Green Desert - Chapter 2.3.4 - Fírí

I quickly handed the gun to Pí‘oro. It fit in his hand like he was born with it.

Vata just stared at Zhíno’s bleeding arm for almost a minute. I could barely glance at it before the bile rose in my throat. Bhanar tried to soak up the spilling blood with napkins, with little success.

Finally Zhíno got fed up. “Aren’t you going to do something?”

Vata ignored him. “I think this will take a cat. Perhaps a dog.”

“Don’t look at me,” said her husband. “I’m just the helper. It’s your show.”

What were they talking about? Cats, dogs, shows? It must’ve been code for types of injuries or something. Severity. Maybe out here in Sarıma they taught first aid a little different. Like color-coding on keypads. Easier to learn with animal names.

The old woman shrugged. “It’s been awhile since the injury, and we have his other arm, too. Better do a dog.”

Pí‘oro nodded and headed out the squeaky back door. Vata rewrapped the wrist with the bloody cloth and started leading a passive Zhíno away. “Could you clean up the blood, dear? Thank you.”

I started looking around for towels, but she added, “Fírí, come with me.” Cleanup was the foreign kid’s job.

As she led Zhíno across the living room, my boyfriend whispered to me, “What’s going on?”

“Don’t look at me.” But then I glanced down at my blood-stained sweatshirt in my hand. The truth. The knife. The rabbit.