Free Sudden Independents by Ted Hill Page B

do that. I’m sorry.”
    Luis went to a desk and leafed through one of the big black books from his piece-meal medical library that Hunter and Scout found and put together for him. His finger traced rapidly over the lines he read, but still he shook his head and mumbled, swatting over page after page in frustration.
    Scout squeezed Catherine’s hand. She slipped free and walked over next to Vanessa. Mark stared at her in shock before turning angry eyes on Scout.
    “Scout, get this little girl out of here! Your sister may be dying!”
    Scout flinched from the strike of the harsh comment. He wanted to yell back, but quickly put that reaction in check. “This is Catherine. Trust me. She can help Vanessa.”
    Catherine laid her hands on the white sheet that covered Vanessa’s stomach. After a moment, Catherine almost collapsed; she lifted her hands and looked at Scout. “I’m going to need your help,” she told him.
    “What can I do?” he asked, stepping up beside her but afraid to gaze down at his sister.
    “Put your hands on her,” she told him. “She needs your strength and love. Mark, you can help, too.”
    Mark appeared too scared to move. Scout nodded to him before placing his hands on Vanessa’s shoulder. Mark sighed and cradled Vanessa’s hand. Without being asked, Luis joined the group, gently pressing Vanessa’s other shoulder, while Ginger remained with the baby.
    Catherine returned her hands to Vanessa’s silent body.
    Bright yellow light flooded from the open palms of Catherine’s hands. The light conformed over Vanessa’s body, warping like a vibrant field of energy.
    Mark and Luis stared with wide eyes at the little girl. From their contact with Vanessa, yellow light pulsed up their arms. Mark closed his eyes tight, his lips moving. Scout knew he was praying this time.
    The light crept up Scout’s arms, too. A startling tingle worked inside him, pulling at his inner essence. The weird sensation continued for another minute and then, as if someone punched the throttle, the pull converted into a forceful wrenching.
    There was life in that light. A static connection furrowed through his arms, transferring part of Scout to his sister.
    Scout’s knees began to buckle but he bridled his resolve, forcing himself to go all the way. He wished he’d grabbed a chair when he remembered what happened after Catherine’s healing of Hunter had ended.
    Vanessa contorted and arched above the bed, then inhaled a deep breath and released it with a mighty exhale. The yellow energy field flowed from her body and the boys’ arms straight through Catherine’s hands and into the little girl’s mouth. Just like with Hunter the night before, the light disappeared down inside of her to who knows where and everything went completely dark, despite the sunlight Scout assumed still streamed through the top of the windows.
    Catherine’s eyes snapped opened. The yellow light exploded into the room, immersing everything and everyone before simply fading away.
    The baby giggled from his heated corner.
    Vanessa sank back with a calm smile traced upon her lips.
    Catherine panted, covered in sweat as though she’d just played a mean one-on-one pickup game with the devil. Suddenly, she rolled to the floor like a sheaf of paper, Mark slumped over in his chair and Luis collapsed on top of him. Scout regarded his sister one last time before his eyes glazed over and he crashed to the floor beside Catherine.
    •  •  •
    Scout awoke and found Jimmy hovering. Scout’s mom used to do the same thing whenever he was sick with the flu. He closed his eyes and groaned. His whole body ached like he’d been dragged behind Hunter’s motorbike over broken asphalt. When he opened his eyes again, Jimmy smiled from above.
    “Sleep well?” the tall, town leader asked.
    An unusual thickness to Scout’s tongue affected his speech. “Vanessa?”
    “She’s fine. She woke up an hour ago. She’s been feeding the baby ever since.”