Anomaly

CHAPTER 4

My name is Tessa

The boy with the fur collar moves quickly toward the collapsed girl. His head instinctively cranes up moving side to side frantically before moving closer. He scans the sky. The darkness would offer them some cover he thinks, but would he be fast enough to bring them both back. He considers that she may have pursuers, as he crouches down next to the pitiful girl.

He rolls her over on her back for a moment, attempting to see the extent of her wounds. Her sun burnt cheeks glow red through her tan skin, he can see small valleys were the tears cut through the layer of dirt on her face. Eyes closed, she almost appears peaceful despite the damage. He notices swelling under her right eye that has bloomed from red to purple, there is blood staining her matted hair. He figures he will not be able to gauge where the blood is exactly coming from until they are both in a safer location. She also appears to have taken significant damage to her leg. A large laceration peeks from under a slit in her blood crusted slacks. The girl wears no shoes. Her feet look as if they have been put on a skillet. He reads the faded letters across her chest SEM ACADAMNY. His face contorts in shock. The distance she must have come to make it to the mountains, and without shoes or water? What was it, at least 20 miles, but in the heat of the day it must have been hell. These thoughts only confirm that he must get her away from here and quick. He wouldn't let her die here. He thinks momentarily about the distrust the people beyond the mountains would have at the sight of a girl from one of the Cities. Even if he could get her there would they accept her? Especially a girl that has spent time in the academy? To them she could be anyone, a spy, a soldier, a threat. He was sure there would be hesitation but something about her makes him want to risk the confrontation. The way she lies doesn't make him pity her, but makes him respect her struggle. Stupid, yes, but also bold.

He slides his left arm under her neck and his right under her knees scooping her up like a child. She was pleasantly light, making moving as one much easier. She almost seems like a kid in this moment, in his arms, and he feels a nerve of protectiveness over her.

The girl moves restlessly but not enough to escape his sturdy hold. She mumbles unintelligibly and gives frightened moans as they move up the rocky terrain. Her body feels as hot as an iron despite the cool air now breathing on both of them. He can feel her sweat begin to soak through his own shirt. His eyebrows press together as he looks down to her struggling facial expressions.

"Almost there, hold on" He says in a husky voice.

"I can't, I can't, I ca..." She mumbles faintly, but he is able decipher her words. He looks down again surprised and confused by this.

"You can't what?" His words are worthless to her now, her body loosens in his grip, her expressions relax and she looks peacefully asleep again.

"Hey!" he says loudly now "Hey stay here with me, where almost there!" He grips her tighter to his body and begins to move into a slight jog. He sees the familiar land marks that signify safety for him. Bundles of bushes clump together around 3 large boulders that lean against one another like people sitting back to back.

The mouth of the cave sits unassuming about 20 yards beyond the towering boulders. The opening is small, with only enough space for one or maybe two small people to get through. He slides her small frame down the gentle slope and follows her into the darkness. Once in, he cradles her again and moves deeper into the shadows. Within the blackness a slight patting of water can be heard.

The boy moves off of memory now, avoiding the pitfalls and jagged edges of the cave wall on his sightless trek. His face is one of determination, a small river of sweat flows freely down his face now. The corridor he treads widens with each step, what was once only a few feet wide spans several feet now. The sound of the water grows into a steady high chatter somewhere in the near distance.