| �Come on, we need to get you out of these wet clothes,� I said as I helped him to his feet. Together we worked to remove his wet clothing. His skin was like ice and he groaned anytime my warm hands brushed against him. When he was standing in his boxers, I handed him a blanket and turned my back so he could remove those also. When he was situated, the blanket wrapped around him, I took his sodden clothes and laid them out close to the fire to dry. �Come sit closer to the fire,� I suggested when I noticed he was still shivering. Again, a wave of guilt rushed over me and I had to push it away. I still had to feed him and make sure he warmed up. I had no time for the guilt. I would deal with that later. He moved slowly towards the fire and then he huddled down in front of it and pulled the blanket closer to him. Deciding he needed something warm to eat or drink, I went through the supplies my sister had packed me and I thanked the Lord above when I found a container of coffee, a bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup, a loaf of bread and a slab of bacon. I pulled out the old tin coffee pot and walked to the pool and filled it up with water before returning to the fire. I added the grounds and sat it on the fire, praying it would heat quickly. Then I poured the soup into the pan and set it on the fire grate, stirring it occasionally. When it was heated, I spooned some into a bowl and began to feed Kevin. He was shivering so hard, I knew he wouldn�t be able to hold the bowl and feed himself at the same time. As Kevin ate, he began to perk up and his shivering abated some, but not entirely. The blue hue around his lips began to dissipate as the fire warmed his body. �Thank you,� he whispered. I felt uncomfortable with his thanks, knowing it was my fault he was in the condition he was in, but I gave him a smile and said, �You�re welcome,� before moving to fix him a cup of coffee and to eat some soup myself. As I finished my soup, I noticed Kevin�s eyelids were beginning to droop. I knew that the adrenaline rush that had started back at the wash and kept him upright for the ride had worn off. I stood and went to where I had dropped our gear and pulled out his bedroll. I spread the groundsheet and the bottom blanket as close to the fire as I could and then I took the coffee cup from his limp hands and helped him into bed. I made sure he was covered and I moved towards the other side of the fire to refill the cup. I sipped slowly, enjoying the heat that seeped through the tin cup and into my hands. My own store of energy was getting low and I struggled to stay awake for a while longer. I shifted position, sitting Indian style before the fire and sighed heavily. My body was feeling sluggish and I knew I needed to spread out my own bedroll and crawl under the covers, but I was just too tired to move. �Cold, I�m so cold,� came the soft murmur from Kevin�s direction. His voice startled me into action and I stood and moved towards him. I checked to make sure his blankets were pulled up and noticed that he was shivering. Knowing I had to get him warm quickly, I shook out my bedroll next to his and spooned his body with mine before pulling my extra blanket up around both of us. Within minutes, our bodies were generating enough heat to stop his shivering and I closed my eyes. I�ll just lay here for a few more minutes, just to make sure he�s good and warm and then I�ll move, I thought as I felt my body relax. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep. Chapter Seven CCC Index Main Page |