A Mother's Affection

"You're gonna be OK, Johnny."

He lay motionless on the asphalt, blood pooled around his head. A deep gash ran the length of his leg, oozing blood. I tore off my shirt and pressed it against the wound.

God, I was so stupid not to have carried a cell phone! But it was just supposed to be an easy bike ride a few miles from home...How the hell could we have known that some stupid rabbit would run right out in front of us?

I repositioned my shirt and tied it around the torn calf. My hands pressed against my eyes. This was not happening to my best friend! I stood up and looked around the highway for help.

"Help us, somebody, he's hurt...Dammit, help us!" Silence.

Johnny's body began thrashing and I kneeled at his side.

"Just hang on, man!" He made a sputtering cough, and his body stilled. I could hear shallow breathing.

Maybe it'd be better to just run back home. I had already tried both our bikes, but one of Johnny's rear tires had busted open when he hit the ground, and my rear axle was so bent that the wheel couldn't move.

I didn't have to think long, though, because a few minutes later my mom's station wagon pulled up beside us. She got out of the car.

"Hurry Mom!"

"Steven..." she said, running to Johnny's side. "What happened? Are you OK?" For a second her eyes were filled with wild fervor, and I was choked with confusion.

"We...There was...A rabbit jumped in front of us and we fell off our bikes. I...Don't worry about me, I'm fine; But Johnny...I think he was knocked unconscious-I don't know how he hit the ground so hard, but...Oh, we have to get an ambulance or something, Mom!"

Her face paled.

"I left my cell phone at home! Look, Steven, Johnny has to get medical attention now. We can't move his head; go home and call 911. I...I had some training as a nurse...in college-I just never told you...I can attend to him while you get help. Go, now!"

Before I could say a word she was leading me into the car. She shut the door behind me. The keys were still in the ignition, and within a few seconds I was speeding down the highway.

"Shit!" I slammed on the brakes, enraged that I forgot to get the house key. Mom always kept it separate from her keychain. I turned the car around, and raced back. I flung the door open, intending to run as fast as I could to get the key. A foot away I stopped, eyes bulging in disbelief.

Mom had removed the shirt from Johnny's wound, and blood was pouring onto the ground. Her hands were digging into his calf, ripping at the muscle and cramming bits of meat into her mouth.

"Mm...mom," I stuttered, overcome with shock and nausea. Her head snapped up, revealing a mouth covered in blood, and eyes full of that same wild fervor. And then she looked at the bleeding cut on my chest, and I took a step backward.