8
Hello! so I find myself having to wait up tonight so I thought I would post the next chapter now I have time! Just a word of warning in the next 48 hours this story will go up in rating to a M due to content in chapter 10. Nothing too major but there are some drink and drug references that may not be suitable for younger readers, it will still be mild but rated that way to be safe. Also apologies for uploading the wrong chapter seven last time, it was a glitch but has since been resolved! thank you to Minimam and JanetM74 for letting me know - your stars! :-)
Jeff was still unconscious as the kindly stranger attended to him; a deep crease of worry set across his forehead as he dabbed at Jeff's head with a cool compress. The first thing he had done was to strip him out of his ruined and rain-soaked suit. His daughter brought in a set of her father's old bed clothes which should just fit the taller, broader man. He tended to Jeff's wounds, some of the them were deep lacerations but Jeff was so unwell he remained motionless. The most concerning injury was to his thigh where a branch had impaled his leg and shattered on impact. "Tin-Tin, could you take over please?" Kyrano covered the man carefully so only the wound was exposed and not the rest of his leg or lower body to protect his modesty. Tin-Tin had better sight than her father so she took over from him quickly at his request and carefully set about removing the tiny splinters of wood with some tweezers. They had to change the bowl of water twice during the process, it was a mercy the poor gentleman was unconscious, this must have been agony! Once satisfied she had got all the pieces she could, she flushed the wound with salt water several times. On closer inspection it looked like the bone could be broken but they couldn't be sure. It was hard not to feel repulsed at the sight. At one point the man jolted, Tin-Tin feeling guilty she may have caused him pain before he slumped back again. She glued the wound before her father took over to deftly bandage the leg. Once the man was freshly clothed and wrapped up there wasn't a lot else that could be done apart from will the him to pull through. Only time and rest would tell.
They retreated to their modest living quarters. "How did he get here father? I wonder who he is. Someone must be missing him." Tin-Tin looked distraught. She hated to think what his family must be going through. She would be beside herself if it was her own father. They were both very close since her mothers passing.
"Hmm, I do not know daughter. We must monitor him well; we cannot allow that wound to fester." She nodded. Just then they heard a commotion outside. They both glanced at each other in surprise before heading onto the veranda to see what the shouting was about. They leaned over to see one of the younger lads bouncing up and down shouting in obvious excitement. Tin-tin and her father looked at each other; A plane! "You stay here Daughter; I will go and see this plane." She nodded. It had to be related to the man they had just found. It would explain his injuries too.
She watched her father descend down the steps before stepping back inside to check on the injured stranger. She noticed he was rambling, the fever obviously taking a stronger hold. She carefully grabbed the cloth and tried to cool him down again. Every now and then she could make out a few names, she thought she heard Virgil at one point which was an unusual name so much so, she thought she must have misheard. The poor man was burning up, fresh perspiration forming on his forehead where she had only wiped it off moments before. He tossed and turned occasionally but never woke. She prayed he would wake soon; they would struggle to hydrate him otherwise. She decided the only thing she could do was read to him and keep him company so if he could hear her, he would at least know he was not alone. She hoped her father, Kyrano would not be long. She hated feeling so helpless, her father would know what to do.
Kyrano had asked the boy to show him where the plane was. Kyrano was one of the elders in the village and well respected as a result so the boy was happy to show him the way. A fifteen-minute walk later along the coast led Kyrano to a small red aircraft that stuck out from under the edge of the jungle. Tracy industries was written on the side. Most of the fuselage and wings were torn asunder littering the beach and surrounding vegetation. The cockpit however remained mostly intact, exposed to the elements and minus the pilots chair. The glass windscreen shield gone. Kyrano asked the boy if anything had been moved, he replied no. Satisfied with his answer Kyrano started to explore the cockpit for clues. He searched for several minutes in vain, losing hope that any personal effects would be left to salvage, when stuffed down the edge of where the seat would have been; he found a photo ID card. It had a clear headshot image of a man that Kyrano instantly recognised as the gentleman in his house. Here the image portrayed a clean-shaven handsome middle aged man with dark eyes and a strong jawline. A far cry from how he looked now, Kyrano wondered how long ago this image had been taken. It read Jeff Tracy CEO of Tracy industries. Hmmm Kyrano pondered as he gave the cockpit once last sweep before stepping down. He asked the boy not to touch the plane and explained that the pilot was being cared for with him. The boy nodded and sprinted back ahead to the village. Kyrano headed for home at a more refined pace.
When Kyrano reached home he discovered his daughter had not left their patient's side. He was still deathly looking, his skin a sickening pale pallor. Despite the heat of midday, the man was shivering under the sheets and moaning softly every now and then, his face creased in a frown. There must be something else as well as his leg that was ailing him thought Kyrano. "What are we going to do father, his temperature is 102 and increasing, he needs a doctor." The nearest hospital was days away and they did not have access to transport. There were no local doctors in the community, only a mobile clinic that visited fortnightly. "I will get help." replied Kyrano. He headed out to the kitchen quarters and raised his left hand to his head like he was concentrating on a memory. He yelped quietly in pain as he tried to resist the assault on his mind. The kindly man cowered as he was reduced to his knees by the overbearing pressure in his head as a voice that was not his own resonated in his mind. "Kyrano, are you well? Something seems to be distressing you deeply." A baritone voice boomed. Kyrano tried to resist giving him the full information but it was hard.
"I…. We Tin-tin and I F-Found a man in the jungle, he is badly injured. He needs a doctor or he will not survive." The man invading Kyrano's head could see an older grey-haired man lying prone with a sickly pallor through his brother's mental image. He looked interesting, foreign.
"Do not worry Kyrano, I am on my way." This would be worth a look thought the mysterious voice.
"Thank you…brother" Kyrano pulled himself up on the worksurface feeling a little woozy, his brother seemed to hold a great power over him, ever since they were children. He knew this Stanger they had found may interest him, hence why he had not told him Jeff's identity straight away. He felt the need to protect him from his brother but also he knew his brother was the only one who could save him. Kyrano started to prepare the tea for his daughter the strange conversation already fading from his mind.