“I’m sorry it hurts. I’m so sorry.” Tears stream down my cheeks even when I tell them not to.
Just because he’s not crying shouldn’t mean he’s not hurt. I’m crying for him, not for me.
Using the cotton balls and the napkins, I wrap it around the wound as tightly as I can. Daddy said it has to be tight and clean so no nasty germs get in there.
“W-who did this to you?” I ask. “Them monsters?”
He nods once.
“I’m going to save you. I p-promise.”
His other hand wraps around my arm and tugs me down. I lie beside him, his injured hand remaining limp between us.
“Stay like this,” he whispers.
My lips tremble and my nose tingles as I stare at him and cry. I cry for what seems like forever. My tears turn into hiccoughs and then into loud sobs.
It’s ugly, snot and tears cover my face, but I can’t stop.
It hurts so much.
His thumb wipes under my eyes. “Don’t cry.”
“I can’t stop.”
“I don’t like it when you cry.” He continues gathering my tears and making them go away.
“Why?”
“Because it hurts me when you’re hurt.”
“M-me, too. That’s why I’m crying. I don’t want you hurt.”
“I’m going to be okay, Elsa.”
“Promise?”
He doesn’t answer. I jerk into a sitting position, hiccoughing and drawing involuntary breaths. “P-promise?”
“I can’t.”
“But why?” I shriek. “Does it hurt too much? I’m going to kiss it better.”
Leaning over, I place a kiss on the side of his bandage. “Daddy says it heals when you kiss it.”
He smiles. It’s weak and with no energy, but he smiles.
“You need to eat.” I rummage through my bag and bring out the sandwich.
It takes me some time to help him sit up against the wall. Once he’s settled, I wrap the blanket around him and place the sandwich between his fingers.
“You have to eat all that to get better.”
He munches slowly, not like the other days when he was so hungry, he devoured it.
I crouch in front of him, place my arms on my knees, and watch him. His injured arm lies limp beside him. The bandage around it is ugly.
“I have an idea!” I search in the bag and bring out my black marker. I was going to show him the picture of houses I’ve been drawing and ask him if he knows how to make one.