Newcomer, A Moomin Story

Newcomer 3

This chapter was inspired by a really amazing fan fiction by user lilmissmaya on An Archive of Our Own called Basic Access so do go and check it out!

Moomin explained what had happened with Shonker to Little My and Moominpappa while they carefully propped Snufkin's still limp body up against the sofa. His head flopped forward onto his chest like a dead thing. Moominmamma was busy lighting the fire, tucking blankets around Snufkin as gently as she could, pressing hot water bottles onto his chilled skin. He started shivering as he warmed up; while the Summer nights in Moominvalley were certainly not bitter, a cold wind still whistled through the trees and rattled the windows when the sun had gone down. If Snufkin had been out overnight then he needed to be warmed up quickly.
Then Moominpappa started working the dirty, bloodstained clothes off the boy. When he came to pull the sleeves off Snufkin's face contorted in agony and he groaned. Moominpappa gasped and let go at once, and slowly Snufkin's eyes flickered open.

"Where..." He mumbled hoarsely, before blinking a few times and allowing his slightly unfocused eyes travel around the room. "Wh..." He swallowed and tried again. His voice sounded different in his head and his ears were ringing. "Where am I?"

Moominmamma gently placed a hand on his shoulder and looked steadily into his bruised face.

"Snufkin dear, how are you feeling?"

Snufkin gazed back at her with his mouth slightly open, trying to focus on her. They all watched him, silent and still.

"What happen- urh!" Snufkin grunted and looked down at his stomach. "I... It hurts..."  He said feebly. "My arm..." His fingers fumbled clumsily at side. He yelped again and brought his other arm up- "Ah! M-my head-" It felt like it had been cleaved in two.

Moominpappa put a paw tentatively to the back of Snufkin's head and drew it back sharply. His snowy white fur was stained with crimson. The room took a collective gasp of shock.

"Concussion," said Moominpappa grimly, and even as he did, Snufkin's eyes drooped again and he felt himself slipping out of consciousness. Presently his chin fell forward onto his chest. White strips of eyeballs were all that was visible beneath his lids.

"He's fainted," said Moominmamma. "Quickly dear, get his top off, while it hurts less."

"Of course," said Moominpappa. "Moominmamma, could you get me the scissors? I think it would be safer to cut him out."

Carefully, Moominpappa cut away the scruffy material and pulled off the top so Snufkin was sitting unconscious, bare chested in his trousers. As they all stared at the boy, a collective chill ran over the group, for Snufkin looked a terrible state.

There were deep shadows of bruised littering Snufkin's lean stomach and visible ribs, the pale skin mottled and colourful. His arm was badly swollen and dark green and blue with bruises- it was oddly twisted, as though it had been yanked out of its socket at the elbow.

"Broken, Mamma?" Moominpappa murmured.

"Perhaps..." Moominmamma answered quietly. "I would hazard a guess at nastily sprained or dislocated. Not a clean break. Well, let's clean away the blood and make a start."

She dipped the cloth in the warm water Moomin had brought her and set to work carefully wiping and dabbing at Snufkin's face and torso. They had to admit he looked better without all that dried blood. Little My was then sent to get bandages and Moomin read out the instructions to Moominpappa from Granny's remedy book of 'A Cure For The Mottling Or Discolouration Of Skin'. They smeared the thick yellow paste over Snufkin's bruises using the back of a runciple spoon, and then tightly bound his ribs and chest in thick clean bandages. Little My was eager to help but couldn't do much, so Moominmamma let her secure the bandages with a safety pin to stop her cattawalling.