{"id":1059,"date":"2012-02-10T00:00:20","date_gmt":"2012-02-10T05:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1059"},"modified":"2012-02-09T14:04:53","modified_gmt":"2012-02-09T19:04:53","slug":"autumn-chapter-3-marin-06","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1059","title":{"rendered":"Autumn – Chapter 3 – Marin – 06"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The incandescence died within seconds, leaving us all night-blind and gasping for breath.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I groped around in the darkness for the others.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIs everyone all right?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Jacqueline\u2019s voice called tremulously from the barrow.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGrab a lantern,\u201d I croaked after swallowing a couple times.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCome on over here and have a look.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Had I screamed?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>My throat felt like I had been, and for a long time.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>It had only taken a few seconds, hadn\u2019t it?<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Hadn\u2019t it?<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I leaned against the staff to stay upright.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It was still warm against my palms, almost comforting.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I felt like I could fall asleep right there, leaning against that staff.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom\u2019s voice shook me fully awake.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMarin!<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Get over here.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>There was urgency interlaced with fear in his voice.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>My heart began to thud at breakneck speed.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>My eyes began to adjust again as I got moving, toward the sound of Thom\u2019s call, aided a few seconds later by Kellin, who snapped one of the battery operated lanterns on.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>In its anemic light, I could see Phelan sprawled on the grass, breathing shallowly and staring at the sky.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Shit.\u00a0 <\/span>Oh shit, oh shit.<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cJac!\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I crashed to my knees next to Thom, who\u2019d balled up the stocking cap he\u2019d worn out here tonight and had it pressed against a bloody gash in Phelan\u2019s shoulder.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom looked at me sidelong and shook his head slightly, looking as frightened as I\u2019d ever seen him in these past few weeks since the end of everything.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan\u2019s shirt was soaked with blood.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>When had this happened?<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Probably when she hit him that first time,<\/em><\/span> I realized.<\/span>\u00a0 When he started sounding like he was trying to talk around steel wool caught in his throat.<\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Jacqueline was there a few seconds later, taking Phelan\u2019s pulse and checking his eyes.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He managed to glare at her for a moment before his expression slackened.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThe bitch,\u201d he mumbled, then his eyes slid closed.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDamnation, Phelan,\u201d Jacqueline cursed softly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDon\u2019t pass out on me yet.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIs he all right?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Rory asked from behind me.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I glanced over my shoulder.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He and Drew looked little worse for wear, though Rory had apparent grass stains all along one side of his body and was bleeding a little from a scrape above his eye that he didn\u2019t seem to notice.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Beyond them, Carolyn was helping J.T. to his feet.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He moved gingerly, as if checking to make sure that he was in one piece.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Jacqueline answered.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>No, he\u2019s not all right.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Keep that right where you\u2019ve got it right now, Thom.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cRight,\u201d Thom said in a murmur, head bobbing slightly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His eyes were on her hands as she worked, moving deftly across Phelan\u2019s prone body.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe can\u2019t stay here,\u201d Kellin said, shaking her head firmly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s <\/span>not<\/span><\/em> safe out here right now.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDo you really think she\u2019s going to come back after <\/span>that<\/span><\/em>?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Jacqueline snapped, looking up at Kellin for a split second.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWithout a goddamned doubt,\u201d Kellin snapped back.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMaybe not in the next ten minutes, but she\u2019s not going to stay away for long.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We need to get back to camp, and fast.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Jacqueline glanced at me and I shook my head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI wish I didn\u2019t think she was right, Jac. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>We need to get back inside the wards before she comes back with friends.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat the hell was that all about, anyway?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Rory pressed, looking at me, then at Thom, then Kellin.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDo you know?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI think the only one who does is currently unconscious.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I shook my head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe need some kind of stretcher or travois.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe\u2019ll handle it,\u201d J.T. said with a grunt as he finished his self-assessment.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGoing to have to borrow your crutches, though, Thom.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Think you can manage to hobble and not hurt yourself?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom nodded.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019ll lean on someone.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Jacqueline looked at me.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI need the cloth from my basket.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Tear a few strips off of it so we can tie that hat against his shoulder.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOn it,\u201d I said, forcing myself up.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I paused, then eased the staff closer to Phelan and closed his limp hand around it.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It might have been my imagination, but I thought that his breathing eased for a second and his fingers tightened around the wood.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>My head started to throb as I was knotting two strips of cloth together to make<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>a makeshift bandage for Phelan\u2019s shoulder.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMarin!<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Tear a few more and knot them off.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He\u2019s bleeding somewhere else.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Wonderful.\u00a0 <\/span>What the hell, Phelan?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I thought you were going to help us stay out of trouble, not bring down more on us.<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>My heart thudded against my breast and my head pounded in time with the beats.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I did as I was asked and brought the mess over to Jacqueline, who was making full use of Rory\u2019s assistance to get Phelan bound up.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I saw the other spot of blood\u2014Phelan\u2019s lower back, above his hip on the left side. I hoped it wasn\u2019t too deep, but his shirt was soaked with enough blood I began to wonder exactly how shallow it could be.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I wavered a little on my feet and Thom touched my arm with a bloody hand, steadying me.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I stared at him for a moment.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>There must have been something written in my gaze, on my face, because he reached out and drew me against his chest.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I leaned there for a moment, forgetting about his ribs and his bloody hands, squeezing my eyes shut and trying to calm down.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Green fields stretched out before us, the wind sending the grass rippling in an endless, undulating wave except for where it broke against what was left of a burned down barn, against the rocks that were all that was left of a house\u2019s foundation.\u00a0 <\/span>Thom\u2019s hand closed around mine and squeezed as we stood on the hill, looking down over the ruins of a world that died years ago, a world slowly being swallowed up by the new world that had fought so hard to be born.<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe\u2019ll find it,\u201d he whispered.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhatever it takes, however long it takes.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>And then we\u2019ll go home to them and never have to leave again for all the rest of our days.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I still wished I knew what it was we were looking for.<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I drew a shuddering breath and clung to him for a moment.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom kissed my temple, squeezed me, then let go.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cTime to walk,\u201d he murmured.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou okay?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYeah,\u201d I whispered, fairly certain it was a lie.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYeah, I\u2019m okay.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Let\u2019s get back to the wards.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He nodded.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. and Drew had gotten Phelan loaded onto a makeshift stretcher made of Thom\u2019s crutches and sweatshirts.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Greg, Carolyn, and Kellin gathered up all the lanterns they could carry and I scrambled to help them.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom stooped gingerly to retrieve the drum and another lantern.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>We left the two remaining torches where they were, on the far side of the barrow, burning bright with a flame that was strangely more blue than they had been before.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I tried to ignore that as we walked away.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The incandescence died within seconds, leaving us all night-blind and gasping for breath.\u00a0 I groped around in the darkness for the others. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIs everyone all right?\u201d\u00a0 Jacqueline\u2019s voice called tremulously from the barrow. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGrab a lantern,\u201d I … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[38,35,41,14,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1059","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-autumn","category-book-2","category-chapter-3","category-story","category-year-one"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-h5","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1059","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1059"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1059\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1061,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1059\/revisions\/1061"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1059"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1059"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1059"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}