THE PASSAGE

Something's Weird

Chapter 21

"We better get down to the creek. I'm worried about my friend. I hate leaving him by himself."

We start hiking down the trail, and Solstice asks, "You said he has a stab wound. Where?"

"On his right side, between his ribs."

"Has he lost much blood?"

"Yes, and he's developed a fever."

"That's not good. Is he conscious?"

"He is probably sleeping, but I can still wake him."

"Have you contained the bleeding?"

"Yes, as best as I could."

"Did you take his pulse?"

"No, not really. I attempted to." I stare at Solstice, a little bewildered by all of these questions from a teenage mother.

"Solstice, do you have first-aid training?"

She stares at me. "First-aid?"

I stare at her blankly as I shift Cain. "Solstice, where are you from?"

"Not anywhere around here."

"Are you from the middle-east?"

She stares at me again. "The middle east of what?"

I shake my head as I step over a rock. The creek is starting to come into view. "Okay, Solstice, how did you get here?"

"I'm not sure."

I have no idea why this girl is so elusive to my questions. I ask, "How can you not know how you got here?"

She looks at me. "Probably for the same reason that you don't."

I start to speak, but Solstice abruptly stops when we get to the flat, sandy area. She stares at the boat as if being cautious before proceeding further. She turns and looks down at the other end of the creek before returning her gaze to the boat. Then without notice, she sprints towards it. I go after her as fast as I can while carrying Cain. Solstice jumps into the boat and immediately stoops down next to Toby.

"It's okay, Toby," I say as I approach. But when I get close enough, I see that Toby is unconscious at the moment. I watch Solstice put her ear to his chest and listen to his heart. After, she checks his pulse with one hand while counting with the other. Then, she inspects the location of the wound. After that, she puts her wrist on his forehead to check his fever.

"So," I say, "you do have first-aid training. Why didn't you say so when I asked?"

She looks at me. "What's his name?"

"Toby."

She looks down at him. "Toby, can you hear me?" Her middle-eastern accent seems even more prevalent now. She slaps his cheek, and Toby opens his eyes. She moves in closer, inspecting his eyes at different angles, then sweeps a finger from side to side across his line of sight. Toby's eyes follow her finger. I step into the boat also.

"Toby, this is Solstice, and this is Cain," I say, showing him the baby. "Solstice is trying to help you."

"Toby," says Solstice, "open your mouth."

Toby just stares at her. I also ask him to open his mouth several times, but he doesn't do anything. With me still holding Cain, I stoop down, reach under his neck, and pick his head up. "Toby, open your mouth."

He manages to open only a little, and Solstice pries it open wider to look inside. She observes his hands and fingers also.

"How long has he been injured?" she asks.