commander

jonah

Torra

"Nala." I shook her gently. "Wake up." I shook her again.

"What time is it?" Nala asked groggily.

"Someone's at the door." I said.

"Shit." Nala seemed to have woken up completely, sitting up with a struggle. "Hide!" She whispered.

"Why?"

"If it's Jonah?" Nala said like it was common knowledge. I jumped out of bed, grabbed my belt and boots, and hid in the bathroom. "Who is it?" Nala called.

"Andi." Nala limped to the door, the uncomfortable pattern of her footsteps bothering me. Nala unlocked the door and opened it for Andi. As the door shut, I walked out of the bathroom, causing Andi and Nala to look at me like I was a ghost.

"I had a plan to cover up . . ." Andi began, tiptoeing around 'abortion'.

"Last night." Nala finished.

"I was thinking about the stab. We could pretend it was reopened after the funeral. That's why you have that gnarly bruise on your face." Andi pointed out. I hadn't even noticed the purple covering almost half of Nala's face. "Joseph knows you were stabbed in the Committee take-down, but he doesn't know that you reopened it in the fight yesterday."

Andi carried bandages and a medium-sized jar of some red liquid. "Is that blood?" I asked.

"Watered-down wine thickened with flour." Andi told. "I talked with Rimona, and she said it was safe as long as the cut if properly closed."

"Let's do it." Nala agreed. She turned around and limped back to her bed.

"Do you need help?" Andi asked.

"I need to walk on my own." Nala said as she limped back to her bed. Nala sat down, pain overcoming her expression. Lifting her shirt, her stab had almost completely healed. Nala took her fingernail and dragged it up the cut, small bits of blood bubbling. Andi dipped the pad of her finger into the diluted wine and sponged the dripping liquid around Nala's stomach area. As Andi finished with the wine, she got the bandages collected from the bed. Nala lifted her elbows as Andi began wrapping he torso.

Nala winced as Andi pulled on the bandages, making me agitated. Andi was there the entire time last night yet so careless with Nala. Nala and Andi both seemed to brush it off, but it still bothered me relentlessly. Nala got up, walking to her wardrobe.

Nala

Flipping through the clothes, nothing seemed comfortable. Shirts would either cover the bandages or be uncomfortable for someone with a stab. The pants were all too tight, and the skirts were not exactly attractive.

"Do you want to go to my room? My clothes will fit you looser." Andi offered.

Rather than put myself through the misery of my own clothes, I took Andi's offer. She walked me to her room, often slowing down for me. Andi took the key off from around her neck and unlocked her door. I had been in Andi's room once, but nothing made it memorable. "Why don't you sit on the bed? I'll find something." Andi offered.

My stomach was sore like I had just run from Napoli to Lanca and couldn't catch my breath. I sat up on the bed, the long shirt collecting near my stomach. Dried blood ran in a veiny pattern on the inside of my thighs. My eyes got teary just recalling the events of yesterday. I wiped my eyes, making sure Andi, of all people, saw me so emotional.

"Hey, I found this vest. You might want to wear it with a shirt underneath, or maybe a jacket." Andi passed me a vest that split to avoid exactly where my stab was.