Summer Bliss: Book 1

Chapter Ten

"Is she awake yet?"

"At the last check, no, she wasn't. You found her... mauled? Correct? I'd be surprised if she  wakes soon."

"It's been five days. I wouldn't necessarily call that soon."

"That's why you have your job ranger, and I have mine."

Turning, the doctor walked down the hallway. Milo resumed, staring into the dreary room through the glass pane on the door. It was a modest size with one large window. The machines  took up a majority of the room. Along with the hospital bed Khalia was resting in. A drab green sofa was tucked away in the corner.

Khalia's chest rose and fell slowly. Bandages were scattered across her face. Peaking left and right, he turned the handle, entering the room. While he wasn't family and this was illegal, he was a ranger and he needed to know what animal is causing this mayhem.

"What the hell attacked you guys?"

Milo came and stood bedside next to the broken girl. His mind wandered back to the cabins. Elaina and him had returned from the coast, ready to continue searching for the elusive animal. However, it wasn't the animal they stumbled upon.

Walking into the dewy morning area everything looked fine. Although, the moment didn't last. It took Elaina only a second to notice the bulbous decomposing mass of flesh on one of the porches. Her phone was out instantly.

Preoccupied with bring in help, Milo took the opportunity to search the clearing. He didn't make it two steps before spotting the first body. He could tell it was a male and that was it. Any other distinctive details were unrecognizable. Milo felt queasy. Looking up, he spotted one more.

"Damn."

Taking it in Milo stood in a daze. What was he supposed to think in this situation. It wasn't the bodies themselves that had him rooted in position. It was the sheer carnage, the rage.

"Halifax! Someone's still alive!"

"Huh?"

Looking in the direction of his name being called Milo spotted Elaina. She was further along the edge of the clearing, across the way. From his angle, she was staring at broken tree limbs. Breaking into a sprint he made it to her side.

They both stared down at the woman, utterly shocked. She was unconscious and breathing so shallow she looked unmoving. The puncture wounds and cuts were numerous. Elaina's face was devoid of emotion as she switched into investigator mode.

"It'll be awhile for the ambulance to arrive. We need to stop her bleeding. Find anything!"

Milo had frantically snatched clothes, tape, anything in his car to stop Khalia's bleeding. A vast amount of her wounds they noticed were concentrated around her thighs and throat. What other hidden injuries had to be just as severe.

Sighing, Milo replayed their previous interaction over, with different approaches he could have taken. He could have hit the Bimbo and sent them to the hospital, fined them for the drugs, anything.

"I could have sent you all packing. Hell, I should have sent you all packing. Fuck!"

Unconsciously he took ahold of his Menthols. Lost in thought he didn't realize his mistake until he was already two drags in.

"Goddamn it!" 

                                                                             *~*~*~*~*

Khalia stirred; the strong acrid smell tickled her nose. Twitching, she tried to move her arms but to no avail. It felt like boulders lay atop them. with each inhale came a stabbing pain in her body. Khalia's mind went to the last thing she remembered. Theo's voice, while he mauled her repeatedly. She wasn't spared mercy for the time they shared. She didn't deserve mercy.