Healer

Chapter 26

Two men stop at the door, both dressed in just a shirt and their plaid, and gasp, running out to help them. I follow closely behind as they carry him inside. Greer is already waiting by the table. I see the water boiling beside the fireplace.

They lay him flat on the table and his head swings from side to side, deep in unconsciousness. She steps over him, cutting his shirt open to reveal his chest. It's covered in blood, straight to the bottom part of his stomach where his plaid covers.

I watch the hope die from her eyes.

The utensils shake in her hands.

Knox opens his eyes slowly, blinking to her. "I-It hurts."

She begins to cry, shaking her head and MacCallan moves forward, taking them from her hands. She doesn't even look at him.

"I need alcohol now," MacCallan says to me, gently. I nod, running to the other side of the kitchen, grabbing the bottle of whiskey from the cupboard. I remove the cap and hand it to him.

His fingers are pressed into the wound, as the blood overflows. "Greer, take his hand," he says. "This will hurt."

She takes Knox's hands tightly and manages to smile, through her tears. "Knox, I need ye to stay awake."

MacCallan pours the alcohol over his chest and Knox's body contracts against the table, thrashing.

"Hold him down!" Callan bellows. I rush forward, as do the men watching, holding his body down. MacCallan utters names, fluid and carefully said to Greer, knowing she knows them. He speaks in Gaelic so I have no way to know what it is.

"I'm done for," Knox says, deliriously.

She turns, rummaging through her cabinets. I understand when she sets down a bottle.

"Gill, I cannot remove pressure. He cannot lose more blood. I need ye to pour half that bottle into his mouth. It's foul but make sure he drinks it."

I nod, grabbing the bottle with shaking hands.

"You're gonna be okay," she says, holding his face. "Drink this."

I press my lips together firmly when I pour it into his mouth as he tries to drink it. The liquid bubbles over his lips as he gargles it, unwilling to swallow.

"Swallow it, Knox," MacCallan exclaims, pressing another clean cloth over his chest. The bleeding hasn't stopped and by the time we've finally gotten him to drink half the bottle, MacCallan's eyes look much like Greer's.

That's when I realize it.

Knox isn't going to live.

I watch as MacCallan grabs Knox's hand slowly, turning it over. He presses his fingers to his wrist. Greer watches him for a moment, eyes wide before she mirrors his actions. Within moments, her face contorts with anguish and she grabs Knox's face.

"No, no, stay with me, Knox. Stay with me."

MacCallan backs up, looking down towards the ground. Tears fill my eyes as Knox tries to reach for her hand but doesn't succeed. It falls onto the wood, harshly as his breath leaves his body.

She stares at him, and the room echoes in harsh, unimaginable sobs that come from deep in her chest. I shake my head, rushing forward towards her.

"I can't do this alone!" she cries to his lifeless form. I touch her shoulder but she curves away from it, wrapping her arms around him.

I close my eyes as the tears overflow, watching her like this. I feel a hand on my shoulder- it's MacCallan's. He gestures for the door with his head, nodding.