Mythical Link ▸ Link Neal {Book One}

Seventy Four

     Rhett had to take a few more minutes to gather himself while Christy helped Link to the bathroom. She tucked an arm under his and lead him to the bathroom slowly, realizing with an awful dread in her heart that he just didn't have the energy to move on his own. Jessie had ducked out of the room to grab the steamvac with reluctance, because the loud whirring sound was bound to wake the kids up and draw attention to the situation. 

     Rhett finally shook himself off and joined Christy in the bathroom, to find Link bent over on the floor in front of the toilet with his head in the bowl. Awful retching sounds filled the room as Christy sat on the edge of the tub, rubbing his back in circular motions.

     She looked up at Rhett with tears in her eyes and he frowned. Looking down at his friend, he could see the marks on his leg and they were looking increasingly worse. It looked like the area around the scratches were red and swollen, and he decided against his better judgement to move closer to Link so he could get a better look at it. 

     Link laid his head on the seat, watching as Rhett kneeled beside him. Rhett looked into Link's eyes and they looked glassed over, as if he hadn't slept in ages. He then lowered his eyes and scrutinized the wound at a closer distance, feeling his own bile creeping up his throat.

     He noticed red patches surrounding the cuts where the skin was raised, and in the depth of the crevice was yellowish pus. Rhett did the unthinkable and took his hand and lightly touched Link's leg. Link flinched, and he was barely grazing the surface of the skin. Rhett recoiled his arm, his eyes wide with alarm. The surface was hot to the touch like a stove burner. Christy leaned forward and gently wrapped her hand over Link's forehead, drawing his head back into her lap. 

     Her eyes also widened and she looked at Rhett.

     "His forehead is hot, isn't it?" 

     Christy nodded, feeling unable to speak. The helplessness had taken her voice. She felt awful for not believing Link when he had told her the first time around. She felt awful about not forcing him to take care of the wound right away. Because of her, he found the need to leave the house to pick up evidence so she would actually believe him. She shook her head slowly, taking her bottom lip into her mouth as her eyes watered. Link just gazed up at her without saying a word.

     Rhett peered into the toilet, a grimace overtaking his face. The toilet water was completely muddy with a black substance. He slowly turned his head to look at Link. He was trying to figure out what they had for lunch, but then he realized they didn't have anything for lunch. They didn't have anything for dinner either, and he could only imagine that Link had cereal for breakfast. So where the heck did this black stuff come from? He hastily flushed it down the toilet, his attention being drawn toward the bedroom where Jessie had started to clean the carpet. He rose to his feet, Link glancing at him.

     Link couldn't find the strength to move. He wanted to ask questions, and he knew he couldn't. He simply laid his head back down on Christy's lap and closed his eyes. 

     Jessie came up behind Rhett, touching his back lightly. He looked over his shoulder at her. "Grab me the thermometer, the first aid kit and the Tylenol. I think Link's got a fever, and those scratches are obviously infected," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. He was worried, but he had to remain strong for his friend. Jessie nodded once and took off into the hall. Rhett looked Christy hard in the eyes. "You're gonna want to hold on to him tight when I pour the peroxide into the cuts."

     "You're pouring peroxide into the cuts," Christy stammered, her lips trembling. 

Rhett knelt in front of Link again.