The Race

006 | Cami

My head burned. I blindly fished a pain-killer out of my bag and popped it into my mouth. The pain numbed a few moments later.

I heard faint noises, like people talking, but I couldn't understand what they were saying. I could only hear soft mummers and whispers.

After a few more moments of mummers, my hearing and eyesight zoomed into focus. I sat up quickly and looked around.

Harper was standing above me, her hand extended. "Let me help you up," she said. I grabbed her hand and she pulled me up.

"What's going on? Who's hurt? Who's not?" I asked, needing all the details.

"Asia, Lark, Maybelle and I are fine... but Aralee and Naomi are both hurt," Harper explained. "You also have a giant bruise on your head."

"I'll be fine. I'll just need a pain-killer every now and then." I walked forward to find Aralee holding her leg and Naomi still knocked out. Asia was beside Aralee, getting a bandage from her bag. Aralee smiled through the pain.

"Did she take a pain-killer yet?" I asked.

"I did," Aralee replied. "Now she just needs to bandage me up!"

She was incredibly positive. I was both impressed and annoyed.

Asia quickly wrapped the bandages around Aralee's leg. "You must sit for a bit, okay?" Asia asked. Aralee nodded and Asia stood up to repack Aralee's bag.

Maybelle and Lark were both with Naomi, who still looked unconscious.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Your stupid plan happened," Maybelle snapped. "If it weren't for you-"

"We would have gotten in trouble for assault," I said, cutting her off. "Lark, please tell me what's really going on."

"Naomi hit her head, like you, but a bit worse," Lark said.

"A bit? She won't even wake up-" Maybelle was cut off by Naomi opening her eyes.

"Oh good gosh!" Naomi groaned, grabbing her hand. "My head hurts!"

"It's okay, it's okay," Lark said calmingly, taking out a pill and some water. "Take some of this and breathe in and out."

Naomi greedily grabbed the pill and swallowed without the water, but she ended up chugging the water anyway. Then I noticed something.

"Oh crap... Naomi," I whispered softly. "Your face..."

"What? What about my face?" Naomi snapped. "Get me my mirror! It's in the left pocket of my bag..."

I handed the pocket mirror to her. She opened it and looked at herself. A moment later she was in hysterics.

"The left side of my face is broken! Awful!" Naomi shrieked. "It's bloody and broken!"

"Naomi, let's wash the blood off-" Lark started.

"No amount of washing or makeup can fix this!" Naomi exclaimed, pointing her finger at the side of her left face. It was covered in blood and there was almost no skin left. "I was supposed to be the distraction, but only a mutt would be diverted by me!"

"It will heal," Lark said. By this point, the rest of the girls had come over. Asia had her medical kit in hand.

"Let me disinfect your face," Asia said softly. "It will hurt for a bit, but it'll stop infections."

Naomi laid down on the dirt, her short black hair gathering dirt and grass. Asia wiped around her wounds first before plunging in. Naomi didn't show any signs of pain. I guess she was used to things being on her face. Afterward, Asia wrapped a thin bandage around Naomi's head.

"You have a bruise on the top of your head too," Asia said, moving around her hair. "But your hair hides it well."

"Can my hair hide my face? I think not," Naomi grumbled.

"Your looks can't possibly be everything," Harper said. "I mean, come on, there is more to everyone than their appearance."

Naomi frowned. "Not for me," she mumbled sadly. I felt a stab of pity for the girl, until I remembered how bratty she had been. Anyhow, it was her choice to make her appearance her everything.

"Guys, we need to get hiking," I said. "We should get that clue by tonight. It's already been a day and a half."

"You're right," Harper said sarcastically. "A day is so very long."

"No," Maybelle said. "I think Cami is right. The stupid train idea was a wreck so we should hurry."

"Guys I-" Asia started but Harper cut her off.

"It was just a joke, Maybelle," she snapped. "You take everything so seriously."

"Guys-" Asia tried to talk but her quiet voice was blocked out by Maybelle's harsh voice.

"Maybe you don't take things seriously enough! The Race is important! A day traveling is too much."

"Guys-"

"The boys have to travel too," Harper pointed out.

"Guys-"

"We have to beat them, not stay in pace with them," Maybelle said.

"Guys, calm down," Lark said calmingly.

"BUTT OUT, LARK!" Maybelle screamed.

"Guys, um..."

"LISTEN TO ASIA!" I screamed. Everyone looked at me, and then to Asia.

"What?" Maybelle asked, raising an eyebrow in annoyance.

"I, um, do not think that Aralee can walk for very long," Asia said, letting her dark hair fall around her like a shield. "She could barely walk over here. I do not think she can walk all the way to Hagia Sophia."

"Then we'll help her," Lark said. "I could even carry her if she needs me to."

"Then let's go," I said. I knew we needed to get going. I really hated that we didn't know where the other team was. I didn't know if we were doing well or if we were doing terribly. I only knew that we had to hurry if we wanted to win, and trust me, I wanted to win.

Because one million dollars is the only thing that will make this entire thing worth it.