Broken Wings 02 Midnight Flight (29 page)

"Easy," I said, and lowered the canteen. "You can get yourself sick drinking that too fast now."
"I am sick. I
want
to go home this instant. Where's the phone?"
"Gee, we forgot to pay the bill so they turned off our service," Robin said.
"You're not very funny." Teal's eyes grew small as she scrutinized Robin's face. "Are you Jeffs cousin?"
"No. Jeff s my cousin." Robin said. For a moment that did confuse Teal and I actually smiled. although
I
couldn't see
what
we had to laugh about now.
"Let's get her up," I told Robin, and we helped Teal to her feet.
"Ow!" she screamed, and looked down at her leg wrapped with the leaves, "What happened to me?"
"You hurt yourself dancing last night," Robin said.
"It's the best we can do for now. We've got to walk on."
"I can't walk."
Robin tried to pull her forward but she resisted.
"Oh. great. What do we do?"
"Come on. Teal. You have to try or you won't get home." I said.
I
took her other arm, and together Robin
and
I forced her to take some steps. She cried with every one taken, putting as little weight on the bitten leg as she could. Finally, Robin put Teal's arm over her shoulder and that way we were able to get her to move forward a little faster. but I knew Robin couldn't carry her for long.
We took turns, resting every hundred yards or so. "We're not going to get very far this way."
I
said.
Teal's eyes were closed and she was rocking softly from side to side.
"You better put the top up. It's too hot." she muttered. "And stop to get me a drink, Anything. Even a beer."
"Yes. it is too hot," Robin said. "Phoebe, can you raise the typ on the convertible, please?"
"She's delirious."
"I wish
I
were. Who wants to realize what's really happening and where we really are," Robin said. "What are we going to do, Phoebe? We can't carry her all the way out of here. We don't even know if we're heading in the right direction, and we've just about run out of water."
I shook my head. I was out of ideas. Gazing around. I spotted something on a branch,
"What's that?" I asked Robin.
She shaded her eyes and squinted. "What?"
"Looks like... something tied to that bush." I rose
and
walked ahead to my left. It was a ribbon. Something was wrapped on the end of it, tied so it wouldn't fall out. I undid the knot and
a
small turquoise stone fell into my palm. An electric surge of hope shot through my body.
"Natani!" I screamed.
"What?" Robin shouted back. standing.
"I think this was left here by Natani."
I
looked farther ahead and saw what was definitely another ribbon,
"C'mon,"
I
said, hurrying back. "He's showing us the way."
"Why didn't he just show himself and help us?" Robin asked.
"Maybe he's afraid of what Dr. Foreman would do or say. I don't know. Let's go."
We got Teal standing again and again took turns helping her walk. She mumbled gibberish, phrases and sentences from memories, about people she knew, things she had done, words she had exchanged with her mother, her father, and her brother. Most of the time, her eyes were closed.
On the ground under the third ribbon, we found a basket. I uncovered it and pulled out leather canteens filled with water, packs of dried food, and a pot with matches in it.
"What's that for?" Robin asked.
I unwrapped another packet and found some more snake weed. "He wants us to boil this and change her bandacre. I'm sure."
"It would help if he would just send for a helicopter."
"Somehow. I don't think he can do that. Robin. Come on, let's not waste time now. Gather some wood."
She did and we built a fire quickly. Once again, we boiled the leaves, then I changed Teal's bandage, this time using some tape Natani had left as well. We were able to give Teal a good drink of water, then wipe her down. She seemed to become more comfortable.
It was becoming scorching again. We had a hard time making it to the next hill, but when we got there, following another set of ribbons, we looked out and saw what was clearly the ranch.
"I never thought I'd be glad to see that place again," Robin said.
"Me neither."
"I'd like my breakfast now,' Teal declared.
"Oh, sure. miss. What would you like this morning?"
"Just some scrambled eggs, orange juice, cinnamon toast, and coffee."
"Is that all? We'll have it for you in a jiffy," Robin told her. Teal nodded, her eyes still closed.
"Let's take a good rest before this last piece." It looked like a good mile or so to me. We sat and ate what Natani had left.
"I have no idea what I'm eating," Robin said. feeding Teal as well. Teal ate as if she were really having what she had ordered.
"Me neither, but it feels good in my stomach."
Whatever it was, it seemed to renew our energy. After some more water, we fixed our towels on our heads, smeared some more of the sun protection on our skin, and started toward the ranch.
When we were about four or five hundred yards from the corral in which the horses were kept. Wind Song trotted to the railing and whinnied, raising his head. The other horses gathered beside him and looked out at us.
"At least someone is happy to see us," Robin muttered.
Like three soldiers home from battle, we limped along. Teal still relying on our shoulders and keeping most of her weight off her right leg. As we drew closer, the buddies began to appear, coming around the corner of the horse barn. None of them rushed forward to give us any assistance. They stood watching us limp home until we were close enough to hear them.
Then, they began
a
silly cheer.
"Come on. girls. You
can
make it. Keep coming, Two, four, six, tight, who do we appreciate? Phoebe bird. Phoebe bird."
They laughed and clapped.
"She was bitten by
a
rattlesnake," I said when we were standing right in front of them.
"Did it die?" M'Lady Two asked, and the three of them laughed.
"If she does or gets sicker, you'll be sorry as hell," Robin said, her eyes blazing at them.
"Whoa." M'Lady Three cried. "Listen to her. A couple of days in the desert and she thinks she's tough or something.
I'll
tell you. girls, I'm really impressed. How did you manage to find your way back?"
"How could
you
leave us out there like that?" I countered.
"It broke our hearts to do it." M'Lady One said. "But we have to do what we have to do. Go shower up and wait in the bunkhouse for Dr. Foreman." she followed curtly.
"What about Teal?" Robin asked,
"She'll live, although I can't say the same for the snake."
"She can't walk on her own."
I
said.
"We'll take care of her. Move it."
Slowly, we lowered Teal to a sitting position.
"I'm sorry, Mother." Teal said. "It couldn't be helped. Our car broke down."
"Oh, did it?" M'Lady
Two
asked. They all laughed again,
"She still has a high fever. She's delirious, She needs medical help," Robin said.
"She was always delirious." M'Lady Two said. "Will you two get moving or do we move you?"
"We're not leaving her." I declared, reaching a firm, quick decision.
I
reached down to help
Teal
up. Robin
did
the same,
"I told you we would take care of her," M'Ladv Two said.
"Like you've been taking care of us?"
She stepped forward threateningly. but
I
didn't flinch.
"Go on," I said. "I have just enough strength to fight one more battle."
"Me. too." Robin said.
Maybe it was the ordeal in the desert. Maybe it was the wild, determined look on both our faces, or maybe it was just the sight of us, standing fast despite all that we had endured. Teal wavering between us, whatever, but M'Lady Two hesitated, then relaxed and backed up.
"Take her to the house yourselves then," she ordered, and stepped aside.
We walked on, struggling because Teal was doing less and less to move herself now. Despite the effort. both Robin and I reached down into some reservoir of energy, fueled by our anger, our hate, our indignation, by years and years of our pain and suffering. We stumbled and nearly fell. The buddies roared with laughter, then. suddenly. I could hear Natani's drum. Robin heard it. too. We looked at each other and found the strength to cross that yard to the front of the hacienda.
As we continued. I kept my eyes forward, never wavering, so I didn't see or know if Gia and Mindy were watching us. When we stood at the steps, the front door opened, and Dr. Foreman, dressed in a cool, mint green skirt suit, her face freshly made up with a brighter lipstick and even some eye shadow, looked down at us and smiled,
"Oh. I just knew you would do well. I just knew you had it in you to be cooperative, unselfish, and resilient. My girls. my Foreman girls, always come through for me, for themselves. What a wonderful day." she cried.
Was she blind? Could she not see that Teal was practically comatose and we were standing on legs held up only by sheer determination?
"Teal was bitten by a sidewinder," I said. "She's delirious."
"And you knew what to do. I see." Dr Foreman replied, still not moving to help us. "Natani's lessons. How fortunate that you paid attention. Imagine if you paid attention in regular school as well. Maybe now you will. See?" she asked as if in that simple question she justified this whole experience, her techniques and theories and all that was done to us in the name of recovery,
"Teal is very sick," I replied in a dry, stiff voice.
She blinked rapidly, but held that cold, egotistical smile I had came to hate, to have dreams about shattering.
"She'll recover," she said. "and she'll be better for it."
"Have you been bitten by a sidewinder?" I fired back at her.
"Don't be insubordinate." She nodded at the buddies. "Take Teal to the infirmary immediately"
M'Ladies One and Two moved forward and lifted Teal from our shoulders. Then they scooped her under her legs and carried her up the stairway, Dr. Foreman stepped aside and opened the door for them.
"Are we home?"
I
heard Teal ask.
"Yes," M'Lady One said, and laughed.
The door closed behind them
and
Dr. Foreman turned back to
us.
"I want the two of you to shower and change back into your coveralls
and
wait for further instructions in your bunkhouse. You may rest while you wait." She turned and walked into the house before either Robin or
I
could say another thing to her.
"Let's go," M'Lady Three said.
We turned
and
crossed the yard to the showers. Both of us were actually looking forward to the cold shower. We couldn't swallow enough water and it felt wonderful on our bodies. Soaping up, scrubbing our hair, revived us both.
"Enough, girls. Move it." M'Lady Three shouted.
I
looked for Mindy and Gia and
didn't
see either of them in the gardens or the pigpen. We slipped on our shorts and blouses and battered sneakers before going to the barn bunkhouse. Both of us stopped dead on entering.
Our three cots
had
been stripped of their mattresses, blankets, and pillows. Our coveralls and old blouses were on them and our clodhopper shoes beside them.
"Why?" I asked, turning to M'Lady Three.
She shrugged. You had demerits. You have to earn what you get. remember?"
"This stinks. It's unfair!" Robin cried.
"Welcome to the real world. You have to learn how to deal with unfairness. Not that this was unfair. Rest up. girls. You'll need it, believe me." she said,
and
left.
"Look," Robin said, nodding at Gia's and Mindy's bunks, Mindy's was stripped dawn as well.
"I
wonder what she did to deserve her unfairness."
"I don't care anymore." I said. "I'm too tired to care about anything, even this."
I went to my bunk and swept the coveralls
and
blouse off. Then I thought again and rolled them up to use as a pillow. Robin nodded and
did
the same.
In minutes, we were both dead to the world. asleep. Soon after, however, we were poked and prodded until we woke up. M'Ladies Two and One were there with notebooks in their hands, the same sort we
had
been given at orientation.
"You've slept enough. girls. Dr. Foreman wants you both to start on your journals. She wants you both to write about your experience out there and what you have learned from it. She expects details and honesty," M'Lady One said,
and
handed me a notebook with a pen.
Robin was handed hers as well. We both just stared blankly at the notebooks.
The buddies smiled, then left.
"She must be kidding." Robin said.
"I strongly doubt it."
I
said.
"I can't keep my eyes open, much less write something." We looked at each other and came up with the same cry: "What more can she
do
to us?"
I
put the notebook down and sprawled out again. Robin did the same and we were asleep almost as quickly as we were the first time. We slept well into the late afternoon and woke this time when we heard the door open.
Gia stood there looking at us.
I
sat
up
quickly.
"Gia. Where's Mindy?"
I
asked, seeing she was alone.
"Mindy's gone."
"Gone?" Robin asked, sitting up. "You mean she was sent home?"
"No. I mean gone." Gia walked to her cot. She sat, staring down
at
the floor. I looked at Robin and then rose and walked over to Gia.
"What happened to her. Gia?"
She looked up at me. "I couldn't stop her. She used the scythe Natani had us use to cut the high grass. I was working and suddenly realized she was no longer
in
the field. She
had
been strange all morning after a session with Dr. Foreman. She wouldn't tell me anything about it, but
I
could see she was very upset, mare upset than ever. I kept asking her about it, trying to find out something, some reason for her deep depression.
"Finally, she muttered something about never going home
and
how it was her fault.
"I tried to get more information to help her, but she clammed up and just went to work with me in the field, As I said.
I
was working and thinking and not paying attention to anything