2017, Back to the Odyssey. Chapter 6: Stitches

McKayla Cross

Chapters 1 -5 of this novel were published in previous editions of The Beacon.

We got the bed setup for Steve to lay down on so we could stitch him up. But he seemed resistant to getting the stitches.

“Sweetheart, if you don’t get the stitches, the wound may get worse,” Marie explained to Steve.

“It’ll be fine!” Steve said nervously before chuckling in fear.

I started to suspect that something was wrong.

“Steve, are you afraid of getting stitches?” I asked him.

“No! Of course not, why would you think that?!” Steve asked frantically.

“Well, you seem to not want to get them, and you are sweating really badly. Is something wrong? What’s wrong with stitches?” I asked him.

“Well… you see… I am afraid of needles. I hate them.” Steve admitted, embarrassed.

“It’s ok! I am afraid of needles, too, but the wound can get infected if it’s left opened like that. And that’s not fun. So please, Steve, get the stitches! You won’t even feel a thing!” I explained to him.

He finally agreed. He laid down on the bed. Bill Nye filled the syringe with the lidocaine, the medicine in the small glass bottle was, and injected it around Steve’s wound in several places. Marie then put on a new pair of gloves, and threaded a needle.

Bill had Steve’s hand in his own.

“Just squeeze it when you are scared.” Bill told him.

“O-Ok…” Steve said as he tried to calm himself down.

Marie started to stitch up Steve’s wound up, and he started to squeeze Bill’s hand hard. Bill’s mind wanted him to scream in pain, but Bill knew that if he did that, he might mess up Marie’s stitching.

After a few minutes of poking and stitching, Steve’s gash was all sewn up. Bill started to wrap up his wound so it wouldn’t get dirty.

“Thanks guys…” Steve thanked us.

We all said, “You’re welcome.”

After that, we all went to sleep in the bunk beds.