Read Online A Shift in the Water by Patricia D. Eddy - Free Book Online
Authors: Patricia D. Eddy
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months or so. Adam’s right. I should call Fish and Wildlife. But they’ll put you in a cage and give you what’s in that syringe and you’ll be cold and alone. So you’re going to have a meal and you’re going to be warm, and if you look like you’re suffering too much, I’ll inject you myself.”
A few tears fell from Mara’s eyes. They landed with a plop on the wolf’s fur. She stitched up his shoulder with steady hands. She had no anesthetic and it must have hurt, but the wolf didn’t move. When Adam returned, he brought a bottle of wine, a dark chocolate bar, and three pounds of stew meat. He set the bag down next to Mara and stared down at his shoes.
“I don’t think this is a good idea, but I can’t blame you for wanting to make his last few hours better than the past few months have obviously been for him. I need to get back to Lisa and the girls. But if you need anything, you call, okay?”
Mara nodded. She kept stroking the wolf’s fur. His breathing was still labored but he was calm. After getting her a wine glass and corkscrew, Adam kissed the top of Mara’s head. The wolf growled quietly, but didn’t move. “I’ll check in on you tomorrow after work.”
Mara grabbed his forearm and squeezed. “Thank you.”
Adam let himself out. Mara opened the bottle of wine and poured herself a healthy glass before draping the blanket over the wolf. The plastic around the package of beef tore easily under her fingers. The wolf sniffed the air and whined. He tried to get at the package, but the blanket around his body foiled his movements. “Shh. It’s okay.” Mara took one of the pieces of cold meat and held it in her hand. The wolf gently plucked it from her palm. His lips were rough. He nudged her hand again.
“Don’t worry, bud. You get it all. As much as you want. But take it slow, okay? Wouldn’t want you to get sick.”
Piece by piece Mara fed the animal next to her. He licked her palm clean after each bite, tickling her and making her laugh. He managed two whole pounds before he stopped asking for more. Mara abandoned her wine and corked the bottle. She fingered the syringe.
“What do you think, bud?” she asked.
The wolf lifted his head. His eyes were clear and bright. She could read the plea there. I want to live.
“So do I,” she murmured. “It’s late. Let me get you some water.”
Mara trudged into the kitchen and filled a bowl. Her eyes watered and a halo of light framed her vision. She needed to shower. She always felt better after a shower. The wolf whined, tried to stand, and fell over. “Shit.”
Water splashed onto her hardwood floor as Mara hurried back to the wolf. She dropped to her knees and stroked his side, carefully avoiding the brand new stitches. “It’s okay, you’re okay.”
The wolf yipped. It was a low sound, quiet, but almost happy.
“You’re not going to stay here while I sleep, are you?”
His back legs flailed, useless, but he got his front legs under him to support his torso. He whined and looked up at her. “Well, clearly either my condition is progressing more rapidly than anyone thought, or you’re really good at communicating. You don’t want to be alone.”
The wolf shook his head so hard, he fell over.
“Careful there. You’re way too drunk on meat and sedative to do that.” Mara extricated the blanket from under his skeletal body and folded it next to him. “Get on.” She pointed. He inched forward, repeatedly gazing up at her. “Go on. Trust me.”
Once the wolf curled up on the blanket, Mara grasped the corners and dragged him towards her bedroom. Her shoulder thudded against the wall more than once and the wolf yipped every time. Her eyes were dry and scratchy and her depth perception felt skewed. The more her mysterious disease progressed, the faster she became dehydrated and the odder she felt when she did. Once the wolf was settled next to her bed, she stumbled into the bathroom.
Stripping, she slipped
A few tears fell from Mara’s eyes. They landed with a plop on the wolf’s fur. She stitched up his shoulder with steady hands. She had no anesthetic and it must have hurt, but the wolf didn’t move. When Adam returned, he brought a bottle of wine, a dark chocolate bar, and three pounds of stew meat. He set the bag down next to Mara and stared down at his shoes.
“I don’t think this is a good idea, but I can’t blame you for wanting to make his last few hours better than the past few months have obviously been for him. I need to get back to Lisa and the girls. But if you need anything, you call, okay?”
Mara nodded. She kept stroking the wolf’s fur. His breathing was still labored but he was calm. After getting her a wine glass and corkscrew, Adam kissed the top of Mara’s head. The wolf growled quietly, but didn’t move. “I’ll check in on you tomorrow after work.”
Mara grabbed his forearm and squeezed. “Thank you.”
Adam let himself out. Mara opened the bottle of wine and poured herself a healthy glass before draping the blanket over the wolf. The plastic around the package of beef tore easily under her fingers. The wolf sniffed the air and whined. He tried to get at the package, but the blanket around his body foiled his movements. “Shh. It’s okay.” Mara took one of the pieces of cold meat and held it in her hand. The wolf gently plucked it from her palm. His lips were rough. He nudged her hand again.
“Don’t worry, bud. You get it all. As much as you want. But take it slow, okay? Wouldn’t want you to get sick.”
Piece by piece Mara fed the animal next to her. He licked her palm clean after each bite, tickling her and making her laugh. He managed two whole pounds before he stopped asking for more. Mara abandoned her wine and corked the bottle. She fingered the syringe.
“What do you think, bud?” she asked.
The wolf lifted his head. His eyes were clear and bright. She could read the plea there. I want to live.
“So do I,” she murmured. “It’s late. Let me get you some water.”
Mara trudged into the kitchen and filled a bowl. Her eyes watered and a halo of light framed her vision. She needed to shower. She always felt better after a shower. The wolf whined, tried to stand, and fell over. “Shit.”
Water splashed onto her hardwood floor as Mara hurried back to the wolf. She dropped to her knees and stroked his side, carefully avoiding the brand new stitches. “It’s okay, you’re okay.”
The wolf yipped. It was a low sound, quiet, but almost happy.
“You’re not going to stay here while I sleep, are you?”
His back legs flailed, useless, but he got his front legs under him to support his torso. He whined and looked up at her. “Well, clearly either my condition is progressing more rapidly than anyone thought, or you’re really good at communicating. You don’t want to be alone.”
The wolf shook his head so hard, he fell over.
“Careful there. You’re way too drunk on meat and sedative to do that.” Mara extricated the blanket from under his skeletal body and folded it next to him. “Get on.” She pointed. He inched forward, repeatedly gazing up at her. “Go on. Trust me.”
Once the wolf curled up on the blanket, Mara grasped the corners and dragged him towards her bedroom. Her shoulder thudded against the wall more than once and the wolf yipped every time. Her eyes were dry and scratchy and her depth perception felt skewed. The more her mysterious disease progressed, the faster she became dehydrated and the odder she felt when she did. Once the wolf was settled next to her bed, she stumbled into the bathroom.
Stripping, she slipped
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