SURVIVORS
Chapters 23. The Snowball War
From far away Dean heard the sound of a crowd, the happy laughter of many people. 'What happened?' thought surprised. Suddenly something hit his chest, making him shocked. A chill ran through his chest filled with snowflakes. He looked ahead, at the person who was still laughing wide in front of him. In his left hand was another handful of snow.
"Dean, you're back. We're having a.." Not finished Indra talk, another snowball hit his head thrown by Gilang.. " You're really asking to be beaten up." cried Indra chasing Gilang while throwing snow in his grasp. They run around laughing. Laras and Niken soon take part in the snowball war.
Dean moved their bags into the shelter. He sat down to warm himself.
"Dean, aren't you playing?" Marianne approached. "They're stressed, desperate. When that negative feeling is not channeled, it will be dangerous. So let them be happy for a moment." Marianne. Dean nodded. He smiled at the joy.
"Well, this is so good Marianne," Dean's hands clasped Marianne's hands sincerely in gratitude. He then took part in the excitement and forgot for a moment the heavy burden on his shoulders. They play to exhaustion.
"Already, already.. It was late afternoon, the wind was cold and strong. Let's warm your bodies first." Marianne called. They walked in while tightening up their clothes and hugged both hands in front of their chest to ward off the cold. But a happy smile still appeared on the faces that were flushed from being bitten by the cold temperature. They were still talking cheerfully in front of the fireplace. Widuri and Laras quickly cooked up some drinking water and began preparing dinner for everyone.
"Why doesn't team 3 all come with Dean?" liam asked while choosing the meat between the bones of the fish.
"Alex and Lena have not woken up from a long sleep. Then Robert was also injured from fighting the wolves yesterday afternoon." Dean lifted his head from the plate and looked towards all of his comrades. "But tomorrow, we have to bring them all here. It would be difficult for us to keep each other apart like this. Especially since Robert as the leader of the 3rd team also fell ill. What do you think?" ask Dean.
"If they're unconscious, shouldn't we lift them on a stretcher?" ask Leon. Dean nodded.
"I think we might just have to prepare 1 stretcher for Alex and Lena. The distance from here to there is not too far. We can still take turns lifting it with two trips."
"How about Robert?" ask Silvia.
"So before we got back he was awake, his fever was down. But still weak. That's why he refused to come today. So it should be possible to walk by yourself tomorrow." Dean added that the explanation was not finished because Silvia was cut.
"alright. That nice. It's better that we get together if something like this happens." Marianne felt quite satisfied with the progress of her comrades' personalities. They get used to working together and thinking about other friends.
*
At about 10am Dean, Leon and Liam arrived at the second shelter. Doctor Chandra is seen clad in Robert's arm.
"How are you doing now?" ask Dean to Robert.
"good. I don't think there's anything to worry about anymore. Is that right, doc?" Robert throws the question at Chandra's doctor. Dean's eyebrows slightly shriveled feeling a sense of weirdness.
"You're hiding something? Let me see the wound." Dean wanted to ascertain the disturbing feelings in his heart.
"There's nothing." Robert denied, detaining Dean who wanted to open his wound dressing. But Dean didn't budge. He removed Doctor Chandra's hand from the bandage. Doctor Chandra finally gives Dean room to check. Robert wanted to reject Dean, but his other hand was held by Liam. Finally he couldn't do anything and let Dean check.
"It's actually not what you imagined Dean to be." Chandra's doctor tried to calm him down.
"Then what is it really like? Try telling me. Do not hide anything, because we must together find a way out of every problem that befalls team members. It's for safety together. But you don't seem to believe me." Dean looks disappointed.
"All right, I'll explain, so you don't think things through" said Dr. Chandra. "Last night Robert came back with a high fever but was still conscious. I checked his wound. The infection is wide enough. So I told him I had to clean the wound again, remove the pus and replace it with another bandage. After that, he fell asleep until morning. This morning, after breakfast I checked again, but the wound was re-infected. Then Robert suggested to close the wound using a hot knife. That's the result you saw."
"Hmmm. okay. Ii'm sorry. Is the wound okay now, Doc?" ask Dean to make sure.
"May match our expectations. However we have done what we can." said Dr. Chandra.
"How about the two of them?" dean asked as he pointed at Alex and Lena who were still asleep.
"Last night they woke up while Sunil was standing guard. After drinking and food they go back to sleep. It looks very sleepy said Sunil." Dr. Chandra explains the situation.
"Why are you allowed to sleep again? They have to fight the drowsiness by warming themselves up or doing something. Aren't they satisfied sleeping for 2 days and 2 nights?" Dean was astonished. Doctor Chandra ignores and continues his delayed work, rewrapping Robert's arm.
"Wake him up." Dean pointed at Alex.
Leon approached Alex, patting him on the cheek.. " Alex. Alex. Wakes up. We're leaving." The second time Leon patted harder on his cheek, only Alex woke up with eyes still sleepy.
"Enough. No time to sleep anymore. You've slept 2 days 2 nights." Dean's voice was firm. He can't tolerate it anymore. They're awake, how can they sleep again? "If you still want to sleep, we'll leave you here."
Alex is confused. Doctor Chandra observed from next to Robert.
"So, is there a chance that the human brain is disturbed due to sleeping too long?" asked Liam who was astonished to see Alex's expression. Doctor Chandra approaches Alex, examining his pulse. Alex still looks confused as if he wants to talk but can't.
"Hmmm.. So far, according to a simple examination, she has been seen to have hypothermia. His consciousness is low. He was unaware of the surroundings because his brain activity slowed down." Dr. Chandra explained. "It's good to keep him awake and make his body warmer. Give him a drink and a warm meal so that his body produces energy. Hopefully it will be resolved soon."
Liam immediately poured water from the teapot into the cup and helped Alex drink. Alex did not argue. He seemed to be trying hard to understand the surrounding situation. His eyes continued to blink to ward off drowsiness. Liam thrust a piece of grilled meat at him, telling him to eat. Alex followed. Before long Alex's sleepiness seemed to decrease. After observing that, Dean turned his gaze to Lena.
"Now wake him up." Leon approached Lena and did the same to Lena, patting her cheek quite loudly while calling her name. Before long Lena also woke up in a daze. Leon follows Liam, giving him warm drinks and food.
Seeing that the two of them were beginning to come to their senses, Dean did not delay any longer. " We'll leave after everyone has gathered. So don't sleep anymore. Or we'll let you sleep here forever." Alex surprised. His brain has started working on responding to Dean's sentence.
When Sunil, Toni and Gilang return with their catch, they pack up to head for the lake, joining the rest of the team.