Sooner Dead (Gamma World) - Mel Odom [52]
And if we give them too much, they’ll just become a target for someone else on the trade road that’s willing to take advantage of weaker travelers, Hella told herself.
“This man needs help with these kids.” Stampede didn’t stop his work.
“That’s none of our concern.”
“No, it’s not. But I’m making it mine.” Stampede stood and held the wrapped hide knobby with supplies.
“You’re giving them food?”
“And water. Yes. It’s mine and Hella’s to give.”
“We’ve got to get moving.”
Stampede nodded. “We will.”
“Every minute we lose is another minute that someone else could beat us to that meteorite.”
“I know that but I also know that there’s no reason to believe that someone hasn’t already beaten us to it or that anything survived that impact.”
“It’s there.” Pardot was adamant.
“What’s there?”
The three kids sat on the rocks and watched the argument with interest. Their quick, little fingers pinched bites of the journey cakes Hella had given them. She was going to miss those cakes, but it was good to see the children enjoying them.
Colleen Trammell arrived, riding behind one of Riley’s men on an ATV. For a moment she sat there and stared at the children. Then she slid off the vehicle a little unsteadily and reached into the travel carrier behind the ATV. She took out a medical bag and glanced at Hella. “Bring the children here. Let me see if they need anything.”
Hella didn’t like being designated as nurse, but she knew the children would come closer to trusting her than they would Riley’s men or women. The hardshells made the guards look dangerous.
She crossed over to the children and to DaBen. “She’s a doctor. She can check the little ones over for any kind of sickness.”
DaBen nodded and spoke briefly to the children, explaining that they should see the doctor. The children backed away despite DaBen’s calm voice and his firmer tone.
“Look.” Hella fanned out flavored sugar sticks. The red, green, yellow, and blue colors shone in the morning sun. “If you see the lady, I’ll let you have these.”
One of the girls moved forward. “Sugar stick’s okay but we want something else.”
“What?”
“To pet your lizard.”
Hella smiled. “All right. But not till after Colleen’s checked you over.”
One by one, Colleen examined the children. She bandaged a burn on the boy that was showing signs of infection then shot him up with antibiotics. She followed up with instructions to DaBen on how to continue to treat the wound.
“Begging your pardon, ma’am, but I know how to treat wounds.” DaBen seemed more embarrassed than affronted. “We just haven’t had any meds.”
“Well, you do now.” Colleen pressed a med kit into his hands.
The little black girl had a cut down one forearm that would have required stitches. Instead of sewing her up, though, Colleen used some kind of glue that left a hard, protective surface.
“Don’t let her pick at that. As the wound heals, the glue will come off on its own.” Colleen closed her medical bag and brushed a lock of hair back from her face. She looked pale and sickly, and she shook a little bit. Hella guessed that she was still recovering from the drugs she’d been given.
DaBen told her he would watch the children closely.
Hella stood by Daisy’s side as the three kids wandered around her, touching her skin and oohing and ahhing. Frustrated with standing in one spot and wanting a treat, Daisy bellowed her displeasure. The kids jumped back at once then—realizing that the monstrous lizard wasn’t coming after them—unleashed gales of laughter, enjoying the sensation of being scared over something that ultimately wasn’t scary.
“Look at them.” Colleen’s whisper was full of amazement. “They’re so innocent, even after all they’ve been through.”
Though it was hard, Hella held her tongue and didn’t point out that innocence generally got a person killed as sure and as fast as anything. She knew that Colleen wasn’t seeing those children. The woman was seeing Alice, and Hella was seeing that dead rodent bleeding from all orifices.
“We can spare one pack animal.” Stampede handed the reins of the small horse