Copperback by Tarah R. Hamilton Read Free Book Online

he was scared. His one open eye kept shifting back between me and
Chase, as though he was trying to figure out what we were doing to him.
    Chase
had already stood back up and was holding the scissors as though he was going
to stab him if he hurt either one of us. The sight scared the Sayner even more,
as his grip grew tighter. I was going to have my wrist crushed if I didn’t find
a way to earn his trust.
    “Chase,
put the scissors down. I don’t think he knows what’s going on.” I had slowly
put my other hand out to Chase, trying to motion to him. My eyes were locked on
Job’s. His grip tightened again, and I could feel my hand going numb. “Job, W–we
are trying to h–help you. P–please don’t hurt m–me.”
    I
tried to stay as calm as possible, but knew there was a fear in my voice that I
couldn’t overcome. His expression changed, and the same look of misery I had
seen earlier that day was back. Although his rapid breathing didn’t slow, his
hold loosened, and I was able to pull my hand away. I massaged my wrist
involuntarily, as if to rub the pain away. His gaze was still fixed on me. At
least the head injury he sustained didn’t change his alertness. He still
understood what we were saying to some degree.
    “Chase
is trying to cut your pants off. You were hurt pretty bad. Okay?”
    I
kept waiting for an answer, but instead he looked down at Chase to see that I
was telling the truth. Chase had released the dagger grip on the scissors and
was holding them normally, trying to show him what he was going to do. He
grabbed the cuff of his right pant leg first and started to cut up to above his
knee. Job’s breathing slowed a bit and he seemed to settle down. It seemed his
fear of us was outweighing any pain he felt.
    Chase
threw the remains of the pant leg on the floor with the rest of the shredded
clothes. He reached up for the other pant leg, and I could see Job’s chest
start to tighten from anxiety.
    “You
need to relax. He’s not trying to hurt you.” I was sitting next to him, but
still keeping my distance. Any closer and he might grab for me again.
    My words didn’t bring any comfort, but he focused
back on me. I had to keep talking to him to keep his mind elsewhere. “I’m sorry
for how I reacted to you earlier today. I was scared, and I had never seen anyone
like you in my life. I knew you wouldn’t hurt me. I was just supris–”
    Before
I could finish, his whole body convulsed. He was gripping the bed, straining
every muscle in his arms and neck. His head rolled back with his eyes shut
tight. I could hear him grunting – breathing rapidly between clenched teeth.
There was nothing I could do to stop it.
    I
could see that Chase had just slid the last of the jeans from under his
shattered leg, unintentionally moving it. It was more of a mess than I had
first thought. The swelling around the fracture was much greater than I
expected. Everything looked normal till it reached mid-shin.
    His
leg had been contorted at such a grotesque angle that it was causing the bone
to slide up, forming an almost-x shape. The edges of the displaced bone pressed
against the skin, looking as though it would poke out at any moment. The lower
half was twisted outward at ninety degrees, causing the sole of his foot to
face the right leg parallel to his ankle. It looked unrealistic that anything
could bend like that.
    The
pain had been a chain reaction. His body, spasming like it did, had caused a
fresh trickle of blood to flow from his side. His left hand moved to cradle his
ribs just above the wound. I hadn’t seen the purple inflamed skin across his
side when he had his shirt on. His breathing was not as even as before, as he
took in short gasping breaths.
    Sally
needed to be here now. He was sounding worse, and I didn’t even know where to
start. I couldn’t sit there and watch him die in front of me.
    “Chase,
can you go upstairs and see if Sally is here yet? She should have been here by
now.”
    He
had