Love is Always Write Anthology Bonus Volume

crates. I stopped and backtracked and found this kid, maybe your age, though I wasn't any older at the time. Some piece of debris had gone into the air and come down, and the blast must have knocked him over because it came down right into his gut. He was moaning, and there was blood coming up around this hunk of metal. I put my hands around it trying to keep the blood in, all the time screaming for help. When the other medics and the doctor showed up, they told me not to move my hands. I was literally keeping his blood in his body. They got him onto a stretcher and headed to sick bay, the whole time my hands just pressed to his stomach."
    Sebastian could still remember the feel of the sharp metal and the hot blood oozing around his hands.
    "By that point, I think he realized how bad it was, and he was just crying. We got to sick bay, and they were moving him onto a proper bed when someone bumped into something. The metal moved, and it must have cut an artery because suddenly blood just started boiling up between my fingers. I pressed down, and they pulled the metal out so they could try to get inside him, but he'd lost too much blood already, most of it all over me. He was gone in seconds, his eyes wide open. That was the first death I saw. And I would like a particular PFC Marine, who caught a stray bullet while we were in a location I can't talk about, to be the last one."
    Daren was just looking at him. It was hard to read his face under the swelling and bruises, but it seemed his look was a bit less defensive.
    "I promise, anything that needs to be done, I will keep as quick and painless as possible. Think of me as your personal, private, somewhat-undertrained, healthcare provider."
    Daren gave a snort but looked a little more relaxed.
    "We'll even try to get some of the blood out of your hair while we're at it."
    Daren smiled a little. Sebastian guessed he'd be the vain type with a body that was that carefully tended.
    "Do you think you can walk a little now?"
    "I don't know."
    "Well then. Let's find out."
    Sebastian pulled back the blankets and helped Daren swing his legs around. Daren put both feet flat on the floor and tried to push himself up. Sebastian quickly ducked under one of his arms and helped him to his feet. It was obvious he couldn't put any weight on his left leg. Daren wobbled a bit and closed his eyes for a second. "Your blood pressure is probably still a little low. We'll take this a step at a time."
    Daren shuffled one foot forward then gave a bit of a hop, with Sebastian's help. It was a slow process, and Sebastian knew it would be faster if he just lifted Daren up, but it might do a lot for Daren's peace of mind if he thought he had at least a little mobility.
    Daren was sweating profusely by the time they made it to the bathroom. "Do you need to use the toilet?"
    "Yes."
    Sebastian helped him to the toilet that was wedged in next to the shower/tub in a poor bit of layout.
    He let Daren push down his own shorts before lowering him down. "I'll just go grab something for you to drink."
    Sebastian figured he should give Daren a little privacy before he had to look him over. He took his time pouring a glass of Gatorade and knocked on the door before letting himself in.
    Daren was hunched over, his body shaking. "Shit." Sebastian put the Gatorade down by the sink and rushed over. "What hurts?" Daren just shook his head, his jaw locked tight and eyes squeezed shut. Sebastian ran his hands through his hair a few times. He was already so far out of his training it wasn't funny. "Daren, can you open your eyes and look at me?" Daren shook his head again. "Is it a sharp pain?" Daren nodded a little. "In your stomach or... lower?"
    "Lower," he whispered through gritted teeth.
    "Okay. I'm going to lift you up and move you into the shower."
    He didn't give Daren a chance to respond. Sebastian just lifted him up and almost instantly let him back down onto the little shower bench. Daren wobbled but stayed curled up.
    Sebastian peeked into the toilet and wished he hadn't. It was full of blood along with other stuff Sebastian didn't want to take the time to closely examine. He flushed it away before getting sick then grabbed the personal cleansing kits and some latex gloves.
    He took half a second to steel himself and snap on the gloves then grabbed the shower hose. He pointed it away from Daren for the first thirty seconds while the rusty water cleared out and he got the temperature adjusted. "Daren, this is