TOUCHED

TOUCHED - Chapter 12

Chapter 12

I had been concentrating so hard on fending off my own exhaustion and symptoms that I nearly jumped out of my skin when I felt Anna’s legs move. Looking for the cause I could only stare in astonishment as I watched Eric, almost tenderly, remove each shoe and sock in turn. He locked eyes with me as he removed the gloves from his hands and took hold of Anna’s bare feet. His face was a mask, unreadable but it was clear he wasn’t going to release his hold on Anna before I did.

How in the-? I had to look away but there was nowhere safe. That look of defiance was too familiar. I closed my eyes to try and quiet the noise in my head and realized that I was breathing too hard. I was running out of time faster than I had anticipated. This was not going to end well.

The silence that followed was horrible. I could only guess at how comfortable Dillon was with Anna’s head over his lap but at least he was sitting. Eric and I were kneeling on what I realized was a very hard floor. It only took a few minutes for that small barrier between my knees and the cement beneath it to disappear completely. Eric shifted uncomfortably but never let go of Anna. I had been resisting but once he gave in I adjusted myself too. It helped a little.

No one spoke. Only Eric would return my gaze but I was uncomfortable holding it for long. I couldn’t stop myself from glancing at the door, the street, the smoke still billowing out from the bus. I noticed I wasn’t the only one. The glass walls of the lobby no longer felt like enough of a barrier between us and the outside world. I thanked my lucky stars I had disabled or blocked every camera in there two days ago. A totaled burning wreck wouldn’t bring a patrol but our group project would. With that kind of evidence they would shoot first and ask questions later.

Eric shifted again and I saw Dillon eying him warily. I couldn’t blame him. He had just given two total strangers permission to sexually assault his marriage partner, in front of him while he helped. The kid was either as crazy as I was or more desperate than I had ever seen anyone. I thought I had seen it all by then.

Anna’s belly moved under my right hand. The baby was still alive then. I looked to Dillon, wanting to let him know but unless Anna woke up, there wasn’t any point in getting his hopes up. I guessed that she had a few more months before she was due but I had no experience in that particular field.

It was so rare to see a pregnant woman anymore. I felt a little guilty about my fascination with her condition. It was strange to think that everyone of us had once been entombed within another person, growing and developing like a piece of fruit until a doctor cut us out. It briefly occurred to me that even in utero we were all protected from physical contact by a thin barrier, our First Skin.

I looked at Anna. Maybe this was crazy. What if we were making it worse? I knew I felt much worse so I wasn’t taking anything from her but was that enough? What if this saved her and killed the baby? I had so little information. I knew it was beyond selfish to take advantage of the situation that way but I didn’t know when or if there would ever be another chance like it. I’d done a lot more for people and you’d think I was asking for their soul when I wanted just a few meals in return.

Eric cleared his throat. I saw the question, the doubt creeping onto his face. I matched his stare, smirking slightly, daring him to quit before I did. He set his jaw and glared back. So he wasn’t too disturbed yet. That was interesting.

How much longer was this going take? We were sitting ducks and the awkward meter had broken thirty seconds in. How long before we admitted defeat and left her to die in Dillon’s arms? Eric wasn’t going to last much longer but neither was I. My left hand was hidden under Anna but it was only getting worse. If she died and Dillon saw my symptoms, would he blame me? I was walking a dangerous line that could turn on me at any moment.