by Ovidia Pike
“Hey, man, you alright?” came a voice behind me. I turned to see a man I didn’t recognize hurrying toward me, tipping his black cowboy hat up so that I could see his eyes. He knelt down beside me with a concerned look.
“I need a doctor,” I mumbled, words coming out slurred.
“Where? Tell me where the doctor is.”
“Just around the corner,” I said to him. “I—”
I didn’t have a chance to finish my words before I fell to the ground, passing out before I hit the hard dirt.
Chapter 15: Alicia
I jumped out of my chair when the door flew open and a man wearing a black hat and dark clothes entered carrying Jackson over his shoulder. Jackson was covered in blood, eyes rolled back in his head.
“Where do I put him?” the man asked urgently.
“Over—over on the hospital bed,” I said, feeling panic well within me. I stood there frozen as the man laid Jackson down, then turned his eyes to me.
“You’re a doctor?” he asked.
“Yes,” I whispered, unable to take my eyes off of Jackson. Suddenly I felt totally paralyzed, like I couldn’t move a muscle.
“I’m a medic,” he said as I reached to grab a towel, pressing it against where blood poured out of Jackson’s shoulder. “Tell me what you need me to do.”
“I—don’t—I’m—” I stammered.
“Doctor,” the man said in a calm, soft voice. “I need your help,” he said. “He needs your help.”
“I’m—yes,” I said, finally snapping out of it.
“What happened to him?” I asked, crossing the room to the bed.
“It looks like he was bitten,” he said.
“Just a bite?” I asked, peeling the towel back to see the jagged edges of flesh where it had been torn away. The entire wound was swollen and inflamed beyond what it should have been, as if it was already infected.
“What the hell bit him?” I asked.
“Looks like another wolf,” he said. “I didn’t see anybody chasin’ him, though.”
“Where did he come from?”
“Saw him stumbling out of the woods and brought him here.”
“Okay,” I said. “You said you’re a medic?”
“I was in the army,” he said. “Yes.”
“Good,” I said. “I need you to grab what I need to clean this out—over there in the cabinet above that basin.”
“Gotcha,” he said, hurrying away. I touched Jackson’s forehead to find that he had a fever, one that from the look of him was going out of control.
“Jackson,” I whispered as the man came back and handed me what I needed before wetting a towel and cleaning the blood from Jackson’s body. He looked up at me when he noticed that I had stopped again, gave me a gentle look.
“Give me those,” he said, reaching for the instruments in my hands. I shook my head.
“I’m fine,” I insisted, but my hands shook when I peeled the towel back again. The man reached forward and took everything from me, then put his hand on my shoulder.
“Go outside. Get some air,” he said, a slight southern drawl to his voice. “Okay? I’ll take care of him.”
“But—”
“Trust me, doctor,” he said, and his voice was so soothing and warm that it made me stop panicking for a split second, long enough to catch my breath. I had never seen him before and wondered who he was—he was dressed like a southerner in all black, both his arms covered in a sleeve of colorful tattoos that I’d noticed when he’d rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. Despite his mysterious look, he had an aura about him that was kind and reassuring.
I nodded and hurried out of the hut, shutting the door behind me, bending over with my hands on my knees, trying to steady my racing heart. I slumped to the ground and waited with my back against the wall, praying over and over that Jackson would survive, knowing I could never forgive myself for being unable to care for him if he died. The baby kicked me in the ribs and I winced, wrapping my hands around my growing belly.
“I’m sorry,” I said to her. “I’m sorry.”
The door opened after what seemed like hours and I looked up to see the man standing there, drying his hands off with a towel. I tried to stand but couldn’t, and nearly stumbled before he reached for my hand to help me up.
“You okay, ma’am?” he asked.
“How’s he? Is he—”
“He’s alive. That wound is badly infected—I had to cut some of the skin off where it seems like...it had already started to rot, almost. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“You got his shoulder patched up though?” I asked him. “How’s his fever?”
“I did my best,” he said. “You’re going to have to look at it pretty close. I’m not a surgeon. Fever has broken but you’re gonna have to keep an eye on him.”
“Thank you so much,” I said to him. “I—he would have died without you.”
“Don’t thank me,” he said, waving me off. “I can’t see a man suffer and not offer as much help as I can. And a woman in your condition shouldn’t even be working, as far as I’m concerned.”
“What’s your name?” I asked him, again wrapping my arms around my swollen belly.
“Name’s Sam,” he said, tipping his hat. “If you don’t mind, I’ve got to get going now. Unless you need me to stay.”
“No, I’m—thank you. I’m fine. But...I’ve never seen you around here before. Where did you come from?” I asked him.
“Just from the woods, ma’am. Have a good night,” he said with a wink, then turned away from me and started off towards the woods. I watched him disappear into the darkness and blinked, wondering if somehow I had dreamed him up. I stood there dazed for a moment before Jackson snapped back into my mind and I hurried back inside. He was cleaned up and his shoulder was stitched roughly but efficiently, and he lay there with a wet rag over his forehead for his fever. I hurried to grab what I needed to bandage him up and went to bend over him, steadying my hands as I started to cover his shoulder with the white gauze. I stared at his face, pulled the towel back and felt his forehead, relieved to find that it wasn’t nearly as hot as it had been. I quickly took his temperature and other vitals, keeping myself busy so that I felt less guilty about having left the room. I set him up with an IV and then sank next to his bed on the stool, taking his hand in mine.
“I’m sorry for everything,” I whispered to him, kissing his palm, watching his chest rise and fall. I stood up and pulled a chair over, curling up in it, holding his hand until I fell asleep.
Chapter 16: Jackson
I slammed my eyes shut immediately after opening them, hissing in pain when the light hit my pupils. I opened them slowly then, blinking rapidly, taking in my surroundings. I was in the medical hut in a hospital bed, a tube in my nose and an IV attached to my arm. I grunted and looked over at my shoulder, which was covered in a heavy bandage.
“Doc,” I called out, my mouth dry and voice hoarse from disuse. The door flew open and Alicia stood there, eyes wide, pausing before rushing in and over to me. She took my face in her hands and kissed my lips, lingering there, her body slightly shaking.
“Hi,” I said, grinning against her lips. She pulled away, looking embarrassed.
“Hi, I just—hi,” she said.
“How are you?” I asked her, looking her over. She was wearing a loose, baggy sweater that went down almost to her knees, and there were dark circles under her tired eyes. Her cheeks were fuller and so were her hips, as if she had put on weight, and it made her look even sexier than before. I remembered taking those full hips in my hands as I fucked her, wishing I could do it all over again.
“You’re asking me how I am?” she asked, a small smile on her lips. “You just woke up from a coma.”
“How long have I been out?”
“Ten days, seven hours, thirteen minutes,” she said. “From the moment Sam brought you here to now. How are you feeling?”
“Ten days, Jesus,” I said, trying t
o sit up. She put her hand to my chest and pressed me backward, and the heat of her hand sent a lick of energy fluttering through my skin. I tilted my face up and kissed her again.
“I feel fuzzy. It’s hard to think,” I said to her. “But I don’t have to think about this.”
She didn’t say anything, and I kissed her one last time, knowing her feelings wouldn’t last.
“You saved my life,” I said to her.
“I didn’t. A man named Sam did. He came out of nowhere carrying you and...I couldn’t...fix you. So he did it.”
“Who is Sam?” I asked in confusion.
“I don’t know. He came from and then disappeared into the woods,” she said.
“He disappeared into the woods,” I said. “Okay.”
“It’s like he came out of nowhere,” she said. “It was the strangest thing.”
“Did you tell Gabriel?” I asked her.
“No, and please don’t. Gabriel would become angry and go looking for him. He saved your life,” Alicia said.
“Were you here?”
“Yes, but I...couldn’t do it. I saw you there and you were dying and I panicked.”
“It’s okay,” I said to her. “I understand. It would have been hard for me, too.”
She looked away from me, her face filled with shame.
“I’m sorry,” she said. I touched her cheek and turned her to face me again.
“It’s okay. Really. You’ve taken care of me since then, right? After he disappeared.”
“I’ve been here the whole time,” she said, nodding at the ground, and I saw that one of the cotton mattresses had been laid out on the floor next to my bed.
“See?” I asked. “You’re still the best doctor I know.”
She smiled.
“What happened to you?” she asked.
“Oh,” I said, jerking up right, remembering only then what had happened to me before I’d been ill. “I—I need to speak to Gabriel immediately. Right now.”
“You’re still so out of it,” she protested.
“No, I definitely need to talk to him. Will you go get him? Please. It’s kind of an emergency. Jesus, it’s been ten days.”
“Okay,” she said. “Yes, I’ll be right back.”
“Thank you,” I said to her, watching as she left. A few moments later she reappeared with Gabriel behind her. He came to me and put his hand on my shoulder, studying my face.
“I’m glad you’re awake,” he said, taking his hand away from me, crossing his arms over his chest. “The doctor said you had something to tell me. The last time I saw you, I had left you out in the forest. How did you end up in a coma?”
“The wolf—the man we buried. He...climbed out of the grave. Got up and shifted.”
“I’m sorry,” Gabriel said in a dull voice. “He climbed out of the grave.”
“Yes,” I said. “He was in human form first using his hands to claw his way out, and then when he was out he shifted and came after me. He bit me on the shoulder but I managed to kill him—had to bash his head in with a log.”
Gabriel took a deep breath, closing his eyes.
“Zombies,” he said. “Jackson, are you telling me that the man we found dead turned into a zombie?”
“Yes,” I said. “I guess that’s what you’d call it.”
“Zombies,” Gabriel muttered again. “Fucking witches, lions, a faceless man in the woods, now zombies? Are you fucking kidding me?”
“I’m sorry, sir,” I said to him. He shook his head and stood up.
“Zombies,” he growled before he left the medical hut, shutting the door hard behind him. I looked over at Alicia and she burst into laughter, covering her mouth with her hand.
“He’s so mad,” she exclaimed, giggling. I couldn’t help but to laugh as well, delighting at the look on her face, free and easy.
“He really is. I’ve never seen him like that.”
“He’s fed up. I kind of am, too,” she said. “It’s exhausting.”
“Have you thought about leaving the village?” I asked her. “Getting out of here to go somewhere safe?”
“No,” she said. “I don’t want to leave the village. I have...friends here. I have a home here.”
I didn’t say it, but I felt relieved to know she wasn’t leaving, even if I would only see her in passing or during appointments. I stared at her face for a long moment before leaning in to kiss her again, sucking on her bottom, then her top lip. She pulled away with a hesitant look, but appeared pleased instead of put off.
“I’m going to disconnect you from the IV,” she said. “You’ll have to stay for a couple of days until you’re on your feet again.”
“A couple of days?” I asked her. “I’m feeling strong enough to walk now.”
“Well, you’re not. We start slow,” she said in a stern voice. “You’re not going to argue with me about this. You’re my patient.”
“I like it when you’re a little bossy, doc,” I said to her with a grin. She shook her head, eyes filled with amusement.
“Hush,” she said, beginning to unhook the tubes that tied me to the bed. When she was finished, she took my hand, holding it firmly and pulling to help me sit up. A wave of dizziness hit me and I leaned backward again, taking a deep breath before trying one more time. I managed to sit straight up in the bed, feeling a little wobbly as I looked around the room. I turned in the bed to let my legs hang over the side, then tentatively put weight on my feet. They felt like rubber, nearly giving out underneath me as Alicia held me by the elbow.
“I really hate this,” I said to her, frustrated that I couldn’t simply get up and walk out of there.
“I know,” she said in a sympathetic voice. “But you’ll be back on your feet soon. Be patient.”
“Are you gonna hold my hand the whole time?” I asked her.
“Yes,” she said. “I’ll help you.”
“I’m in good hands, then,” I said to her. “But I already knew that.”
“You want to try a couple of steps?” she asked. I nodded, anxious to at least make an effort. We spent the next hour trying to make it on shaky legs in a circle around the bed. Eventually, I sank back down, feeling exhausted but proud of myself for taking several steps. Alicia yawned as I sat, sinking onto her stool. She looked tired, almost as tired as I felt.
“You should sleep,” I said to her. “You look like you haven’t slept in days.”
“I haven’t,” she said. “All I could do was worry. I spent every night holding your hand, hoping it wouldn’t be the night you stopped breathing.”
“I’m not going anywhere, doc,” I said to her in a gentle voice. “Not for a long time. You’re stuck with me as a patient.”
She stared at me for a moment.
“I don’t mind,” she said finally. “As long as you stop almost dying.”
“I can do that,” I said to her, but she shook her head, a sad look on her face.
“No, you can’t,” she said, looking away from me. “You’re never safe.”
“Is that what this is about?” I asked her. “That’s why you told me you weren’t interested.”
“I told you that because it’s true. I’m not interested in anything like a relationship with anyone.”
“You’re so scared,” I said, peering at her closely. “Why are you so afraid of this?”
“I’m not...afraid,” she said, but her voice was barely there.
“Okay,” I said, knowing that I couldn’t and shouldn’t push her, no matter how badly I wanted to. She put her hand on her stomach and grimaced.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, reaching for her, but she nearly jumped back away from me.
“Nothing,” she said. “Just cramps.”
“Lay down,” I said to her. “Please.”
She nodded, laying down on the bed on her side, facing away from me. She fell asleep within a few moments.
Chapter 17: Alicia
“Jackson,” I said, knocking lightly on his door a
nd peeking inside to see that he was standing in front of the mirror with a razor, a towel around his waist. He looked over at me with his face half-shaved.
“I hope you don’t mind. I found this in the cabinet.”
“It’s fine,” I said to him as he looked back at himself then to me through the mirror image.
“How are you?” he asked. “Ready for me to be out of here?”
“Yes,” I said honestly, and I was surprised when he laughed.
“Me too, doc,” he said. “I’ve never been so done with anything in my life.”
“Jackson, I’m sorry again,” I said to him. “I’m sorry it has to be this way.”
“It doesn’t have to be this way,” he said in a soft voice. “You know that. It’s not supposed—”
“I don’t believe in supposed to,” I said to him. “I don’t believe in natural bonds or fate or romance.”
“You’re lying,” he said simply, and when I opened my mouth to protest, I found that I had no words. I watched him rinse off his face in the basin and turn to me.
“I’m going to get dressed. I’ll leave in a minute,” he said. I avoided his eye as I turned around, trying to swallow the knot in my throat that had formed days ago when I’d realized that I had to ice him out in order to stay away from him. I couldn’t let him touch me, couldn’t even let him look me over for long without risking him noticing my rounded belly and heavy breasts.
I heard him sitting down to put on his shoes, and I turned to him.
