{"id":1202,"date":"2012-04-27T00:00:54","date_gmt":"2012-04-27T04:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1202"},"modified":"2012-04-27T12:23:35","modified_gmt":"2012-04-27T16:23:35","slug":"autumn-chapter-9-02","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1202","title":{"rendered":"Autumn – Chapter 9 – 02"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I savagely seized the flap of the supply tent and flipped it open, only to hear Kellin shouting for me from the ward line.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I spun around, cursing under my breath. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>I couldn\u2019t quite hear what she was saying, what she was shouting.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou two check this out,\u201d I growled at Thom and Rory.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019ve got to go see what Kellin needs.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBe careful,\u201d Thom said, squeezing my arm before he let me go.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I gave him a quick smile that I\u2019m pretty sure didn\u2019t reach my eyes.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI will be.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I jogged across the lawn toward the sound of Kellin\u2019s voice.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It wasn\u2019t until I got closer that I realized she wasn\u2019t yelling because of a ward or anything like that.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMar, get Jacqueline down here with her bag!<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I think we\u2019re going to need her.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Shit, shit, shit and goddamn.<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cJust do it!\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I cursed again and took off for the tent.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cJac!<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Jac, where are you?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She stood up from here seat near the fire, her kit arranged around her with a blanket spread by the fire, still ready to accept any wounded that might have been brought back to her\u2014preparations that had been for naught so far, but probably not for much longer.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDon\u2019t know,\u201d I said, stopping to catch my breath for a second.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Blood pounded in my ears and my head throbbed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>My adrenaline spiking up and down wasn\u2019t doing me any favors; I\u2019d be a mess tomorrow if I survived today.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cKel said we needed you.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Grab your bag and let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMost of my bag\u2019s spread out all over the place here,\u201d she said, scooping up a roll of bandages, a bag of cotton swabs, and a bottle of alcohol.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She stuffed them in her satchel and hopped over the blanket laid out next to the fire.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhere\u2019s J.T.?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I winced.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She doesn\u2019t know.\u00a0 <\/span>Shit.<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cLooking for Phelan in the ravine.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cLooking for\u2014<\/span>what<\/span><\/em>?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I waved my hands quickly, then grabbed one of hers and started to drag her toward the ward lines and Kellin.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDon\u2019t ask, just come.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cToo bad!<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019m asking.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She kept pace with me easily as we jogged toward where I\u2019d last seen Kellin.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBest we can figure, Phelan tackled Vammatar <\/span>into<\/span><\/em> the ravine.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. and Matt and some of the others went to try to find him down there, since there wasn\u2019t any sign below where they went down.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIdiot,\u201d Jacqueline growled.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 My thoughts exactly.<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>I set my jaw.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Kellin had crossed the wards and stood at the very edge of the ravine by the time we made it to her.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She glanced up at the sound of our voices and waved us over.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Her expression was grave, complexion washed out.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>My heart dropped to my knees.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cKel, give me your hand.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>My foot\u2019s stuck.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Kellin turned around and reached down over the edge of the ravine, then hauled back.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Carolyn\u2019s head appeared, followed by the rest of her, soaking wet and spattered with mud.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Jacqueline went pale and moved toward the edge.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I was right behind.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>We peered over the edge and Jacqueline gave a strangled cry as she caught sight of J.T. and my brother struggling with the steep, slick ravine walls, Phelan slung between them.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Water plastered Phelan\u2019s hair down, full of muck from the river. I couldn\u2019t see if he was breathing, but I thought that he <\/span>must <\/span><\/em>be, if they were carrying him like that.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>From how muddy all of them were, it was hard to tell how badly Phelan might have been hurt.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe found him in the river,\u201d Carolyn said, swallowing hard and wavering on her feet.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I grasped her arm and she steadied slightly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThere wasn\u2019t any sign of the bitch.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThat could be a good thing,\u201d I offered, heart hammering like a jackhammer.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMaybe,\u201d she agreed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She stumbled away from the ravine\u2019s edge as I let go of her arm.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Jacqueline and I got down on our knees at the edge of the drop and hauled Phelan up once Matt and J.T. got him close enough for us to reach.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He was floppy like a sack of flour and twice as heavy as he dragged him up onto solid ground.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Jacqueline reached immediately to check his pulse and I couldn\u2019t blame her for doing it.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan\u2019s lips were blue; his face looked like a thin layer of flesh stretched across his skull, more dead than alive.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDamn,\u201d I muttered, feeling sick.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHe <\/span>looks<\/span><\/em> like he was in the river.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I could see a darkening spot beneath his jacket.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Either his stitches had broken open, or he\u2019d been hit again.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe got lucky,\u201d Matt said as he cleared the ravine himself, speaking between panting breaths.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHe got caught on some roots before the river could sweep him further downstream.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Couldn\u2019t figure out where he went in, though.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 If it looked like the current swept him downstream, does that mean that Vammatar went into the river, too?<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>A shiver shot through me and I swallowed hard.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I hoped she was dead, and that hope terrified me.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019d never hoped anyone or anything was dead before in my life.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Either way, until we saw evidence of her continued existence or Phelan woke up, we couldn\u2019t be sure.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe need some kind of stretcher,\u201d Jacqueline said, snapping me out of my thoughts.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Kellin grabbed my arm.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCome on,\u201d she murmured.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She had to tug twice to get me to straighten up and come with her.
\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Heart beating in my throat, we walked to the tent to get the stretcher.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It wasn\u2019t until we were halfway there that I began to wonder why Jacqueline had asked for it instead of just having us carry Phelan back to the tent without it.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI think this is bad, Kel,\u201d I said quietly.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI know,\u201d she answered.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBelieve me, I know.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I savagely seized the flap of the supply tent and flipped it open, only to hear Kellin shouting for me from the ward line.\u00a0 I spun around, cursing under my breath. \u00a0I couldn\u2019t quite hear what she was saying, … 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":[38,35,47,14,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1202","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-autumn","category-book-2","category-chapter-9-book-2","category-story","category-year-one"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-jo","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1202","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=1202"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1202\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1204,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1202\/revisions\/1204"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1202"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1202"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1202"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}