Star Bound Liberty (Complete)

Chapter Twenty Four

I turned back to Garret in his cell and walked quietly into the small space before anyone could help me.

'Is Yahala available, please?'

'Ma'am.' He called out and stepped through the gap of guards and into the cell.

'Could you please stand by his chest. If he moves, sit on him until he passes out.' It was a real threat for Garret to behave himself. I got down to see the damage to his knee. I could see the cap bone was definitely in the wrong place, even from under the cold compress that had been placed on his leg. I pulled the knee brace from out of sling and laid it down next to Garret's knee.

'What are you doing, ma'am? I can do that for you.' Yahala made to move towards me.

'Don't move soldier. That's an order.' I practically yelled at the young specialist. He bolted back to his position in fright. I huffed in frustration, at my own emotions more than anything. I knew I was safe, with this many marines in the room, but I'd been hurt by this man and I needed to do this as much as anything. Garret was not the first addict to affect my life. I unfisted my shaking hands.

'The thing with addicts,' I spoke quietly enough for only the three of us at this end of the cell to hear. 'Is that they can do all manner of things and convince themselves that what they have done is justified because they deserve their next fix. Or they learn how to thieve and lie about it so convincingly that they even start believing their own lies. It's a mental illness as much as it is physical.'

I unstrapped my sling so I could move my arm. I carefully adjusted the straps of the knee brace so it would be large enough to encompass Garret's knee with the cold compress on.

'When they have to fight their own bodies, day in and day out for the right for control, they lose much of themselves in the process.' I placed the knee brace back down and carefully leaned over and slipped a hand under his knee to lift it. Ortiz was there in a moment, sliding the brace under the knee and stepping back to let me continue. Garret groaned and I paused until he quietened down. Yahala had to briefly take a hold of his arms to keep him down but he relaxed when the pain receded a little.

'Thank you, Master Sargent, Specialist.' I carefully lowered the leg and pulled the top of the brace over Garret's knee to positioned it property.

'There are drugs these days that can affect the activity to the part of the brain that creates the dependency, cutting off the endorphin high before it begins. It is completely affordable, easily accessible, and has very few, if any, side affects.' The next part was going to hurt me more than Garret, but I needed to do this.

'A little help, Ayms, please.' I breathed for my ears only. I felt warmth extend from my back and neck, across my sore shoulder and down my arm. It didn't change the painful throbbing, but it was a comfort to know he was with me. Using both hands, I carefully pulled the first of six straps tight and clipped in it place. The pulling on my shoulder hurt and I had to paused to breathe through the pain.

'But even with addiction drugs and mental health services, so many don't believe they have an addiction. That its not a problem, that they don't need help. Again, they convince themselves and believe their own lies.'

Two more straps and sweat started beading across my face and chest.

'The saddest thing? They don't believe anyone would ever want to help them. They hide from everyone who ever loved them, cared for them, because of their sins or their lies or their self-hatred. When it gets that bad, they really don't care who they hurt to get their next fix, and that damages so many relationships.' Last three straps, then I carefully adjusted the cold press to a lower setting to keep Garrets knee cold to help with the pain and swelling.