Ashton Memorial (48 page)

He stood and walked off, taking Lori's body
with him.

Maylee started to stand.
“Parker!”

Angie grabbed her and shook her head.

* * *

Hours went by as they sat in the cave,
huddled over Dalton. He coughed and sweated, passing in and out of
sleep. At Angie's bidding, Maylee went outside to find a loaded
tranquilizer rifle. She brought one back, looking like she could
cry as she handed it to Angie.

Angie sat with the rifle, staring at Dalton.
His breathing was labored and he looked pale.

They sat there for hours, silently.

At some point, Angie fell asleep sitting
up.

She jerked awake as she heard Dalton
groan.

“Dalton?” she said,
clutching the rifle and fighting the urge to turn it on herself. If
it wasn't for Maylee, she would.

“Mom?” said Dalton. Angie
loosened her grip on the rifle and rubbed her tired eyes. His color
had returned.

Angie put her hand on his forehead. It felt
normal. She pulled the bandage from his arm. The oozing had
stopped. It looked sore, but no different from any of the animal
bites Angie had seen back in the ER.

“What's going on?” said
Dalton.

“I don't know, baby,” said
Angie. “Maylee!”

Maylee jerked awake from
where she was slumped against the cave wall. She crawled over,
blinking. She gasped when she saw Dalton. “Dalton? Mom, what's
going on?”

Angie pushed her fingers into Dalton's neck.
She felt his pulse, steady and normal. She rubbed his cheek,
feeling like she would cry if she wasn't so stunned.

Angie turned to Maylee. “I
think Dalton's immune.”