Stitched Limbs

Ch 28: A Dangerous Game of Chase

A couple of days later

Today was the last day that we would get to be on the surface, tomorrow morning we would have to leave to go back to the facility. So Tyn decided that we should explore one of the least visited beaches here, it was a great idea. As I realised that yes, the amount of facility eyes was less, but the shocked and disgusted looks people have been giving me have gotten to me more than they should. And I guess Tyn took notice to the fact I was uncomfortable about the attention that people were giving me whenever we would go anywhere.

There was a silver lining though, children were much more open minded than their parents. And while we were walking past one of the Northbend parks, I was greeted by quite a few curious faces. One of the little boys even ran up to us and started asking questions, with all of the people asking why I was so scarred up. It's become harder and harder to try and give good answers that would bend around the truth.

**********

"Hey lady! Why do you have so many scars?" The boy had asked in an excited voice.

I remember looking to Tyn to get his approval to explain, and he gave me a nod. "Oh um..." I start as I look back to the boy. "There's something wrong with my bones, they grow too much. So the doctors have to go underneath of everything to scrape off the excess." I explain to the boy, watching as his eyes light up.

"Really!? You've got something wrong with you too!" He lets out a sharp laugh and pats at his head a couple of times. "Mommy and the doctor said I have twomors in my brain and lungs. And that they have to take them out before they get really bad."

I cock my head to the side and give him a kind smile. "Oh yeah? Well, you better listen to your mommy and your doctor. They'll fix you up good as new!"

The kid gave me a bashful smile and turned to run off, I got to see a bald spot on his head with fresh incision scars. I smiled and had hoped that he was going to live a long and happy life before Tyn reminded me that reality wasn't so kind.

"He's not going to live through those surgeries." Tyn said in a flat tone as I had stood back up to continue walking with him.

"How come?" I asked, looking up at him with slight disbelief. "Medical technology has come a long way, he might."

"Even on an adult those surgeries to remove the tumors is risky Emmeline. And even if he did survive, he wouldn't be able to run or play like he is now. And the pain he would be in every day would probably lead him to teen suicide."

I tighten my arm around his and felt my heart take a strike for the kid. "We can still hope that it doesn't happen like that Tyn."

"That's all you can do Emmeline."

***************

Tyn pulls me out of my thoughts as I stared off towards the horizon by laying a shawl over my shoulders. "Hey, lunch is going to get cold." He says, giving me a kind smile as he pulls me away from the shoreline. "Anymore time in the water and you'll be lacking toes."

I chuckle at Tyn and pull the shawl a little bit more on my shoulders. "The water isn't that cold." I say as I walk up to the fire spot with Tyn.

"Maybe not, but the wind sure is. Besides, I want you to try the lunch I made." Tyn let's go of me and walks over to where he had set up to cook lunch and picks a stick with a fish staked on it out of the fire. It looked a little charred but smelled delicious, and Tyn offered it to me with a large smile on his face. "I caught and cooked them while you were spacing out."