The Risen: Courage Read Free Page A

cauterize any vessels it landed near and sterilize the actual shot. From what I can see, the path didn’t hit anything vital, but I will keep a close eye on her. If an infection doesn’t set in, there is no reason she won’t recover completely,” Paula says, wasting no time in moving to stitching the wound. She lets her words float in the air, waiting for them to sink in with each one of us as a smile sneaks upon her face.
    Aimes is going to be fine. It will be a slow recovery, but she is going to be fine! A slow smile of praise spreads to us as reactions vary. Chapel’s head bends back, gazing at the ceiling with silent prayers of thanks to a God he still holds close. Rhett’s head comes down and his body hangs limply with his fear and tension released. Marxx pats Rhett’s back with his silent emotions expressed in comfort to his brother. Lawless and I are a silent world of nerves as we cling to each other with love for our friend. No one is brave enough to utter a word that risks breaking the first small strand of hope on this once happy holiday.
    “We aren’t out of the woods yet. She has lost a lot of blood and is very weak. Soon as I finish these stitches, we need to move her downstairs where she can rest and I can keep a better eye on her. If an infection is going to set in, we will know it by tonight.” Paula has never sugarcoated her words. She isn’t going to sprinkle sweetness now.
    “Just say when,” Rhett says, moving the position of his body to support Aimes’ fragile weight.
    “Isn’t this just perfect.” The voice chills the celebration. Dolph, covered in his own red horror story, is standing near us holding a look that fills his face with a fire of injustice. “J.D. - your leader - kills over half of us but his little pink princess lives. I’m sure all those crying over their dead will be so comforted to hear the news.” Dolph’s anger is pulsing with heat and it covers each word with bitterness. All the shyness has left the man with his emotions being a knot of torment.
    “Aimes had nothing to do with this. There is no reason to place this on her,” Paula says. She is not the only one stunned by Dolph’s words. Unfortunately, the moment she used to reprimand Dolph, allowed Rhett to recover.
    “Anything they say to the news, you just let me know. I’ll have a nice talk with them right after you and I finish our little chat,” Rhett says. There is no mistaking the innuendos that Rhett alludes to. If there are, the shading of his eyes and expression on his face will clear them up.
    “If you’ll excuse us, we have to take our princess downstairs. I’ll be back with shovels for your queen,” Lawless says. He knew the reaction his words would stir. He had already left my side to block Dolph’s path to me with his body.
    Dolph’s anger erupts as he rushes towards Lawless. He swings with his closed fist and wide-open eyes like a man possessed. Lawless, having learned a lot about the man from their little boxing match in the gym, is able to dodge the attack. He lands his jabs upon Dolph’s body as he moves, stealing the air from his lungs. They don’t fight against Chapel separating them after the first round is exchanged as they once did. Their anger is of a different type, but the look in their eyes radiates the same hatred for the other.
    “Let us get Aimes to safety. Then, we will come back. We will help. We will help with it all,” Chapel says. He seeks to soothe the ache of so many deaths caused by our leader and the damage from Lawless’ hateful words.
    “If Simon had never accepted your help to begin with, this would never have happened! Why the hell would we want to accept it now?” Dolph’s question finds no answers from Chapel, and with a shove to the only man trying to help, Dolph walks back to Simon who is still mourning the loss of his wife and child.
    “He’s right,” Chapel, the bearer of all things guilt-related, says with remorse. “All of this, it’s our