Blood Moon by Gwendolyn Harper (books for students to read .TXT) 📕

“Jack? Jack, it’s me,” she said, clutching his face.

Indistinct mumbling was his only reply, eyes unopened.

“The fever wiped him out,” Nicole said behind her. “He’s been delirious for hours.”

“Jack, wake up,” Caitlin told him, shaking his shoulder. “I got what you need.”

With trembling hands, she unzipped her pack and pulled out the Ziploc full of pills.

Opening the plastic, she glanced over her shoulder. “Can you get him more water?”

Nicole nodded, already on her way to the hall bathroom.

“Jack?” Caitlin cupped his jaw, stubble scraping her palm. “Please, wake up for me.”

His eyes danced behind his lids moments before he blinked. “Songbird?”

A knot squeezed Caitlin’s throat closed.

“Yeah, it’s me,” she whispered. “I got your medicine.”

Scooping a handful out, she counted what looked like an appropriate dose and held them out for him.

“You gotta take these, okay?”

Returning with a glass and the first aid kit, Nicole handed her the water.

Tilting his head up, Caitlin popped a couple pills into his mouth and carefully helped him drink. She repeated the process until he’d taken all the antibiotics and fever-reducer they could safely give him.

Booker was too weak to keep his eyes open, but he reached for her, fingers catching in the neckline of her torn shirt.

“Love you, Cae,” he slurred, already drifting back to sleep.

Leaning close, Caitlin kissed the top of his forehead.

He tasted like salt and iron—the same thing she’d been tasting for hours.

“Caitlin…” Nicole’s voice was soft behind her. “We should get you patched up.”

She shook her head. “I’m fine.”

Something touched her shoulder, and Caitlin jumped.

Nicole. It was just Nicole’s hand.

“Sweetie, you’ve got a bad gash on the back of your head,” Nicole told her. “And you look pretty banged up.”

Caitlin glanced back at Booker, afraid to take her gaze off him. “I’m not leaving.”

“You don’t have to. We can get you bandaged up right here.”

Spine rigid, she nodded once. “Okay.”

Caitlin barely noticed the sting of antiseptic, or the stabbing and pulling of the needle and thread as Nicole stitched her. She was numb as her friend wiped the blood and grime off her face and hands with wash rags and a bar of soap.

The world was starting to tunnel around her, narrowing and fading.

“Found some Vicodin too, huh?” Nicole asked, looking through her bag.

“Thought we might need it for something.”

“We do,” Nicole said, opening the bottle and pouring two pills into her palm. “Here. Take these.”

“What?” Caitlin frowned. “No, I don’t—”

“Caitlin, you look like you’ve been put through the ringer, and probably feel even worse. You need to rest and take the edge off.”

She started to shake her head. “I don’t want to be passed out if Booker wakes up.”

“It’s not ether,” Nicole said, forcing the pills into her hand. “You won’t be out cold. Please, Caitlin? For me?”

She sighed. “Fine. Under duress.”

“Works for me.”

Swallowing the pills down, Caitlin grimaced. Her throat was rawer than she thought.

After a full minute of silence, Nicole sat next to her, and asked, “Do you want to talk about what happened?”

Caitlin stared at Booker as he sunk deeper into slumber.

“I did what I had to,” she said. “And I came home.”

* * * * * * *

Sleeping upright in a chair probably wasn’t recommended, but Caitlin’s options were limited.

Booker was too fevered to have another person in bed with him adding body heat. And her head pounded too severely for her to even consider sleeping on the floor.

So, the wooden rocking chair would have to do.

She drifted in and out, dozing but never sinking deep enough for real rest.

If she was honest, she was thankful for that.

Every time she closed her eyes…

“You fucking shot me! ... Hey, hey wait! You can’t leave me—”

Hungry snarls. Shelves crashing. Geeks blocking every exit.

Caitlin inhaled sharply, jerking in her chair.

Grey-pink light filtered through the lace curtains, a gentle announcement of morning.

She started to run her fingers through her hair, stopping when she grazed the tender spot at the back of her skull.

“Hey, you’re up,” Nicole whispered behind her.

Twisting in her seat, Caitlin forced a smile. “Morning.”

Nicole stepped closer, offering an open packet of peanut butter crackers to her. “Here, you should eat something.”

The smell turned Caitlin’s stomach immediately.

“No thanks.” She shook her head. “I’m not hungry.”

“You need to eat. Keep up your strength.”

“I’ll eat something later,” Caitlin muttered, standing up to retrieve another dose of antibiotics for Booker.

Tense silence stretched between them.

She could feel Nicole’s worried gaze tracking her movements, waiting for Caitlin to break.

She didn’t.

Eventually Nicole relented, tucking the remaining crackers into her pocket.

“How is he?”

Counting the pills in her hand, Caitlin said, “I’m not sure. He’s still running a fever and he’s so out of it…” She paused, forcing air into her lungs. “He’ll be okay though.”

She wasn’t sure who she was telling, Nicole or herself.

“Why don’t you go take a shower? I’ll watch him.”

Feeding Booker the pills, and helping him drink, Caitlin shook her head. “I’m fine. I don’t need a break.”

“Sweetie, I love you, and that’s the only reason I’m telling you this… You smell about as rancid as a living person could.”

Caitlin whipped her head around, a shocked gasp softening into a laugh.

“Fine, for the sake of my pride and your olfactory senses, I will take a shower.”

Nicole grinned. “Thank you.”

Gathering up her only clean clothes—a pair of denim shorts and a grey tank top—Caitlin started for the door.

“If he wakes up…”

“I’ll yell for you. Now please go scrub all of that off you,” Nicole said, wiggling her finger at her.

Just before she left, Caitlin asked, “How’s the hot water doing?”

Nicole flattened