First insert, part five

Sarah stretched her shoulders before rolling the elder onto his side. She looked at Orion in disbelief. “He looks like he’s been horse whipped.”

The guard leaned over. Sarah could hear the joy in his voice. “Who takes a beating?”

“How do you know they took them?” 

“So far, all I see is tribal filth.” The guard looked around the cave. 

Sarah wanted to rip his head off. But she directed her feelings to her patient. 

“I need you to finish this one. My hands are cramping.”  Orion took the needle from her. “Will you ask for some snow?” He did. She started working her fingers. Stretching them. When the snow was brought in, Sarah buried her hands in the snow for a couple minutes before pulling them out to stretch them again. This was repeated several times. 

She watched Orion. “You are doing a great job.”

“Thank you. How are your hands?”

As she crinkled her fingers again, “getting there.” Was sighed more than spoke. For the first time she surveyed the large room with intent. “Would you care to ask if it would be okay to see if anyone on the train has medical experience?”

Orion translated. 

Leader lady nodded in the direction of the train. The guard and three Motietoian’s headed out of the cave. 

first insert, part four

The group of Motietoian’s circled the guard, Sarah and Orion. 

“I don’t like this.” The guard murmured under his breath. 

They walked through the blinding snow for what felt like an hour. Sarah was exhausted. She could only imagine how Orion felt. 

The group came to a cave. Once they were out of the snow each Motietoian lowered their hood following the example of the lady leader. 

“All women.” Sarah whispered. 

“That makes me feel better,” the guard smirked. 

The large front room of the cave was soon gone. The passage was so narrow that the walls hugged Sarah’s sides. 

The guard had to hold his gun in front of his body. “I don’t like this.” 

Sarah was smacked in the face by bright torch light. The narrow passage opened into a massive chamber with at least fifty lite touches scattered around. There were so many people lying in the floor that Sarah gasped before she realized it. 

Leader lady started speaking. After a couple minutes of no response from Sarah, another person started speaking a different language. Then another. Then another. When the fifth lady started speaking, “I know that one.” Orion pointed at her. 

As the lady spoke, Orion translated. 

“Start with this one.”

Leader lady was standing beside a grand father who Sarah figured was the tribal elder. Other ladies removed animal skins that were covering a great many medical supplies. 

“What happened here?” Sarah asked. Orion translated. 

“Know not. Hunters went out, returned to mess.”

Sarah locked eyes with the guard, who returned her gaze. She imagined that his eyes were dancing with delight in the torch light. “I need hot water. Lots of it.”

When the first tub was brought in Sarah scrubbed her hands and asked Orion to do the same. 

“I don’t know what to do.”

“Don’t worry.”

When she uncovered the elder, his body was shredded. 

“Why aren’t they making any noise?” The guard asked out of frustration. 

Orion repeated his question. Adding, ‘this must be painful’.

“Weak”, was the only reply he got. 

Leader lady asked, “speak.”

When she looked up, two ladies were watching her intently. She spoke, Orion translated, going into great detail about how to clean each wound. Removing debris. Medicating. Suturing. After Sarah had completed five lacerations, the ladies followed her example by scrubbing up. Then began work on one of the younger men.