The Blur

Chapter 12

Back at the cabin, Sam was reading in his bath. He was in candlelight since it was growing late and the cabin didn't have power. He tossed through the pages thriving in the world the words let his mind explore. Hearing the echoes of the Hissi's scream he closed his book and got out of the bath, wrapping a cotton towel around his waist. He rubbed the steamed up glass with his hand and peered out the window. Fortunately for Caz and Ethane, Sam could see them hurling themselves toward the cabin.
"Caz?! And is that E too?"
He turned around and ran to the bathroom door swinging it open he instantly went through the doorway and tripped over Nugget who was guarding the bathroom door. Sam caught himself, was impressed by actually not falling on his face and hurried to the door. He opened the door wide and watched as his friends ran for their lives.
"NOW IS THE TIME TO NOT BE SLOW!!!"
Sam's encouraging words rang through the cold air. Caz and Ethane looked up, Ethane's wound on his ribcage was tearing open with the closer he got to the cabin. The men were leaning against one another to make it to the cabin. Ethane's breathing became more of a wheeze with his asthma and the icy air. The air was like inhaling needles. Caz tripped over a root that was hidden beneath the snow. Both men lunged forward. The snow was deep enough to swim so it covered the men completely. Sam watched as the Hissi drew closer. He turned around and ran to the nearest flashlight and grabbed it along with a magnifying glass that was on the table. Back in the doorway, he scanned the horizon for one of the mirrors Meranda set up. Spotting one he held the magnifying glass in front of the head of the flashlight and shined the light to the mirror. The light reflected off of the mirrors creating the barrier and stopping the Hiisi from butchering his friends. Panting he gave out a shout holding up the light for a barrier.
"HEY! CAZ! BUDDY! E?! NOW WOULD BE THE TIME TO GET UP...PLEASE GET UP."
Ethane pushed himself up off the ground holding onto his ribcage with one hand while extending the other to help Caz up. Caz accepted with his good arm and wobbled up. Sam sighed in relief that his friends get up.
They made it inside the cabin having Sam shut the door behind them. Inside the cabin's safety, Caz and Ethane fell to the ground to rest. Sam shut off the flashlight and set on the nearby end table falling to his knees next to his friends.
"Caz! E! What the hell happened out there? -And was that a Hissi on FIRE?!"
Caz and Ethane laid on the ground unresponsive making Sam's paranoia grow. His voice began to shake.
"Caz... E... Please. Say something..."
Caz gave a light groan. Sam's face lit up with relief.
"Oh thank God. It's going to be alright. Here... This will be a tad awkward for a moment. I'm sorry."
Sam removed the towel from around his waist and laid it over his friends' wounds.
"I'll be right back... I promise."
Sam ran upstairs getting dressed in some boxers and sweatpants, then ran to the bathroom to open the mirror and pull out a first aid kit. Rushing back down the stairs with Nugget tail coating him he slid on his knees next to Ethane and Caz.
"God. What the hell were you guys thinking?"
Sam bandaged Caz's arm and forehead as he sweats with worry.
"Caz. I'm sorry for blowing up. Please... Don't leave me. You're both like brothers to me... Please... PLEASE... Just don't even think about it. We - we are going to get through this together. We are going to smile and laugh at your dumb jokes. Come on Caz... Say something, anything."
As if by command Caz's eyes fluttered open. He weakly grunted out,
"...the snowman..."
Sam's eyes glistened with tears.
"The snowman?"
Caz swallowed hard and nodded his head.
"He... He was picking his nose."
Caz smiled weakly at Sam. Sam's eyes squinted as he smiled brightly with a hushed chuckle.
"Caz... You're an idiot. You know that?"
Caz nodded then looked over to Ethane.
"Is E... Responsive?"
Sam shook his head. Caz nodded readily for the worst. Sam moved over to Ethane's body to examine the wound.
"It's open... He's lost a lot of blood Caz. I don't- I don't know if he is going to make it. "
Caz grunted in pain as he sat up.
"We don't know unless we try to save him. He came after me - to save me. I won't let him die now."
He looked over to the first aid kit, pulling it closer with his good arm.
"What's left?"
Sam looked off to the side solemnly.
"Not much. You were really hurt Caz."
Caz looked in the first aid then nodded.
"We're good."
Sam looked up. His face peaking with curiosity.
"We - we do?"
Caz nodded as he threaded a needle with his teeth and good hand. After he tied a knot he asked Sam to get vodka from the freezer. Sam rushed the vodka over, using the end of the towel and the vodka, they sterilized his wound - followed by stitching his mangled ends together. Once he was closed up they bandaged him with what was left. Sam then carried him to bed with Nugget meowing behind him concerned. Sam smiled warmly at Nugget.
"It will be fine Nugget. Caz knows what he's doing, and E isn't as frail as he may appear."
Sam then laid Ethane on his bed and sighed. In a hushed whisper he spoke to Ethane.
"God, we're such a mess... Wake up soon okay E?"
With that he left the room to put on some sweatpants then meet Caz downstairs who moved to the couch. Caz was sprawled out across the couch with this bad arm draping down to the side. He looked over to Sam who entered the room.
"So he returns. By the time you were taking, I figured you were making sweet love to E."
Sam laughed at what he hoped and assumed was a joke.
"Haha. No no. Nothing like that. I put him to sleep then got dressed."
Sam rubbed the nape of his neck nervously.
"So. How are you feeling?"
Caz showed a soft smile as he sat up.
"I'm in one piece, and alive at that. Thank you. You really saved our asses back there... Our knight in cotton towel~!"
Sam's face went red from embarrassment as he laughed.
"Well I was just taking a bath like NORMAL people do. YOU'RE the one that wanted to bolt out the door into the blizzard... Then again... I'm sorry for earlier. I hate it when we fight."
Caz's lips curled at the ends like a purring kitten.
"It's fine. The past is the past for a reason. So we can learn from it and move forward into the future by acting in the present."
Sam took a seat on the edge of the coffee table as he stared into the fire.
"Learn from the past hm? Do you by chance mean about your father? And E's family?"
Caz sat up and grabbed a bottle of bourbon from under the coffee table. He gave a nod before he took a healthy swig.
"Something of the sort. Honestly. I think about my dad everyday. I thought I was finally going to be with him earlier... I had the chance too. But something inside me, told me to climb the tree, that my work wasn't done here."
Sam turned around to look at Caz.
"You know that we'd all go mad if you weren't here right? And- climbing the tree was the sensible thing to do. Soon. Soon we will be done. This will all come to an end and we'll get to live on. "
Caz let out a tender chuckle.
"Wow. Words of optimism from Sam the pessimist. Color me surprised. I'm sure that you're correct though. There is no way, we won't finish this soon."
Caz hobbled up and took another swig of bourbon as he limped over to a calendar on the wall. He squinted at it then gave a strong nod.
"THEN!"
He pressed the lip of the bottle against the day three days from now.
"That's when we will end this. All of this."
Sam smiled and walked over.
"When is then genius?"
Sam glanced at the date that the lip of the bottle was pressed against.
"Caz."
Caz's eyes rolled to meet Sam's.
"Hm?"
Sam's face showed concern but he spoke with a gentle tone.
"December eighteenth. Isn't that - the anniversary of your father's death?"
Caz took another swig then sighed deeply.
"Indeed it is. - And I'm going to give my father the greatest gift. His son."
He let out a short burst of laughter.
"Heh. At least - that's what he always told me. Caz Ma Boy. You are - my greatest treasure. I love you - with all of my heart... Then he would brush the hair out of my face and kiss my forehead. He didn't have to lean down or anything because of his wheelchair."
Sam rubbed Caz's back to comfort him.
"Caz. I don't know if you're talking about dying. But, the greatest gift to your father would be for you to get out of here, and live a happy life, and to have a family of your own. Death isn't the answer. You're going to get out of here. We all are. I promise."
Caz blinked tears away from his eyes as thoughts of his father faded from his mind. The grandfather clock in the music room struck 3am, waking him from his thoughts.
"Sam. Promises are meant to be broken. But thank you. I should sleep now. It's getting late, and it's been one hell of a day."
Sam nodded in agreeance.
"Sleep is good. I'll tend the fire until it goes out. You should sleep. I hope you feel better in the morning. Goodnight."
Caz set the bottle of bourbon down on the coffee table and headed up the stairs.
"Don't stay up too late. Night."
Ethane was sound asleep with Nugget curled around his ankles, and Caz passed out soon, his mind once again racing with thoughts of his father as Sam tended the fire to a low kindle. He then went to sleep.