Black Tattoo

Secrets

"Don't move your hands. When I count to three pick him up slowly." I say to everyone. 

"But if we move him, he might die!" Exclaimed the old man.

"If we don't move him he will definitely die." I say "Sokaku come and help!"

Everybody grabs a part of his body.

"One, two...three!"

The twins stay with the woman and try to wake her up. The rest of us carry him through the woods, slower than I would have liked.

"Isn't it faster with the van?" The guy named Nadel asks.

"No..." Sokaku turns to look at me, I nod. "It's not that far away." He says.

Finally, we arrive, we put him down on the couch he doesn't look good, he is breathing hard and is very pale. And don't get me started on how much blood he has lost.

"You go get some water!" I tell the old man. "You go get towels!" I tell Nadel. "Mich go get me the first aid kit!" Everyone leaves to bring the stuff I asked.

"What about me?" Sokaku asks.

"You stay and help." I say.

I still have my hands on his shoulder to stop the bleeding. Mich comes running down the stairs with a big blue suitcase.

"Sokaku put your hands here."While he stops the bleeding I get my knife and rip his t-shirt off. Sokaku tells everyone to get out and give us some space.

"Okay, I'm going to pull the bullet out. Take your hands off of him." He does as I say.

I cut his wound open, takes me a while to find the bullet. I pulled it out slowly. I have to take out the bullet exactly the same way it went in. After the bullet was out I cleaned the wound, then sowed it up. No arteries where damaged by the bullet. I clean the skin surrounding the wound, putting a big patch on it. Sokaku helps me put a clean bandage on his shoulder.

By now he looks better, and is stable. A  big smile  form in my face.

"You guys can come in now." I say.

The old man is the first to come in, then Nadel, then the woman and then the twins. The woman inspects my work. And is surprised. That just makes my smile bigger.

"He is alive and stable." Says Mich with a smile. Everybody's face lights up.

"Thanks." said Nadel.

I feel a robe cover my body, I turn around it's Sokaku. I remember now, I was just wearing a bikini. I hug the grey robe close. Happy it is there, but embarrassed because I was half naked.

"Thank you." The old man says.

"No problem it was my fault after all."

My face got serious again. "But I would like to know why you were pointing a gun at my friends." I say looking at the woman.

"We're sorry about that, but we had to find you." The old man says. I guess that from the look on my face he can see I doubted him.

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Alex Walker." He explains.

"I'm Nadel."

"I'm Sidney." The woman with red hair smiles.

"I-I am Paul a-and this is my s-sister Kate." The blonde boy stutters. His twin sister Kate waves. I smile back.

"Nice to meet you all, my name is Kara." I say. 

"My name is Sokaku." He says this without much emotion. He doesn't trust them, I don't trust them.

"Mi name is Michael." Mich smiled.

"We found them!" Kate says with a big smile on her face. Paul, her brother, smiles too.

"Kara." The old man turns to Mich. "Michael we have been looking for you. It's nice to see you guys are safe and healthy." Alex Walker says. 

"Why?" Mich asks. He takes a seat in the armchair. Sokaku sits on the sofa next to the armchair. The whole group of people don't move they are just standing there surrounding the unconscious man. They look like a family.

I lean back on the wall facing them.

"Kara, do you know what the tattoo on your shoulder means?" Alex asks looking at me.

I don't answer him, I know what it means.

"We all have it." He signals to everyone, after that he pulls up his sleeve and there it is. The black tattoo. The red hair, I think her name is Sidney, takes her jacket off and there it is, the twins take their jacket off and there it is. Nadel pulled up his sleeve and there it is, too. Everybody has it.

"It means animal spirit." Sydney says.

"I know what it means." I say.

"Then you know what happens." Nadel states.

I nod.

"What happens?" Sokaku asks, feeling left out.

"Nothing important." I say, shrugging.

"Don't you dare do that again! Stop lying to my face Kara!" Sokaku stands up and walks in my direction. He is two feet away from me. He looks really angry but most of all he looks hurt.

"Have you ever thought she is doing it for a reason?" Alex Walker tries to explain.

When I think about it, the name sounds familiar...

"Find Alex Walker he will explain everything!"

That's what my dad said. Alex Walker was the one that was supposed to help me. Like in the movies, everything made "click".

"Shut up! Old man, do not act like you know what your talking about!" Sokaku storms out of the cabin.

It isn't like I wanted to lie to him, it's more like I have to. But the look on his face almost makes me tell him, to just explain everything here and now.

It is thanks to Alex that I didn't.

"What is going on? Why don't you talk to us? We'll understand I promise!" Mich tries to convince me.

"Mich." I say barely more than a whisper.  "I promise I'll explain everything on your birthday." He doesn't seem to believe me.

"It's just a couple of days away, you can wait that long, can't you?" I beg him.

"Fine, but you are going to explain everything even if you like it or not." He says harshly, he chases after Sokaku. Leaving me alone with them.

"They'll understand." said Alex Walker.

I hate to admit that a stranger is right but I just hoped he is.