Under This Forgetful Sky by Lauren Yero

Author:Lauren Yero
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Published: 2023-07-18T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

In the morning, I woke with a start and looked around. The hills were silent and wet with dew. The wind sweeping down the hillside had a bite to it that made me shiver.

Underneath Rumi’s bandage the blood had slowed, and I could see for the first time deep inside the wound. The flesh was fiery red and swollen. Infected. I didn’t have the skills to mend a wound like that. If I didn’t think of something fast, the infection would spread. And the boy would die there beneath that tree.

Rumi stirred in my lap and opened his eyes. They were glassy. Feverish.

“I’m gonna fill our canteens in the stream,” I said.

I scanned the surrounding hills as I walked. We’d run far off course while fleeing the dogs. I didn’t know where we were. But when I reached the creek bed, something caught my eye. I squinted into the distance, unbelieving. There, across the valley, was some kind of outpost. A thin wisp of smoke rose from a chimney. Somebody was there.

Gracias a Dios, I thought. Maybe they’d have medicine—or at least know where we could find a healer. I dipped our canteens quick into the river and hurried back to Rumi, my chest light. He was leaning back against the tree, one arm over his eyes. His thick black hair was a mess of dirt and pine needles.

“Hey, flaquito,” I said. “How about sleeping on a nice bed of hay tonight? A barn, maybe, with something hot to eat?”

“That sounds…”

“It sounds ungodly wonderful, no?” I tore open a large bandage, slathered more healing cream onto it, and pressed it over his wound.

He winced. “Ungodly wonderful, yeah.” I spun the new gauze around his calf and tied off the cloth with my left hand and my teeth. “You’re pretty good at this stuff,” he said.

“Not near as good as I should be.” I took his hand and helped him up, wrapping my arm around his waist and draping his arm over my shoulder. “All right, give me your weight. Don’t worry, I’ll go slow.”

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