Malnourished

Chapter 18

Devon could feel something cool on her face but her eyes stayed closed.  She tried with all she had left in her to command them to open but it was no use. they would not open.  She tried to talk but it hurt like nothing she had felt before.  She tried again and she heard a sort of strange croak.  "Was that me?" she thought.  Suddenly her memories of the last night flooded back to her "oh Tiberious!"  Tears welled up in her even though her eyes remained closed and she quietly started to weep.

"She's awake!" Devon heard Julie's voice, her hand touched the blind Devon's shoulder and said "Honey you need to lay still!"  Then a firm hand pushed against her chest and Greg said "Dev, you have been injured and you need to stay quiet.  The pharmacist came last night and looked you over.  He gave us some thing to help you sleep"  Devon was now crying loudly and was unable to stop until she felt something sharp stab into her arm.  A warmth moved slowly up her arm to the top of her head.  A gentle darkness covered her like a blanket as she fell into a deep sleep.

"Greg, do you think she will be okay?" "I don't know Elise, we just need to let her sleep for now and check on her in the morning".

Devon could feel the warmth of the sun on her face and a slight breeze move over her sore body.  She tried to open her eyes but was having difficulty.  "I'm not going to stay in this darkness" she growled to herself.  She continued to try and was unsuccessful over and over.  Devon decided that if she could rub her eyes it might help them to open.  Her left hand came slowly up and gently touched an eye when suddenly severe pain shot through her skull.  She cried out, "Devon, honey don't touch your face, please!" Julie was sat next to her as she put the injured woman's hand back on the bed.

Devon used her hands to show she needed a drink of water "I'll get you one, just don't touch your face, okay?" she was truly worried about the young woman.  "Greg! Elise!  She is awake!  Julie ws yelling from the doorway.  Before anyone could get to her room Devon finally managed to get one eye to open a small fraction.  It was just enough to tell where she was.  "Dev!" it was Greg.  She could see his legs as he stood beside her bed and gently took ahold of her hand.  "Little girl?" Devon turned her head in the direction of the voice and saw part of her Grandmother's face.  She was sitting in the little chair Devon kept at the side of the bed.  "Grandma looks so much older then she did when we ate dinner.  I wonder why?"  Devon was confused "Greg here is her water, he cradled the beaten and battered woman's head gently in his arms.  "Here Dev" he placed the glass against her lips, gave it a slight tilt and the taste of cool, refreshing water trickled down her dry throat.  She felt like the tin man when Dorothy and the scarecrow squirt him with oil.  Her lips parted and she tried to speak "Wha what happened?"  but she didn't sound right.  She had to talk through clenched teeth.

"It seems you got into a disagreement with some bad guys "Elise explained.  Devon's brain was a little foggy but parts of her memory was coming back with some clarity.  Suddenly she remembered what had happened to poor Tiberious and without meaning to she started to cry.  She didn't know how to say the words.  "Devon what is it honey?" but nothing answered back except uncontrollable sobs. "Greg perhaps we should give her nother shot?" Devon managed to get out a resounding "No!"  She was not someone to feel sorry for herself and she knew it was important to get back on track. "Where  did  you  bury  him?" she gasped "bury who honey?" Elise asked.  The older woman thought her grand daughter was stuck in a dream of some sort.  She just wasn't making any sense.  Greg sucked in air and let go of Devon's hand.  "Honey, we dont understand you."  Julie was thinking the same as her old friend which was the injured woman was not quite right.

Suddenly Devon felt something under her hand.  It was cool and wet and took the injured woman to figure out what it was.  "Tiberious? Is that you?" she prayed.  The dog started to whimper and lick her hand then on the other hand she felt something crawl up the bed and lick her.  She heard another whimper and felt Tasselhoff's cold nose. "There are two dogs!" her brain screamed at her.  This time she started to cry tears of joy.