Help from the OtherSide

23. Healer doesn't show up

"Follow me." I blindly tread on the path that got me here. Now's the time to resume the game of Hot and Cold. Bringing Glowy close to my chest and silently prayed hoping he knew what he had to do.

Bless his heart! He got cold!
Which meant I walked in circles until Glowy got hot again and Kaimana followed me around without a word.

She's probably never met such a dumb fairy in her life. Which brought me to another question.

"How old are you? That is, if you don't mind me asking." I slow down to walk beside her.

"I don't mind. Age is such a trivial thing. If I remember correctly, I turned four hundred twenty, two months ago." She shrugged.

I choked on my spit.
 "You look pretty young for a four hundred year old person. I thought you were around, uh . . . two hundred . . ?" I hoped my numbers were considered young in nymph chronology.

"Oh you flatterer!" She blushed.

Eventually we reached the clearing. As expected Leopard brought no one. Yet.
I bolted to where Liam lay, the way I left him. I motioned her to hurry.

She inspected Liam with a critical eye. "You cleaned him up? Is this article of clothing yours?"

"No and Yes." I step back to let her do her magic. Literally.

Her dainty fingers moved my shirt off of him and gasped. "My goodness!"

My shirt soaked up the blood as much as it could and bluish-black tendrils appeared perpendicular to his wound on his abdomen. It looked like the skin was . . . rotting. 

"What is this? Do something!" I urged her to start working. But she stood there gaping at the wound. "Do you know what has caused it?" She shifted her eyes on me, assessing me.

"I haven't learnt the Genus and Species yet but I'll get back to you." If I knew what the creature was and what the cure is, I wouldn't have asked her.

He was growing cold, besides if I stood there and described the towel creature she may just ask more questions on why  it happened, how did it happen or what are you doing here.

"I'm not sure if I can help him, but I will try." She closed her eyes and gently glided her fingertips on the side of the wound. Her fingers began to glow and the light covered the wound, making it impossible for me to see what's going on. He forehead crinkled under pressure and the light shone brighter.

When she lifted her fingers the light ceased, something strange happened. The gash was closed and a new skin formed, like a stitch from the doctors but without the crisscross pattern of the thread. There was a slant scar formed across his body but the tendrils didn't vanish. They faded a little, but present as ever.

"Thank you so much--" I was cut by my friend whose eyes fluttered opened. 

"Hhhhh- " He hissed, clutching his stomach. Now that he was responsive, the pain actually hit him.

"Liam! Easy there. You're alright." I rush towards him and help him get up. His body was still weak with the recovery. His head swayed to the side before drooping down. I lifted him and made him sit properly against the boulder and cupped my hands around his face.

"Hey, hey buddy. Stay with me, focus on my voice." I was trying to keep him conscious.

"Feed him this." Kaimana offers a pink fruit that had a vague resemblance to an apple. I knew he's not strong enough to bite on his own, so I squeezed the fruit against both my palms and broke it into two halves. The insides were juicy red with black seeds peppered around. I broke it into smaller pieces and placed one near his lips, coaxing him to open.