrying about what she was going through.

When Susan started to show improvement, her father made the decision to return home.  He had abruptly left Toronto and needed to get back to his position as an airline executive.  Eric had mentioned to a number of people at the hospital, at least his job had one great perk of giving him access to any flight, at any time, for any reason, especially in an emergency situation.  He and Betty weren’t sure if people had lost their seats in order for them to fly to Thunder Bay but they were grateful for Eric’s status with the airline, when they needed immediate access to a flight.

After five long weeks of being under the watchful eyes of a number of nurses and visits from the doctors who had performed the surgeries, it was finally decided Susan could be discharged from the hospital.  Stephanie and Betty had re-organized Stephanie’s apartment to make room for Susan until she was able to travel. The hide-a-bed couch in the living room was made into Betty’s new sleeping arrangement, so Susan could have the spare bedroom entirely to herself.  She was still going to need a lot of rest and sleep in order to build up her strength for healing to continue.  There would still be trips to the hospital for therapy and check-ups with Dr. James at his office, but as time went on, these would eventually become less frequent.

It was mid-November of 1990, when Susan was given permission from her doctor to travel home.  It had been eight weeks since the accident and Susan’s health and strength had improved with each passing day. Dr. James advised her to consider going back to Toronto by train, as air travel could prove to be very unpleasant, due to the trauma on her ear-drums at the time of the train derailment. The noise had been almost deafening. Susan did her best to not think about the fact it was because of a train, she had almost died.

Preparing for her journey home, Susan thought about the two days she and her mother would be travelling through the northland of Ontario.  She