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The Lunatic Cafe :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 172 из 234We'll keep him alive and gethim to the hospital."
The distant whoop of more ambulances sounded. Reinforcements were on the way. The medics put the naga on a long spine-board and fit it in a Stokes basket, attached to the ropes the other paramedics had set up at top of the hill.
"You got any other information that'll help us treat him?" the paramedic asked. His eyes were very direct.
"I don't think so."
"Then get your butt up to an ambulance, now."
I didn't argue. I was cold, and my clothes were beginning to freeze to my body even under the blanket.
I ended up in a warm ambulance wearing nothing but a blanket while more paramedics and EMTs forced heated oxygen on me. Dolph and Zerbrowski ended up in the ambulance with me. Better them than Aikensen and Titus.
While we waited for the medics to tell us we would all live, Dolph got back to business.
"Tell me about nagas," Dolph said.
"Like I said, they're creatures from Hindu legend. They're mostly pictured as snakes, particularly cobras. They can take human form. Or appear as snakes with human heads. They're the guardians of raindrops and pearls."
"Say the last again?" Zerbrowski asked. His neatly combed hair had dried in messy curls. He'd jumped in the river to save little ol' me, even though he couldn't swim.
I repeated it. "There's a pearl embedded in the head of the skin. I think the skin was the naga's. Someone skinned him, but he didn't die. I don't know how the skin ended up in the river, or how he did."
Dolph said, "You mean he was a snake and they skinned him, but it didn't kill him."
"Apparently not."
"How is he in man form now?"
"I don't know."
"Why isn't he dead?" Dolph asked.
"Nagas are immortal."
"Shouldn't you tell the paramedics that?" Zerbrowski said.
"He's been completely skinned and is still alive. I think they're going to figure it out on their own," I said.
"Good point."
"Which of you fired the shot at Aikensen?"
"Titus did it," Dolph said.
"He cussed him out, and took his gun away," Zerbrowski said.
"Hope he doesn't give it back. If anyone shouldn't be armed, it's Aikensen."
"You got an extra change of clothes with you, Blake?" Zerbrowski asked.
"Nope."
"I've got two pairs of sweats in the trunk of my car. I want to get back to what's left of my anniversary."
The thought of wearing a used pair of sweats that had been sitting in Zerbrowski's car was too much for me. "I don't think so, Zerbrowski.
The distant whoop of more ambulances sounded. Reinforcements were on the way. The medics put the naga on a long spine-board and fit it in a Stokes basket, attached to the ropes the other paramedics had set up at top of the hill.
"You got any other information that'll help us treat him?" the paramedic asked. His eyes were very direct.
"I don't think so."
"Then get your butt up to an ambulance, now."
I didn't argue. I was cold, and my clothes were beginning to freeze to my body even under the blanket.
I ended up in a warm ambulance wearing nothing but a blanket while more paramedics and EMTs forced heated oxygen on me. Dolph and Zerbrowski ended up in the ambulance with me. Better them than Aikensen and Titus.
While we waited for the medics to tell us we would all live, Dolph got back to business.
"Tell me about nagas," Dolph said.
"Like I said, they're creatures from Hindu legend. They're mostly pictured as snakes, particularly cobras. They can take human form. Or appear as snakes with human heads. They're the guardians of raindrops and pearls."
"Say the last again?" Zerbrowski asked. His neatly combed hair had dried in messy curls. He'd jumped in the river to save little ol' me, even though he couldn't swim.
I repeated it. "There's a pearl embedded in the head of the skin. I think the skin was the naga's. Someone skinned him, but he didn't die. I don't know how the skin ended up in the river, or how he did."
Dolph said, "You mean he was a snake and they skinned him, but it didn't kill him."
"Apparently not."
"How is he in man form now?"
"I don't know."
"Why isn't he dead?" Dolph asked.
"Nagas are immortal."
"Shouldn't you tell the paramedics that?" Zerbrowski said.
"He's been completely skinned and is still alive. I think they're going to figure it out on their own," I said.
"Good point."
"Which of you fired the shot at Aikensen?"
"Titus did it," Dolph said.
"He cussed him out, and took his gun away," Zerbrowski said.
"Hope he doesn't give it back. If anyone shouldn't be armed, it's Aikensen."
"You got an extra change of clothes with you, Blake?" Zerbrowski asked.
"Nope."
"I've got two pairs of sweats in the trunk of my car. I want to get back to what's left of my anniversary."
The thought of wearing a used pair of sweats that had been sitting in Zerbrowski's car was too much for me. "I don't think so, Zerbrowski.