Read Online The Healer: First Touch by Amy Clapp - Free Book Online Page A

pretty tired." But then he took off, sprinting toward the house.
    "Why you!" I yelled, surprised by his sprint. I began to run as fast as I could, my arms pumping in time to each step. I concentrated on the back of Jamie's head, making it my focal point. I was breathing deeply, evenly, filling my lungs fully with air to fuel my sprint. Just as I was about to catch him, Jamie turned to look at me.
    I smiled. I was getting closer.
    We had just crossed the road towards home. We were both running as fast as we could up the driveway to the front steps of the porch. I was about to overtake him when Jamie tripped. He fell forward and the momentum of his body threw him headfirst into the brick steps leading up to the house. A sickening thud accompanied the sight of Jamie's head slamming into a brick step.
    "Jamie!"
    He groaned and slowly tried to sit, turning to face me. I helped him to a sitting position. When he finally sat up, I noticed he had some blood on his green shirt.
    "I think you're bleeding," I said.
    Jamie placed his hand on his forehead, groaning. "God. My head hurts."
    I looked at Jamie's face. Gasping loudly, my hands flew over my mouth. I was horrified to see bright red blood oozing from underneath his hand and trickling down the side of his face.
    "Jamie, you're bleeding badly," I whispered through the hands still covering my mouth.
    Jamie looked at me, his eyes dazed and clouded. He slowly took his hand from his forehead. His palm was covered with blood. It flowed freely from the wound on Jamie's forehead down the side of his face nose.
    A familiar voice filled my ears. "Jacey, you know what to do. Help him."
    I listened to the voice, desperately trying to identify it.
    "Help him," the voice ordered.
    My mind instantly cleared and my purpose focused. I sprang to action to save my friend.
    "Jamie, give me your bandana."
    "Huh?" Jamie mumbled. His face was white and his eyes were still cloudy from the impact. The blood was freely flowing down his face.
    Frowning, I grabbed Jamie's bandana from his head. I folded it quickly and placed it on the injury to his forehead, applying pressure.
    "You know what to do, Jacey," the familiar voice said again. "Follow your instincts."
    Breathing deeply, I applied more pressure to Jamie's injury. He groaned in response.
    "Sorry," I whispered.
    I pressed harder on the bandana. Blood soaked the bandana, covering my own hands. Pressing even harder, I closed my eyes. I concentrated, forming an image in my mind of Jamie's wound healing. I pressed harder and closed my eyes tighter.
    "That's it, Jacey," the voice encouraged. "Just like that."
    I began to feel a warm sensation at the center of my palms. The warmth grew to cover my entire hand down to my fingertips. The warm sensation intensified and I pictured Jamie's wound healing, the blood clotting and the skin coming together.
    "Yes," the voice started in my ear. "Trust me."
    I applied more pressure. The warmth intensified even more. I could feel the heat penetrate the bandana and flow into Jamie's forehead. As the heat intensified to a burn, my breath quickened. Suddenly, the burn sparked to sharp whiteness. I gasped at the burn, forcing my hands to stay put. Jamie moaned. And then the heat was gone.
    I looked at Jamie. His eyes were beginning to clear. "Jacey?' he groaned.
    "Jamie! Are you okay?"
    "Yeah, what happened?" Jamie asked groggily.
    I lifted the bandana revealing Jamie's smooth, unmarred forehead. There was no laceration, no flowing blood, just smooth skin. The only evidence that Jamie had an injury was the blood on his bandana, his shirt and my hands.
    "Well, it's kind of hard to explain," I mumbled as I felt my head begin to throb.
    The familiar voice in my ear said, "Well done, Jacey. Well done."

-Seven-
    As soon as I heard that rich deep voice, I knew it was him. I desperately wanted to look around to see if he was near. He had to be. I had heard his voice loud and clear in my ears. He had helped me save my friend. I