The Inception (Book #1 of The Inception Trilogy)

chapter nine

CHAPTER NINE

THAT NIGHT DELIA SCREAMS so loud it rattles every bone in Evelyn's body. She sits up so fast she's dizzy, subconsciously yanking her dagger out of it's holder. The moonlight doesn't do much to illuminate the room, but there's enough light to see that the barn is empty except for those who are supposed to be there. There's no evident threat.

Evelyn quickly digs through her pack and finds the lighter she took from a convenience store. She hasn't used it if it wasn't needed, but she doesn't have time to try and start a fire like a caveman. She shoves some hay needles into the metal sheath for her dagger, setting them alight. She contemplates briefly before leaving her dagger on the hay-bed.

Delia is writhing when she gets to her, and it isn't long before she screams again. The barn doors creak open behind Evelyn, and fear seizes her until she remembers Harry locks it with a key. It would've been much noisier if someone were to be breaking in.

She doesn't bother to think about where Harry was, or if he actually had been rallying up friends. She doesn't have the chance to because Delia is grabbing the hem of her shirt, crumbling it in her fist. Tears are streaming down her reddened face, pure agony etched into her features from her creased forehead to her grinding her teeth.

"What's wrong?" Evelyn asks, genuine worry wrenching her gut. "Delia, what's the matter?"

Robbie appears at the foot of Delia's bed, sniffling. "What's happening to her?"

Nive is behind him, Sasha clinging to her leg. "What's going on?"

Evelyn bites her tongue to keep from snapping at them. As if she's supposed to know what's going on or what's happening to Delia. She's just as clueless as they are, just as anxious and scared, though she supposes she hides it better than they can.

Thankfully, Harry steps up, kneeling beside her thigh. He undoes the bandage, eyebrows furrowing at the wound. Evelyn tries to peer over his shoulder, but Delia has a death grip on her shirt.

"What is it?" Evelyn snaps.

Robbie has taken a step back, turning his cheek and closing his eyes. Nive gasps, covering her mouth, and Sasha hides her face in Nive's side.

Harry frowns, leaning back for Evelyn to see.

The wound has swelled up, bruised and oozing pus. Her skin is an unnatural purple color, and the hole the branch created is visibly throbbing. It's very much obvious it's infected, and it's very much obvious that no one knows what to do about it. Delia is still squirming this way and that, as if moving rapidly will subdue the pain when it's probably doing the opposite. Every time she jerks her leg, more pus leaks out of the hole and it makes Evelyn swallow the bile that rises in her throat.

Harry is noticeably straining to think of something. Evelyn shoves more hay into her dagger's sheath to keep the fire going while he does so. After what seems like ages, he abruptly gets to his feet and jogs up the stairs.

"Eve, I'm scared." Robbie has walked over to her side, Poppy whimpering at his feet.

"I know, kid. But it's going to be okay," she murmurs, however, her uncertainty is more clear than she wishes.

Harry comes back down with more fresh bandage, the roll nearly out. There's a grim look on his face.

"Is that all we can do?" whispers Evelyn, mirroring his defeated expression.

His frown deepens as he nods.

She knows there's no medicine in this barn. She knows none of them have any medical experience, which is now blatantly, and painfully, obvious. She knows infections can't be treated without proper resources. She knows infections are deadly.