Sorry it took so long on this... KellylovesDylan... here's your cupcake:-)
Chapter 6
It was still practically dark when Kurdy opened his eyes. He drew in a cold deep breath and blew it back out watching the steam as it rolled across his lips. The brisk night air was trying to give way to a cool morning. He was stiff all over from the previous day's escapades. Smith was hurt and so was he. Maybe he had made the wrong decision to send Jeremiah back with Lilly? Had they gotten caught? He and Smith had lost the group following them rather quickly. They were gone almost too quickly for his own piece of mind. So many questions swirled wildly in his head. More than any other question was the one in particular that was dancing around in his mind. Where was Jeremiah? Mr. Smith still lay sleeping leaning exhaustedly against Kurdy's muscular chest. Kurdy was chilled from the night but at least he had been smart enough to wear an extra hooded jersey beneath his leather jacket. The Bailey Bandits as Jeremiah had referred to them the previous night had relieved Mr. Smith of his tattered wool coat before beating him senseless. The smaller man let out a quiet moan as his head lulled to the left and then to the right. His sweat sticky forehead then came to an abrupt stop resting softly against the rough whiskers growing wildly along Kurdy's chin and jaw line. He mumbled something softly as Krudy's eyes shifted down at the muffled sound coming from Smith's lips.
"Smith… are you okay… can you hear me?" He asked softly wiping the droplets of moisture from his slimy forehead.
"Rose…" he muttered softly between his cracked and split lips. He let out another weak groan as he shifted restlessly in Smiths shielding embrace.
Kurdy wrinkled his brow as he glanced down at Mr. Smith again. His face was a battered mess of slick and crusted dried blood, dirt, with bright shiny purple and violet hued bruises. He looked so sallow and pale beneath the spatter of blood and bruises decorating his almost innocent round face.
"No… please… no more… I… I can't." Smith was shaking in his restless sleep. He let out another low soft moan as he continued to fight the fever rapidly consuming him. He tried to shift under the weight of Kurdy's heavy winter coat. His right arm lifting slightly and then falling heavily to his side
"Shhhh… Smith… please buddy… you're gonna be fine. Just hang on… Jeremiah's gonna get us outa here. Just hang on."
Kurdy could feel his own eyes starting to droop as Mr. Smith began to grow quieter again. He would occasionally shift his head listlessly as he slept; a slight whimper escaping from him. Mr. Smith was sleeping soundly while his warm breath swept gently across Kurdy's cool cheek. Kurdy slowly leaned his head back against the gnarled surface of the large sweeping pine. He let his eyes close slowly and then completely submitting to the waves of sleep as they washed carelessly over him.
--
The sun had just broken over the horizon when there was a sudden "SNAP" that brought Kurdy out of the deep dreamless sleep. Kurdy's eyes were soon visibly wide open as he held his breath and looked from right to left in search of a possible assailant. He hadn't seen anything that could have made the noise. He glanced down at Mr. Smith who was still sleeping, his head lying heavily on Kurdy's large chest. His lips moved as if in a silent prayer. He wasn't anywhere near awake and Kurdy was sure that he was lost in a fevered dream. Kurdy pulled Mr. Smith's body in towards his own as another twig clicked and then cracked under a mysterious weight. Glancing from side to side again there was still nothing that could have possibly caused the sound.
Have they found us? Oh please let this be Jeremiah and Marcus!
"Kurdy…" Smith's throaty crackling voice came as the shift woke him from his sleep.
"Shhh Smith…" Kurdy whispered. He looked to the left and right again not seeing anything that could be intruding or trying to catch them off guard.
Mr. Smith clamped his eyes closed tightly and clutched his stomach as it churned violently. He tried to hold his breath through the horrible burning in the pit of his belly. He struggled through the sickening feeling as the acidic bile started to rise from his stomach and into his throat. The small amount of bile felt like boiling acid as it seared along his already burning throat and into his mouth. He could taste the rancid liquid as it rested for just a moment on his tongue. Without thinking he rolled out of the cocoon like warmth of Kurdy's overcoat and onto his knees where he released the liquid; distressed he sat on his knees spewing the bitter hot spray over his lips and into the grassy earthen carpet. He then heaved heavily for what felt like forever, all that happened was he produced a blistering cough from what felt like the bottom of his feet.
Kurdy eased the visibly shaking Mr. Smith back into his coat and ran his own hand over the young mans glistening forehead. Smith's eyes were shimmering pools of deep crimson surrounded by hues of violet and blotchy red skin. He was burning up with fever from his injuries. Kurdy's face displayed the same sadness he felt as he watched his friend suffer. Mr. Smith continued to shake as he leaned heavily against the much bigger man. Kurdy swallowed hard before he broke the news to his friend.
"Smith we have to move." Kurdy raised his eyebrow at Mr. Smith who looked less than thrilled at the idea of standing up and moving again.
Mr. Smith took a deep shuddering breath coughed harshly and then let his breath out slowly. He swallowed the razor blades in the back of his throat as he wrapped an arm protectively across his midsection. He blinked slowly and then raised his eyes to Kurdy again. He nodded his head once and deliberately lowered his head. He closed his eyes slowly as he laid his head in the palm of his hands.
Kurdy stood up painfully and stretched achingly. He could feel the cold as it continued penetrating his bones like tiny ice cubes all over his joints. His ankle ached from the previous days fall. He lifted his leg and consciously rotated the appendage clockwise and then counter-clockwise. He could feel every snap and crack of tendons and ligaments as they rotated through the binding of swelling. Kurdy took a deep hissing breath through his teeth as he was reminded of the sharp pain of a sprained ankle.
"You… okay?" Mr. Smith croaked looking up at Kurdy who was glancing at the terrain leading to the main road.
"Me… yeah. Cold's going through me like needles today; but I'm fine. Just gotta get moving." He replied slowly running his dirty hands over his forehead and then his midnight black locks.
"You… want your coat?" Mr. Smith asked in a throaty voice.
"You keep it on; you're still burning up with fever."
Smith laid his head against the tree wrapping his arms around his sides as he coughed bitterly. He groaned from the tortured movements accompanied by the harsh cough. He heard the sound of movement directly in front of him and slowly opened his bloodshot eyes. He found himself staring directly into Kurdy's deep brown, coffee colored eyes. Smith let out a sharp breath as he closed his eyes again.
"I… don't know how much… more…"
"Smith… you're gonna make it. I'm not gonna let you quit my man." Kurdy announced firmly raising his eyebrow. "I'm sorry but we have to get going Smith."
Mr. Smith let out a suffering sigh as a he fought the tears of frustration that were rising inside of him. He was struggling to stay awake again as his head continued to thump relentlessly. Kurdy reached into his pocket and pulled out what was left of a bottle of water and handed it to Mr. Smith who grasped the plastic receptacle in his shaky hands. The plastic bottle was about a forth of the way full of liquid. He raised an unsteady hand to the cap and fought to just undo the closure.
"Let me help you."
Mr. Smith looked up at his friend with crimson rimmed eyes. He slowly lifted the bottle to Kurdy who stooped down and loosened the closure. He then handed the bottle back to Mr. Smith. The smaller round face man took the bottle and closed his eyes again.
"I… can't…"
Kurdy's stomach sank as he squatted down next to his friend.
"Its alright… just take it slowly."
Kurdy slowly lifted the bottle to Mr. Smith's lips allowing the clear fluid to drain slowly through his lightly parted lips. Mr. Smith let out a shallow cough as he struggled to swallow the liquid fast enough.
"Probably better stop for now. This is all we have. I need to try and keep you hydrated and not get you sick at the same time."
Mr. Smith nodded his head in acceptance to Kurdy's suggestion. His throat was still raw and all he wanted was to finish the bottle but he knew his friend was right. He also knew that his stomach was empty. That meant he would probably loose the contents from his stomach faster.
"C'mon Smith." Kurdy reached down and took Mr. Smith's arms and pulled him to his feet.
"Oh GOD… uhhhh…" Mr. Smith groaned loudly grasping at his heavily damaged right side with his hand.
"Kurdy…" Smith coughed hard as the slight movement about took him back down to his knees.
Kurdy swallowed hard as he watched the pained emotions sweep across his friends face. The tortured sounds of his physical struggle were almost too much for him to have to listen to.
"Just hang on Smith… it'll all be over soon… promise."
--
The duo continued in the direction of the main road. The physical state of Mr. Smith accompanied by Kurdy's sprained ankle made the journey that much more arduous. It was an exhausting two mile hike. They should have made it in about an hour but it felt like three or four hundred as Mr. Smith continued to lean heavily on Kurdy. Mr. Smith would slip and stumbled as he continued to struggle with the smallest incline. He panted heavily as they walked slowly up the side of the steep hill.
"Stop… please…" Mr. Smith stammered.
"No. Almost… there…" Kurdy huffed as he pulled Mr. Smith tighter into his own body.
Mr. Smith tried unsuccessfully to take in a deep breath. He panted heavily as they continued to trudge forward through the thicket. Mr. Smith was sweating profusely. His legs were burning and weak. His world was like a bubble. He could hear Kurdy as he continued to talk but nothing registered. He held tightly to his own aching and cracked ribs as they neared the top of the hill. They could see the broken pavement of the main road through the trees. Mr. Smith just continued to hold on his eyes closed tightly to hold off the pain in his cracked sides.
"See Smith… we made…" Kurdy's words fell flat as the walked through the clearing. "Oh shit…" Kurdy gasped stopping dead in his tracks.
--
Mr. Smith had lost all focus on the world in front of him. He heard the voice… something… He furrowed his brow as he looked down at the ground. They were standing in the middle of a road. On one side of the road were the bandits who had assaulted Mr. Smith and Lilly. On the other Thunder Mountain had appeared on the scene with a vengeance. His ears were ringing his head pounding, thumping mercilessly from the inside.
Get down…
Mr. Smith looked up a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. He slowly turned his head to the side as the click of weapons preparing to fire broke through the buzzing in his ears. He realized the two were in the middle of a war zone that was about to break between Thunder Mountain and the "Bailey Bandits."
Jeremiah had come through.
"Down… Kurdy… Get DOWN!"
Kurdy didn't think twice about the urgency in Mr. Smiths words. His voice was almost gone. Kurdy and Mr. Smith dropped heavily to the ground on their stomachs. Kurdy struggled to shield Smith while covering himself. He covered his head with his hands as the first shots rang bitterly through the morning.
Now please review and ice the cupcake for me, LOL!!!
