Nyx | Carpe Noctem ✓

Chapter 6: Arrow Attack

∙ Madis POV ∙

I cautiously wandered through the forest, a hand always on the dagger while listening to every small noise, ready to attack if needed.

I spotted the hut of the medicus and let a sigh of relief escape my mouth. With faster steps I approached his house, knocked and waited to be led in. He opened the door, gave me a quick nod and led me through to his surgery. I lay down and he moved some tools over my skin, checking my heartbeat and my breathing.
"Since when is your breathing so unsteady?" he queried. I thought for a moment. "Uhm, I think two weeks now."

He nodded, rubbing his chin and picking up other tools. I had to roll over and lie on my belly so he could check my lungs. "That does not sound good," he murmured into his beard and my stomach coiled. "I will give you some pills, you will have to take them everyday until we meet again in....let's say today in two weeks."
He put his tools down and leaned over the table. "I believe there is water in your lungs. I will try to remove it now. But it will be painful, I have to warn you," he stated, a sympathetic look on his face. My lips formed a pout, I swallowed thickly and nodded.

What did I expect? That everything was suddenly super fine? No, definitely not, but I somehow always had hope.

The medicus wiped a wet cloth over my back, right over the skin were my lung lay underneath. The next thing I felt was a needle poking through my skin. A thick needle. I grabbed the bench I was lying on tightly, knuckles turning white, and bit the insides of my cheeks to hold back from crying out loudly. Liquid was removed from my lungs and it was definitely not water—water is not red.

He wanted to quickly put syringe away so that I would not see it but I saw it. There was no need to hide it.

"I am dying, right?" I asked, blinking away some tears.

He carefully brushed his hand over my head. "Not yet, lovely Madis." He cleared his throat and I pressed my lips in a thin line. "We will fix this...somehow," the old man told me and I gave him a weak smile.
"Now to the pills. Wait, let me quickly prepare them for you," he announced, getting up and stumbling over to a big cupboard. He opened the doors and quickly fumbled around with all sorts of bottles and containers. He took out a small and a big container. The small one was empty, the big one filled with black oval-shaped pills. He took some of the pills out and filled them into the smaller container, smiling at me in a pitying way.
"Two a day. One in the morning, one in the evening," he instructed. I dipped my chin, grabbing the container from his hand and zipping up my dress at the back.
"Thank you," I told him, grabbing his arm tightly. He closed his eyes, and exhaled. I swung my legs of the table, trying to fumble out the money from my pocket. "Here you go, I think this will do, right?" I gave him the money but he waved it off.

"No. Keep the money."

"No, I have to pay you. For the treatment and the pills," I insisted.
"Please, Madis. Keep the money. I don't need it," I nodded, some small tears rolling out of my eyes. My throat burned and all I wanted to do was burst into tears. "Thank you so much. Good bye," I bubbled.
"Good bye, Madis. Be careful," he told me, waving after me, before closing the door. I held the container tightly under my arm while wiping some tears from my face with the back of my hand.

I hurdled through the forest when I suddenly heard branches cracking behind me. Shit. My hand instantly moved to the dagger, but then I heard voices and—

Holy gods! An arrow passed my head by an inch. It struck the tree right behind me. "Oh my gods!" I exclaimed, immediately slamming my hand over my mouth and ducking down.

∙ Nyx POV ∙

"I don't know. Killing animals for nothing is really stupid I think and so useless. Can we not just let them live?" Finja groaned, bracing her hands on the table and throwing her long white hair over her shoulder in a swift movement.