Chapter 39

"What happened?" Henry pushed open his door.

"We can talk about it later. I'll handle this just get May on the phone." Kinsey told Henry while sweeping the table clean.

Jordan carefully put him down as Kinsey began to boil water.

"Who's May?" Jordan assisted Kinsey.

"A doctor who can be discreet." Kinsey cleaned her hands.

Henry entered the room on the phone offering clean towels in his free hand. Kinsey began to clean up the wound before covering it with clean rags. After a couple of minutes, a middle-aged woman arrived with several bags draped around her shoulder.

Not long after May showed up came a knock at the door. Gabriella saw the commotion gathering at Henry's and investigated. Learning about Cameron's return, and his condition she went to work.

"How long ago did this happen?" May asked as she began treatment.

"Maybe twenty minutes," Megan replied.

'These should've been deeper. It's probably the only reason he didn't bleed out yet.'

"Is he gonna be okay?" Megan asked impatiently.

"Do you know his blood type?" She investigated.

Jordan and Megan locked eyes but had no answer.

"His body isn't normal. I'm not sure our blood could do much for him." Jordan stated

"He can usually heal from these things, but it stopped working," Megan told May.

"We don't have time for nonsense right now," May replied.

May began suturing the wounds and motioned Kinsey to a test kit. After administering it she discovered it was a rare blood type that she didn't have in store. While the others worked out a solution Gabriella began to finish her own concoction. This wasn't a method frequented by their tribe, but it was worth the gamble.

'He needs to return.'

If the area described by Kinsey's father was truly the spirit world this could help mend him. Gabriella approached Cameron to administer it but May halted them. She was familiar with this outdated practice.

"You can't give foreign substances to my patient," May argued.

"By the time you can get a transfusion out here it will be too late," Gabriella stated.

Silence fell upon the room before May continued her protest.

"Do it," Megan told Gabriella.

"You can't do that!" May scolded.

"Stop me." Megan stared her down before grabbing the cup.

She lifted Cameron's head guiding it down his throat as he coughed. May just shook her head and grabbed the materials needed to perform a stomach pump if needed. Gabriella began to chant to help invoke the aid of a spirit.

While Kinsey and Megan crowded around Cameron someone slipped out from the room. Jordan was concerned about his friend, but couldn't help but sit by the windows. He checked the driveway before gazing into the sky.

"You any good with a rifle?" Henry motioned at the mounted gun.

"It's been a while, but it's better than this." Jordan motioned at the pistol.

"You're welcome to use it, but fighting them should be a last resort," Henry told Jordan.

"They aren't the ones I'm worried about," Jordan replied.

Henry wanted to know more about this, and Jordan obliged. They began discussing the other encounters on their journey. Starting from the beginning Jordan mentioned the conflict at the Mojave. When describing the creature they encountered Henry froze.

'She needs to hear this.'

---

Cameron was experiencing a casual dream until the ingredients kicked in. He opened his eyes to see people crowding around him, and several towels soaked in blood. Cameron tried talking but nothing came out.

The concern about this faded quickly as his body began to levitate. Looking around Cameron noticed his body lying on the table. He was gradually drifting further away unable to halt his movements.

What started as a slow drift turned into a rapid ascension. Cameron was soaring into the air, and before he could blink there was Jupiter. Next was a stream of brights lights that eventually went white as his body halted in place.

'What is this place?'

Cameron looked around for anything that could be used as a guidepost. With noting, but open space around he just started floating. Cameron strolled along until an image of him eating lunch with Jordan appeared.

It was Cameron's freshmen year and their first meeting. Cameron tried to shoo him away a few times, but Jordan was persistent. Within shouting distance was Megan glancing in his direction by chance.

'Why is it showing this?' Cameron reached for the table in front of him.

The memory dissipated as he continued to float along. Fragments of other memories continued to appear as if he was regressing through time. When the memories of his mother appeared he wanted to stop, but it wasn't his decision.

Cameron was witnessing elementary school memories as a revelation hit. He believed this was death, and that he was reliving all the memories. When the moment of his birth appeared it would surely be the end.

'I should've turned myself in from the start. At least they would've been safe.'

Cameron witnessed his childhood home as his mother baked in the kitchen. He was impatient and began running back outside to play. Outside waiting for him was a stout man with long white hair slicked back. Even though the man was looking into the distance Cameron could vaguely recognize him.

He witnessed little hands reaching for snow to hurl at the man as he turned around. That's when he saw the same black eyes, and a smile he could never forget. Cameron halted in place drifting closer to the man.

In the next blink, his father was a beacon of light extending his hand. Cameron reached out, and the minute it connected the world returned. It was the same valley simply unobstructed by the hands of man.

Across the sky, Cameron saw several universes twinkling in place of stars. His father regained his form and smiled once more. Next to him, another visage was gradually taking place. It was a little hazy, but Cameron could still make out the image.

'That's not possible.' Cameron had a single tear drip down his face.

"Wake up." Yura's hand caressed his cheek.

Cameron sat up from the table taking a deep breath. May stared in disbelief as his complexion returned. The wound along his chest began to seal up as the staples popped off his skin. Megan saw the tear trailing down his face as she rushed to his side.

"What's wrong?" Megan asked.

"I saw her." Cameron glanced around the room.

"That alien again?" Megan investigated.

"I saw my mom," Cameron felt his cheek.

"You visited the spirit world." Gabriella approached.