Chapter 11
OWEN
Looking around, thankfully I’m not the only one tearing up as I watch my best friend and one of the strongest guys I know practically collapse when he finally has the love of his life in his arms.
I spent many an evening listening to Ricky talk about Ginger, and even though he smiled, chatted, and joked around, it was easy to see how forced it all was. For the longest time, he never missed a shuttle landing, but as the months went on, I could tell he had lost hope.
I noticed the woman standing on the ramp before he did, as we were talking about the repairs needed for the perimeter.
I should have known it was her simply by the way she was looking at him, or by his description of her, but seeing their love collide.
Well, you would have to be heartless not to tear up a little.
Ricky had fallen to the ground with her in his arms and DaR literally picks both of them up.
DaR says a few words to them, and I step back out of the way as Ricky walks past all of us.
I can see the whites of his knuckles as he holds onto her tightly, terrified she will disappear if he lets go.
Once they’re out of sight, I notice the others that have just arrived.
Seems like there are a few more girls, and a huge ass blue guy who is now talking to DaR.
Now that all that excitement is over, I register the fact that my arm is throbbing to the point that it’s making me feel sick.
I head toward medical, hoping Vedece has returned.
Suddenly, my feet stop when the sound of laughter catches my attention.
Turning around, I scan the entire area, trying to figure out where that came from and why it sounds so familiar to me.
The new group of girls is talking to James and Carla, but from where I’m standing, I can’t tell if it’s one of them or not, and I refuse to look desperate by walking up and introducing myself.
A guy can only be turned down so many times by the only remaining females from Earth before deciding it’s no longer worth the effort.
Even though it sucks, I’ve come to peace with the fact that I’m more than likely going to live what’s left of my life alone.
Clenching my teeth together at the pain pulsing up my arm, I head toward medical.
When I get to the tent, my heart hits my throat, as half of its roof has collapsed.
Ethan and Peter are pulling on the lead lines, trying to get the wet material back up, but each time they try to anchor it, the line breaks.
I am not sure what kind of help I can offer with one arm, but the meds I need are inside that tent, so one way or another, this thing must be secured.
“Hey guys, what can I do to help?”
Ethan looks up, “Owen, we managed to get the other two lines pretty easily, but this last one is fighting us and we’ve already re-hooked it three times.”
“Have you seen Vedece or KyT anywhere?”
“No, and we’ve been here several hours trying to get this tent back up. I don’t think any of the machines were hurt in the med bay because the walls didn’t collapse. It’s just this upper layer.”
“I only have one good arm but let me see if I can help.” Peter and I grab the rope, pulling with everything we have, while Ethen beats a new stake in the ground.
Once it’s in, he grabs the end, wrapping it tightly before motioning for us to let go.
I step back out of the way quickly, just in case it snaps again, but thankfully, this time it holds.
As I straighten up, dark spots form in front of my eyes, as sharp, piercing pains run up my shoulder and then down to my fingers.
Carla wrapped my arm to stop the bleeding, but it feels like there’s something wiggling around inside it.
Peter’s in the process of tying back the main entrance so that they can go inside when I feel my body sway slightly.
“Guys, I’m going to see if I can find Vedece.
This arm is making me sick. If either of you see her, would you tell her I’m looking for her? ”
“Sure thing, Owen. We’re going to get the generator and things running in here, so hopefully we’ll have it all straightened up before you get back.”
I must have stumbled because Ethan grabs my shoulder.
“Hey Owen, you might wanna sit down. I’ll go look for Vedece. You don’t need to be walking anywhere because you’re as pale as a ghost.”
“You don’t mind?”
“No actually, I need the air. After being cooped up in that pod, I’ve been climbing the walls these last few days.
If this crap happens again, I’m going to tell them to sedate me or hit me in the head with something.
I don’t do idle well … there’s too much time to think.
Here, let me get you settled and I’ll go see who I can round up. ”
Somehow, Ethan manages to get me inside the tent, and I plop down in a folding chair they use in the main dining area.
Closing my eyes, I try to breathe through the pain as I have no idea why it’s getting worse.
I don’t know if I’ve dozed off or what, but voices coming my way make me jerk, and I have to bite my lip to keep from screaming out.
Turning, I almost fall out of the chair when I see who’s standing there and I don’t know who’s more shocked.
“Tracy … Stewart!”
“Owen Reynold!”
“How?” Both of us say at the same time.
I’m up and out of my chair, my arm completely forgotten as I grab her in a hug, the sound of her familiar laughter finally registering in my mind.
“Tracy, how are you here?”
“I could ask the same about you. I never dreamed I’d ever see you again, Owen. What an unexpected but wonderful surprise.”
“Me either. What the hell happened? I mean, damn girl … I thought you were buried in a shallow grave somewhere. We looked for weeks and found nothing. It was like you disappeared into thin air.”
“That’s pretty accurate, honestly. It’s a long story, and we’ll get to that part. However, this young man here said you needed help, and since no one can find your doctor, I’m your only option. Let’s get this arm looked at. You look like you’re ready to fall over.”
Ethan had stepped back, wringing his hands together nervously. “If you guys don’t need me any longer, James is getting ready to start some new seedlings and requires my help.”
“We’re good, but thank you, Ethan.”
“Not a problem.”
Three steps later, Ethan is out the doorway.
“I’ve known him less than five minutes and can already tell that poor thing is a bundle of nerves.”
“Ethan doesn’t people well and it took weeks for him to open up to me. The kids’ picture is in the dictionary under loner, but he’s one hell of a worker.”
“Owen, I’m assuming you know your way around down here. Is there even a medical center?”
“We have a medical room back there. Vedece was studying medicine and in her residency so she’s become our go-to when one of us is hurt. Before this storm hit, she had quite a nice setup. However, I’m not sure how much damage it sustained since part of this tent fell.”
“Well, let’s go see what we can find before you can no longer stand. You’re swaying back and forth already.”
Tracy follows behind me as I weave through the dining hall and kitchen, then into what Vedece has claimed as medical.
Thankfully, the area appears to be unharmed.
A few surfaces are wet, and the room is overly cold, but that’s all my eyes catch as I practically fall into a chair, leaning my head down, trying to catch my breath to keep from vomiting.
I can hear Tracy rummaging through the cabinets, and the sight of her feet in front of me has me looking up.
“Can you lay your arm on this? I need to cut that bandage off to see what we’re dealing with here.”
I have to lift it with my other one, but I hesitate to lay it down as I know the pressure is going to be excruciating.
“Okay, I can see the pain all over your face. Let me help hold it up until we get this wrap off. Owen, your arm is all the wrong colors. How did you do this?”
“Ricky and I were rushing back to the guard station. We didn’t take the storm seriously enough when it started and damn near got ourselves killed.
I don’t know if you’ve been here long enough to notice, but the trees are freaking huge.
And their canopies are several stories high.
I just happened to catch movement out of the corner of my eye, and I threw my arm up when a limb the size of an old Buick hit me full force.
It smacked Ricky too, but I was pinned. It took him minutes we didn’t have to get me out, but my adrenaline was so high I didn’t realize how badly I was hurt until we got back to the guard station.
I think the cold also helped keep it numb, as I could barely feel my hands and feet by the time we got in and the heaters kicked on.
But damn, when the pain hit, it took everything I had not to cry like a baby.
Ricky tore part of his shirt off and wrapped it as well as he could, but we had nothing to clean it with.
Carla tried, but by the time we got to her, I could barely stand to have it touched. ”
“So, this didn’t just happen?”
“No, that was several days ago.”
“Well, there’s blood seeping through the gauze, so something is wrong.
Let’s start by cleaning it out, then we’ll go from there.
I found what I think is lidocaine, but that’s not going to help much if I need to dig around in there.
Infection is probably setting in, and that’s why it’s become so painful. ”
“Just don’t make fun of me if I pass out on ya.”
I get that smile that made me notice her so many years ago, and I try my best to act tough even though just unwrapping it is miserable. “Tracy, you’re going to have to distract me, or I’m going to become a blubbering, crying mess on you.”