Chapter 84: Thursday, January 30th Pt.2
It’s the smell that hits me first as we slowly close the ten feet between us and the children. The smell of urine, feces and infection mix together in a foul smelling pool of rot. I hear Celine switch over to mouth breathing but I can easily say that it doesn’t help. With five feet left I can see that the little boy is swaying hard. His sister tries everything she can to keep him standing without touching him but it’s to no avail. I jump the last three feet, landing right beside Micah as he starts to fall. The little girl shrieks, leaping away from me and her brother but to our benefit Celine catches her before she takes off. Micah screams in pain as I hold him. I loosen my grip just enough to allow him to lean against my leg. I look around slowly allowing myself to take in the scene looking for a rock that I might be able to sit on.
“I’m so sorry if this hurts you.”
I speak softly as I pick him up and hurriedly move two feet to the large rock on the edge of the path. He screams again before going limp in my arms.
“Parker!”
I cry out fearing the little guy is dead. He screams again as suddenly as he had gone quiet before he violently starts vomiting. I get myself seated, positioning him between my legs once his body gives him a break.
While this isn’t the best place for him to be he doesn’t protest as he collapses against my right leg, leaning against it as his vomiting resumes.
“Please make it stop.”
He whines quietly before his soft cries can be heard. Parker walks around to the back of me as I see Derrick and Darren approach. Parker relieves me of my pack, setting it on the ground before retrieving a battery operated lantern. He pulls it apart revealing the bright LED lights inside.
Many sounds are made from my crew as they attempt to stifle their gasps. These kids are worse than words can describe. Their clothing is an after thought for this supposed alpha.
The girl’s dress is too big, her small frame is swallowed within it yet it’s obvious that it’s been handed down for far too long. The skirt has been cut several times to accommodate the new owner’s shorter stature causing the material to fray and fall apart. It’s caked in so much grime that the original color is lost to time but none of that matters as much as the child herself.
Her face is swollen from the hits she has endured but like her dress, she is covered in dust, dirt and is generally so unkept that I can’t tell where the dirt ends and her skin begins.
“What is your name?”
Celine tries to distract her from rushing to her brother. She’s obviously conflicted. She’s afraid of me. Enough that she won’t approach me but she also won’t take her eyes off me.
“My name is Crystal. He’s Micah.”
She pauses, uncertain with her interactions with us.
“How old are you?” Celine keeps the conversation going.
“I’m ten and Micah just turned six.” Crystal manages.
“Do you know why you are here?”
I ask softly, slowing my speech down as she starts backing away.
“I-I’m sorry. W-we didn’t want to come on your land. D-delta forced us. H-he promised you would help.”
She whines her way through the sentence. It’s obvious that she feels the need to run but the bond with her brother is simply too strong to allow her that freedom.
“Please don’t run.”
I state as I slowly caress the back of the boy’s head. He seems to have passed out over my thigh providing him a mild respite from his persistent retching.
“I don’t know where to go.” She whispers.
A sudden scream followed by the retching of the young boy on my lap brings my attention back to him. The liquid that he is struggling to expel from his body bounces off the ground hitting my right hand. Despite shaking my hand to rid myself of the little guy’s bodily fluids I feel my hand burning in several places.
“Parker, are there any wet wipes in there?”
I ask through gritted teeth. He quickly finds a pack and hands me several to clean my hand with.
“How is he still throwing up wolfsbane?” Parker exclaims.
“Silver burns the same way.” I mumble not wanting the others to hear.
“Do you believe that he was poisoned with both?”
As incredulous as it sounds I silently nod my head as the wet wipes remove and neutralize whatever splattered on my hand.
“Crystal, I need you to go with Celine and Darren. I can hear the mule up the trail. I believe our beta is driving it. He’s going to take you to our hospital wing. Celine will help you get situated with a shower. When you are done, Dr. Pierce will speak to you about your injuries. She will want to see them. Don’t be afraid to show her. She needs to know about every bruise, cut, sprain, or break you have. I promise she can make them all hurt less. You will get warm clothes, a meal if you’re hungry and a warm bed to sleep in.” She’s staring at me as I finish.
“Warm?” She questions like it’s a foreign language.
“Yes, Crystal.” Celine steps up next to her and takes her hand. “Let’s get you someplace warm.”
For the first time in half an hour something resembling relief crosses her face for just a second. She starts walking with Celine but only makes it ten feet before she attempts to make a run for it. She screams as Darren sweeps her off her feet. She gives up easily, crying against his shoulder as they make their way down the trail disappearing into the darkness shortly after.
“All right Micah. We need to get you situated before my father comes back with the mule.”
I state gently as I attempt to rub his back. He squirms and whimpers loudly with my touch but makes no effort to move. I remove my hand when I feel that his shirt is wet. A quick sniff reveals that he’s wet himself so badly that it’s traveled all the way up his back.