Outlaw Star Fan Fiction ❯ Revenge ❯ Chapter 7

`I'm going to die,' played in Jim's mind. `I'm going to die.' The corner of his mouth quirked up in amusement. `I'm going to die.' A chuckle escaped him. `I'm going to die.' Jim broke into laughter. The thought repeated, and the laughter only grew louder.

Harry watched in fascination. A struggle, or Jim frozen in fear, would have been expected, but instead there was laughter. Testing, Harry pressed the knife into Jim's throat, drawing blood. The boy was laughing so hard, tears were running down his face.

Caught between amusement and annoyance, Harry asked darkly, "Why are you laughing? I'm about to kill you."

"I can't help it," Jim giggled helplessly. "I always find it funny when it looks like I'll die." There were sobs in his laughter now, but it was more out of fear than pain.

Harry joined Jim's insane laughter, and dropped the knife. Finally, after a great struggle, he managed to speak in an amused voice. "You're as nuts as I. Maybe I'll let you live."

*_*_*_

Harry stood alone in front of a mirror, wondering why he had lost it moments ago, and why his mood had changed so quickly. But he already knew the answer. Constructs were unstable, and the older they got the more unstable they became. All he could wonder, as he left the room, was when he would lose it completely.

*_*_*_

Jim sat on his cot staring at the door, and holding his arm gingerly. If he ever had a mother he would have wanted her, but instead he wanted Gene. He knew Gene would not provide the comfort he needed, but one could hope. Now he was a tool of revenge aimed at Gene, and he could do nothing. Despair leaked into Jim's heart.

Before Jim could let himself sink any further into depression, his thoughts were interrupted. Harry MacDougall entered the room. Jim tensed, and watched him approach. Without a word Harry put a box on the bed, pulled a rag out of it and handed it to Jim, who looked at it in bewilderment.

"Bite it," Harry told him.

Hesitantly, Jim obeyed. Before he could protest, Harry caught his arm and quickly rotated it back into its socket.

Tears leaked from the corners of Jim's eyes, and he gritted his teeth on the cloth. Gently, Harry removed the rag from Jim's mouth, and rummaged through the box containing first aid equipment until he found a tube of cream. Curious and with nothing better to do, Jim watched him.

After squeezing out some of the cream onto his hand, he massaged it into Jim's shoulder. Jim cringed fearfully, but Harry didn't care or notice. Jim soon relaxed when the cream soaked into his skin. It felt like ice being soothed into his hot flesh and sent a shiver down his spine. Slowly, the pain subsided to a numb ache.

After a minute, Jim asked, "Why are you healing me?"

Impassively, Harry replied, "Ron doesn't want to give you a chance to learn to ignore pain." He pushed around the contents of the box and took out a sling, then eased Jim's arm into it, adjusting the sling to fit properly.

Jim watched motionlessly as Harry picked up the box and walked to the door, then turned around. "I'll be back later with some food," he said.