Burning Bright

Chapter 34

The murmur of voices came slowly closer and into focus. The first one I could identify was Eoin’s.

‘I can’t leave, Pierre. Not until she wakes. I need to be here.’

‘I understand. I’ve brought you in some clean clothes and something to eat.’

‘Thanks. I’ll call you if there’s any change.’

I tried to make sense of my surroundings. I was lying flat on my back but nothing seemed to want to move. I started with my fingers, just trying to curl or stretch them and eventually they seemed to respond, reaching out until they touched something.

‘Kate? Kate?’ I heard Eoin’s voice close to my ear and the warmth of his fingers around my own.

‘Eoin . . .’ I began, but it very quickly turned into, ‘Owww.’

‘You’re in pain?’

‘Aha.’ I cautiously opened my eyes, shut them against the glare of light and then slowly opened them again, trying to moisten my mouth so I could talk.

His face came into view over mine. ‘You’re in hospital, sweetheart, but you’re going to be OK.’

‘Water?’ He held a cup to my mouth and I managed a couple of sips. ‘The cub?’

‘The cub’s fine.’

‘Its mother?’

A look of distress crossed his features as he dropped his head. ‘They shot her.’

‘Bastards. She saved my life.’

‘I know.’ His fingers became tight enough around mine to be uncomfortable, but I said nothing. God knows I felt the same.

‘Banjul?’

‘Nasty head injury, but he’s fine.’

‘The other men?’

‘Under arrest.’

‘And you? Are you OK?’

‘So I come after both tigers, our guide and the tiger poachers? I know my place,’ he joked, but his face was still strained.

‘You’re alive and you’re talking to me,’ I said, gripping his fingers to connect with him. ‘So . . .?’

‘A bit battered and bruised, a couple of broken ribs . . . typical day out with you, really.’ He lifted my hand up to his mouth and kissed my fingertips. ‘You are going to be OK. You might not feel like it at the moment, but you are.’

‘I can’t move my legs. Why can’t I move my legs?’

‘Ah.’  I didn’t like the sound of that “Ah”, but his answer was interrupted by the doctor arriving.

‘Miss Curran!’ he said enthusiastically, smiling broadly. ‘How are we feeling?’

‘Erm, alive. I think.’

‘Yes, yes, definitely alive.’ He pulled back the blanket and squeezed my left toe. ‘Can you feel that?’

‘Yes.’

‘Excellent! And this one?’ and he squeezed my right toe.

‘Aha.’ I was surprised to see such an immense look of relief on Eoin’s face. The doctor nodded and resumed his examination, pressing various points up my legs, all of which I could feel. ‘What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I move my legs?’

‘You’ve cracked three vertebrae in your back, Miss Curran. We had to operate to remove some fragments of bone away from the spinal cord. The good news is that you haven’t lost any sensation in your legs and feet.’