Jaded

Now this was turning into a fucking movie.

Sarah and Mike’s eyes widened at me with a “what the fuck do we do?” type of look. We all scrambled around Billie Joe.

Mike levitated his head out of the vomit and cleaned off the side of his face with the sleeve of this jacket.

“Billie,” I said mildly tapping him on his clean cheek.

“What the fuck could be wrong with him? He’s been fine all day,” I said.

“I don’t know!” said Sarah growing frantic.

“Bill, come on,” Mike whispered repeating what I had just done.

Billie Joe opened his eyes ever so slightly. He took a deep breath, leaned over and puked all over my shoes. Sarah took her water bottle and her sleeve and began patting his face.

“Billie what happened?” I asked.

“I- don’t- know,” he said in breaths “After I peed I just started feeling really light headed and-“ he paused for a moment to catch his breath “-and shitty,” he finished.

“Well, we have to get back to camp. We have a first aid kit and shit like that,” I said looking at Mike.

“Alright, you take the shoulders, I’ll take the legs,” said Mike. We both gently picked Billie Joe up. I had wrapped my arms under his armpits and his legs swung on either side of Mike’s hips.

“If you feel like your going to pass out again tell us,” I said.

“Okay,” he groaned.

We didn’t get twenty feet until Billie Joe announced he was going to puke again. This process kept occurring. By the third time and us only getting yards from where we started Mike finally said “This isn’t going to work. We need help,” as we placed Billie Joe back on the ground.

“Fuck- I feel like shit!” Billie moaned as he rolled on his side and closed his eyes “and my fucking leg won’t stop itching!” he said lifting up his pant leg.

“Wait a second,” said Sarah pointing “Mike look at his leg,”

“I can barely see a damn thing,” Mike mumbled getting closer.

“He probably got some Poison Ivy or something when he peed in the bush,” I assumed.

“Holy shit man! I think you got bit by a snake!” Mike let out.

“Where?!” Sarah and I both screamed getting a closer look for ourselves.

“There, see the fang marks?” Mike pointed.

“Shit,” I said approving Mike’s hypothesis at the sight of two small marks resembling fangs of a snake.

Billie Joe’s eyes were bulging out of his skull.

“What the fuck do we do?!” I questioned beginning to freak out myself.

“You stay here with Billie and Sarah and I will go back to camp and get help,” said Mike.

“Alright,” I said as Mike and Sarah were already darting towards camp.

“Can we- go over- on that rock or some- something,” Billie Joe asked wiping his mouth of throw up again.

“Erm, sure,” I said.

I had him put his arm around my neck and I carried him as if he was a child that had fallen asleep in their parents bed. I placed him on the rock and rested his head in my lap. I began to dabbed some water on his face like Sarah had done.

“So, erm Billie, I’m sorry about how I’ve been acting,” I said avoiding eye contact.

“Wait, your- your- actually apologizing?” he questioned sarcastically “I didn’t know you could do that,” he laughed vulnerably.

“Yeah, well you never know,” I said brushing off the subject.

“Are you only saying this, because I could die?”

“Oh stop being melodramatic. Your not going to die,” I said trying to sound reassuring, although I had no clue myself.

“Well, what the fu-,” he began until he lifted his head off my knee and draped his entire head over the rock. I closed my eyes at the sound of his regurgitation splashing the leaves on the ground. Not the most pleasant of sounds, I can tell you that much.

“I’m sorry too,” he coughed.

“Don’t worry about it, just don’t puke on me,” I said peeking one eye open.

He placed his head back on my lap and rested his eyes. He began to shiver as the sun had disappeared for the day behind a mountain and the temperature began to drop. He adjusted himself in a fettle position, I took off my jacket and placed it over him.

It had been a record for Billie Joe, an entire eight minutes I estimated without him throwing up, but he still wasn’t progressing either. He shook like a loose leaf on a tree being pulverized by the wind, his breathing became heavy, the side of his face felt like a heating pad on my thigh, and I felt his sweat seeping through my jeans. As much as I disapprove to admit it, I was getting pretty fucking worried. Mike and Sarah had only been gone maybe thirty minutes, but still we have no clue what kind of snake Billie got bit by and how fast when they did get back we would be able to reach medical attention. One thing that has me dazzled is how the hell Billie Joe couldn’t feel getting bit, it seems like something you couldn’t miss, but I’m not familiar with snake bites or well any bites for that matter.

I heard footsteps rustling in the distance which told me it was probably help.

“Hear that? Help is coming,” I whispered in his ear.

I got light “Mhm,” as a response.

Soon appeared an out of breath Mike and Sarah along with two paramedics. They told me they could take it from here asked me to step aside.

“How is he?” Mike and Sarah questioned.

“I’m really not sure. We talked a bit maybe twenty or so minutes ago, then he kind of shut down. When I heard you guys coming I told him and he responded, but faintly,”

“You think he’ll be okay?” Mike asked uncertainly.

“Yes,” I said confidently.