Christy -- I'm actually glad you allowed me the idea of, well, you! LoL. Thanks.
BIGHolesFaNaTiC -- muahahahaha, be sure to read chapter 9! ~_^
And thanks to all others who review! That's really what keeps me writing and updating.
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--Back at Camp, right after Magnet and Zigzag stole the truck--
X-Ray watched the water truck leave in a cloud of dust.
Look at that, someone mumbled from behind him.
He rolled his eyes and turned around,
knocking the person out of his way.
Is he alive? X asked Armpit,
who was kneeling next to the fallen Squid.
I think he is, Pit answered. But I'm not good at this stuff.
There was a weird silence in the room.
Not that awkward silence.
But silence,
as if everyone had stopped moving.
Stopped breathing.
No one had thought of actually using a gun,
because they all knew
none of them had the
guts
to shot someone else.
But Zigzag had.
X-Ray checked Squid's pulse,
in that area between the collar bones.
If he's alive, X said, it's only slightly.
Where was he shot, man? a guy asked.
X-Ray glared at him.
I dunno, where that large red stain is, perhaps?
He carefully picked Squid up over one shoulder,
slightly surprised by his weight,
and walked out of the room.
A kid named Q
approached D-tent after X,
with Armpit behind him,
had disappeared into it
with Squid.
Excuse me, he said boldly.
X glared at him.
I think I can help your friend, said Q.
Pit asked.
the kid said, you do want to remove the bullet, clean up the wound, and seal it, and then cover it. Don't you?
X-Ray sat on his cot. Go ahead.
Armpit edged out of the tent and went back to the Wreck Room,
just to keep an eye on things.
Q quickly measured up where the wound was.
he said,
that kid, Zigzag, has good aim. That bullet took Squid right in the shoulder. Square center. How ironic.
Get to the point, X growled.
Q stood up. Get his shirt off.
Then he left to get the stuff he needed from the counselor's office.
X-Ray stared after him.
If you think I'm undressing him, he mumbled, you're a crazy loon freak shithead.
He looked at Squid,
then after Q.
Dammit kid, hurry up, he grumbled.
Q came back not much later.
Why didn't you- he started, then sighed.
asked X.
You're too scared of your image to help your friend, said Q, laying his stuff out on an empty cot.
X-Ray stood up, ready to hit the kid in the face,
but then his want to help Squid,
his best friend,
overcame that.
he grumbled and went to work getting Squid's shirt off.
But yet he was glad that no one came around while he was doing that.
You never knew what people might be thinking, even if it was to save someone's life.
Thank you, Q said and started dabbing at the wound with a wet cloth.
Hand me the tweezers, he told X-Ray.
X gave them over.
He actually winced as Q removed the small bullet from Squid's shoulder.
Damn lucky that wasn't a shot gun, Q said to X. Especially if it had been buckshot.
X-Ray didn't know much about guns.
Dangerous stuff, said Q, still cleaning up the wound. If he had been shot with that, most of his shoulder would be gone right now. Most likely he'd have lost his arm. Perhaps part of his head as well. Most likely. Yeah, well, he wouldn't be here right now.
X-Ray's eyes widened.
Squid,
dead?
Torn apart?
Even though Zigzag was his friend too,
X-Ray figured he would have torn the guy's jugular out for killing Squid.
Q said, standing up.
X-Ray snapped back to reality.
I think he'll be fine, Q was saying while picking up all his things. Just don't bother him until he wakes up, aight?
X nodded.
Q left.
X . . .
Q . . .
X-Ray wondered if the kid's name meant something,
like X was short for X-Ray.
Q . . .
Huh.
He looked at Squid,
shirtless,
and got the sudden feeling his friend was being over exposed.
X took Squid's shirt and laid it on his chest.
Slightly better.
Maybe.
Wonder where Magnet and Zigzag are by now.
He sat in silence for a long time.
Sheesh.
They might as well be all the way to Oklahoma.
Little did he know how right he was.
