All the Wrong Reasons

Part 16

Chapter 16

A clanking noise sounded from his side. Colin looked over and felt complete shock rankle his body. He expected help, but he never expected help from this person. The shock must have shown on his face for she turned her face away from his.

"Ramsey pointed out the fact that I was being a little rash," she said without sparing him a glance.

Colin let a smile cross his face before it disappeared. Had she really only came down here because of Ramsey's urging? Or had he misjudged her? He knew that people reacted different ways in situations, but he had never expected something like that out of Cassie.

"Is that really why?" he asked her with slight curiosity.

She glanced his way before darting her eyes away. "I would be disappointed in myself, and so would others. I was not taught the things I know to let a person die. I might wish for him to have a harsh punishment, but I cannot let him die in good conscious."

Colin nodded at her and started to talk, but she sent him a hard gaze that kept his mouth closed. He watched in awe as her face turned completely cold.

"Do not think for a second that I would help him if Cooper was not well. If he would have killed the boy, I would gladly let him bleed on your dirty, stone floors," she said in a harsh whisper as she dropped down beside the man.

Colin couldn't do anything but scoot back on the floor as she set to work. He watched as she pulled out a pair of shears. Leaning forward, he waited for the onslaught of an attack, but she just lowered them to the man's shirt and began cutting down.

She stripped it free of the man and pressed her palm against both of his sides. She nodded in approval before reaching into her bag. Colin's eyebrows rose in surprise as she took out a needle and what looked like to be thread.

"I would numb it, but the man deserves a little pain. At least it is sterilized," she mumbled and Colin had a feeling she was talking more to herself than anyone else.

She lowered her hand to push the needle into the man's skin before hesitating. Colin wondered if she decided against helping, but once again he judged her wrong as she leaned back and pulled out a flask.

"Do you not think the man smells bad enough?" he asked as she unclasped the whiskey.

"It is for his wound. I almost forgot the fact that he it needs to be cleaned and I have nothing else."

"Will it not burn?" he asked.

She gave him an impatient look. "The man is passed out from bleeding too much. I am sorry, but if you want him to live, you need to cease your talking."

Colin tried for a small smile to ease the tension, but all he got back was narrowed eyes and a huff. Colin let out a sigh. He guessed that his wife was still angry at his earlier comment. What could he say to make it better? They all reacted harshly under the circumstances, and he just happened to call her a cruel name.

"Do you even have a doctor in this town?" she asked causing him to snap out of his thoughts.

He hesitated before answering her. "Yes, the man lives just on the outskirts of the village."

"Hmm, and why has he not been helping out?" she asked as the needle was being weaved in and out of the man's skin.

Colin bit his lip and turned away. He didn't mind blood, but seeing the man being stitched up made his stomach twirl.

"The man doesn't really have the means to go to the villagers, and the sick have no energy to go to him," Colin replied as he looked back at her.

She turned towards him, but kept her fingers moving to close the wound. "Is he ill himself?"