With some difficulty Steve made it outside to the car. The rain continued to pound everything within it's reach, but the earth seemed to have reached saturation point and what had been random pools of water had now merged to create the impression of a huge lake filling the forecourt.
Steve found that if he stood for too long in any one position his feet were drawn into the mud and pulling them free occasioned an unearthly squelching sound.
Amanda was amazed to see the change outside after only such a short time. Beads of rain rebounded back from the surface of the puddles so fiercely it appeared as though the rain was actually coming upwards. The mud clung to her feet as if desperate to prevent her departure and she struggled to pull them free from the cloying mire.
"Amanda? Can you open the door?" Steve had to shout above the roaring wind but Amanda heard him first time and she rushed forwards as fast as the viscous mud would allow and pulled open the jeep door.
The interior light sprang into life as soon as the door was opened and Steve wondered for a moment how he would be able to lay Jesse into the car without aggravating the wound which persisted in bleeding. Mark however, again came to the rescue as he directed Steve and Amanda in moving Jesse onto the backseat of the car which involved Steve gently lowering Jesse's legs to the ground and then sitting himself onto the backseat and gently pulling Jesse in with him.
Amanda helped to support Jesse's legs whilst Mark stood back directing their movements like some highly choreographed dance act.
For the first time Steve was truly thankful for the spacious car he had, knowing it would allow his father and Amanda to tend Jesse relatively easily whilst he drove.
Laying Jesse flat out on the backseat Steve slid his arms out from underneath his frail body, a swell of pain surging through his wrist as it was knocked out of the straight position he had been endeavouring to keep it in.
He stared down at the arm which had been underneath Jesse's upper back. His shirt, soaked through by the rain, was stained red where the deluge had washed the blood from the sodden bandaging and onto his arm.
It was blood.
Jesse's blood
Again a wave of nausea washed over him and he rubbed vigorously to try and remove the stain. He felt tainted, contaminated.
"Steve? Are you alright." Mark and Amanda watched on as Steve reeled from the car and fell to his knees on the opposite side to where they were standing. He stood quickly but dropped his hands to his knees again so he was bent double as he retched dryly.
"Steve?" Mark had hastened to his son's side, his concern clear form his tone, and rested one hand on one of his broad shoulders.
Steve stood abruptly, furious with himself for his irrational behaviour and jerked himself away from his father's comforting touch.
"I'm alright." He knew he was acting foolishly but he felt a sudden overwhelming claustrophobia and he desperately needed to get away from his father and Amanda, from the rain and from Jesse.
Steve stood upright and deliberately refused to make eye contact with his dad who he knew was surveying him questioningly. Instead he looked everywhere but at Mark and Amanda, and in particular kept his eyes away from Jesse, all the time feeling increasingly enraged at himself for his lack of control.
"Where's your bag?"
The question came out of the blue but did in fact draw Mark's attention to the absence of his medical bag.
"What? I must have left it in the house…"
"I'll get it." Steve departed immediately without waiting for a response.
"Steve?" Mark called after the form of his retreating son.
"I'll be back in a minute." Steve bellowed by way of acknowledgement. He stalked towards the house, muttering underneath his breath, brow furrowed and head down, and was swallowed by the darkness.
Mark watched Steve until he had disappeared then turned back to the jeep where Amanda too stood staring at the spot where Steve had just vanished. She shrugged at him, bewildered, and after a brief glance back in the direction of the house Mark turned his attention back to Jesse.
Steve trudged back up to the house, each droplet of rain biting into his flesh like a sharp needle. But Steve barely felt it, his mind consumed by angry rantings at himself and the world.
So stupid! What the hell were you thinking?
The pain in his head had increased ten-fold and his skull felt as though it would implode at any moment.
Selfish idiot!
Steve took the steps two at a time, disregarding the slick surface and it was only by the grace of God that he managed to remain upright, his feet sliding unpredictably over the treacherously wet wood. He pushed open the door and entered the house, his face stinging from a combination of the cold and the piercing rain. Breathing heavily Steve slammed his good hand into the wall, cursing himself as now both hands flushed with pain. He turned around and leant his back against the wall, sliding down until he sat with his knees up against his chest. Still heaving for breath, primarily from the emotional agitation he was experiencing but now compounded by the pain with seemed to fill his entire body, Steve rested his head forwards onto his knees.
Just for a minute.
He inhaled shakily, trying to calm his worn nerves, and closed his eyes as the cool darkness enveloped him in its vacuous embrace.
Hi! Another short chapter I'm afraid – but my mind has been elsewhere. Got my exam results yesterday! They were good so I can stop worrying now J !! I'll try and get the chapters a bit longer. Thanks for all your reviews,
Sarah.