It’s a sensation I’ve never felt before. It doesn’t hurt, but I feel as if an electrical charge has begun to pulse through my body, slow at first, then faster. I’m not sure what to make of it.
Stepping closer to the boulders, I aim at the detonator blinking red on top of the rock to my right. I hesitate, not sure if I should squeeze the trigger, afraid of what might happen. Glancing over at Devlan, he nods with his arms crossed against his chest. I look back at the detonator, taking a deep breath as I pull the trigger.
An intense pain rushes up my arm, and my right shoulder blade explodes from the wave as it finds an exit out of my body.
A shrill scream fills the air - coming from me.
I drop the gun and crumple to the ground, feeling the warm flow of blood running down my back. I begin to rip at the arm brace that is holding my useless limb together, but Devlan grabs my hand, indicating for me to stop. My throat is raw from screaming, but I continue until no sound can come out. Devlan squats down with his first aid kit, rummaging around until he comes up with a syringe containing a creamy white liquid.
I begin to push him off of me as he advances with the needle.
For a man so old he is incredibly strong.
He subdues me, cradling me in a hug as he reaches over my right shoulder and injects the liquid into the mangled flesh that was my back. I begin to convulse as shock sets in; dry heaves take over and I shake uncontrollably. Devlan disappears from my view, but returns moments later with a thick wool blanket that he wraps around me. He sits back down next to me.
Why isn’t he cleaning my wound? I wonder. And what was that shot?
As the minutes slowly pass I begin to feel better. The pain in my back is subsiding…I no longer shake. As I continue to stare at Devlan, he seems to be mentally assessing the situation. I try and find my voice to speak, but it’s gone, only a whisper remains.
“What did you give me?” I finally croak.
“Quarum, it’s to help with the healing.”
The more time that passes, the better I feel.
Gingerly, I begin to remove the straps from the brace. Devlan helps to slowly pull down the sleeve, stopping every few moments as I wince at the residual discomfort. My eyes remain closed, afraid of what I might see. I no longer feel blood running down my back, but that appears to be the only good news so far. With one last gentle tug the brace is removed and I open my eyes to stare down at my arm.
Considering the agony I was in just minutes before, the damage is surprisingly minimal.
There are two small holes in the palm of my hand from the ports in the glove that are getting smaller and smaller. A thick blue line snakes around my forearm, through my elbow, and ensnaring my bicep, before disappearing just below my shoulder. This must be the place where the energy found the weakest point in my body and exited out my back.
“What the hell is this?” I cry, pointing to my arm.
“You’ll be fine, Meg,” Devlan says, as he tries to comfort me. “You’re going to be okay. Why don’t you go into the house and change?”
I’m shocked by Devlan’s behavior. You would think he would be more concerned with the damage he has caused me, but he’s taking it all in stride. I, on the other hand, am terrified by what has just happened.
What is this line? What does this mean? What has he done to me?
Still in shock, I reluctantly get up, almost losing my balance. Devlan catches me, helping to right me. I drop the blanket on the ground and retreat into the house where I begin to scour the rooms for a small hand mirror so I can check out the damage to my back. I finally locate one at the bottom drawer of my dresser, so I step into the bathroom, shutting the door and removing my blood-soaked shirt. I drop the garment into the sink, turn my back against the mirror, and lift the hand mirror to see the reflection.
The raw angry flesh pokes out in spots, but is healing rapidly. Several scars begin to form. Usually when I heal my skin heals smoothly, but this wound is too horrific to mend nicely. I continue to watch as the redness turns gradually lighter, then back to my normal skin color. Using my left hand, I try to reach over my shoulder and touch the area. Black charred spots flake off, replaced by clean pink skin. Twenty minutes after the Levin gun destroyed my shoulder blade, the only remnants of the mishap are four jagged scars around a small circular spot. I look down at my hand and I see two new freckles in my palm, but the blue line remains, diminished some in intensity.
I leave the bathroom, enter my room, and put on a clean shirt. Devlan is still sitting on the ground where I left him when I return. He looks up at me, the pained look has returned to his face.
“You all right?” he asks, as I reach down and pick up my arm brace, which is lying in his lap.
“I’m fine,” I lie, not wanting to show how much I hate him right now.
I begin to put the brace back on, noticing it’s undamaged, but Devlan places his hand on top of mine.
“I don’t think you’ll need that anymore.” He takes the brace, walks over to the table, and picks up the Beta gun, handing it to me. “Try it now.”
“There isn’t any power in it,” I remind him.
He thrusts the gun into my hand, almost hitting me in the stomach.
I shake
