| Chapter 48 Kevin was sitting on the couch watching TV when the phone rang. He reached over and grabbed it, "Jackson residence." "Kevin?" "Yeah Jason, how are you?" Kevin asked. "Good, is Brian around?" Jason asked. "Um, he's not able to come to the phone. Can I do something for you?" Kevin asked. "Yeah tell him I called with the first weeks numbers on the book," Jason asked. "Oh, what's it look like?" Kevin asked. Jason laughed, "You have to ask? They're flying off the shelves. The publishing company is already getting ready for a second print, and they're adding a few more foreign language copies as well." "Wow man, that's great," Kevin beamed. "Yeah it is," Jason said, then was silent for a moment, "Kev, is he still sick? I thought the flu only lasted about a week?" "Um well he got a pretty bad case of it. He's getting better, but he still doesn't feel like doing anything yet," Kevin lied. "Oh, well OK. When he's up to it tell him to give me a call......Oh I almost forgot. His solo cd started moving up the charts again. I guess with the book out, people are looking at what else he's done. Tell him it's number six on the Contemporary Christian charts, and all indications show it's only gonna move up," Jason said. "Man, that's great, I'll be sure to tell him," Kevin said. "OK, talk to ya later Kev," Jason said. "Bye Jason," Kevin said, hanging up the phone. "Who was on the phone?" Lyn asked, walking into the room and sitting down. "Jason, he called with the books first week numbers, and also said that Bri's cd is selling again," Kevin said. Lyn sighed, "That's great. I just wish......." Kevin nodded, "I know, I wish he was here too." "How long are they gonna keep him?" she asked. "I wish I knew, hon," Kevin said, pulling her into a hug, "I really wish I knew." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Evi was busy applying ointment to Brian's back. He was still unconscious and she was beginning to wonder if she needed to do something else for him. His fever was still high, but not as bad as the first few days he was with her. He had developed a wheeze with each breath, and she wondered if the poison had permanently damaged his lungs. Every other day or so Hathath would come by and see if Brian was still alive. Evi came to dread these visits. He tended to blame her because Brian wasn't well yet, like she could do anything about it? She looked at his back. It still made her grimace every time she did. Even after a week of healing, his whelps where still swollen. She had to stitch several of them because they had cut deep into the flesh, and a few looked like they where infected. She sighed, "I'm not a doctor. How do they expect me to make this better?" She jumped when Brian moaned. She wasn't expecting it, and it scared her. She sat the ointment bottle on the night stand and wiped her hands on a towel, moving around the bed to look at Brian's face. Her heart caught in her throat when she saw him trying to open his eyes. "Brian," she said, moving closer. He slowly opened his eyes, trying to focus on her. "Brian, don't move OK? You'll hurt yourself if you do," she told him. "W-where am .... I?" he asked, in a voice so weak she had to strain to hear him. "You're still in the city. Hathath let me take you, and it's probably a good thing. I don't think you would have lived if you where still in the dungeon," Evi said. Brian blinked his eyes and looked at her, "I know you." Evi nodded as she re-wet the cloth on Brian's neck and gently wiped his face with it, "Yes, you do." Brian closed his eyes as she moved the cool rag over his face. "Can you lift your head a little?" she asked. Brian did, moaning in pain, as Evi quickly wiped the other side of his face. "I'm sorry," she said as he lay his head back down. Brian stared at her, trying to figure out where he knew her from. "Are you in much pain?" she asked. He nodded. "OK, let me get you something for it. I'll be right back," she said, moving out of his range of vision. Brian tried to take a deep breath, and instantly regretted it. His lungs hurt. It felt like the air he took in was setting them on fire. Then his mind registered the pain in his back and he almost blacked out. He lay as still as he could, trying to make his mind focus on something else. He looked around the room, as far as he could see. It looked like a normal bedroom. There was a night stand by the bed, and a dresser across the room. He could see a door and figured it was a bathroom since the woman didn't leave that way. The woman, where had he seen her before? She looked so familiar to him, but he just couldn't remember why. She walked back into the room, carrying a small tray. Brian watched as she sat it down on the night stand and picked up a syringe. He moaned. "I'm sorry, but this is the only way to give it to you," she said, seeing his reaction to the needle. Brian closed his eyes as she carefully maneuvered his arm around to give him the shot. "I'm all done," she said, placing the empty syringe back on the tray, and grabbing a bottle of water. Brian looked at her again, seeing the water in her hand. Evi opened the bottle and stuck a straw in it, holding it to Brian's lips. "Here, you need to drink," she offered. Brian took the straw in his mouth and slowly drank the cool liquid. He could feel it going all the way down, and it almost made him sick. Evi brushed a few damp curls from his forehead as she held the bottle for him, "Don't drink to fast. You've been out for several days and you haven't had much. I couldn't get them to get you an IV or anything so I had to pour small amounts of water into your mouth and hope you swallowed it." Brian stopped drinking and let the straw fall from his mouth. "That enough?" she asked. He nodded, "Who ... are you?" She sat the bottle down and looked into his pale blue eyes, "My name is Evi." "Evi?" Brian asked, then the light came on and his eyes widened in fear, "You're ..a....siren." She smiled at him, "Yes, I am, but don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt you." Brian didn't believe her and tried to move away from her, screaming in pain as he did. "Brian, please don't move!" Evi said, putting her hand on his arm, "You'll open up your wounds again." Brian stopped moving as the pain got to much to bare. He was visibly shaking. Evi ran her hand through his hair in an effort to comfort him, "It's OK, the pain killer will kick in, in a minute. Just lay still, I'm not gonna hurt you, I promise." When Brian settled down a bit, she re-wet the rag and gently wiped his forehead. "The poison is still affecting you. You've had a high fever for a week now, and I'm sure it's done something to your lungs," she said. "Why ... are ...you helping me?" Brian asked. Evi sighed and looked at him, "I was asked to. But I ....... You don't deserve this Brian. It's not fair that you have to suffer this because of who you're friends with." Brian stared at her, not sure whether to believe her or not. And frankly at the moment he didn't care. All he wanted was for the pain to go away. Evi looked down at him, "Brian, I can help you feel better if you want me to? Just until the pain killer kicks in." "How?" he asked. She fidgeted for a moment, "Um, I can sing. It'll ease the pain." Evi saw his hesitation. He didn't trust her and she knew it. "Brian, why would I nurse you back to health if I was just gonna hurt you? You've got to trust me, I'm all you've got right now," she said. Brian closed his eyes for a moment. As bad as he hated it, he knew she was right. He looked up at her, "OK." She smiled at him, "Alright, just relax," she said, running her hand through his hair. Brian closed his eyes and sighed. He could feel the pain easing up, and a calm feeling replace it. He tried to look at her, but his eyelids felt like they weighed a ton. "Just sleep," she soothed, "I'll be here when you wake up." Brian nodded slightly, letting his eyes close and embrace the calm that took him into sleep. Chapter 49 |