{"id":1097,"date":"2012-02-24T00:00:58","date_gmt":"2012-02-24T05:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1097"},"modified":"2012-02-23T11:02:58","modified_gmt":"2012-02-23T16:02:58","slug":"autumn-chapter-four-03","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1097","title":{"rendered":"Autumn – Chapter Four – 03"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He stirred awake thanks to a chill the next morning, just as the sky was turning light in the east.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Marin was sitting up, staring at him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYour chest is like some kind of furnace, Thom.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Probably aggravated my ribs or something,<\/em><\/span> he thought.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He closed his eyes again as she peeled up his shirt, flesh puckering with the cold.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He winced as she gasped a little.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou\u2019re all black and blue on the one side again,\u201d she said, her fingers like ice against his ribs.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He shivered, swallowing hard.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYeah, I fell against some shelves last night,\u201d he mumbled, starting to tug his shirt back down.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHurt like hell at the time, but I didn\u2019t feel anything pop so I thought it\u2019d probably be okay.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Just bruises.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He sat up slowly. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u201cAnd it sounds like that\u2019s all it is.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Right?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She looked doubtful, frowning slightly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMaybe you should have Jay look.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom grimaced.<\/span>\u00a0 He\u2019ll just get on my case about being careful and try to keep me stationary again.<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou\u2019re not going to give me a vote about that, are you?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>A weak smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAm I that transparent?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He hitched one shoulder in a shrug and stretched a little, rubbing lightly at his sore ribs, careful of the fresh bruises.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNot usually,\u201d he said, a wry smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cJust when you\u2019re worrying about me.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Marin laughed and shook her head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI suppose that\u2019s a good thing to be transparent about.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom started to change into clean clothes to face the oncoming day, hissing as the cold air hit his bare skin again.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIf it still hurts at dinnertime, I\u2019ll bother Jay with it.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Not before; I\u2019ve got too much work to do.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 Matt hasn\u2019t said anything about not laying those foundations today, with or without Phelan, so we\u2019re going to get that started while the others work on the walls.<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom suppressed a shiver.<\/span>\u00a0 We\u2019re going to need that forge sooner rather than later, I\u2019m afraid.<\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Sometimes, he wondered if Matt was cursed similarly to he and Marin, or if he just possessed more simple, logical foresight than the rest of them.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His relationship with Matt was tenuous enough that he didn\u2019t want to ask him outright.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>For the same reason, he didn\u2019t want to disappoint his soon-to-be brother.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou\u2019re still working on the walls.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Rory can handle that for a little while, right?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom shook his head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMatt and I were going to start the foundations for his forge today.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI thought you didn\u2019t want to worry about anything except for the walls until they were up.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Marin watched him dress, her eyes on his bruises until he covered them up again with a clean shirt.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThey\u2019re mostly up,\u201d Thom murmured, \u201cand I promised your brother.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Marin shook her head slightly, sighing and finally turning away to get dressed herself.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMatt would understand, Thom.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019m not going to break that promise because of a few bruises.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom kissed her cheek.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019m going to go find a jar of peanut butter.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>After last night, I think some of us could use some fortified toast.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThat sounds like a good plan.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She squeezed his hand before she let him go.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom limped toward the fire, where he could see Tala already starting on the morning\u2019s breakfast.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She shot him a smile in the dim light, mostly cast from the fire and not the slowly rising sun.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat was all the commotion last night?\u201d she asked.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI started to get up, but by the time I was, J.T. told me to go back to bed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Jac looks like she\u2019s slept maybe three hours all night.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cShe took the watch from Carolyn after the incident last night.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom edged closer to the fire, to warm his cold hands before he\u2019d have to make the trek to the supply tent to rummage around for peanut butter in their stores.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHave you noticed Leah acting strange lately?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Tala startled, blinking.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cLeah?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019m not sure how I\u2019d be able to tell, Thom.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She sat back against her heels, frowning to herself.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t know.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Maybe?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She just kind of holds herself aloof from the rest of us, I guess.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Always going off to do her own thing.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019m pretty sure she doesn\u2019t like the rule about never going anywhere alone.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I think that\u2019s got more to do with her style of plant-hunting, though.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She doesn\u2019t want someone else coming behind her and trampling anything she might have missed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She\u2019s like a deer when she\u2019s in the forest\u2014lightfooted, doesn\u2019t do much damage unless frightened.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I wonder if she\u2019s frightened now.<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom nodded slightly.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhy?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Did she have something to do with whatever happened last night?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom shrugged with one shoulder. \u201cShe tried to give Phelan antibiotics.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I hit her with a crutch.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat the hell did you do <\/span>that<\/span><\/em> for?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom smiled weakly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIf you saw someone straddling Phelan\u2019s chest in the middle of the night, what would you do?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIf you hadn\u2019t said his <\/span>chest<\/span><\/em>, I\u2019d say I\u2019d congratulate him.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Tala frowned.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThat doesn\u2019t explain your question, though.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cPhelan\u2019s allergic to antibiotics.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She shook her head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThat just means she almost killed him on accident.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>You saved his life, sure, but she was probably just trying to help him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Unless…you think something else is going on?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He shrugged slightly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cFollowing my gut.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I hope I\u2019m wrong.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019m going to go get peanut butter for the toast.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He\u2019d gone three steps before her question stopped him.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat if you\u2019re not wrong?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t know.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I really don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He stirred awake thanks to a chill the next morning, just as the sky was turning light in the east.\u00a0 Marin was sitting up, staring at him.\u00a0 \u201cYour chest is like some kind of furnace, Thom.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Probably aggravated … 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":[38,35,42,14,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1097","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-autumn","category-book-2","category-chapter-4-book-2","category-story","category-year-one"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-hH","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1097","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=1097"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1097\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1098,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1097\/revisions\/1098"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1097"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1097"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1097"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}