Footprints

Twenty-Six Years Old (Part Two)

Jessie and Priam had ended up spending the majority of the following week unconscious, as the healer, Madja, worked on healing any of the cuts that hadn't healed yet at the time of their rescue.

After months of sleeping on an uncomfortable freezing stone floor, Jessie found the soft warmth of her bed to be uncomfortable in itself, making it difficult to sleep. She ended up choosing to sleep, not wanting to be awake during any of the time she was healing. She didn't remember much of anything that week.

Jessie hadn't fully woken up out of the daze she had been in until she could hear Priam crying out in pain. Suddenly awake, but not registering her surroundings, Jessie quickly pushed herself into sitting up. She had thought they were saved. She had thought they were finally free. But if Priam was screaming in pain, than—

"Jessie, Jessie. It's okay. You're safe. You're home. You're both safe."

Slowly, Jessie was coming back to herself, becoming aware of her surroundings, she looked to where the voice was coming from and was met with happy, tear filled brown eyes that matched her own.

"He's okay. You don't need to worry. Madja just has to break both of your bones again, so she can set them to heal properly. They hadn't healed properly at all." Her mother explained to her, trying to keep the sadness from her voice.

She then saw her father sitting beside her mother, and both were looking at Jessie like they were both incredibly happy she was sitting in front of them, alive, and safe.

Jessie looked between her parents, before finally speaking the first words she had allowed in months, though she couldn't bring herself to speak louder than a whisper.

"I'm so sorry." As soon as the final word was out of her mouth, it was as if a switch had flipped, and Jessie had broken down crying, unable to stop. She didn't know when, but she had ended up in both her parents laps as she just cried.