A Spaceman

Chapter 35--The end

"He's not waking up," Shannon says, stroking James' head, "And he's still bleeding."

"If he's breathing he should be okay, right?" Tess asks, kneeling as well.

"I don't know why he's not waking up," Shannon says.

"Well what was he saying? Other than calling for Soren I heard that," I say, pacing. My stomach is churning. It's been over a day since any of us have eaten let alone slept. Ever since he woke up shouting for Soren, James has been doing worse and worse. The bleeding started again and has not stopped. He's weeping from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. Shannon keeps wiping him off and keeping his airways open but nothing seems to be helping him.

"He told Soren to hold on. Then he tried to talk to us, saying something about the Isylgyns and blood," Tess says, shaking her head, "I don't know, there was so much blood in his mouth it wasn't making sense."

"Do we need help?" Quinn asks, coming over to stand by us. He has been bored ever since we had to evacuate the main room because there was too much gunfire.

"Yeah, James was talking to Soren, who told him something about Isylgyns and blood---wanting it?" Tess says, "Does that mean anything to any of you?"

"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm," Quinn tips his head up, "Let us think. Why would he be saying this thing?"

"We don't know, maybe it's something he thought would help us," Shannon says.

"Ahhhhh, maybe that Isylgyns need human blood?" Quinn offers.

"What do they need human blood for?" I ask, disgusted.

"Cure diseases, Spot had it once very very very bad----but Spot got cured, just a little bit of human blood," Quinn says, nodding, "That's why they want us. They want our blood."

"THAT'S WHY THEY'VE BEEN FIGHTING US ALL THESE YEARS???" I cry, angrily, "Because they want our blood?"

"Yes," Quinn says, nodding.

"Well they can have it. For free," I say, exasperated.

"Titus must've told them that we wouldn't give it to them, that they had to take it," Tess realizes.

"That's why we've been at war for---nearly fifty years? Because of something Titus did?" Shannon asks.

"Yes," Quinn says, nodding, "He told us so."

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT SOONER?" I growl, rounding on Quinn, "We could have ended all the carnage ten years ago!!" and Soren wouldn't be missing and Donovan wouldn't be alone. I want to strangle him but he's so very real standing in front of me and I see the man who once would have grabbed my arms and told me what to do and told me a plan and who would have saved Soren but now he stood too broken in front of me to do a thing. He would have loved my son. He would have had six plans and known exactly what to do. But he can barely form a complete sentence. Nobody would be more furious, more miserable than him that he's like this. I don't whether to strangle him or cry.

"We don't want them taking our precious fluids," Quinn scoffs. Strangle him. Definitely.

"I---I don't mind. They can have mine," I say, my voice dangerously quiet. "They don't have to have yours."

"Alexander, be nice to him we wouldn't know if it weren't for him," Tess says.

"He could have told us sooner," I growl, burning with anger. Quinn winces and leans away.

"He didn't know any better, just be glad he helped us now," Tess says, holding my arm tightly, "Please."

"Why didn't you tell me this sooner?" I ask, angrily.