A sharp pain spreads across my ankle. I glance down and see an arrow protruding through my flesh. Immediately a sickening feeling spreads into my stomach. I don't stop. I'm sure I'm running slower now but I must not stop. I fight with every step, every ragged, painful breath I take is screaming for me to stop moving but I don't. I'm certain that if I were to stop, the men that are chasing me could easily figure out who I am. The thought of that scares me more than anything.
I'm still running but I can feel their footsteps growing closer. I look around the forest in an effort to save myself from my coming pursuers. I can't run anymore, but I can hide. I turn. I am now ducking a bobbing through oncoming trees. I take a sharp turn and as quick as I can, dive into the nearby brush. They saw me. I know it. I do the only thing I can think of and begin to crawl through various grasses and plants. I stop and hold my breath once I've crawled into what feels like a small crevice. I wouldn't know. My eyes are closed.
Suddenly, the forest feels quiet as I listen desperately to hear the sounds of my pursuers. It feels like I lay there for hours just waiting for the small crack of a twig or the crunch of a leaf. It never comes. Eventually, after who knows how long, I open my eyes. I realize I had crawled into a hole at the bottom of a tree. I thank the goddesses that I am not bigger, and that I was able to miraculously fit inside the small crevice of the tree.
I stand up on my shaky legs and look around. I recognize this part of the forest and feel relieved at the fact that I can easily make my way home. I look around a little more in an effort to be completely sure that the men following me are gone. They are.
I begin to slowly walk in the direction of my house. My head is down and my eyes are focused on the ground. I grit my teeth as my ankle burns with each step. The pain feels almost unbearable but I keep walking. It feels as though I have been walking for too long before I stop. I see a trail of blood run across my path. I follow the path with my eyes, before almost screaming out of pure shock and fright. Down at my feet at the end of the trail is a man. His crimson attire is almost fully soaked with blood from what looks like a great slash across his chest. His black hair covers most of his face but his pained expression is unmistakable and looks almost angry.
I reach down and grab a long stick. I slowly extend it and push it into his head. His head rolls over and a noise, similar to that of a small animal in pain escapes from his mouth. I almost feel tempted to laugh. Such a sweet noise from such an intense and cold man.
I squat down putting all my weight onto my good ankle. I shuffle over to him and move his hair from his face. I am ashamed to admit that I truly believe he's beautiful. Almost inhumanly beautiful. My eyes pass over his dark eyebrows, which are curved down, his lips which are pulled into a scowl.
The decision has been made. I reach down and grab his arms. I tighten my grip as hard as I can and begin the treacherous journey back to my house, dragging him the whole way.
After getting him through the door I promptly passed out. I woke up hours later on the floor. I startled awake quickly remembering the strange man I had foolishly dragged into my home. I jerked my head around and was relieved to see him calmly sleeping on the floor next to me. His face was in a more peaceful expression. I wondered if he had woken up but fell back asleep.
I reluctantly stood back up before dragging him onto the couch with much difficulty. It took me a good thirty minutes to get under him and lift him onto the couch. By the time I was done, I could no longer ignore the searing pain coming from my ankle.
I shuffled into my bathroom and assessed my injuries. My ankle was entirely red and the arrowhead was still stuck in my skin. I grabbed a few pieces of cloth and set them in warm water to soak. I grunted before trying to pull out the arrowhead. It was a long and tedious process that ended in a tear-soaked face and a few suicidal thoughts. Once it was done, however. I cleaned out the wound best I could. My ankle was wrapped in bandages and though the pain was almost worse now I felt a little better.
