"Did we hit her hard?" Jess asked as she drove the Magnette down the road.
"Hard enough," Gerry said, "but we didn't do this...this is...this is something else. I'm gonna check her vitals. Just take it easy and follow the signs, all right?"
"Okay. No problem." Jess said.
Gerry looked at the wound on Nima's arm. It was gradually worsening.
"What is this?" Gerry wondered.
"What?" Jess asked, worriedly.
"Looks like she's been bitten." Gerry said.
"Bitten?" Jess asked. "You mean, like, by a dinosaur!?"
"I don't know." Gerry said. "Uh, the bruising is showing evidence of toxins, but...this isn't a Elaphrosaur bite, and none of the other dinosaurs are poisonous."
"I don't think I want to be out here anymore." Jess said.
"Yeah." Gerry said. "We need to get her to the Visitor's Center."
Gerry checked Nima's pulse.
"She's bradycardic," Gerry confirmed. "Heart rate's only thirty-three...she's burning up..."
"¡Nunca nos podrán sacar de aqui!" Nima mumbled.
Gerry opened her eyelid to check her pupil.
"What's wrong with her eyes?" Jess said, looking back.
"I don't...I don't know." Gerry said. "It's like a reaction to a parasitic infection...to, God, I don't know, maybe...maybe toxoplasmosis? That doesn't explain the other symptoms..."
Suddenly, Nima started wheezing.
"Come on, come on..." Gerry said. "Stay with me now! Jessi, I gotta clean this wound up. Just keep driving smoothly."
Gerry pulled out a first aid kit from the back of the Magnette. Opening it, Gerry pulled out a bottle of rubbing alcohol and a rag. He moistened the rag with the rubbing alcohol.
"Ok, this might sting a bit..." Gerry said.
"¡No! Aléjate de mí!" Nima said as she smacked away Gerry's hand.
"It's okay, it's okay." Gerry said, trying to calm her down. "Settle down..."
Nima smacked Gerry's Hand away again.
"Come on, please, I need to clean this up..." Gerry said.
"Doesn't she know you're trying to help?" Jess asked.
"Hey. Listen to me." Gerry said to Nima. "You need to let me help you."
"¡Aléjate de mí!" Nima said again.
"No, no, listen," Gerry said. "I'm a doctor. I'm going to make it better."
"Doctor? Médico?" Nima asked.
"Yes!" Gerry said. "Médico! I'm going to disinfect your wound now, okay? You gotta let me help you.
Nima nodded her head. Gerry placed the wet rag over Nima's wound. Nima grunted in pain.
"Well, that should keep the infection at bay." Gerry said. "I don't know what you were doing out there but-"
Nima began coughing and wheezing.
"Dad?" Jess asked worriedly.
"It's okay." Gerry said. "She's going into shock. But I can handle it, I can stop it."
"Oh, my God. This is bad." Jess said.
"Jess! Watch the road!" Gerry said.
Jess began swerving around the road, knocking a syringe and bottle of epinephrine out of the first aid kit and onto the floor.
"Gotcha." Gerry said, picking up the bottle and syringe. Gerry began extracting the epinephrine from the bottle.
"Wow, that needle's huge..." Jess said.
"Just keep your eyes on the road." Gerry said. He attempted to insert the needle, but the movement of the car made the situation difficult.
"Car's jumping around too much. I, I can't give a clean injection. Too bumpy for a clean injection...doesn't help that we're pushing thirty-five...Jess listen, I gotta give her an injection, it's important that I access the vein..."
"...Euuhhg...I don't need details!" Jess said.
"Just slow down so I don't miss." Gerry said.
Jess eased on the gas, slowing the car, and allowing Gerry to give Nima the injection.
"Well that should keep her stable..." Gerry said. "Ok, I'm going to get her bandaged up. You okay to keep driving?"
"Yeah. I'm good. Tell mom I'm ready for my learner's permit. Okay?"
"I don't think mom needs to know about it." Gerry chuckled.