With All Your Heart

22~Fallen Man

Caleb was scared.

Parker had taken a turn for the worse, stricken with fever, chills, and an uncontrollable shake that seemed like a seizure. He hadn't much liked the guy, but Caleb prayed for him now, begging God to spare Parker's life.

"This isn't dehydration."

Rachel's voice pulled him from his prayer. He'd thought the same thing.

"He's much worse off than Tanner was, and Tanner had been drinking," Rachel said thoughtfully, crouching beside Parker.

"Tanner hadn't gone days without water."

"Parker has been drinking from the coconuts. It might not be enough, but still he shouldn't be like this." Her gaze roamed Parker's trembling body, as if searching. He felt her tense, and she frowned at a patch of blood above Parker's right heel. Unlike the rest of them who'd lost their shoes at sea, Parker hadn't taken his loafers off since they'd landed on the island.

Rachel's eyes met his. "I want to take his shoes off."

Caleb placed his hand on Parker's chest while Rachel gently pulled the left loafer.

"Agh!" came his tortured cry.

"Parker, it's ok," she whispered soothingly, giving another tug at his shoe.

He jerked up, screaming. "Noooo!"

Rachel drew back suddenly at Parker's anguished cry, and a gasp escaped her at the fresh blood dripping from his foot.

Caleb took in her stricken expression, and his gaze dropped to red-hot, inflamed skin on Parker's heel. "It's infected."

"I think so. We have antibiotic cream." Despite her calm demeanor, he noticed her hands were trembling. "It might be best to pull it off quickly like with a bandage."

"I'll hold him."

Her chin jerked a quick nod, and she knelt by Parker's feet. Dragging in a deep, ragged breath, she closed her eyes a moment. "I don't want to hurt him."

"Do you want me to do it?"

"No." Grasping the heel, Rachel pulled off Parker's bloody loafer. He screamed and Caleb had to hold him down so Parker wouldn't hurt himself.

"Fire! I'm on fire!" Parker thrashed. "Help me!"

Awakened by Parker's cries, the others gathered around. Annie wiped Parker's face with a wet bandana. Ty helped Caleb hold Parker while Josh and Dani got more coconuts.

"It's a blister," Rachel said as she rinsed the wound with coconut water. Her smooth forehead marred with concentration lines as she gently spread the cream on Parker's heel using a square of the bandana Ty cut.

"You think the cream will work?"

Rachel studied the wound. "I don't think the infection has spread. If I change it often and keep putting on the antibiotic cream, then it should heal."

"We can use my glasses cloth for a bandage."

"Good idea, Annie. It would be better, of course, to have a fresh bandage each time but I think it will work."

"The things we take for-granted," Tanner mused.

Missy stood back, arms folded tightly across her middle. "He's not going to die, is he?"

Caleb put his hand on her shoulder, peering down at her sympathetically. "We're doing all we can."

Her gaze swung to Parker, who looked paler than ever. His cheeks had a translucent look, dark circles shadowed his eyes, and he shivered. "It's not enough!" Missy shouted.