Free Grace Lost by M. Lauryl Lewis Page A

God
they got Joey!” she repeated again and again.
    “Shhhhhhh” I whispered as I tried
to calm her.  My white nightgown was now soaked and dirtied from the
stranger, but I felt a need to cling to her as she clung to me.  “You’re
safe now.   Shhhhhhh.”    I held
her tight.  Not knowing what to do, I looked at Boggs and Gus.  
The smell of death was once again upon us.
    Gus set his shotgun down, and then
bent over to rest his hands on his knees as his adrenaline rush subsided. 
Boggs ran his hand through his sweat-soaked hair, looking mad as a hatter.
    “Zoe, you have to step away from
her,” said Gus sternly as he picked his shotgun back up from the floor.
    My sense of danger increased as I
realized she might be infected.
     I nodded and stood. 
Looking down at the girl’s saddened face, I whispered to her.  “It’ll be
ok.”  I looked into her green eyes and saw deep sadness that mirrored
recent tragedy.  I felt Boggs place his hands on my arm and guide me away
from her.
    Gus brought his shotgun up and
aimed it at the terrified girl.  My heart was breaking. Something about
this girl tugged at my spirit and I wanted to be at her side.  I watched
Gus’ expression and realized he was in emotional turmoil himself.
    “Gus,” I said sharply. He didn’t
take his eyes off of her.
    “Zoe, we can’t take the chance
darlin’.  We just can’t.   Especially not with
the blood.”
    “Please, don’t shoot me,” pleaded
the girl.  “I swear it’s not my blood.  I swear.”  She was
having trouble catching her breath.
    I knelt down in front of her and
looked her in the eyes.  “I believe you,” I said in the kindest voice I
could muster.  I was still weak, and the room swayed slightly.  I
prayed the men wouldn’t notice.  Not now.
    “Boggs,” I pleaded.  “At
least let me look her over.  For the love of God,” I pleaded.  “Gus,
I’ll keep my distance.  Just let me look her over.”
    Gus cleared his throat and
spoke.  “She’ll have to get undressed.  You’ll have to look at every
inch of her, Zoe.”
    Boggs added his own voice to the
conversation.  “Zoe, I can’t leave you alone with her.”
    “Just let me hold up a towel,
ok?  She’s scared to death and the last thing she needs is you guys
looking at her.”
    I heard Boggs sigh deeply, almost
angrily.  I kept my sight on the girl, who still sat on the floor with tears
streaming from her eyes.  I heard Boggs’ footfalls, and shortly after he
handed me the towel I had used earlier.
    “Can you tell me your name?” I
asked the girl.
    The girl focused on my face.  “Emmeline.   Emmeline Martin.” She sniffled, her
pale green eyes reddened from crying.  “Emilie.”  She wiped a wet
sleeve across her cheek, smearing the mess that was already there.
    “Emilie, I’m Zoe.  Can you
get out of your wet clothes?  I’ll hold the towel up, so no one else will
see anything.” 
    She looked at both Boggs and
Gus.  “We just have to make sure you haven’t been bit. 
Please?” 
    I stared at both men with a look
of disapproval.  This felt so cruel.
    Emilie broke the awkward
silence.  “On my left calf, I got scratched running through the woods. 
It’s not from one of those things.  I swear it.”  She was obviously
terrified that her life was about to end.
    “That’s ok Emilie.  Thanks
for letting me know.”  I stood up, and offered my hand.  She accepted
it reluctantly, and I helped her struggle to her feet.  I opened the towel
up and held it between us, blocking her from the view of the men.  Emilie
slipped her jeans and shoes off first, and turned around so I could see the
long scratch that crossed the back of her left leg.  It looked
angry.  “Ok, Emilie, it looks good so far.”  She pulled her
sweatshirt over her head and turned around again.  Her arms were crossed
over her chest.
    “Zoe, you have to look
everywhere.  Arms, under her bra and underwear,” said Gus.
    Emilie looked