Chapter 39

The ghosts of his screams lingered even after the real ones died off. The last time I cried so hard was in my room, with Captain after Ishmael's death. I wished so hard that Ishmael had not died, yet hearing the full force of his pain, I almost wished Skinner had to spare him.

Hiccupping, I looked up slowly as I heard the door open to the infirmary. I stared blankly at Henry's shoes without actually seeing them. I knew where my body was, but I was so detached from it that nothing seemed real.

I did not even see Henry walk towards me. I felt his hand on my shoulder though, and his touch brought me back to the Nautilus. With no care for reservation I reached forward and grabbed his shirt, pulling myself to lean against his chest. He allowed me to lie there, and held me softly while I did.

He was still stroking my hair as my tears quelled. One last hiccup and I felt my episode pass. I pulled away carefully, not wanting it to end but needing to ask. "Is Skinner…?" I could not finish. Henry pushed a strand of hair out of my eyes. "As of now his condition is stable, but it'll be his willpower that's determines the overall outcome," Henry sighed.

"I need to go help Mina with the others," he told me as he stood. "I want to wrap that and look at your throat first though," he nodded towards my arm held out his hand, and I took it, wiping my eyes with my free hand. He turned and tried to lead me into the infirmary, but I pulled my hand away quickly. I did not want to see him…

Henry turned and smiled, slow and sad, "Don't worry, I've put up a sheet around him." He held out his hand once more, and I reluctantly took it. He lead me into the room, and I saw that the white sheet cut Skinner's bed from view. However, his silhouette was visible, and I quickly turned my head away. Sadly, there was no blocking the smell…

Henry pointed to the spare bed and smiled softly. I pulled myself onto the edge and let my legs swing lightly as Henry pulled a bowl of water and a cloth towards him. He turned and in his hand he held a pair of scissors, which he used to cut off my sleeve. I watched him carefully, interested.

He put the scissors down and carefully untied my makeshift bandage. He did not falter as he asked, "Did the bullet-"

I quickly shook my head, and he nodded. The cloth he wet and cleaned my arm of the blood gently. I winced only once, and when he was done, he pulled the stinging disinfectant from the drawer. I sighed, making him smile as he held the cloth under my arm. "It will be over soon," he told me, before pouring the fowl liquid over my cut.

I hissed but held firm, and soon enough Henry was wrapping my arm. When he was done I sighed in relief, for the burning had ceased. Henry grinned, "Not so bad, was it?" He teased as he rinsed his hands in the water basin. I grinned playfully, fine with the joke. Then looked around as he but away the towel and bloody rag and noticed none of the tools he had used to…help Skinner, were there. I shuddered just before he turned to me, wiping his hands on a small towel.

"If you could pull down your collar," he instructed, before adding, "Please." I smiled, and carefully unbuttoned it before pulling it away from my neck.

Henry's smile fell, and the towel dropped from his hands. His shock made my heart speed, what…what was wrong? Without a word Henry walked forward, stepping on the towel obliviously and gently touching my neck.

I watched his expression carefully, and not once did it change from its serious state as his fingers roamed my neck. When he finally pulled back his face was white, and my eyes widened in fear.

"M-Marina, do you know what this is?" he asked, pointing to his own neck and swallowing hard. The bulge that moved only so slightly when he did so was there. "Adam's apple," I told him, "Everyone on the ship has one."

He blinked and nodded, "Right. You can fix your collar," he mumbled. I did so with a raised brow, what was so scary about a simple bump that it could turn Henry pale?

Clicking.

I looked at Henry and saw a pocket watch in his hand, snapping furiously. I furrowed my brow at him in question, but he just smiled shakily. "You s-should relax, take a nap. Um, here, where I can find you later, okay?" he asked.

I nodded slightly, still watching him click the watch rapidly. In a matter of moments Henry had reverted to his former self, skittish, meek…scared. As I lay back against the pillows, Henry scurried out. I gently touched the fabric over my Adam's apple, why did I scare him?

***

Too much. The smell was too much. I could no longer stand it, and Skinner had begun to moan. I needed to get out, find Henry, help Skinner.

Dashing from the room, I looked quickly around before taking a left. The most likely place for the wounded would be one floor up, near the medical supplies. As I ran, I heard something. Crying. Not painful, but fearful.

Stopping, I took a slower pace to find the tears, and found them in the abandoned Salon, hiding behind Captain's desk. It was a small boy, with dirty blonde locks and salt stained cheeks. He sniffled dramatically and curled against the back wall of the desk when I kneeled down.

Wonderful. I could not speak to him, and he was already scared. Sighing I pulled out my note and quill and scribbled, "Can you speak English?" for it was the best I could do. The boy was young, but there was a good chance he had heard English before.

Now I just had to hope he could read…

Setting the book down near him, I stood up and moved back. He had stopped crying, which was good, but I could not think it was enough. Walking to a bookcase on the far wall, I pulled out two on the top shelf and reached to the back of the shelf.

I felt the toffee pieces and pulled them out before forcing the books back quickly. Sniffing them, I shrugged. They should still be good. Hopefully.

Walking back to the desk, I saw the boy was concentrating on my note intensely. Wonderful, at least he was trying. He looked up quickly as I sat down and scurried away. I sighed, I was afraid of that.

I quickly dumped the candy pieces onto the note and smiled at him. He looked at the candy with furrowed brows and I took one quickly. Unwrapping it I popped the piece into my mouth and smiled, for it was indeed still good. Sticking the wrapper in my pocket with one hand, I pushed the note closer to him.

His small fingers reached out timidly and grabbed a piece. I watched him unwrap it awkwardly before popping it in his mouth. After he had finished his first piece he reached for another, then pointed to the note.

"English," he told me, and I smiled and nodded. "Mama's English," he told me, and I grinned wider. I motioned for him to come, and he did so after putting the candy in his mouth. I picked up my note and handed him all the candy, which he put in his pockets happily.

I carefully put my note away before holding out my hand, which he took cheerily enough. I held in a laugh, for children always amused me. They were easily fixed, no matter what problem they had.

I led him down the hall, and he chatted to me in both English and German. I laughed when he would say something in German, then get upset when he had to say it in English. By the time I realized that we had not found Henry and Skinner was still in pain I was pink from laughing. He was a very ludic thing when not crying.

I sighed and leaned down, lifting the boy onto my hip. He asked what was wrong as I quickened my pace. Shaking my head I hurried for the medical supplies.

By the time I found Mina, the boy, whose name was Edwin, was squirming to get down. I let him go and he clutched my pants, hiding from Mina, who had yet to change. I quickly pulled out my note and wrote, "Skinner needs help!"

She nodded, "Henry is with Captain Nemo, their at the helm. What is that?" she asked. "Edwin," I wrote, "He's lost, could you get one of the men to bring him to his mother?"

Mina nodded, but Edwin refused to go with her. I sighed and shook my head. Smiled in thanks, and took Edwin's hand as I headed for the helm…

"Are you absolutely sure?" I heard Captain ask, and froze as Henry said, "There's no doubt. I'm quite sure it's benign though-"

…Tumor?

My hand flew to my neck. All the men had one…Mina did not, that time she showed her neck. The German women did not…

"What can we do?" Captain asked

Tumor…

"We can only-"

"-Lady?!" Edwin asked, demanding attention as he shook my hand. The voices stopped, and in a moment both Henry and Captain were there. Both turned white, and I pulled my hand from Edwin's.

"Skinner needs-"

Why was everything fuzzy?

"-Help…" I managed to sign, before the world detached again. I knew my body was falling, but I did not feel it happening.

I was already in the darkness.

Side Note:

Well, the cat's out of the bag now.

Oh, and thanks everyone so much for the 100+ reviews, I'm so very thankful!!! It makes me smile XD