Hunt

Chapter 52: A Speedy Recovery

"C'mon brain! Just one minute of clarity, that's all I'm asking!" I plead with myself during one of my more clouded moments. A migraine had been preventing me from completing a single thought. I was just lucid enough to be aware that I wasn't going to get anything done, but stubborn enough to not stop myself from trying anyways. I stare down at the jumbled scribblings on the paper in front of me. The last couple of days having been spent frantically writing down anything I could during my brief moments of clarity. Which were fortunately becoming more and more frequent as the days passed.

Resting my head in my hands I try to center myself, anything to help alleviate the pain pounding through my head. Reaching for my math textbook I contemplate trying to study. My teachers were letting me makeup the tests I was missing by being bedridden, but that was really the least of my worries. I hate feeling useless... This suffocating feeling of being unable to complete the simplest of tasks was driving me up the wall. Eventually retiring to my bed I pass time by staring at the ceiling, the one activity I can still find some success at.

"I'm no leader..." I sigh, still stuck on thinking about how I'm going to manage leading not just a team but a mixed one. I always prefer to work alone or with a single partner. Little does Reyna or the other wolves know, we hunters don't always work well together. Too many hunters in one spot for an extended length of time usually results in infighting, as we all have our own ways of doing things and hate changing our methods. It's a bit of an ego issue I think we all share. We all think we're experts on the subject, and in most instances we are. But we tend to forget that when we're all together. Getting into an argument over a difference of opinions out in the field is something that can be more dangerous than hunting solo.

"You have more experience in small groups..." I mimic Reyna's words with a mocking tone. "I can't believe I fell for that... Damn werewolves always work in groups!" I say, my jumbled thoughts finding solidity through my frustrated words.

The minutes seem to pass like hours, all the while my room is slowly rocking back and forth. It was infinitely better than the constant spinning of previous days, but it still felt like I was stuck on a boat. I'd take feeling like a sailor over being stuck in a washing machine any day. Falling asleep doesn't relieve me from the rocking. My dreams a sporadic montage of boats and ships on stormy seas, rocking in the turbulent waves. It further intensified my feeling of seasickness in my waking hours.

The next morning I awake to a feeling I haven't felt in what feels like an eternity. Opening my eyes I find that I can focus clearly on the light fixture above me, pulling the double image of the lightbulb into a tight and focused point. The pain was still present but it was much more manageable. My thoughts no longer actively fighting me. We were back in business, it just took upwards of a week.

"You feeling better? You're up and about without stumbling everywhere, you're also looking a lot less green." Julie asks as I shuffle slowly into the kitchen, having watched me from the kitchen table as I slowly and tentatively walk towards the fridge. I may feel better, but I don't want to push it.

"I feel... better." I say with uncertainty, "I'm just trying not to jinx it." Slowly I pull the fridge door open. Reaching for the orange juice inside.

Julie tilts her head. "We got training after school. Are you gonna be there?"

"I... I don't know yet. Now that I can at least think straight I have a bunch of normal stuff I need to start making up." I say, secretly wanting to put off on going back to training as long as possible. "I don't want to rush into it too quickly."

"Well since you're feeling better you should at least reach out to your girlfriend. She's been stressing about the assignment her father requested, it's been driving me up the wall." Julie mumbles between spoonfuls of cereal.