Until I can get back to Earth and walk into a doctor's office and say, "I got shot up some. How about a patching job?"
Sutton chuckled.
He could see the doctor dropping dead.
Or going back to Cygni?
But they wouldn't let me in.
Or just going back to Earth the way I am and forgetting about the doctor.
I could get other clothes and the bleeding will stop when the blood's all gone.
But I wouldn't breathe, and they would notice that.
"Johnny," he said, but there was no answer, just a feeble stir of life within his brain, a sign of recognition, as a dog would wag its tail to let you know it heard but was too busy with a bone to let anything distract it.
"Johnny, is there any way?"