Chapter 26
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238Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lgRc2r5vt
Days passed, and Cameo’s fever stayed steady. On the evening of November thirtieth, Tanner, Ethaniel, Harley, and Infinity had a discussion about what they should do.
“Guys, tomorrow is the first of December. He’s been sick for a week now. He needs medical attention,” Infinity pressed.
“Him getting medical attention will cause us to get governmental attention,” Tanner shot back.
“We don’t want him to die, though!” Ethaniel countered. The talking turned to shouting and soon all eyes were turned to Harley, who hadn’t said a word throughout the exchange.
“Gizmo!” Ethaniel exclaimed, exasperated. “What do you think?”
She looked up from her laptop. “I think there’s a town nearby that has just been evacuated, schools, hotels, everything. I think we should go there. They have one of the best hospitals in the country.”
Ethaniel, Harley, and Infinity all looked at Tanner, who, during Cameo’s indisposition, had assumed control of the convoy.
He threw up his hands, defeated. “Fine! We’ll take him to this creepy abandoned hospital!”
The three teens let out cheers. Infinity ran to open the compartment that Cameo had been lying in. His breathing was heavy and labored, and his wound oozed with pus and blood, soaking through the bandage Tanner had tied tightly around it.
“Cameo,” she whispered. The boy's eyes flew open.
“Fin?” he moaned. “Фин, Колтон тоже здесь? Я слышу его голос. О, Фин ушел. Это просто Колтон. Колтон, я скучал по тебе. Как мама и папа?”
“I’m here, Cameo. Guess what? We’re taking you to a hospital, where you can have a real bed, and medicine, and we can get you all fixed up. Doesn’t that sound nice?”
“Colton, you know I don’t like the hospital. It’s too clean. Remember when Thomas broke my arm when I was seven and I had to get a cast? It was too clean, and it smelled awful. I don’t want to go to the hospital again. Please tell Mom and Dad not to make me go,” he mumbled and closed his eyes.
Infinity clapped her hand over her mouth. Tears pricked her eyes and her throat seemed to close. She slowly backed out and turned to face the others.
Tanner shook his head. “He’s hallucinating. We have got to get him some meds,” he growled. “Infinity, you stay with him. You two,” he said, turning to Harley and Ethaniel, “find somewhere to sit. We’re leaving now.”
Infinity dove back in and shut the hatch. Cameo reached up to touch her face with his bad arm, but he cried out.
“Colton, my arm hurts! Is that why we need to go to the doctor? Did Thomas break my arm again?”
“Yeah,” Infinity whimpered, voice breaking. “Thomas broke your arm.”
“Oh. Thomas is mean. I don’t like him. He’s a bully. That’s why I started taking martial arts. So I could hurt him.”
Infinity couldn’t reply to keep up the charade; her heart was breaking.
“Colton?” Cameo asked.
“Colton’s not here. He had to leave,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady.
“Oh,” he whispered, and turned his head. “I’m tired. Can I sleep now?”
“Yeah, Cameo. You can sleep now."238Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDiuybWQhQv
