This Conspiracy

Chapter 40

Author stuff: I rewrote one scene about NINE times for this chapter. Nothing felt right for this until I went with this idea. It has all the scenes I wanted in it, hits all the plot points I needed it to, and wraps up this part nicely.

It's also nice and long for the girlies out there who like reading a lot. Things are happening y'all.

Trigger warning: Blood, medical — vivid description of getting stitches done, violence

Chapter 40

In Which A Message Is Received

"I can walk," Flossy said, crossing her arms.

"Not well," Carl, the Builder who'd picked her up, said. He carefully deposited her on a cot.

"I don't want you putting weight on that leg until I can get some stitches in it," Jeff said. "And even then, I don't want you walking with sutures. I'd hate to redo them."

She nodded, biting back a wince as her leg was elevated with a few pillows.

"You guys should get back to work," Jeff said, gathering everything he needed for stitches. "I don't think any of you really want to see this."

A few of them shuffled uncomfortably, and a few others blanched. They scuttled out, murmuring their goodbyes with promises to check up on her later.

Flossy fixed the pillow behind her back and settled into it. She focused her attention on the ceiling as Jeff unwrapped her leg with a hiss. She jumped when he rinsed her leg with water again and dabbed away the blood.

"Cold," she said, letting herself relax back down into the cot.

"Sorry," he said, focusing on the task at hand.

It doesn't take him too long to clean, but the stitching? Flossy forced herself to focus on anything except the cold fire bite of the needle piercing her skin and sliding of the suture. That... was a sensation she didn't wish on anyone.

He was quick with it, though, so she didn't have much to complain about other than the pain radiating from the area. Jeff was quick to provide some pain killers and water.

"You're on bedrest," he told her.

"I can still help out in the Gardens," she said, setting the water on the end table close to her.

"I don't doubt it, but I don't want to pull any of the sutures out. They're a pain to redo."

Just as she was settling back into the pillows the door was thrown open. Gally limped in with the help of two Builders, cradling his head.

"What the shuck did you do this time?" Jeff said, sighing.

"Not the time," Gally said through clenched teeth.

"Didn't see what happened," said one of the Builders. "I turned my back just for a second, and he was on the ground."

"Lie him down and let me take a look. Girlie, you stay put."

Neither of the Builders helping Gally in looked at her. It was almost as if they were forcing themselves not to.

They helped Gally stumble over to a cot, lying him down with the injured side of his head facing up.

"That's a lot of blood," said the second Builder. "Will he be okay?"

"So long as I can get through to look at him," Jeff said, elbowing his way past them. He set a bowl of water and a rag down on the end table behind Gally's head. He tapped Gally's hand. "You're going to have to move it so I can see."