David's driving was quick but smooth. I noticed he was taking me in the direction of the pack house, not where I lived.
"Slow down, David!", I warned. "Even though we left those Police behind us, it doesn't mean there won't be others around."
David's gaze flicked up and down me before he looked pointedly at the source of the blood with one eyebrow raised.
Before he could say anything, I added, "I am not actually bleeding to death. I don't plan on dying today."
He said nothing, but though he technically complied to my request, I noted the speedometer only decreased by 5 km an hour.
I sighed at his stubbornness.
I thought I might need to call for backup, and realized that I hadn't grabbed my bag. Where exactly did I leave it? I knew I hadn't picked it up since my argument with David….
'Oh no! Did the Police now have my bag? There would be no escaping them if they had my cell phone and wallet.'
"Uh, David, I think we may have a problem. ", I said in a quiet, serious voice.
A look of concern and stress changed to one of alarm.
"Does it hurt more?", he asked.
"No. I think I left my bag behind. That means…"
"Your bag?", he heaved a sigh of relief. "Didn't you see me grab it?"
I shook my head 'no'.
He made his right hand into a thumbs-up and pointed his thumb at the back seat. "It's back there."
I turned my head, careful not to move my torso, and saw his statement was true. The bag was there. Now it was my turn to breathe a sigh of relief.
"I am glad the authorities don't have my belongings.", I told him with a smile.
He grunted in agreement as he pulled up to the edge of the pack territory.
Another ten minutes and we were met outside David's house by Luke. David must have told him that we were on our way.
Without a word being spoken, Luke opened the back door of the vehicle and grabbed my bag. David walked around the front and carefully picked me up.
I tried to reassure a very worried looking pair of men, by breaking the silence casually.
"Hi, Luke.", I gave him a small smile.
He responded by saying, "Don't worry. A doctor is on the way. Should be here very soon. Elizabeth went to get a doctor herself."
"Hmm." I said aloud. I wondered if any doctor they found would know how to help me. After all, I was technically an alien to this planet.
David carried me through the front door and up the stairs into a familiar room. It was the same one I had stayed in before, the first time I was brought here.
The room was neat and tiny. The covers were pulled back on the bed and the lamp I had once threatened to throw at David was resting back in its usual place.
I almost smiled at the memory.
The sound of the front door opening and feet thudding on the stairs reached everyone's ears.
As David lay me on the bed, Elizabeth's voice called through the open doorway.
"We're here! The doctor is here!"
She burst into the room, followed shortly by the doctor.
He dropped a leather bag by the side of the bed and seeing the blood and the knife sticking out, skipped the formalities and introductions, and got right to work.
He carefully cut open the front of my exercise top without disturbing the pocket knife. At this point the bleeding had slowed as the cells had clotted somewhat.
I felt tired from the loss of blood, like I had donated a bunch and needed some juice and a cookie.
The doctor ordered Elizabeth to get clean cloth and some more antiseptic. He poured the antiseptic he had in a bottle from his bag around the handle of the knife.
I let in a hiss of breath as it stung. By the time Elizabeth returned, I was feeling tired, weak and sleepy.
The doctor had followed procedure, with Elizabeth as his nurse, to remove the knife, clean the wound and stitch it up.
Afterwards, I was moved to the couch. The bed sheets and clothes needed to be laundered.
Under a blanket, I got the gut feeling that the still oozing wound hurt too much. 'Could it be infected?' I wondered.
The wolves made sure I stayed well- hydrated and ate some food.
I barely heard the doctor's care instructions as I fell asleep.
My dreams were colorful and confusing. I could hardly form a thought, feeling or impression of something before it melted away and became something else. I knew that far away, my body must have a fever. But I couldn't seem to get myself to wake up.