She grinned and pressed herself against me and said, “Like I said, I’ve never been out in public before. Last week was the first time, and even being here right now, with the people outside, is kind of thrilling. The fact that you think that I’m OK to be in public is…well, it’s a lot of things. It’s a turn on, and it makes me feel loved, and it makes me feel really alive, and it makes me feel really real.”
I leaned my head down and kissed her and then pulled her around so that her head lay in my lap. There wasn’t room for her to stretch out like this, but she put her knees up and we were comfortable and cozy. It felt nice and it helped me stay relaxed.
I finally said, “She hasn’t come. I think it’s time to force her hand. Wait, women here don’t wear bras either, do they? I mean, what was I thinking? The girls have never worn a bra.”
Clarice said, “No, not now. And I like their reasoning. A girl wants to be ready.”
I laughed. “OK,” I said, “I’m going to see Irene and ‘explain things’ to her.”
I opened the car doors again and stepped out like before and then helped Clarice down after me. As I looked, the little crowd parted and pointed toward an old woman, working her way down the street toward us. The woman was dressed in a white dress that was somehow way too young for her. She looked like an old woman in a young woman’s clothing. I couldn’t see her face clearly yet, but she was certainly old. She was perhaps seventy feet away still, and moving toward us.
As the woman came closer, the villagers gave her a wide berth, moving out of her way, and getting as far from her as they could. A twenty foot space was created between her and themselves as she walked through the middle of them. The look on her face, that I could clearly see now that she was closer, was one of puzzlement, marked by a frown on her already wrinkled forehead. She stopped about seven feet away and stood looking, first at me, then at Clarice, then back at me again.
After several seconds, she spoke, “I was told that Joshua had come. The one who said it will pay for his lies. I will curse not only the one who said it, but his family and his neighbors and anyone who shows him kindness from now on. I have spared you people for too long and now I will repay you for your lies and deceit.”
I said calmly, “I am Joshua.”
The woman said, “And I am Irene. But you are dead, and I am alive. You died long ago and I have continued to live. You are a ghost, nothing more. Well, ghost of my long dead spawn, let me kiss you on last time,” and with that, she rushed toward me.
Seeing the glint of a metal knife thrust toward my heart, I twisted to my right and instinctively hit Irene in the head with the open palm of my right hand. I hadn’t been expecting an attack like this. I had no idea that she had a knife hidden in her hand or that she would use it on me, and I wasn’t quite fast enough. The four inch blade buried itself in my left arm, near the shoulder.
As I struck Irene, several things happened. She was pushed backward and the knife was yanked from my arm. My palm hit her left temple, at an angle as I twisted, and then snapped back instantly. Irene’s head bent to the side and backward. A muffled snapping sound was heard. Clarice stepped forward and caught Irene by the shoulder. And Irene crumpled to the ground in a heap.
The crowd stood silent, and so did Clarice and I for an instant. I was bleeding from the deep knife wound, and I grabbed my left arm with my right hand to slow the flow of blood as best I could. In the next instant, Clarice moved more quickly than any normal woman could. First she bent to Irene and checked for a pulse at her neck. Next, she neatly ripped the sleeve from my shirt and exposed the wound. She ripped the sleeve from my other arm and wrapped the gash tightly with the fabric and tied it in a simple knot. She leaned me against the car and dove into the interior.
It seemed less than a second before she reappeared at my side with a small first-aid kit. She opened the case and lay it on the floor of the passenger compartment and then had me sit down beside it. She was moving so fast that there was no time for talking or discussion. She removed my makeshift bandage and, finding a bottle of water, poured it over the wound, washing off the blood. Next, she squeezed a strong antiseptic and antibiotic into the bleeding flesh. Taking a very large adhesive bandage from the kit, she opened it and carefully closed the wound and applied the bandage over the top.
She said, “The ointment and bandage will close the wound and start healing it. If we didn’t have it, I would sew it up with needle and thread, but it’s only two inches wide and the bandage will be better in this case. We just have to let it do its work. Take this pill, and drink this,” and she pressed a pill between my lips and then a bottle of liquid. She whispered, “My milk is better for you, but this will do for now.”
Clarice applied another bandage from the medical kit over the top of the dressing that she had applied and then washed the remaining blood from my arm with antiseptic wipes.
She said, “Joshua, you’ll go into at least a mild shock. I see the signs already. I estimate that you have ten minutes before you will have no choice but to lie down and rest. If you’re going to speak, do it now.”
I had Clarice help me up and then I stood straight and faced the crowd.
I said, “Friends, for I do hope that we can be friends. Friends, I came to your village with no intention of causing you trouble…”
A voice called out, “You have been no trouble.”
Another said, “Please, don’t hold this against us. We will be your friends and do whatever you ask of us.”
I smiled and held up my hand and said, “Certainly, this was not your fault, and I hope that you see that it was not mine either. The woman was out of her mind.”
A voice said, “She attacked you and you killed her with a touch of your hand.”
I said, “Oh, you will find that she was very old, and the strain of her insanity was too much for her. You’re right, I did touch her, but it was her frailty and hatred that killed her. Here, I have no way to take care of this unpleasantness for you and I don’t want to burden you with it. Are there men here who would be willing to have me pay them to make your village pleasant again by disposing of the old woman?”
A man stepped forward and bent to Irene’s corpse for a moment and check to see that she was truly dead.
He spoke, saying, “I am the magistrate of Stevespont for this season. My judgment is this. The hag of Stevespont has died at her own hand. She attacked this man without provocation and she has suffered the just consequences of her actions and her foul life. She died before her curse was complete, and therefore no man should fear her wrath after her death. This man, Sir Joshua, of whom we have heard in recent days has no fault, and indeed, we owe him a debt. He has been wounded by one of our citizens, though none of us would claim her as our relative or friend, but still, we would do right to make amends to our new friend and his woman. Is there any discussion or suggesting in the matter?”
I waited a few seconds and then I said, “Friends, I’m glad that you do not fault me for this. I have some questions. Are there students at her school or women that were under her care? Does she have property that belonged to her, and what will be done with it? And, will her death cause a hardship to anyone?”
The magistrate asked the crowd, “Are there women at her school? No? Good. There are no women under her care for this term. As for her property, yes, she was a wealthy woman and owns a large property near the center of the village. By custom, because she attacked you and died without malice on your part, and because she has no heirs to negotiate with, all of her possessions are yours and you are welcome to them. Does anyone here believe that any hardship will come to them by the death of this woman today?”
A voice said, “It is a blessing.”
The man held up his hand and said, “That may be, but we will not speak of death as a blessing when it still lies in the street. I take it that no one will suffer? No. Good. Sir Joshua, you have your answers.”
I quickly stepped in again and said, “I’m glad to hear it. Her
e’s my proposal. If you will not hold this against me, I would gift all of this woman’s property and possessions to the village of Stevespont to be used as you see fit to benefit your community. Perhaps you need an inn or a town hall or a community park or garden. If it is your decision, sell it and use the proceeds for the good of all. My hope would be that whatever evil you feel has been done in the past would be turned to a blessing from tomorrow onward. I have no idea what your needs may be, and you may need time to consider them yourselves, but if you need anything related to this matter that I can help you with, I live near Bonvale and you can send word to me and I will do what I can. On that note, I have already spoken to the Merchant of Women and he knows that a new and much better school is being established in Bonvale. From now on, young women should go there. And, if there are any of the little sisters, the Nogud, who pass through your village, they must go to Bonvale and find me there as well. Is all of that acceptable to you? Forgive me, I do wish that I had more time, but I fear that I am losing blood and must rest in the next moment.”
The man looked about and said, “Certainly, you have a grave wound. We will deal with our dead and make it no concern of yours. We will do as you say and consider what to do with the generosity that you bestow on us. We will be better as a community because of it. Come to us at any time and you will be a welcome guest. In a very practical way, you are a hero here and you will be remember as such in the days to come as we settle what has happened.”
I thought that he might go on for a bit longer, so I thanked the crowd as quickly as I could and then helped Clarice into the car and then entered myself. I collapsed on the bed and Clarice pulled the doors closed. I felt the movement as the vehicle turned around in the square where we had been sitting and headed back down river, the way that we’d come.
We went somewhat slowly, being careful as we exited the populated portion of the village, but after a moment, I felt the car speed up dramatically.
Clarice seemed to be busy doing something, but I had my eyes closed. The pain was starting to rise a bit, and I was starting to feel a bit light headed.
I asked, “How bad is it?”
Clarice said, “It’s going to be fine. The shock that you’re experiencing is partly due to the stab wound, which is very deep and did hit several muscles, but not an artery, fortunately; and partly due to having been subjected to an attempted murder by a woman that you once called your mother. Joshua, You’re going to need surgery. I can’t do it here in the car. If fact, I don’t know how to do it yet and I’ll need to get us back to the house and learn what to do when we get there. I have a medical library, but we never needed it until now. If I’d been thinking, I would have made you wear a Kevlar suit, like we wear for working.”
I smiled and said weakly, “You couldn’t have known. It was a complete surprise to me too. So, no overnighter at an inn?”
Clarice brightened at my suggestion and said, “No Sweetie. We have to get you home and I will have to learn some surgery to put you back together so that you heal as quickly as possible. How is the pain level? The pill that I gave you should kick in soon. It’s pretty strong and you’ll probably get a bit loopy.”
I opened my eyes and tried to smile at my caring companion, but I saw Clarice had her blouse off and was hovering over me.
I said, “Clarice, you have nice tits.”
She laughed and said, “Yes I do. And that’s the drugs talking right now. Joshua, I need you to stay awake for just a few minutes, then you can sleep.”
I said, “They look juicy.”
She said, “Good. And in a minute, I am going to have you drink some nice fresh milk. First, I am going to kiss you. There is going to be some liquid that I want you to drink. So, kiss me and drink the juice from my lips, OK?”
Clarice lowered her face to mine and kissed me. A nice stream of sweet tasting liquid flowed into my mouth, and I swallowed several mouthfuls.
Clarice said, “That was a combination of things that will help you heal up, help you rest, and help you stay calm. Now, Joshua, stay awake for just another minute. My coconut milk is really good for you right now, and you need to drink some.”
I said faintly, “No, I’m fine. I don’t need any.”
Clarice pressed a nipple between my lips and said, “Come on, Sweetie. Suck Mommy’s big titties. Take a big drink for Mommy and you will feel better. Come on. Joshua, listen to me! You have to drink!”
Suddenly, a stream of the milk hit my lips and I instinctively opened my mouth and took hold of the nipple offered to me. I sucked for a few seconds and then started to drift off.
She said, “That’s good, Sweetie. That’s enough for now. I’ll get you home as quick as I can.”
I said dreamily, “I like your boobies. I have a boner.”
Clarice laughed and said, “No you don’t, you just think you do. Oh, my mistake. You do have a boner. Well, we’ll deal with that later. Right now I need you to sleep.”
My last words were, “Clareesh, don’t put me asleep in a pod.”
I heard her reassure me, “I won’t Sweetie. I promise. Just sleep now. You’ll be fine. I’m going to take good care of you.”
And I don’t remember anything after that.
Chapter 15 Recovery Time
The next time I was aware of anything, was apparently the next day. Later, when I felt better, and could concentrated again, Clarice explained that she had raced us home in under forty-five minutes and the family rushed me into the house and down to the workshop lab. We didn’t have an infirmary or operating room, so the workshop was the closest thing to an operating room that could be arranged.
The surgery wasn’t complicated or especially invasive; it didn’t involve any organs, so the clean surface of the workbench was sterile enough. Clarice removed the field dressing that she had applied and the nymphs assisted in cleaning the wound while Raven and Lark watched.
Clarice said that after cleaning the wound she reattached several severed muscle tendons and then closed everything up. Like she had told me in the car, the cut was only about two inches across, but went nearly all the way through one part of my arm. She said that the bandage, because of the advanced healing properties, would have been sufficient, even without sutures, based on what she had learned, she decided to sew me up as well, in order to promote the fastest healing possible.
In the end, she felt that everything had been clean and that I would make a full recovery, but that it would be painful for a while and I would benefit from some physical therapy. Based on all of that information, it surprised me when she said that my full recovery, except for a slight loss in strength, would take just three or four more days. The strength in that arm was expected to recover over the following week or two. Apparently the medicines that she used were wonder drugs and her surgical technique was as advanced as medical science knew before the cataclysm.
This was becoming a habit in a way. A week ago I’d been ill; now I was laid up with an injury. This time wasn’t as bad though. Because my surgery had been done under the effects of Clarice’s sleep music, and not anesthesia, I actually felt pretty good, instead of drugged up. Sleeping under Clarice’s influence was its own recovery protocol, and I was out of bed shortly after I woke up this morning.
My arm was in a sling, but I was assured that I could take it off this evening.
The girls weren’t as concerned about me as I had expected them to be either. Clarice told them that the wound wasn’t bad, and they believed her. They were warned not to get my heart racing for the next day or so, while my tissues healed, but other than that, they all took it in stride. Just another day in the life of a treasure hunter.
Clarice had already told the girls all about what happened and about Irene, and my dad, and Antonio, and Irene trying to kill me.
After playing together in bed for a while, just gently snuggling and a little bit of tickling and joking around to get everyone in a happy mood again, it was suggested that we have some breakfast on the roof.
Raven, Mandy, and Ellie went to prepare some food and Clarice, Wendy, Lark, and I went up to the patio. The girls, all of them, were wearing some of my T-Shirts, and nothing else. Wendy had explained that because I was hurt, it was comforting to sleep in my clothes. The shirts were enormous on the nymphs, and kept threatening to fall all the way down as they slipped through the hole in the neck. They ended up looking like off the shoulder dresses, held up mostly by their breasts.
When we were seated, and everyone seemed happy and cheerful, I did ask Clarice about the day before.
I said, “Clarice, what actually killed Irene? How did she die?”
Clarice smiled and said, “She died instantly. She probably didn’t even feel any pain.”
I said, “But what actually killed her?”
Clarice said, “She was over 800 years old,” clearly trying to avoid the answer.
I tried one more time. I asked, “Clarice, do you know what killed her? I really want to know.”
Clarice looked at me and said, “Joshua, when she lunged at you, you pivoted to the left so that her knife hit your arm. If you hadn’t done so, you would have been struck square in the heart. You would have died almost instantly and there would have been nothing that I or anyone else could have done to save you. In twisting to avoid her strike, you hit her with a fairly gentle blow with the open palm of your right hand. It seemed that it was meant to disrupt her strike and thrust her backward, out of range. Your hand hit her temple at about a forty-five degree angle, from her left to her right, and at an upward angle of about twenty degrees. Because she was so old, it is amazing that she was alive at all. Her neck was snapped instantly and she died.”
I said, “So, it was me who killed her. It was my defensive blow that killed her.”
Clarice grimaced and said, “Well, yes technically, but Sweetie…”
I cut her off and forced myself to smile as I said, “Good. I’m glad that’s how it turned out. For one thing, killing is always a burden you carry forever. I’m glad that no one else has to live with her death. And, she was a murderer. But she chose to die. Not everyone would understand that. She chose to face justice someday for murdering her husband and she chose to die when she tried to murder me. I don’t even remember it. She stabbed at me and I felt the knife cut me as I tried to avoid it, but I didn’t even think about hitting her. I didn’t decide to kill her, but she did choose to die. I don’t blame myself at all. It’s weird that in the last two weeks that I’ve had to kill two people though. I hope that there aren’t any more.”
The Wounded Page 14
