Vanished

Chapter Thirty-Three

It had been dark outside the infirmary windows. With her energy feeling drained, Emma wanted to lie down and fall asleep. It couldn't happen, especially with Cindy's injury that was covered by a cloth. The wound had caused a scar under her eyelid.

Emma sat next to the empty cot, her eyes closed and her head on the sheet. Cindy's injury had taken a lot out of her, but it didn't help that James had also been injured too.

James had been in the infirmary, but his wound had mostly healed. She had attempted to wrap it, but that was usually Melany who would wrap wounds so they wouldn't get infected. Soon, she'd have to go into the daycare to check for any large wounds, but she didn't want to do that.

Esme came skidding into the church infirmary. She had been gone for a long period of time, but she had apparently taken Luke somewhere to get buried.

"I gave Luke a makeover," Esme said breathlessly. "I tied him to a surgical table and cut off the rest of his arm. I also plucked his eyebrows and cut his hair."

Emma dropped her jaw with her eyes wide. How could that even be possible with Luke? Half the time he is beating someone up or torturing someone.

"I knocked him out with some machine drug," Esme explained. "Now he's tied up to stay there for a long time."

"And he's just tied up in the hospital?" Emma asked.

Esme nodded repeatedly, stumbling to stand. She looked between sleeping Cindy and James, knitting her eyebrows together.

"Who's going to be the new doctor?" Esme asked.

Who knew that much skill, such as medication? Emma had no idea about having to distribute medication, but healing with a touch. Cindy didn't know much either, and she had spent more time here than she had.

"Can you think of anyone from Uden who could?" Esme asked.

Nobody in her mind could heal injuries or distribute medicine for those who were ill. She's seen the odd people come in and help, but they didn't stay long because they'd get confused.

Esme poked James' cheek, causing him to stir. "Let him rest!" Emma exclaimed, standing up and slapping her hand away.

"He was a superhero today, though! Beating up Luke," Esme exclaimed, making air punches.

Emma groaned and shook her head at the girl. "And he got shot," she muttered with a sigh."We got the bullet out."

Emma pushed Esme to the opposite side, looking down at James. He raised his leg with ease, and his eyes widened.

"You actually took the bullet out? I thought you would have thrown up," Esme said.

Emma chewed on her lip, remembering the slimy and bloody feeling on her fingers. She wanted to throw up when she was attempting to take the bullet out. It had been stuck fairly deep, but her own healing ability had prevented it from paralyzing his leg.

"I wasn't much of a superhero," James mumbled.

"Lukey would have probably shot more of us," Esme said, taking off her shoes and setting them on the cot. "They aren't bloody! I'm getting better at maintaining it."

Emma walked over toward a shelf near the small bathroom, grabbing some food. She took the plate of fries and a chicken sandwich, handing the sandwich to James.

"Nelson dropped this off for you," she said.

"See!" Esme exclaimed.

Emma set the plastic plate down on the small bedside table that had a small light plugged in from a house nearby. James had just stared at the chicken sandwich that had been on a smaller burger sandwich.