CHAPTER 8 #2
“We need to open the tarpaulin. Once I’ve strapped up his leg, we’ll move him onto it.
I’ll clean what I can and cover it to stop it getting any more dirt in.
If we can move him closer to the fire after that.
One of your guys has found a blanket, but I don’t want to cover his leg because I’m not sure how clean it is, but we can cover the top part of his body.
” Hesitating, I look up at the big man because he needs to know my limitations.
“I’m out of my comfort zone here, Shadrack.
I’m not really sure what I’m doing, and I’m worried about infection.
He may still lose his leg. I’m used to working on animals; humans, not so much. ”
Shadrack reaches over and squeezes my shoulder, “I understand. Do what you can, and we’ll make the hard decisions when we get him to a hospital.”
“Okay,” I agree. Shaking some paracetamol out of the bottle I’d found, I hand them to him, “Can you give him these? They won’t help much, but they’re all I have.”
“No problem,” he agrees, taking them from me and waking his recruit. He helps him drink them down, then explains what we’re going to do. My heart hurts for the young guy. I hope he gets to keep his leg after all this.
It took what seemed like hours, but I knew it wasn’t much longer than an hour before we got his leg stabilised using the triangular bandage that I’d cut up and used to secure the straightest sticks they’d been able to find in the dark on either side of his leg.
It wasn’t the best, but it was better than nothing.
I clean and pack it with the antibiotic cream I found in the first aid kit.
I cover the wound with the sterile gauze pads and secure them to his leg.
When I’ve done what I could, I cover him with the blanket and leave him in the care of his friends, then walk back to Skinny, stripping off my gloves and throwing them in the fire before cleaning my hands with wipes and adding them to the flames.
Skinny is sitting exactly where I left him.
Warmth flows through me as I watch him. It wasn’t often I got to do this.
He always seems hyper-aware of where I am.
He has a quiet strength about him that not everyone sees.
I love him deeply, and I hate that his injuries were from protecting me.
But it was his nature to protect, and I’d not change anything about him.
He was the perfect man for me, and I never, not once, regretted that he’d made me his.
Cupping his cheek, I tilt his head slightly and whisper softly because I know his head is probably pounding, “Shh, it’s only me,” when he startles.
I go on to fill him in on what is happening while putting on another pair of gloves so that I can treat his head wound and make him a little more comfortable.
I switch on the torch that I’d strapped to my head.
I’d been so happy to find it in the bottom of the backpack because it made it easier to work with both my hands free, but I can still see.
He moaned slightly when I switched it on, but there’s nothing for it.
I need to see what I’m doing. That doesn’t stop me from apologising, though, because I hate that I’m causing him pain.
When he wraps a hand around my thigh, anchoring me to him even with everything we have going on, it doesn’t stop the little flutter of need that runs through me.
‘God, I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of this man,’ I think as I concentrate on cleaning him up and stitching up his head.
I’m sure a doctor or a nurse would have done better, but it wasn’t looking too bad.
To take his mind off the pain of me shoving a needle through his skin, I tell him what we hit and Shadrack’s thoughts.
I know I’m rambling, but he’s answering me, which goes a long way to making me feel better about his concussion.
At least he’s lucid and not slurring his words.
He laughs when I apologise for my stitching but doesn’t waste any time in downing the painkillers that I hand him, along with one of the ginger sweets that Rochelle had given me.
I wasn’t sure if the painkillers would help his concussion-induced nausea, but I think it was worth a shot because I know Skinny will assist as soon as he feels well enough, regardless of his condition, and this proves correct shortly after Shadrack and I guide him to the fire.
I’m exhausted and a little cold. I know it was partly adrenaline, partly being pregnant, but mostly it was exhaustion.
I pushed myself hard today. Skinny takes the backpack from me and insists that I eat the breakfast bar in there while he finds the thin blanket I’d forgotten about that we kept in the bottom of the bag.
My eyes are already closing when he wraps it around my shoulders, pulling me into his chest. I let out a little sigh of contentment at his warmth.
I’m so warm from Skinny and the fire that I can hardly keep my eyes open.
Sleep claims me, and I don’t fight it, knowing it’s what my body needs.
I’m sleeping so deeply I don’t stir as Skinny lays me down and stands up, nor when he pulls the blanket, making sure it covers my entire body.
I don’t stir until I’m woken up by Skinny sitting down next to me.
My gaze zeroes in on the tiny kitten that he puts down on the ground in front of the meat that Shadrack’s cut up for her.
She’s gorgeous, and my heart aches when I find out her mother’s been killed.
We’ll take her back with us and look after her until she’s ready to go out on her own.
Living on the reserve had its advantages.
When the kitten is done eating, she curls up to sleep between my leg and Skinny’s. I guess she knows she’s safe for now.
“How are you feeling?” I ask, running an assessing eye over his face.
I can immediately see he’s in pain from the frown lines on his forehead and the way he’s squinting in the firelight.
When he explains why he’s been helping out, I have to agree with him as much as I hate it.
Skinny is probably the only other one, other than Shadrack, with any kind of training to keep us safe.
The recruits haven’t got enough experience and are still pretty young. So while I understand, I don’t like it.
Skinny cups my cheek, turning my head slightly towards him, saying, “I love you, Josie. I’m not sure what Shadrack’s worried about, but I know I won’t breathe easy until the sun rises. Whatever happens, you make sure you keep you and our baby safe.”
My heart skips a beat at his words, and they warm me right down to my soul. Skinny has never, not once in all the time we’ve been together, been stingy at letting me know how much he loves me.
Rolling my lips, I blink rapidly to stop my tears before I reply, “I will, I promise. I love you too, so don’t do anything stupid.
I have my gun. I know it won’t do much against a big animal, but it’s better than nothing.
Having a dart gun with us would have been useful.
Next time, we know to be better prepared. ”
“That’s for sure,” Skinny agrees wearily as Shadrack walks back to us. He’s exhausted. We can see that clearly. The man has been everywhere tonight, not taking any time for himself as he worked to make sure those under his care are as safe as he can make them.
When he asks Skinny for help, I can see that it’s costing him, so I keep my mouth shut even though worry streaks through me at my injured and hurting husband taking his turn to do a watch.
Not that any of us are certain what has Shadrack worried, but if he’s worried then we’d do our best to help him.
And for me, that means supporting Skinny and not making it harder for any of them.
Still, when Skinny kisses me and tells me to stay by the fire, I can’t help but remind him not to be a hero.
I know my husband, and he’d put himself in danger if it meant saving someone else.
I tried my best to stay awake and my eyes trained on Skinny as he walked around our makeshift camp until eventually I couldn’t anymore, and I let sleep take me only to be woken up to screaming, shouting, and gunshots and a kitten who’s clawing at me as she buries herself deeper in my shirt.
The first thing I do is look for Skinny, and my heart settles in my chest when I find him next to me, but he’s already standing, his eyes on the leopard who is dragging one of the recruits away from the fire by his leg.
Shadrack is standing firm, gun trained, but he can’t get a clear shot as his recruit screams again and flails his arms.
I stand too, frozen in horror, my heart in my throat as we listen to his heartfelt pleas to Shadrack to shoot.
I’m jolted out of my frozen terror when Skinny runs across the camp shouting and waving his arms, making himself bigger and taking the leopard’s attention from the man she’s dragging away.
He fires a shot over the leopard’s head, and I whisper a hoarse, “No,” my trembling hand covering my mouth as I watch in horror as the leopard abandons its current prey and turns her attention to Skinny and leaps.
“Shoot, Shadrack,” Skinny screams. There’s a loud boom and I sink to my knees as the leopard collides with Skinny, taking him down.
There’s a moment of silence where there’s no movement from Skinny or the leopard.
I’m pulled from my stupor by Shadrack running towards Skinny and the downed leopard.
Struggling to my feet, I stumble-run after him.
My heart in my throat and terror clawing at me, I’m sobbing as I fall to my knees next to him.
Not noticing when Shadrack pulls the leopard off Skinny, my attention is focused on him as I run a shaky hand over his still face, then down his body to see where he’s hurt.
When his eyes pop open and he asks, “Did Shadrack get it?”