Chapter 18 #2
Jackson pities the poor creature clinging to life in front of him.
A skilled druidic magic expert or veterinarian might have been able to help, but it had lost so much blood.
He can also see the fingers of death coming to lay claim to the small raccoon, it looks like a child.
It has barely a minute of life left to it, not even a mercy killing would be necessary.
Though he was familiar with death, understood it as a natural part of the animal world, seeing Hakeem so distressed still pained his heart.
Was it just from the sight of gore, or was the imminent doom of the small creature what caused tears to form in the man’s eyes?
Wait, tears?
Eddie and Jackson hadn’t noticed the tears spilling from Hakeem’s eyes.
He didn’t throw up, but it was becoming cruelly clear that Hakeem’s tender heart was bleeding for the poor thing.
He really was too kind for his own good at times.
Jackson wished there was something he could do to ease his heartache, a sentiment Eddie echoed in his own mind.
The air thickened around them, static running up both Eddie’s and Jackson’s spines. An answer ringing in their minds, a way to help.
But how?
Neither of them knew magic to heal animals, that was a skill unique to only the most skilled of druidic magic users could hope to achieve.
But the sensation was familiar: wish magic.
How? Hakeem hadn’t spoken a word or used any of his usual gestures.
Neither Jackson or Eddie had spoken a wish -at least, neither of them did out loud.
They lock eyes, Hakeem still resting against a tree averting his gaze from the scene behind him.
An understanding sparks between them. It was never spoken out loud, but they both wished to help Hakeem and the little raccoon’s suffering.
Eddie gives Hakeem’s back a gentle pat and tells him he’d be back in a moment, not leaving his side till he heard the soft “okay” that followed.
Eddie stands beside Jackson, both of them looking at the little raccoon before them.
Interlocking hands, they let their mana flow in tandem.
Eddie has the strongest ties to fae magic, no matter how weak his own mana.
Jackson can empower the spell with his own mana to make up the difference.
Their magic worked together before, though this time they didn’t have Hakeem to guide the spell.
The knowledge that filled their mind would have to do.
They had to remain in control and focus, together.
Eddie builds the spell in his heart, letting the knowledge guide the flow of mana.
Jackson extends a hand, tendrils of shadow slowly emerging and wrapping around the injured raccoon.
They are gentle and precise. Jackson holds on to Eddie’s hand tighter.
Eddie squeezes back. Lights trail down the tendrils, engulfing the raccoon’s in a gentle aura of forest green and ocean blue.
As fast as the knowledge had entered their minds, they felt it leave.
The spell dwindles as the tendrils place the raccoon’s body at their feet.
Eddie and Jackson looked down in astonishment.
The raccoon’s breathing had evened out, the cuts mostly healed, though not entirely.
It’s holding on to life much more strongly but still needs medical attention from a veterinarian.
“Oh my gods.” Eddie and Jackson startle at the sound of Hakeem behind them. They turn to see the man’s eyes wide and mouth dropped.
“How did you two- Is it okay?” Hakeem steps towards them, regarding them both with amazement. “I thought neither of you knew healing magic, especially for wounds so severe. How is this possible?” Of course Hakeem has questions, ones neither Eddie or Jackson have any idea how to answer.
Eddie just shrugs, “We just really wished we could help.”
Hakeem feels the tingle in his hands, not from the cold, but the tell tale sign he had granted a wish.
But how? No one said anything out loud. He didn’t say “As you wish”, or use any sort of gesture to activate the spell.
But he knows the feel of his own magic, he just didn’t realize he had granted a wish. “So you did.”
Hakeem removes his puffy jacket, wrapping it carefully around the raccoon, like a newborn baby.
“Is there anything else we can do? The poor thing still looks hurt.” While Eddie and Jackson have somehow managed to bring the raccoon back from the brink of death, it still needs medical attention.
It would be cruel to have saved it from death’s door, only to leave it to die from lack of care.
Eddie pulls out his phone, his sister Sarah is a recent veterinary school graduate and works at a clinic at the other side of town, where she had previously done her internship.
She hadn’t had time to stop by the apartment but they met up a couple times over the months to catch up.
It was early so she might not be at work yet, but she would know the next best step.
“Hellooo? This is Sarah.”
“Hey, noona, It’s Eddie.”
“Yes, caller I.D. is a marvelous innovation isn’t it.”
“Really?”
“Yes, haha.”
Eddie closes his eyes and rubs the bridge of his nose, pinching his brows. “All jokes aside, noona, I need your help.”
His sister goes silent, when she answers, her tone is serious. “Okay you never ask for help or use Korean honorifics with me, what’s wrong? What do you need?”
As the group walk back to the apartment, a small raccoon still bundled gently in Hakeem’s jacket, Eddie explains the scenario to his sister, leaving out how they healed the raccoon.
“Okaaaaaaay, that is….I have questions that I will save for later. What were you planning to do with the raccoon in a jacket if I didn’t answer? ”
“I thought you were saving questions for later?”
Sarah’s tone is pointed, like scolding a child, “Eddie.”
“Sarah.”
“Edmund.”
“We acted on emotion not logic okay? So, what do we do next? If we drive over there can Dr. Faunis help?”
Sarah lets out a long, exasperated sigh.
It is far too early for this. “Of course Dr. Faunis can help. She lives for animal rescue stories, especially if they involve miracles.” Eddie can feel her stare through the phone, a gift inherited from their mother.
“I’m on my way now, the doctor will be in by the time you drive by.
You’re lucky we don’t have any appointments for this morning. ”
“I love you, noona. Thank you.”
“Yeah yeah, get your asses and the baby raccoon here.”
Eddie turns back as they walk with a smile and a thumbs up, the relief on Jackson and Hakeem’s faces instantaneous.
Hakeem clings to the jacket holding the small animal, his hold firm but he’s careful not to hurt it any further.
He’s shivering, the cold drilling deep into his bones.
Jackson notices and says not a word, instead wrapping a tendril of shadows gently across Hakeem’s shoulder as they walk in pace.
“Dafii.”
The spell warms Hakeem slowly and gently, shielding him from the cold winds of March.
He turns to Jackson, that damned smile reaching his eyes.
Jackson looks away unable to match his gaze, lest his burning cheeks and rosy ears betray him.
He just wants to get to the car and get the little raccoon the help it needs.
He doesn’t notice Eddie watching them as he walks backwards, the scene stirring a chuckle out of him.
The drive to the clinic goes by without a hitch, the raccoon safe in Hakeem’s puffy coat. He refuses to let go of it till they reach the vet. The clinic resides in a humble white stone building, sandwiched between a florist and a bar on NewMoon Street. ‘Faunis Clinic’ is on a sign above the door.
Sarah is behind the counter, working on inputting client information into the computer in front of her.
She looks up the moment three men enter, carrying a raccoon in a puffy jacket.
“Hey guys, you must be Hakeem and Jackson. I’m Sarah, Eddie’s prettier big sister,” she says with a flip of her hair over her shoulder.
“Amelia will get you for that,” Eddie says with a smirk.
“Snitch,” replies Sarah with a glare.
“Narcissist.”
“Gym Bro.”
The banter between the siblings is playful, easing the tension in the air.
Sarah makes her way over to take the raccoon from Hakeem’s arms. “You guys did the hard part, now let us handle the rest.” Hakeem is hesitant at first, but sees the same kindness he sees in Eddie’s eyes, in Sarah’s as well.
He hands her his jacket with the raccoon bundled up in it.
“Oh you poor thing, nature can be cruel. Let’s go see Dr. Faunis.
You guys can go home and I’ll call you when things change.
” She cooes at the furry bundle in her arms.
Before Hakeem can interject, Jackson speaks up, “Is it ok if we stay in the waiting room? It feels weird to leave after getting so far.” Eddie and Hakeem both look at Jackson with fondness, a look that doesn’t go unnoticed by Sarah.
She smiles to herself as she walks back to the examination room.
“If it gets busy I expect you to give your seats up to our actual patient’s parents.
But, do as you will.” They thank Sarah and take their seats in the waiting area, praying for the small raccoon.
An hour passes, the back area silent. It’s a quiet day for the clinic it seems, only a few people having stopped by, only to pick up prescriptions for their pets.
The boys have time before they absolutely have to head home and get ready for work, they couldn’t lose a whole day over a wild animal they just so happened upon.
Although all of their stomachs sink at the idea of leaving the poor creature.
They understand the natural order of things, but something about seeing the little raccoon fight so hard to stay alive strikes a chord in all of them.