Doc wasn’t the only one who responded to my words. Jeb, Ian, and even Maggie looked and then did a double take. Maggie glanced away quickly, angry that she’d betrayed any interest.

“How?” Doc demanded.

“I’ll show you. Please. Jamie doesn’t need to suffer.”

Doc hesitated, staring at my face, and then let out a big sigh. “Ian’s right—he can’t get much worse. If this kills him…” He shrugged, and his shoulders slumped. He took a step back.

“No,” Sharon cried.

No one paid any attention to her.

I knelt beside Jamie, yanking the backpack off my shoulders and tugging it open. I fumbled until I found the No Pain. A bright light switched on beside me, pointed at Jamie’s face.

“Water, Ian?”

I twisted the lid open and pinched out one of the little tissue squares. When I pulled Jamie’s chin down, his skin burned my hand. I laid the square on his tongue and then held out my hand without looking up. Ian placed the bowl of water in it.

Carefully, I dripped enough water into his mouth to wash the medicine down his throat. The sound of his swallow was dry and painful.

I searched frantically for the thinner spray bottle. When I found it, I had the lid off and the mist sprayed into the air above him in one fast movement. I waited, watching his chest until he inhaled.

I touched his face, and it was so hot! I scrambled for the Cool, praying it would be easy to use. The lid screwed off, and I found that the cylinder was full of more tissue squares, light blue this time. I breathed a sigh of relief and placed one on Jamie’s tongue. I picked up the bowl again and dribbled another mouthful of water through his parched lips.

His swallow was quicker this time, less strained.

Another hand touched Jamie’s face. I recognized Doc’s long bony fingers.

“Doc, do you have a sharp knife?”

“I have a scalpel. You want me to open the wound?”

“Yes, so I can clean it.”

“I thought about trying that… to drain it, but the pain…”

“He’ll feel nothing now.”

“Look at his face,” Ian leaned in beside me to whisper.

Jamie’s face was no longer red. It was a natural, healthy tan. The sweat still glistened on his brow, but I knew it was just left over from before. Doc and I touched his forehead at the same time.

It’s working. Yes! Exultation swept through both Mel and me.

“Remarkable,” Doc breathed.

“The fever has cooled, but the infection may remain in his leg. Help me with his wound, Doc.”

“Sharon, could you hand me —” he began absentmindedly. Then he looked up. “Oh. Ah, Kyle, do you mind handing me that bag right there by your foot?”