'tis the damn season

Twenty: The Great War

"I vowed not to fight anymore, if we survived the great war" 

"Get in!" Nancy yells, from her car.

I was still so disoriented, but somehow made it out of the now wrecked Cadillac, and into the back of the Wheeler's family car. Steve shut the trunk door, as we both sat down, and Nancy sped out of the parking lot.

I was still shaking.

I looked around at who was in the car with us, grateful to see both Jonathan and Will. Lucas was there too, but Mike, El, and Max were no where to be found.

I felt dizzy. And my hands were wet. Why were my hands wet?

"Fuck Laur, I'm so sorry," Steve says grabbing both my hands in his.

My eyes widen when I see the glass shards sticking out of each of my hands. I was covered in my own blood. I didn't even register that it hurt until I saw it. I had to look away before I passed out.

There was about three small shards in my left hand, while my right only had two, but they were bigger pieces.

"Can you just take them out?" I ask Steve quietly, while catching Will's eyes.

"Holy shit Lauren," Will says, twisting in his seat. "That doesn't look good."

"What? What's wrong?" Johnathan asks from up front.

Will answers so I don't have to. "She got some glass stuck in her hands from the car crash," he says, with a worried tone to his voice.

"I don't know that it's a good idea to take them out Laur, isn't that what doctors say not to do? It'll make you bleed more," Steve says, his voice almost panicky.

I understood where he was coming from, but it hurt so bad, if I moved my hands at all I could feel the sharpness of the glass shifting under my skin. I needed it out.

I see Lucas nod is head. "Yeah it's like if you get stabbed, you're supposed to leave the knife in so you don't loose as much blood."

I can't help but roll my eyes through the tears that were forming. "I wasn't stabbed, it's not that bad, they're small pieces, just pull them out," I say firmly.

It hurt way too much to be arguing about it. I knew that if they were pulled out it would feel so much better.

"Are you sure?" Steve asks, still holding both my my bloody hands.

"Yes please! It'll be fine!" I shout. "Just wrap my right hand with that where you're done, the left won't need anything," I say, pointing to the Scoops Ahoy uniform tie that was around his neck. It was already half covered in his blood, so why not add a little more?

"Okay," Steve breathes. "I'll start with your right."

I nod, pressing my head into the back of Lucas' seat. There was no way I was watching this.

"One, two—,"

"Don't count, just do it!" I shout.

But then the sharp pain, of glass slipping out of my skin, made me shut my mouth real quick. Both pieces on my right hand were out quickly and now he was wrapping his tie around my hand, making sure it was on tight.

I tried to focus on my breathing, as the pain almost felt worse now. But I knew it had to feel worse before it got better.

"Okay, next hand," Steve says, taking hold of my left. I grip his hand tightly, as I anticipate the sting.