The Ascent

Chapter 19

It was strange how a familiar place, the one that once gave her joy, suddenly became so terrifying. Jasmine feared something horrible would happen if she even breathed too loudly. The sense of familiarity blended with the ice cold of fear made it much harder for Jasmine to observe her surroundings and stay vigilant.

Having walked for quite a while, she realized that even though she had rested her ankle for a few days, using the balm Asher carried with him, her ankle wasn't back to normal. Even though it wasn't that painful, and she could walk rather well, Jasmine worried that if it came to running, it might give out and cause her to be captured.

Still, she refused to give up. She would either come back with something useful; or wouldn't return at all. It was one time when her natural stubbornness had turned dangerous to her survival, but she didn't care. All her focus was on doing what she set out to do. After all, wasn't that how people should live their lives one day at a time? Never surrendering even if things were bleak because after rain comes sunshine.

"I don't even know what to do once I get back to the city," Jasmine thought, wondering if she might have bit off more than she could chew. "I didn't do so well even the first time around."

However, all her thoughts were soon erased as she heard muffled footsteps approaching. Thinking quickly, she hid behind thick bushes contemplating how many times she would be lucky enough not to be spotted.

Soon the sounds grew louder, and the steps seemed heavier. Jasmine wanted to take a peek but was too afraid of being exposed, so she held her breath, curling up into a small ball.

Only when she heard a loud crash did she dare to allow herself to take a quick look. What she saw had her head spinning in dizzying circles.

A regular-looking human being was lying on the ground, bleeding profusely. The sound that she had heard before was the woman's legs giving out on her as she crumbled to the ground.

Still uncertain if it was safe, Jasmine quickly scanned their surroundings and hurried toward the poor broken woman. Even though she knew it could have been some elaborate trap, Jasmine couldn't let the woman die because she was scared and cautious.

If the others had been with her, whether to help or not would have been more of a dilemma. Helping would have meant risking their lives as well, but as it was, Jasmine was ready to put her life on the line and try to help to the best of her abilities.

"Miss, miss, can you hear me?" Jasmine asked as she slowly turned the woman on her back.

She wanted to check where she was bleeding from, but it seemed like there were far too many wounds to tell which one was causing the heaviest bleeding. Jasmine clumsily tried to put pressure on the biggest-looking one, but it seemed to have no effect but cause the woman to gasp in pain.

"Water," the woman managed to choke out hoarsely.

Jasmine fumbled through her backpack, finding the water bottle and slowly bringing it to the woman's dry lips. Looking at her, it was clear she had been wandering for quite some time and was dehydrated, besides bleeding heavily. It was a miracle that she was even alive. Jasmine guessed that the only thing that kept her going was her determination.

She used her clothing to try and stop the bleeding, but it only got soaked through. Although Jasmine was nauseous at the sight of it, she tried her best to keep the pressure on and think of a solution.

Her weakness angered her as she knew that if Asher had found the girl, he would have been able to carry her without any difficulties. He might have even had some miracle cure for heavy bleeding, but all Jasmine could do was try her best and feel utterly useless.

"It's okay, it's okay," she mumbled, not sure if she was trying to calm down the poor bleeding girl or herself. "I'll get you to safety. We'll help you heal, and everything will be just alright."

The girl looked at her with so much emotion that Jasmine couldn't stop a few tears from escaping her eyes. A sad little smile formed on the corners of the girl's lips as if she already knew the truth that Jasmine was too afraid to admit to herself.

"There is no... healing... me," the girl who looked so utterly young said. "It's too...late... for me. But maybe...not for humans."

"Save your energy," Jasmine quickly said, unsure if that would help.

"I have... a diary... in my backpack...read it..." the girl said, gripping Jasmine's hand weakly.

Jasmine was at a loss of what to say, so she gently squeezed back, hoping to give the dying girl much-needed comfort. It was unusual to feel so agonized for a girl she didn't even know. However, seeing a young life being extinguished tore through Jasmine's heart like thousand razor blades. It made what was happening all too real for the first time since that fateful day when everything changed.

"No, no, you are going to be okay and tell me whatever is written there," Jasmine said through sobs. "You need to hang on. I'll think of something."

"It's too late...I can...feel myself...slipping away," the girl said, using even more effort. "But... I am happy... I am not...dying alone...That...scared...me. Thank...you...for...being...here."

Suddenly her breaths became labored as if she were gasping for air that didn't come.

Then everything stopped.

Her body slackened, and there was nothing else. It all felt so utterly empty, catching Jasmine by surprise.

She had never seen anyone die. She had never felt so many emotions crash through her, leaving her more helpless than she had ever felt.

First, the shaking started, then the sobbing. Until Jasmine finally broke down, hugging the dead body of a girl whose name she didn't even know while swaying back and forth as if in a trance. It never occurred to her that she shouldn't be doing that, that she could be seen, and that she could share the girl's fate.

All she could focus on was that, in a second, one bright light was extinguished for reasons beyond her comprehension or acceptance.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't just. And yet it happened.

Jasmine always knew that the world was a cruel place. But its severity only came crashing down on her while she sat there covered in another human's blood. Her mind tried to shield her from all the realizations that came crashing down, but it wasn't fast enough. She could imagine more than she ever wanted, see so much more...

That was when she lost track of time. Later she never knew if she had passed out or gone into shock. All Jasmine knew was that the next thing she remembered was standing over the girl's body, promising to come back for her, with her diary clutched firmly in her hand.

All she could think about after that was getting to Asher. Surely he would know what to do besides hiding her body in the bushes. He would help even though there was no helping the dead girl. Nevertheless, it felt like more could be done, something that Jasmine was missing in her muddled state.

So, she started moving towards the cave one step at a time. That was the best her dazed mind could do. Running wasn't something she could ask from herself as shock made her limbs heavier than ever and her mind unable to avoid obstacles even at a slow pace.

Her processing was so limited that she could barely register when something was in front of her. Besides, it took her even more time to understand that she should go around it, not just smash through it.

Everything felt so heavy.

The air was so thick it felt like swimming through syrup.

And yet she kept going.

One step at a time.