Read Online Theodore Boone: The Activist by John Grisham - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: John Grisham
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“Do something Theo!” Percy yelled between sobs. “Quick! I’m dying here!”
Theo was the only member of his patrol with the First Aid merit badge, plus he was the leader. All eyes were suddenly upon him. He looked at Woody and said, “Better radio the Major.” Woody, the assistant patrol leader, kept a walkie-talkie on his belt. He radioed the camp and informed the Major that there was a casualty.
“What should we do?” Woody asked.
Over the air, the Major said, “Where are you?”
“We just left the peak.”
“So you’re two miles away. I’m on my way. Tell Theo to treat the wound.”
“Okay.”
Theo had already unpacked his first-aid kit. He was nervous and when he heard “treat the wound,” his stomach flipped.
Bo, a clown, said, “Those snakes always travel in pairs.” And every other Scout jumped out of his skin. They looked wildly around, saw nothing, then turned their attention back to Percy.
Theo attempted to take charge. He knelt beside Percy and said, “Look, first of all, you gotta lie down and stay still, okay?”
Percy yelled again. He was kicking, writhing in pain and fear. “Do something, Theo, do something!” he screamed.
“Just lie down and keep your head up. Your head has got to stay above the snakebite, okay?”
Percy seemed to hear this and for a moment tried to relax. He reclined on his elbows. Tears were dripping off his cheeks.
Woody said, “You gotta make incisions over the fang marks, right Theo? Then suck out the venom.”
Theo said, “No, that’s not the way to treat a snakebite.”
“Yes it is!” Woody demanded. “I saw it on YouTube.”
“Me too,” said Phillip. “Plus that was a big snake with a lot of venom. If we don’t get it sucked out soon, they’ll have to cut the leg off.”
Percy wailed again.
“Can you just shut up?” Theo snapped.
Oliver knelt down opposite Theo. He had a snakebite kit already opened and ready for business. He said, “Look, Theo, I read the instructions. It plainly says you gotta make incisions over both fang marks with this little razor here.” He held up the razor, which was only an inch long but suddenly seemed huge. Oliver went on, “Says you gotta make an X over each fang mark, then insert the suction tube to extract the venom.”
“Why don’t you just shoot me first?” Percy said, crying again.
“That’s the old-fashioned way of treating a snakebite,” Theo said.
“But this is a brand-new snakebite kit.”
“I don’t care.”
“I thought you were supposed to put a tourniquet two inches above the bite,” Phillip observed, helpfully.
“Anybody else got a stupid opinion?” Theo barked.
Oliver looked at Percy and said, “Look, Percy, I think we need to suction out the venom. But it’s your leg. What do you think?”
Percy said, “I think I’m a dead man with you clowns in charge.” He closed his eyes, then said, “Hey, Theo, I’m getting pretty dizzy.”
“Move back,” Theo said. He quickly wrapped the wound with a sterile bandage and taped it into place. Percy was whimpering but had stopped the kicking and jerking. Theo said, “Here’s what we’re going to do. We have to get him back to the camp, then to a hospital. Let’s carry him as gently as possible down the trail until we meet the Major. Be sure to keep the snakebite below his heart. Phillip, you go first and look out for snakes.”
Oliver said, “I think we ought to slice it open and use the suction cup. Back in the old days they sucked out the venom with their mouths. If you had a cavity, the venom went straight to your brain and you died faster than the guy who got bit.”
“Would you just shut up!” Theo snapped again.
They lifted Percy off the ground and draped his arms around the necks of Woody and Cal. Theo cradled his wounded leg and Oliver took his left one. “Easy now,” Theo said. “We have to keep him still. Otherwise, the venom circulates too fast. Percy, you might feel queasy. If you need
“Do something Theo!” Percy yelled between sobs. “Quick! I’m dying here!”
Theo was the only member of his patrol with the First Aid merit badge, plus he was the leader. All eyes were suddenly upon him. He looked at Woody and said, “Better radio the Major.” Woody, the assistant patrol leader, kept a walkie-talkie on his belt. He radioed the camp and informed the Major that there was a casualty.
“What should we do?” Woody asked.
Over the air, the Major said, “Where are you?”
“We just left the peak.”
“So you’re two miles away. I’m on my way. Tell Theo to treat the wound.”
“Okay.”
Theo had already unpacked his first-aid kit. He was nervous and when he heard “treat the wound,” his stomach flipped.
Bo, a clown, said, “Those snakes always travel in pairs.” And every other Scout jumped out of his skin. They looked wildly around, saw nothing, then turned their attention back to Percy.
Theo attempted to take charge. He knelt beside Percy and said, “Look, first of all, you gotta lie down and stay still, okay?”
Percy yelled again. He was kicking, writhing in pain and fear. “Do something, Theo, do something!” he screamed.
“Just lie down and keep your head up. Your head has got to stay above the snakebite, okay?”
Percy seemed to hear this and for a moment tried to relax. He reclined on his elbows. Tears were dripping off his cheeks.
Woody said, “You gotta make incisions over the fang marks, right Theo? Then suck out the venom.”
Theo said, “No, that’s not the way to treat a snakebite.”
“Yes it is!” Woody demanded. “I saw it on YouTube.”
“Me too,” said Phillip. “Plus that was a big snake with a lot of venom. If we don’t get it sucked out soon, they’ll have to cut the leg off.”
Percy wailed again.
“Can you just shut up?” Theo snapped.
Oliver knelt down opposite Theo. He had a snakebite kit already opened and ready for business. He said, “Look, Theo, I read the instructions. It plainly says you gotta make incisions over both fang marks with this little razor here.” He held up the razor, which was only an inch long but suddenly seemed huge. Oliver went on, “Says you gotta make an X over each fang mark, then insert the suction tube to extract the venom.”
“Why don’t you just shoot me first?” Percy said, crying again.
“That’s the old-fashioned way of treating a snakebite,” Theo said.
“But this is a brand-new snakebite kit.”
“I don’t care.”
“I thought you were supposed to put a tourniquet two inches above the bite,” Phillip observed, helpfully.
“Anybody else got a stupid opinion?” Theo barked.
Oliver looked at Percy and said, “Look, Percy, I think we need to suction out the venom. But it’s your leg. What do you think?”
Percy said, “I think I’m a dead man with you clowns in charge.” He closed his eyes, then said, “Hey, Theo, I’m getting pretty dizzy.”
“Move back,” Theo said. He quickly wrapped the wound with a sterile bandage and taped it into place. Percy was whimpering but had stopped the kicking and jerking. Theo said, “Here’s what we’re going to do. We have to get him back to the camp, then to a hospital. Let’s carry him as gently as possible down the trail until we meet the Major. Be sure to keep the snakebite below his heart. Phillip, you go first and look out for snakes.”
Oliver said, “I think we ought to slice it open and use the suction cup. Back in the old days they sucked out the venom with their mouths. If you had a cavity, the venom went straight to your brain and you died faster than the guy who got bit.”
“Would you just shut up!” Theo snapped again.
They lifted Percy off the ground and draped his arms around the necks of Woody and Cal. Theo cradled his wounded leg and Oliver took his left one. “Easy now,” Theo said. “We have to keep him still. Otherwise, the venom circulates too fast. Percy, you might feel queasy. If you need
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