22
I CALLED OUT, “Veyada!”
He stumbled through the aisle, climbing over the drum. Someone must have told the driver that everyone was on board and the bus had started moving.
Veyada took off Thayu’s uniform and unstrapped all her equipment and weapons, of which there were a lot. He gave her a bandage and a warm emergency blanket.
Sweat glistened on Thayu’s face. To my questions, she would only nod or shake her head. Yes, she was in pain, yes she had been feeling off for a number of days, no, there was nothing I could have done to change this.
I held her hand, while Veyada went to attend Jemiro, who probably needed attention more urgently.
The bus made its way out of the city at good speed. Sometimes it turned into a side street, no doubt avoiding surveillance or police checks.
Thayu
