CHAPTER 65

"Jamie!"

In the dark fog, he thought he could hear a voice beckoning to him. It was the sound of a stranger, an unknown voice calling to him, again and again. He tried to open his eyes, he tried awfully hard, but it was such an effort that he couldn't do it.

Then again, he knew that there was something important that he was to be doing. He needed to be up. He needed to open his eyes, but the only thing that happened was a strange sound filled his ears. It reminded him of a groan, had it been him?

"Jamie, come on, wake up son," the voice called again.

"Jamie?"

This time it was a woman's voice, calling to him.

"Mom?"

Then, Jamie felt a hand on his shoulder.

He had to open his eyes.

Slowly, he managed to do so and, for a moment, everything was fuzzy. Multiple faces framed by a bright light were staring at him.

He blinked a few times and then everything snapped back into focus. The multiple faces turned into just three people, all looking at him with concern.

"That's it son, wake up," the man's voice instructed him.

"Who are you?" Jamie whispered.

"My name's Dwayne and I'm a friend of your mom and Lee. We're to help you, son. Hold still a minute and we'll get you out of this seatbelt."

"Mom?" Jamie asked again.

"It's all right Jamie, just relax a moment."

The boy closed his eyes wearily, his head throbbing as though the entire middle school band was now marching inside his head, banging loudly and repeatedly on the drums.

He groaned as he felt whatever had been holding him tight against the seat give way and then hands were pulling him out of the vehicle.

"Ouch," he grumbled.

"Sorry son. You took a nasty bump to the head."

"Probably hit against the steering wheel," said another male voice.

Yet again Jamie's world swirled around him as he felt someone carrying him from the Jeep. They settled him up against something large and rough and he finally realized that it was a tree.

He managed to open his eyes again and saw the unknown woman looking at him much the same way his mother did whenever he crashed his bike or did something else that was decidedly stupid and usually resulted in a boo-boo that would make both his mother and grandmother fuss for what seemed like forever.

But, like his mother, this woman's hands possessed that same type of gentle touch. It was almost as comforting. Or it was, until he felt his arm being pricked by something.

"Ouch!"

"Sorry Jamie, but I had to give you that, in case you picked up any nasties when your head met the steering wheel."

"Jamie what were you doing out here, by yourself?" Dwayne asked him.

Suddenly, the reason why he was out here hit him full force and panic filled the young boy.

"Dad, Philip, they're really sick and Dad wanted me to go get help and he told me it was okay to drive to the store and find someone. Mom's gonna be mad at me, isn't she, cause I wrecked her Jeep, but the deer came out of nowhere and fast and I don't even have a license. Oh gosh, does that mean I'm gonna get in trouble?"

Dwayne chuckled at the speed at which Jamie spoke. The young man was definitely Amanda's son.

He placed a comforting hand on Jamie's shoulder.

"No, Jamie. You aren't in any trouble. And that's why we're here. To help you. Claudia is a doctor."

Jamie looked at the woman, his youthful eyes full of hope behind the lenses of his glasses.

"You can make Philip and Dad better? Dad said that he thought Philip might have pneumonia and that's bad, isn't it?"

Claudia smiled at him.

"It's bad, but I've got medicine for those nasties too. Now, if you think you can stand, why don't we get you in the car and go get your dad and Philip, okay?"

Jamie nodded eagerly.