Piper sways, but remains on her feet. She needs water, but there is none in here safe for her to drink.
“I have youkeeshla. I have you.”
Her coughing slows just as the door flap swings open and Healer Sage steps in.
“What happened?” she rushes forward to examine Piper.
I give her room, but do not release my hold. “We were talking and laughing and then she started to cough, but couldn’t stop. She also struggled to breathe.”
“Can you bring her to the healer’s tent?” Healer Sage asks.
“I’m fine now,” Piper rasps, her words barely audible. “I just need some water.”
I glance down, but she will not look at me. Instead, she keeps her head slightly turned. “Piper, please allow the healer to examine you.”
She coughs once more, and when she draws her hand from her mouth, there is a dark, wet spot on her palm. I catch it and tug it more into the light. She tries to yank her arm away, but I have already seen it.
“Why are you bleeding?”
Piper’s shoulders sag in defeat, and she releases a quiet sob.
Chapter 12
Piper
My chest hurts so bad, but not nearly as much as my heart aches. Everything was going so well. I’ve been able to keep my coughing to a minimum around Alesha, and Katem hasn’t noticed I’ve lost some weight. Or if he has, he hasn’t said anything. It’s probably helped that I bartered some of my data pad time for some clothes a size bigger.
“Katem, would you mind going outside for a few minutes to get some water?” the woman—Healer Sage—asks. When he hesitates, she tacks on a, “please?”
I can’t look at him, because if I do, I’m going to burst into tears and he’s going to want to comfort me, and right now, I need him to not see me.
His footsteps move away and then there’s a flash of sunlight before the interior of the tent dims again. Finally, I face the healer.
She points at the corner of her mouth. “You have a little blood there.”
I swipe at both sides, just in case, and wipe my hand on my pants. I’ll clean them tomorrow. Sage gestures at the low stool that sits off to the side. “Maybe you should rest for a minute.”
Since I’m exhausted and grow more so every day, I do as she suggests. Once I’m seated, she slowly approaches and kneels. “Do you mind if I check you out? Although, I suppose you already know what’s wrong.”
I nod, but flip-flop my hands. “Go ahead and do what you’d like to do. Not that it will change anything.”
While Sage performs a perfunctory exam, I try not to fidget. She’s just trying to help, but I’ve had enough of doctors to last me whatever short life I have left. She sits back on her heels and stares up at me.
“Would you like to tell me about it?”
I give a half-hearted shrug. “Not much to tell. I’m dying.”
Maybe if I say it enough times, it’ll get easier.
“Are you sure?”
I just look at her, and she holds up her hands. “Sorry.”
“No.” I shake my head. “I’m sorry. You’re just trying to help, which I appreciate. Yes, I’m sure. It was confirmed by more than one doctor, including the one from the upper tier who gave me the physical and translator implant when I signed up to come here.”
“May I ask what from?”
“Cancer.” I laugh, but it’s bitter sounding. “The only thing the bottom tier ever gave me.”
