Read Online Rookie Privateer by Jamie McFarlane - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jamie McFarlane
Ads: Link
Mom.
The next time I woke up, tubes were being pulled out of my throat and through my nose. Unlike before, I was able to force my eyes open. I felt a squeeze from a warm hand on my right side. I rolled my head expecting to see Mom and instead saw Tabby. Her eyes were red and puffy and a tear rolled down her cheek.
Tabby doesn't cry. Period. Sure, maybe when she was three or four years old, but I guarantee never since then. I cried more than Tabby, not that I would ever admit it to her.
My mouth was so dry that I couldn't squeak out a question. I felt sore everywhere and had a giant throbbing pain just below my left knee. I reached toward it with my free hand but a stronger hand held my shoulder back. I had absolutely no capability to resist so I swiveled to look over at Big Pete Hoffen. He had a strained I don't want to break him look on his face. I don't know if Tabby's tears or my dad's face freaked me out more, but if I hadn't been so drugged up I would have probably figured things out right then. As it was, I just faded back into the pillow.
I felt gentle stroking on my right hand and opened my eyes. I was considerably less foggy than the last time. The throbbing in my leg was a significantly sharper and localized to just above my foot.
"My leg is killing me," I said, turning to Tabby. She squeezed my hand tightly and fresh tears all but squirted from her eyes.
" Liam …" she started and then stopped, looking across the room.
Peripherally, I saw a figure stand up and my mom's soft cool hand grabbed my left hand. I turned to her, Big Pete sat on the edge of the his chair. Mom's nose was bright red and her eyes were also puffy.
"You guys are freaking me out," I said, but right then I had a moment of perfect clarity. Big Pete wouldn't be here if it wasn't something big.
" Liam ..." Mom started and then paused, her eyes searching my face for how to break it to me.
I put a hand up to stop her and turned to Big Pete. "How bad is it?" I was going to be strong for my family, they were suffering. It would be easier for Dad to deliver bad news and he wouldn't mince words.
" Liam, you lost your left foot just above the ankle. The damage was too much and there was no saving the foot. If not for Tabitha and Nick, you would have bled out in vacuum." His voice was strained.
I pulled up to almost sitting in the bed. I flashed back to the moment just before the explosion where I felt a slug tear into my leg. I turned to Tabby, concern lined her face. "Are you okay, Tabs?"
" I am so sorry, Liam."
" Tell me. Are you hurt?" I pushed. Tabby would lose her chance at the Naval Academy if she was hurt and couldn't leave on the M-Cor freighter.
" I'm fine," she said.
" Hardly." Nick joined in, unable to let her tough it out.
" The Academy?" I looked at Nick. He nodded positively.
I lay back, loss and relief spinning through my mind. The assault was my plan and if I had ruined Tabby's future, it would have crushed me. But what would my future be like without full use of my leg?
I was on some heavy pain killers, so leaning back, I dozed off again. When I came to the next time. Tabby was dozing in the chair next to me and Nick was sleeping on another chair. Mom saw me come awake and gave my hand a squeeze.
" Pete had to get back to the claim. The pirates took all of the platinum and most of the copper. M-Cor will be here in a week." It was another crushing blow. I had never seen my dad as happy as he had been when we hit that pocket of minerals. M-Cor wouldn't be back for months and we needed that big haul.
Big Pete would work himself around the clock until M-Cor showed up, to attempt to recover his loss. It was a testament to how critically I was injured that he had been here when I woke up last time.
"How much time do we have?" I asked.
" Five days," she replied.
" You should go Mom. He needs you."
We argued about it but she knew I was right. Our family was on the financial edge already. I was stable but couldn't help. She
The next time I woke up, tubes were being pulled out of my throat and through my nose. Unlike before, I was able to force my eyes open. I felt a squeeze from a warm hand on my right side. I rolled my head expecting to see Mom and instead saw Tabby. Her eyes were red and puffy and a tear rolled down her cheek.
Tabby doesn't cry. Period. Sure, maybe when she was three or four years old, but I guarantee never since then. I cried more than Tabby, not that I would ever admit it to her.
My mouth was so dry that I couldn't squeak out a question. I felt sore everywhere and had a giant throbbing pain just below my left knee. I reached toward it with my free hand but a stronger hand held my shoulder back. I had absolutely no capability to resist so I swiveled to look over at Big Pete Hoffen. He had a strained I don't want to break him look on his face. I don't know if Tabby's tears or my dad's face freaked me out more, but if I hadn't been so drugged up I would have probably figured things out right then. As it was, I just faded back into the pillow.
I felt gentle stroking on my right hand and opened my eyes. I was considerably less foggy than the last time. The throbbing in my leg was a significantly sharper and localized to just above my foot.
"My leg is killing me," I said, turning to Tabby. She squeezed my hand tightly and fresh tears all but squirted from her eyes.
" Liam …" she started and then stopped, looking across the room.
Peripherally, I saw a figure stand up and my mom's soft cool hand grabbed my left hand. I turned to her, Big Pete sat on the edge of the his chair. Mom's nose was bright red and her eyes were also puffy.
"You guys are freaking me out," I said, but right then I had a moment of perfect clarity. Big Pete wouldn't be here if it wasn't something big.
" Liam ..." Mom started and then paused, her eyes searching my face for how to break it to me.
I put a hand up to stop her and turned to Big Pete. "How bad is it?" I was going to be strong for my family, they were suffering. It would be easier for Dad to deliver bad news and he wouldn't mince words.
" Liam, you lost your left foot just above the ankle. The damage was too much and there was no saving the foot. If not for Tabitha and Nick, you would have bled out in vacuum." His voice was strained.
I pulled up to almost sitting in the bed. I flashed back to the moment just before the explosion where I felt a slug tear into my leg. I turned to Tabby, concern lined her face. "Are you okay, Tabs?"
" I am so sorry, Liam."
" Tell me. Are you hurt?" I pushed. Tabby would lose her chance at the Naval Academy if she was hurt and couldn't leave on the M-Cor freighter.
" I'm fine," she said.
" Hardly." Nick joined in, unable to let her tough it out.
" The Academy?" I looked at Nick. He nodded positively.
I lay back, loss and relief spinning through my mind. The assault was my plan and if I had ruined Tabby's future, it would have crushed me. But what would my future be like without full use of my leg?
I was on some heavy pain killers, so leaning back, I dozed off again. When I came to the next time. Tabby was dozing in the chair next to me and Nick was sleeping on another chair. Mom saw me come awake and gave my hand a squeeze.
" Pete had to get back to the claim. The pirates took all of the platinum and most of the copper. M-Cor will be here in a week." It was another crushing blow. I had never seen my dad as happy as he had been when we hit that pocket of minerals. M-Cor wouldn't be back for months and we needed that big haul.
Big Pete would work himself around the clock until M-Cor showed up, to attempt to recover his loss. It was a testament to how critically I was injured that he had been here when I woke up last time.
"How much time do we have?" I asked.
" Five days," she replied.
" You should go Mom. He needs you."
We argued about it but she knew I was right. Our family was on the financial edge already. I was stable but couldn't help. She
Similar Books
