Hell, what I needed was just to focus on work. My next task was to start ripping down one of the dilapidated sheds on the property to make way for the new habitats Dallas wanted to build. Dallas had indicated we could wait until spring, but I wanted him to be able to break ground as soon as the snow was gone. And the location wouldn’t be easy to get any excavating equipment to, so the building would need to be taken down by hand and the debris trucked out at some point.
As I rounded the corner to follow the trail that led to the office, I heard a muffled thump and a whining sound. I was just walking toward the narrow path that cut through to the cat building when I saw a streak of white flash by me. Loki changed direction when he saw me and began whining in earnest as he darted back toward the cat building, then came back to me. I dropped my tools and began running, because I had no doubt what was bothering the animal.
My heart was in my throat when I saw the familiar bright-blue parka covered in cartoon cars and the red knit cap. But the cap was currently lying in the snow next to Newt’s little thrashing body.
“Newt!” I screamed as I ran to him and fell to my knees next to him. His eyes were open and his face was contorted into an expression of confusion and fear. His mouth was wide open and there was some spit forming at the side of his mouth. His arms and legs were jerking in the snow.
Jesus, he was having a seizure.
I automatically began searching for my phone but remembered I’d left it in the office to charge.
I ripped off my gloves and put my hands on Newt’s face.
“Newt, buddy, I’m here,” I said. I wasn’t sure if he could hear me or not, but I desperately wanted him to know he wasn’t alone. His expression didn’t change–it was like he was seeing right through me.
“Dallas! Sawyer!” I yelled. I knew Isaac had left to go to town earlier because I’d crossed paths with him in the office as he’d been saying his goodbyes to Newt, Dallas, and Nolan. He hadn’t spoken to me, but I’d overheard Newt begging him not to forget the snow pants.
I had no clue what to do for Newt, though my gut was telling me not to restrain him. I checked the area around him to make sure there was nothing his body would come into contact with, like a tree limb or large rock sticking out of the snow. The evening’s previous snowfall had left a soft layer of snow on top of the iced-over layer, so my hope was he hadn’t hurt himself when he’d fallen. I didn’t see any kind of bleeding or marks on his head, but there could very well be an injury on the back of his head.
I fought the urge to gather the thrashing little boy in my arms and instead continued to talk to him so he would know he wasn’t alone. I was about to yell for Dallas and Sawyer again when I heard Isaac calling Newt’s name. It was then that I noticed Loki had taken off.
God, I fucking loved that wolf.
“Here! He’s here!” I shouted.
Less than ten seconds later, Loki, then Isaac came barreling around the corner.
“Newt,” Isaac cried out, and then he was falling to his knees on the other side of Newt’s body. Loki began licking Newt’s face and whining frantically.
“I think he’s having a seizure,” I said. “Where’s your phone?”
Surprisingly, Isaac was calmer than I would have expected him to be when he said, “He is.” He put his hands on Newt’s upper body and said to me, “Help me get him on his side. We need to keep his airway clear and ride it out.”
I did as he said. As I held Newt in position, Isaac got down next to his face and checked his mouth, then began quietly talking to him.
“I’m here, Newt. It’s okay, buddy. It’ll be over soon, okay? I’m not going anywhere. Just listen to the sound of my voice.”
He kept talking to Newt even as Sawyer suddenly appeared. Within seconds, he was kneeling next to us. “What happened?” he asked.
“He’s epileptic,” Isaac responded.
Sawyer nodded and then began running his fingers gently over the back of Newt’s head. Dallas and Nolan appeared, and Nolan quickly pulled Loki back as the animal continued to try and lick Newt’s face.
“I’m not finding any head wounds,” Sawyer said. “This snow is soft enough that it would have cushioned his fall.”
“Do we need to call someone?” Nolan asked. We were all on our knees in the snow. Dallas yanked his coat off and draped it over Newt’s still-jerking body.