Pure Blood

When Fye and Holidee fi nally reached the beach behind the house, Holidee jumped out of the salt water and ran to the shore. She only paused an instant to look back at Fye with a look of gratitude. She ran as fast as she could in her heavy jeans. She wrapped the baby sea otter in her wet cami so that its fur wouldn't dry out in the humid air. She struggled, tripped, and fell going up the wooden stairs because her legs were so tired. She reached the grass and started to call Crix's name. She stumbled only once in the grass but caught herself from falling. Crix heard her cries immediately and sprinted out of the house worried that Holidee was hurt. He slowed down a little when he saw her drop to the ground. Then he sped up again, his heart beating faster. "Holidee," he called out of breath. Crix slid to a stop beside her. The grass was wet. Why was the grass wet? Then he noticed Holidee was soaked and only half dressed. Fear built up in him. He knelt down beside her and put his hand on her bare shoulder. She was freezing. Oh god, no. "Holidee," he said softly, trying to calm himself down, "Holidee, what is it? What's wrong?" He was about to say more, but Holidee lifted her head and looked sadly at him. Crix couldn't tell her tears from the water dripping from her hair. Her face was pale. "I . . . I . . ." Holidee began. Then she looked back down. Crix noticed that she was looking at something. "I tried. I did. I . . ." her voice trailed off. She shifted a little, and Crix saw she was holding a baby sea otter. The little creature wasn't breathing. Crix looked back at Holidee who was silent. C'mon. Cry he thought. Please She didn't cry. Oh god. He racked his mind on what to do, but he couldn't remember. He touched her white skin again. She was getting colder. "Holidee, we…