"Hey,"
Neil pulled back to look into Rosemarie’s eyes. "It's going to
be okay."
Aware
that she was probably stressing out the dying man, she wiped her face
and nodded.
“I'm
sorry,” she looked at Mark. “I didn't mean to lose my cool.”
He
smiled a brittle smile as he reached out and touched her foot. “Sorry
for the trouble.”
“It's
no trouble,” she lied.
He
pulled his hand back to rest across his chest.
"Let's
get you moved,” she said, gesturing to Neil to get on the other
side of the blanket.
With
a little difficulty, they transferred Mark on the pallet she'd laid
out for him in the shade. After she’d gotten him some water and
wiped his face again, Neil pulled her aside.
“You
and Randy get in a fight?” he asked.
“No,”
she answered, not making eye contact.
“Then
why does he look pissed and why are you avoiding looking at him?”
he asked.
“I
don't know if you noticed, but he and I don't usually get along,”
she answered.
“I'd
noticed,” he smiled. Then his smile faded. “Talk to me.”
Rosemarie
scanned the area. “I'm afraid of him,” she said in a low voice.
Neil
looked at her with concern. “Of Randy,” he said.
“Yeah,”
she said with a tired breath.
He
looked out into the woods for a minute in thought. He nodded lightly
and turned back to her. “I said I'd help you guys get set up here.
So you know I'm here, right?”
She
nodded.
They
stood for a few moments, the sound of Georgi hammering echoing around
them.
“We
should help her,” Rosemarie said.
“Right,
the toilet,” Neil looked back toward the noise.
She
moved back to Mark and knelt down. “Will you be okay here alone if
we go help my friend?”
Mark
nodded.
"I
won't be far away. Call me if you need anything. I'm Rosemarie,"
she said.
He
smiled slightly and repeated her name before his smile faded. "I'll
be okay." he said.
She
tried to swallow the lump in her throat as she turned to leave.
Neil
followed close behind.
*
Rosemarie
was careful to keep an eye on the sick man and Randy. Terrified by
what might happen if either of them changed. Mark dozed, waking to
readjust himself every now and then.
Randy
walked around, digging through supplies. He’d gathered a collection
of items in a box before sitting down to make something.
Rosemarie
was half relieved to see him busying himself until the realization of
what he was doing.
“Georgi,”
she said.
Georgi
stopped working.
Rosemarie
pointed at Randy hunched over cleaning some steel traps.
Georgi
let out a sigh and dusted her hands. “I’ll be right back.”
She
calmly walked over to Randy and began speaking in a low, even tone
once she was near.
Rosemarie
couldn't make out what they were saying so she just watched.
As
she looked at the rusty old traps, her heart jumped. Murphy!
She
let out a quick whistle only to hear four paws bounding through
leaves. She knelt down to catch his kisses when he trotted up.
“Hey,
buddy.” She hooked her hand in his collar and looked up at Neil.
“Hold him while I get his leash, please.”
When
she returned, Neil was kneeling by Mark talking.
Murphy
was several feet away, his body bent lower to the ground and the hair
on his back raised.
"What’s
wrong boy?” Rosemarie asked the dog, bending bent down and hooking
the leash on his collar.
Murphy
put himself between her and Mark. His teeth bared as he let out a
growl.
“Neil?”
she called.
“What’s
happened?” Georgi, hearing the panic in her friend’s voice came
running, followed by Randy.
“Nothing,”
Neil said, standing up and walking over to Georgi. “He needs help
writing a letter to his family.”
She
nodded and went to get her notebook.
Murphy
let out another low growl as he glared at the sick man.
Randy
looked down at Rosemarie’s dog. “That dog isn't as worthless as I
thought.” He turned and went back to his traps.
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