Page 49 of Darkness I Become
Despite their best efforts, they didn’t make it to Silver Creek that night. They were all exhausted, and Cade made the decision to make camp. They found a quiet, secluded clearing by a small stream where they pitched their tents, and Asha was grateful to rest her aching ankle.
She awoke with the first rays of dawn the next morning. It was easy to rise with the sun these days, following its natural rhythm. It made her realize how much of her life had been dominated by the clock in the past. Everything was rushed, and every ounce of productivity was squeezed out of every single second. In the Wasteland, they’d reverted to a time when people accepted that things took time. It was a slower pace of life that she was growing to like, much to her surprise.
Usually, Cade was up before her; he’d been a soldier for too long to sleep in. Today, however, he lay in his sleeping bag with his arm draped over his eyes. Asha would’ve thought he was still asleep, except that his jaw was working, his teeth gritted. Just looking at him, she could sense something was wrong.
Sudden worry gripped her. She sat up and scooted over to his side.
“What’s wrong?” she asked softly. “Are you hurt?”
“Fine,” Cade exhaled, but his voice was saturated with pain. “I’m fine.”
His reassurance only alarmed her more.
“Please,” she pleaded, and, hesitating, she reached out and placed her hand on his arm. The simple contact sent an electric current through her, even as she feared for his well-being. Too much hadhappened between them for her to feel neutral while touching him. “Let me help.”
Cade gave an uncharacteristic groan of pain. “Get Leo.”
Panic shot through her, but Asha nodded and leapt to her feet. Her injured ankle twinged in protest, but she ignored it. She dressed in a rush and hurried outside. She ran to Leo’s tent and, without thinking, threw back the flaps.
“Leo,” she gasped, “Cade’s hurt—”
She froze. Leo was lying on top of his sleeping bag, and in response to the summer heat, he didn’t have a stitch on. Naked as the day he was born, he made a sound of surprise and sat up. Asha yelped and shielded her eyes, but not before she got an eyeful of his lean, muscular form.
“Good fucking grief, Asha,” he bit out. “You couldn’t have given me some warning before barging in? It’s the crack of dawn, literally!”
Asha burst into peals of helpless laughter. She was worried about Cade, knew she had to get back to him, but she couldn’t help it.
“Well, I’m glad one of us finds this amusing,” Leo said acridly as he stood and got dressed. “Now, what’s wrong with Cade?”
Immediately, she regained her composure. “He’s in pain. I’m not sure why; he just told me to get you.”
Leo made a sound of acknowledgement. “Probably a migraine. He’s a chronic sufferer.”
“He is?” Asha asked, frowning. “What does he usually do?”
He shrugged. “Whatever he can. Back at home, he got periodic injections that prevented them, but we don’t have that anymore.”
On that ominous note, they went to Cade’s side. When Asha entered the tent, she was hit with the pungent smell of vomit. There was a smear of it on the grass next to Cade. He lay in the same spot as before, still with his eyes covered, his whole body tensed.
“You’re having a bad time of it, huh?” Leo said sympathetically. “I’m sorry that I don’t have much to give you except cannabis. Unless you want me to—”
“No,” Cade croaked. “Save the good stuff. This is nothing.”
Asha wrinkled her nose. “It sure doesn’t look like nothing, soldier.”
He groaned. “Go away, Asha. You shouldn’t see me like this.”
She frowned. “Why the hell not?”
He didn’t answer, just groaned again.
“You seeing auras?” Leo asked as he snapped open his medical bag and knelt beside Cade.
“Yeah. Can’t open my fucking eyes without seeing flashing lights.”
“Auras?” Asha asked, looking to Leo.
“Visual disturbances,” Leo replied distractedly as he held open one of Cade’s eyes, examining the pupil. Cade made a sharp sound of pain. “He sees flashing lights, but there can be other kinds. Light and sound cause him pain, too.”
