Fallen from the Sky

Chapter 6

Jazz

Alex and me are attempting to tend to Harriet’s wounds when Luna walks towards us, covered in mud. Andrew has been extremely distant from us and has been especially trying to avoid Harriet. I just can’t get my head around the fact that one of us might have actually attacked Harriet- nearly killed Harriet. She’s asleep again. Whether she wanted to or whether it was her injured body she is out cold. Nothing we seem to do can wake her. It’s a perfect state to fix her up in.

Luna steps towards the entrance to the shelter.

“Hi.” She says. Everyone apart from Alex turns their attention to Luna.

“What happened to you?” Daisy asks.

“I don’t know, I found this nice fork in the trees and I fell asleep while it was raining. I must of rolled off into the mud.”

“At least you found a way to enjoy the downpour.” Courtney says. “We were trying to figure out how to hunt without feeling guilty when we got soaked to the skin.”

It seems slightly strange but we were by the lake, trying to discuss ways to hunt while causing us and the animal least pain. We knew we had to start at some point and Alex had a good shot with a sharpened stick. The animal, whatever it was, just squealed slightly and ran off, a small cut on its back. We are pathetic.

“No one go to the lake- I need a wash.” Luna states.

“Yeah, alright.” Everyone says in agreement.

“We all need a wash.” Says Daisy.

 Andrew just nods, not having uttered a single word in this conversation.

“I think I’ve managed to cover Harriet’s head!” Alex exclaims.

I turn back to my job and see that Harriet’s forehead is covered by a banana leaf wrapped around her head and secured by a stick in her hair.

I turn closer towards it and start to rip parts of the edges until her eyes are visible.

“Good work.” Courtney says.

“Now we’ve just got the chest.” Daisy says.

There’s an uncomfortable silence.

“Shouldn’t we try to wake Harriet again?” Daisy asks.

“We can.” I say, “But shouldn’t we try to patch up her chest first? While she’s like this I mean.”

Everybody nods and murmurs in agreement. Andrew stands up and mutters something about “scenery” and a “nice walk”. Everybody murmurs and nods in acknowledgement.

Alex looks at me and I take the hint and lift up Harriet’s top. Her stomach is still bleeding and it is extremely sore. I look at Alex tentatively and he returns the strange glance. He takes another banana leaf and wraps it round her chest only to puzzle on how to keep it there.

“We could make it a sling.” Daisy suggests.

“We could tighten it.” Courtney adds.

“You can’t tighten a leaf.” Alex says bluntly, frustrated.

“Or can you?” Daisy says thoughtfully.

“You can’t tighten a leaf.” Alex repeats, trying strange knots and twists to keep it in place.

“We could make a sling and wrap it round…” Courtney says innocently.

“We can’t make a sling and attach it. Her arm has nothing to do with her chest!”  Alex lets his arms fall to his side in frustration.