Waifs and Strays [Larry Stylinson]

Chapter Thirty-Nine

"Evan," I call over to the tall boy, "I want you to keep an eye on that one."

I am back at the camp site. I tied the Grey Skin to a tree and took all of his weapons. He was heavily armed; knifes in his boots and belt, two axes on his back, over a dozen more of those damn blow darts, and of course the poisen that goes with it.

When Evan has run over to me and the new prisoner, I press one knife into his hand. "Make sure that bastard doesn't move from the spot," I grunt, still feeling furious.

Evan gives me a short nod, clearly happy to take the responsibility seriously.

"I'll go check on Harry," I tell him.

Evan turns around to look at the curly boy once more. "He'll probably be out for like an hour or so," he says to me, "We'll just have to wait."

Before I can respond, I hear the Grey Skin chuckle from behind us.

I turn around to face him with narrowed eyes. "Oh and Evan, don't hesitate to kick him in the balls whenever he opens his mouth," I spit.

Without waisting another second, I run over to where Harry is still lying on the ground, surrounded by the younger boys. Still unconscious. I kneel down next to him and feel my eyebrows furrow again.

"Hazza," I say under my breath, palming his cheek gently, "When will I ever be able to stop worrying about you, huh?"

I carefully push a strand of his hair out of his face and keep on caressing it in affection. That's when I realize how hot he is. His temples have already gathered a layer of sweat.

"Peter," I call in alarm, "Go get some wet towels or something. And you two," I gesture towards the other two younger boys, "help me carry him into a tent, will you?"

We lay him on top of as many pillows and blankets as we can find and cover him with the last remaining one to keep him warm. As soon as we have covered Harry, Peter comes in with a cold and wet towel which I use to lightly pat over Harry's face.

"You'll be fine, Harry," I say with a smile, blocking out the other three boys in the tent, "You'll be up and smiling and annoying me with your unfunny jokes, in no time. Promise." My smile slowly fades. I am mainly saying these things to convince myself. I know Harry can't hear me right now.

I tell the boys to keep an eye on Harry and exchange the towel whenever it becomes too warm, before I leave the tent to rejoin Evan with the prisoner.

"Now, dickhead," I snarl at the grey boy in anger, "How did you find us?"

The boy shrugs with a smile, "I bet you'd like to know that, don't you?"

"I wouldn't be waisting my time with you if I didn't want answers," I roll my eyes, "So just give me straight answers and stop with the ugly grin."

"Don't see the point in giving you anything, moron," he says unimpressed.

I laugh in annoyance. "Maybe you haven't noticed yet, but you're unarmed and tied to a tree," I say and pull my jack knife from my pocket.

"You going to kill me?" the Grey Skin snickers.

I scrunch up my face, pretending to consider it. "Not yet," I shrug, "I still need you to be able to talk to me for a while. But honestly, I don't care if you're bruised and bloody while talking. Not that you aren't already, right," I wink at him, walk to stand next to him, and finally jank the arrow out of his shoulder, at a strange angle because of the tree behind him. The boy screams in pain, more blood seeping out of the teared wound. I come to stand directly in front of him and use the bloody arrow head to pat his cheek, leaving red stains in his face.