Page 11 - NSE_ATCV_FPGS.indd

thrashed about on the sand, and his eyes peeled wide open.
One hand grabbed for her wrist.
Taylor scrambled from where he had been dozing
against the dirt bank. He pried Pope’s hand from June’s
arm and pinned the sergeant’s shoulders down.
Pope moaned at first and then screamed as his eyes
fought to focus. “My le-e-e-g.”
Taylor tipped the canteen to Pope’s mouth. Water
spilled from his lips at first. Then the old soldier gulped
down a mouthful. A cough rattled up from deep in his chest.
“Top Sergeant, rest yourself.” Taylor pulled the water
away.
“My leg’s burnin’ up.” Pope clamped his hands on his
wounded thigh and struggled to sit.
Taylor pushed him down. “Easy there.”
Pope stared up. He swallowed hard. His eyes searched
around him. “Apaches?”
“Gone for now,” Taylor answered.
“Da men?”
“Got ’em out on sentry like you’d’ve done.”
Pope squirmed and clawed at the bandages on his leg.
“Cut the wrap away and tell me how bad.”
Taylor’s mouth fell open and the boy, not the trooper,
looked at me.
“Give me your knife.” I held out my hand.
Taylor handed me the knife he had used to cut
the cactus.
“Sergeant, I’m going to have Taylor hold you down
while I cut away the bandages. I don’t want you to move, or
I might hurt you more.”
As gently as I could, I slipped the point of the blade
under the blood-stiff strips of cloth. Pope’s leg tensed and

25

NSE_ATCV_FPGS.indd 25 2/2/18 11:01 AM