Found (Book 1 of the Haven's Army Trilogy) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 33

After a few long hours of silence, James checked Andrew's vitals.

"His breathing is back to normal," he stated. There was a collective sigh of relief from everyone in the room.

Andrew groaned.

"That's a good sign," James promised. "It means he's alive."

Andrew began to move but when he moved, he groaned in pain. His eyes opened.

"Yes," Kathryn said.

Katie moved forward.

"What happened?" Andrew asked. He tried to move but cringed in pain. "What's wrong with my arm?"

"Don't look," Katie said firmly.

Andrew looked up at her. "Why not? Why shouldn't I look at it?" He began to panic.

"Calm down and I'll tell you," Katie said.

"I am calm!"

"No you're not. Take a deep breath."

A few deep breaths later, Andrew had calmed down.

"Okay," he said. "I'm calm."

"Don't freak out."

"I won't."

"It's been amputated."

Andrew's eyes went wide. "Amputated??" He started to turn his head.

"Don't look!" Katie ordered. "You'll pass out."

Andrew closed his eyes, still panicking. "How much?"

"Only just above the elbow," Katie explained. "Trust me, you were barely breathing. It was the only thing we could do. You would have-"

Andrew grinned, his eyes still closed. "It's okay. You don't have to justify. I trust you."

Katie stopped. "Okay," she said finally.

Peter appeared in the doorway. "James, could you help me?"

James looked confused but he followed him out the door.

An hour later, they appeared back in the doorway. Peter was holding something wrapped in burlap cloth.

"This is for you," he told Andrew as he approached him.

Andrew struggled to sit up. "What is it?" he asked.

Peter pulled off the cloth, revealing an arm of metal.

"It'll connect to the nerves," he explained. "That's where I needed James' help. He knows all the nerve systems. It will also allow you to use your fire through the arm without it overheating. If it works."

"So I'll have an arm again?" Andrew asked.

"Sort of," Peter replied. "You'll be able to move it, if I made it right. But it will be really painful to attach. It's your choice."

"Hook me up," Andrew said confidently.

Peter spent the next while working on attaching it. Andrew didn't seem to be in any pain. I wondered what he had meant.

"It's time to attach it to the nerves," Peter said. "Are you ready?"

Katie handed Andrew a rag to bite down on. Andrew took a deep breath and nodded. Peter grabbed the clamp and shoved down. Andrew screamed through the rag and I had to look away. When I looked back, tears were streaming down his cheeks and he was sobbing silently. Peter had unlatched the clamp from Andrew's new mechanical arm.

Katie put a hand on Andrew's shoulder. "It's all over."

"Let's go," Kathryn said. "I know how embarrassing it is to cry in front of people." She grabbed my arm and pulled me outside.