Counting Wounds

Chapter 1

"There you go, Grace! All set for the field," I said, smiling and standing up. Six years old Grace Winters sprang up from the ground, her blue eyes sparkling. "Thanks, Izzy!" She said happily, giving me a big bear hug. My smile spread and I gasped. "Gr-Grace! My ribs!" I said, squirming. Grace laughed and released her grip. She glanced down at her leg and said worriedly, "You sure I'll be ok?" I laughed gently. "Grace, it's just a cut on the shin! You'll be fine," I convinced her. Grace sighed.

"Good," she said. "I need my strength up for my first soccer practice." A scowl deepened on her face. "Argh! Why do I have to be so clumsy the time? Then maybe I wouldn't have tripped and scratched my shin," she said. I laid my hand on her shoulder. "Grace! It's nothing, just a cut. You'll be fine, I promise," I said kindly. She smiled and brightened. "About soccer practice, you will come to every one of my games, right?" She asked me excitedly.

"Of course! And every one of your soccer practices. I have a feeling I'll have a lot of injured patients," I added, winking at Grace. She giggled, but cut off when her couch, Couch Carroll, called her to the field. "See you after practice, Izzy!" Grace called as she jogged toward her team, who was crowded around their coach in the middle of the soccer field. I watched her, then turned to the ice cooler and started packing drinks in it.

It was a hot day in Jasper, and the girls needed to stay dehydrated. My smile spread wider as I thought of Grace. She was such a happy girl! And I know for sure she'll love soccer. Just before she came here to meet me, she had tripped and cut her shin on the sidewalk. Of course, I always carried my medical kit around, as well as my tool belt.

Hey, don't judge! I'm not your normal Jasper girl! Anyways, I was almost finished packing the ice cooler when I heard someone say, "Are you Izzy Autumns?" I turned around and saw a girl my age, with light blond hair and sparkling blue eyes. I nodded. "Izzy at your service!" I said, laughing. "Who are you?" The girl flashed me a kind smile. "I'm Amanda Winters, Grace's big sister," she said. Wow! No wonder she looks like Grace.

"Nice to meet you!" I said, then stuck my hand out toward her. She shook it and said, "Thanks for dealing with Grace's scratch. I thought for sure she would've panicked right on the spot!" She laughed. "Anyways, you go to my school, don't you?" I nodded. "Yea, actually, we have home room together. I don't think anyone has seen me much around town, though. I'm still helping my mom unpack stuff in our new house," I said. As I said that, I felt shivers come up my spine. New house. A new life. I didn't want to move to Jasper, Nevada! But here I am.

"Oh," Amanda said, surprised. "Where did you move from?" I chewed my lip. "Um, well, I actually move a lot," I said. Amanda nodded. "Are you planning to stay in Jasper?" She asked. I nodded. "Yea, my parents got sick of moving, so we moved here for the last time," I said. I laughed softly. "At least we don't have to move anymore." Amanda smiled. "That's great! My family just moved from Cleveland, Tennessee. Sometimes I wish we were back at out old house," she said, sighing. "I feel ya," I said. I closed the ice cooler and wiped my wet hands on my jeans.

"So," I said after an awkward pause. "You liking Jasper?" Amanda brightened. "It's wonderful! Well, minus the heat. But I'll get used to that," she said, laughing. I laughed with her. "What's with the tool belt?" Amanda asked after we laughed for some minutes. I glanced down out my belt. "I carry this and my medical kit everywhere. I just loved fixing stuff," I shrugged. "Really, I can't remember the last time I didn't wear this, except taking it off to go to bed or take a shower." Amanda nodded.

I was about to ask where she lived so we could meet sometime when I was cut off my a loud beeping. I looked over Amanda's shoulder and saw a dark blue and red semi truck parked near the bleachers. "Uhh...what's that doing here?" I asked, pointing to the truck. Amanda turned around and groan when she spotted the semi. "Optimus," I heard her growl. "Everything ok?" I asked. Amanda nodded solemnly.