In My Time of Dying

Chapter 9

                                                                            Chapter 9

                                                                   "Rendezvous in the Trees"

I found myself in a flurry of activity as we worked to help Maaka. Killian and Hannah had already removed two of the four arrows and were working on a third. On closer inspection, the arrows had made their way into his shoulder, possibly sparing his life. 

Jakob and I were busy trying to make some kind of medicine that was in one of their mother's old remedy notebooks. 

"Is he supposed to drink this?" I asked doubtfully as I struggled to stir the gob of gook in the bowl.

Jakob shook his head forcefully. "No, we'll apply it to his wound. He'll need stitches."

I looked yet again back to Hannah and Killian and observed that Maaka's shoulder was free of arrows. He was bleeding profusely and had already bloodied three towels. 

"He's losing too much blood!" I hadn't intended on voicing my thoughts aloud but sometimes my mind did things on its own accord.

"We need to get that ointment now and then we'll stitch him." Killian reached out for the bowl and I gave it to him, not completely convinced it was done. Hannah was in tears and she stepped away from him. Her sobs almost seemed to shake the house.

The ointment went on a lot smoother than I would have imagined and Jakob had surprisingly nimble fingers with it came to stitching Maaka's shoulder. 

Maaka came to sometime later. After much groaning and several false starts of speech, he managed to form a sentence. 

"They... Burned... Houses... Shot the p... People who were... Fleeing in the... Back." He fell silent then, his breathing ragged. Hannah held one of Maaka's hands in her own, holding on to them like dear life.

Killian turned to Jakob and they began making plans to go to Maaka's village and see the damage. They went to get their bows and arrows and started for the door.

"I'm coming with you." I announced and I hurried to them. Both looked back at me with unhappy expressions.

"I don't think that that's a good idea, Evelyn." Killian argued, his eyes strained. All traces of happiness had been wiped from his face.

I squared my shoulders. "I'm going."

Jakob shook his head. "Listen, Ev. If something happens with Maaka while we're away, Hannah will lose it and not be able to help him. They'll need you here just in case of an emergency. We'll only be gone for an hour or so."

I hesitated before surrendering. They had a good point, no matter how much I didn't like it.

"Alright. Be careful." I turned to go back to the couch but Killian lightly clutched my arm. He pulled me into a hug and I leaned up to kiss him on the cheek. After planting a kiss on my forehead, he and Jakob were gone.

"If you'll help me move Maaka to my bed, you can sleep in Killian's room for a little while." Hannah's offer suddenly sounded appealing so I agreed.

It took longer than I imagined but we finally got Maaka into Hannah's bed. She assured me it was fine and so I made my way to Killian's room.

His bed was neatly made and I almost hated messing it up but I curled up in the blankets. The moment my head hit the pillow, I was asleep.

The first thing I heard when I awoke was my own breathing. It was comforting and yet unsettling as it was the only sound in the room.