Ship of Souls

need a rabies shot. Let’s get him to the ER.”
    Nyla steps in front of Sachi to block her exit. “It wasn’t an animal.”
    “I know a bite mark when I see one, Nyla.”
    “He was cut with a claw, but it wasn’t on an animal, OK? Look—I can’t explain it right now. Just clean him up. We have to get out of here before Daddy gets home.”
    “Are you in trouble again? Christ, Nyla, we just moved here…”
    “I know you’re not going to lecture me about getting into trouble. I saw you on the computer yesterday. And I know you use my laptop when I’m not around.”
    Sachi’s face loses most of its color and then blushes hot red. “I—I was just checking my e-mail.”
    “Oh, really? Well, I’m sure Daddy will be thrilled to know you’re already back online.”
    Sachi’s lower lip starts to tremble. “You can’t keep doing this, Nyla. We’re family.”
    “You’re right, Sachi. We are. And that’s why you’re going to help my friend.”
    Sachi rolls her lips together and looks at the floor. Then she goes into a nearby bathroom and opens a cabinet. She comes back with a bunch of medical supplies and sets them on the counter next to me. To Keem and Nyla she says, “Hold his hands and try to keep him still.” To me, in a kinder voice, she says, “Try to be a brave boy, OK? I don’t have any anesthesia, so just squeeze their hands if the pain’s too much for you to handle.”
    “I can handle it,” I say, but then I squeeze the heck out of their hands as the alcohol spills into the wound. It gets worse when the needle starts sliding in and out of my skin.
    “Dang, D—I can’t play ball if you break my hand!”
    I look up at Keem and almost manage to laugh.
    Nyla reaches over and pulls my hand away from Keem’s. “Hold both of my hands, D. I can take it.”
    I don’t have to glance at Keem to know he wishes he’d kept his mouth shut.
    Finally Sachi puts the needle down and tells me she’s done. She gently squeezes my knee and says, “I’ll give you something for the pain. Nyla, get him something to eat. He can’t take pain medication on an empty stomach.”
    “You were really brave, D. I know that must have hurt a lot.” Nyla smiles at me, then lets go of my hands and goes behind the bar to look for some snacks.
    “Potato chips?”
    I nod my head, but Sachi comes back into the room and says, “Keep looking.”
    Nyla pulls bag after bag of snacks out of the cupboard. When she calls out, “Peanut butter pretzels,” Sachi nods and Nyla brings them over. She sees Keem eyeing the other bags on the counter and tells him to help himself. I’m told to eat five pretzels before swallowing the pill Sachi sets on the bar next to a glass of water.
    “You going to tell me what’s going on?” she asks us.
    Nyla doesn’t exactly shake her head. She just nibbles at a pretzel and avoids her stepmother’s worried eyes.
    “What should I tell your father when he gets home?”
    Nyla shrugs. “Just tell him I’m out with friends.” Nyla grabs her jacket and turns to us. “You guys ready to go? You can take the snacks, if you want. And, Keem—grab us a couple of bottles of water, why don’t you.”
    Keem does as he’s told and puts a bag of chips and some water into his book bag. Nyla tries to get around her stepmother, but Sachi doesn’t budge. Nyla sighs and says, “Tell Daddy I’ll be home soon. Before dark.” Then Nyla surprises us all by leaning in and kissing her stepmother on the cheek. “Thanks for helping us out, Mom.”
    Sachi’s cheeks flush again, but she steps aside and lets us pass. At the door she calls after Nyla, “Be careful, sweetheart.”

10.
    K eem’s the first one of us to talk. “So…where’s your real mom?”
    “‘Real mom’? Sachi’s the only mother I’ve ever known. My birth mom bounced when I was four.”
    “Oh, sorry.”
    Nyla shoots Keem a look that says, “I don’t want your pity.”
    Keem tries again. “I mean, your stepmom’s cool.”
    Nyla glances over her shoulder. Her stepmother is watching us from the parlor window. Nyla waves and then turns back to us. “Yeah, Sachi’s all right.”
    “Did you really have to blackmail her like that?” I ask.
    Nyla just shrugs. “I wouldn’t have told on her—she knows that. My dad’s kind of hard-core. Sachi and I look out for each other.”
    “Why can’t she use your computer?” Keem asks.
    “When we lived on base, Sachi had a little problem with Internet gambling.” Nyla pauses for