Not Out of the Woods Yet

Lucy arrived at the church late in the day. Cara still hadn’t woken up, her beautiful eyes still closed – maybe forever. Mannon had to talk him down from multiple downward spirals. Cole was exhausted.

Mannon went to greet Lucy in the entryway. Mannon and Lucy were one of the most consistent reasons that Cole had remained with the contesters, before even meeting Cara. Mannon approached Lucy, smiling and offering her his hands. When she took them, they closed together and the aura that flowed from them was serene, calming, and could make anyone feel like they were home.

Their gentle, caring nature for others was overshadowed only by their attention to each other. Never once had they left Cole feeling like he was a burden or a third wheel. As if on cue to this thought, Lucy strode right into Cole’s arms and wrapped him tightly in a hug. When she released, she touched the side of his face and said, “Take me over to her.”

Cole’s breath released shakily. He nodded once and lead the way to Cara. The relief he felt at Lucy’s arrival subsided again when he saw her reaction to Cara. Her face scrunched in concern and she reached out to check Cara’s breath and pulse.

“She’s asleep,” Lucy voiced. “How long has she been asleep?” She started rummaging through her bag.

Cole couldn’t answer. This wasn’t expected. It wasn’t normal. Something had gone wrong. What if Cara really never did wake up?!

“Cole?” Lucy prodded. But Cole was starting to hyperventilate.

“Mannon,” she said. Cole felt rather than saw Mannon move in front of him.

“Breath slowly, Cole,” he instructed. He kept his attention on Cole as he replied. “She’s been out since the car, Lucy. I thought she was just exhausted.”

“Did she eat anything? Take anything?”

“I got her two of the blue painkillers and some water when we got the road. She was rough, Lucy. Sweating, and cold skinned.”

Lucy breathed, still worried but she seemed a little relieved.

“Ok, my love. When was that exactly?” Mannon glanced toward Lucy before returning his attention to Cole.

“About an hour after I got there, so maybe an hour and fifteen minutes after you called.”

Lucy took a deep breath.

“Ok. And she’s had nothing else?”

Cole’s agency returned to him. “No, she’s just been out.” Mannon dipped his head to catch Cole’s eye, giving him a steadying and reassuring look.

Lucy hung an IV bag on an abandoned candelabra.

“That was probably too much in her condition,” Lucy explained, clinically but gently.

Mannon’s face showed the weight of this information. He’d inadvertently given Cara an overdose.

“It’s alright, my dear,” Lucy soothed. “If it was really too much, she’d be dead already. She’ll probably feel like she has a hangover when she wakes up. I’ll get some fluids in her and she’ll come out of in a little while.”

Even while she was talking, she’d already inserted the needed and started the IV drip. She walked over to Mannon and Cole looking them each deliberately in the eye.

“Have you two eaten?”

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