Gamer of the Dead

Book 2, Chapter 80:

Malou skidded to a halt next to Bobby, and she gasped at what she saw. The bullet penetrated his left eye, and he was twitching.

She covered her mouth, but it was too late to stop a sob bubbling under her. Bobby's dead, no one can possibly survive such a wound and-

He twitched again. Despite what Malou's eyes were showing her, her skills as a doctor demanded that she be sure.

Bobby's other eye is open, and there is a semblance of focus in them. She checked his chest, and to her astonishment, he is still breathing. She grabbed one hand and calmed herself so she can check his pulse-

She almost screamed when Bobby's other hand gripped hers. "Bul-... off!"

"What?"

"Bul-let... get... -off!"

And she understood. Bobby wanted her to take the bullet off his head.

Easier said than done. The freaking bullet is lodged inside his brain! She doesn't have any tools and- Wait! She frantically looked around and noticed all the discarded weapons around her. She grabbed a broken tip of a spear with a thin and very sharp blade.

She places it on top of his left eye when a sudden rumble almost toppled her over. Someone was screaming. She balances herself as the sustained earthquake shook everything around her.

She could feel the very air pressure around them becoming stronger and hot, but she ignored it as best she can. She needed to focus, or Bobby will die right in front of her. Again, she placed the spear tip on his broken left eye, hesitated, mustered the fear in her heart, and carefully fished for the bullet. The tip hit metal, and with a prayer, she cut the side muscles to loosen the shell.

Bobby's right hand grabbed her arm, and she flinched from his grip but said nothing. More blood poured out of the side of his head. Bobby is obviously in a lot of pain as he gritted his teeth. Malou just can't get over the fact that he should not be able to function already. Electrical synapses from the brain should have been messed up from the damage of a penetrating bullet, but it is also evident that Bobby is still coherent and functional. Very badly hurt, but still alive. 

She will never understand magic, She thought to herself.

And so Malou steeled her heart and forced herself to cut the skin at the side of Bobby's face even more. She needed to uncover enough muscles and bones to reach the damn bullet.

The first cut was not enough, and she plunged the tip deeper, aware that she is a piercing more muscles and lacerating the brain tissue, but it needs to be done.

More cuts.

Was it this dark just a while ago? Is it that late already? No, it was just morning awhile ago. Is it about to rain? Wonderful! Just what we need, a fuck up weather for a fuck up day!

Bobby screamed in a tortured voice as Malou's ministration accidentally buried the bullet a little bit deeper. Then the scream abruptly stops as Bobby spasmed and his body jerk violently around and uncontrollably. Malou leaned over and used her body weight to hold Bobby down, but it wasn't working, and impotent tears poured out of her eyes and into her face. She wanted to rage out but she knew she needed to keep her shit together. The young man needed her and she could not help but feel that not only Bobby's life but the whole freaking world was relying on her expertise right this very moment. 

Stop it, Marylou! Calm the fuck down! Focus, and remember your fucking training.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then she settled back in and held the side of Bobby's face. Malou mustered her fear once more and refocused her frail will. Blood poured out of him, but she ignored it. She kept cutting away until Bobby's right side is nothing more than a grotesque pulp. When she felt that she is deep enough, she plunged two fingers back in and attempted to grab the bullet within.

"Give it to me, you brat! That power is mine!" Someone screamed in the direction of the platform, but she ignored them.

But what she cannot ignore is when for a second or two, She felt herself floating in the air like she is in zero gravity area. But she didn't waiver and continue to grab the bullet... Only a bit more...

And then both she and Bobby fell back to the ground with a slam. She fell on top of Bobby who groaned pitifully. "I'm so sorry... I'm almost there... just a bit more..." She said almost a mantra.And then her finger held onto a metal casing. Twice she lost her grip and instead messed up even more of the tissue within, but there was simply no time for self-recrimination. Instead, she gritted her teeth and after the third time, her fingers finally held, and carefully, ever so carefully, Malou pulled it out so slowly but firmly, and then...

And then it was out. Malou dropped both the spear tip and the bullet to the ground and held Bobby's head and leaned over. "It's gone! Bobby! Can you hear me in there! The bullet is gone!"

Bobby's hand rose up and held her in place. She went "Ooofh!" as Bobby held her down close to him and Malou was pinned near his neck. Bobby held her for a while in an iron grip and then ever so silently, his hands relaxed, and he started to glow.

Bobby's entire body began to vibrate, and an audible hum can be heard from around them, like a giant generator humming. Then a brilliant light started to surround them. It lasted for a few more seconds and then Bobby gasped and sucked in a huge supply of air.

Bobby coughed, then spat a glob of blood to one side and then coughed some more. "Thank you," He said. "Thank you for taking a magical bullet out of my brain."

Malou watched in total fascination as Bobby face rearranged itself right before his eyes and a new left eye recreate itself in his eye socket. Bruises and cuts all over his neck and shoulder all returned to unblemished skin, and only dried blood remained.

"Umm... Your welcome."

"Now where is Buu?"

Malou just stared at him. She had completely forgotten about the little kid.

But there was no need to. The girl's cry of loss and abandon tore the very fabric of the world around them.

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