Off Planet (Asterism Chronicles Volume One)

Chapter 9

I woke up to Jack standing over me. He looked worried as he tightened the bandages on my side. As my eyes opened, his grew with delight.

"Rae! Thank God you're awake!" He said excitedly.

"Where am I? What happened?" I asked confused.

I tried to sit up but he gently pushed my shoulder back down as my world swayed. My side throbbed and I saw a pile of bloodied rags next to me. Then I remembered what had happened. I was shot.

"You've been asleep for days. We thought you were going to die, Rae."

"We?" I asked confused.

"Jack and me." I heard a voice on the other side of the room speak. Startled I jumped up only to regret it as the pain in my side returned. "I wouldn't do that."

"Who are you?" I asked as Jack put another pillow behind me so I could sit up.

"I'm a friend. You would have died if I hadn't helped you."

"Why did you help us?" I asked as I looked at this stranger.

"I know your dad. He came by looking for you."

"He did?"

"Yeah," he said sitting down. "He left to Joislin. He said if I see you to tell you. You've been gone for a while."

"Yeah," Jack said rubbing his neck, "That's my fault. Cops made a deal."

"And you believed them?"

Jack nodded with a slight smile on his face.

"I stole a bike."

He shook his head with a slight chuckle at my crime.

"All Jack has been doing is sitting at the edge of the bed asking you to wake up, talking to you, and checking your bandages. Sorry I can't stitch you up, I'm not a doctor."

"You've done more than enough." Jack told him.

"What's your name?"

"Kyle." He said standing up. "I'll give you two some time to talk. I'll bring you some food."

As he left the room Jack just stared at me. He smiled as I looked back at him.

"Thank you." I said as he sat down beside me. "I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't shown up."

"You wouldn't have been shot. And you wouldn't have almost died." He said sounding depressed.

"No, I would have been thrown in jail again. You helped me. This is a 'side' note." I said patting my side.

He looked at me with a smile on his face. "Is this the time to joke?"

He looked out the window as I did too. I sat up and moaned as I felt my wound open up. I pressed my lips together blinking away the tears as Jack jumped off the bed and checked my side.

"You need to be careful." He said as I relaxed again. He removed the large pillow and told me I shouldn't move until it healed.

Kyle came back in the room with broth and a small piece of bread and handed it to me. "You shouldn't eat anything solid until it's scabbed over."

"It reopened." Jack told him.

Kyle went over to my side and laid me back down so I was flat. He lifted my shirt and pressed around the spot. I groaned as he felt the surrounding area and as I did Jack looked worried.

"You'll be fine. Just don't move too much." He helped prop me up slightly so I could eat. "If you have to use the john ask Jack to help you out of bed."

"Thank you." I said as he left the room again.

I drank the broth and layed there staring out the window to the sun leaving the sky. Jack picked up my bag and asked to see what I had to sell.

"You have some good things. Are you sure you want to sell these?"

"Yeah, I don't need them."

"Erin doesn't need a ticket. If she hasn't come for seven months, she probably won't come. But we could use the money later. Do you mind if I sell them while you stay here?" He asked holding the camera.

"Go ahead."

Jack left the room to sell the trinkets while I ate the bread. His wounds are healing, now it's time for mine.