Читать книгу Off Limits - Lindsay McKenna - Страница 8

Morning came slowly and with a lot of inner pain for Jim. Off and on through the night he’d tended Alex because she’d grown feverish. Afraid the VC might still be near, he hadn’t dared to sleep. Instead, he’d lain on the ground next to her, his nearness seeming to quiet her. Sometimes he’d nodded off for half an hour or so before her restless sleep had jerked him awake again. Now, as the bare hint of light from dawn crawled into the darkened tunnel, Jim grew even more worried.

Alex was delirious, and when he lifted the compress to examine her wound, he saw how red and inflamed the flesh had become. Grimly, he bathed her face, neck and arms, trying to lower her temperature. She needed antibiotics, or she would die. And that couldn’t happen. His mind worked over his limited options. Each time he looked down at her vulnerable features, a little more of his resolve to remain a deserter was chipped away. Yes, he’d made a decision to live in peace, to stop contributing to the war effort. But that decision hadn’t included Alex. As he took in her glistening features, he could no longer deny his conscience: he had to get her help.