One of our regulars, Kanute, had been a medic during the Iraq war. I hadn't served alongside him, but he was a good guy, and he agreed to check over Andy and the boy for a small fee, and a free round of beers next time he and his buddies hung out here. I braced myself in the doorway as a listless Andy fluttered her eyes open. Somewhere in the living room Hunter kept an eye on the boy. But he was cowering under the coffee table. Folded in two with his eyes pressed shut.
Andy blinked, her eyes gaining focus on Kanute. Panic took over and she flailed her arms. I stepped forward, crouching down beside her, and taking her hand in mine. She felt cold. Icy cold.
'Andy. Darlin'. It's me. He's just a doctor. He's a friend.'
She blinked at me, and for a second I thought she didn't recognise me. I
