Smoke On The Water | 18+

Chapter 10

Word Count: 2,043

My body feels like it's made of desert sand. My throat hurts and my mouth is so dry it's like my tongue is cracked clay.

I try to open my eyes, but I don't have enough energy yet.

Wait...

I tried to kill myself...

I guess I lived...

I'm a little glad, but also a little sad...

If I can't open my eyes, I will assess things a different way. I focus what little energy I have on counting my fingers and toes.

I start with my toes, struggling to wiggle one at a time, making sure I still have control over them. I do.

"Look." I hear Ela's voice whisper.

I try my fingers next, and as soon as I try to move my pointer finger, a searing pain erupts from my wrist. I groan, my voice hoarse and faint.

"She's waking up." I hear Tarak say from somewhere beside me. I hear multiple feet shuffling towards me, but I still can't open my eyes.

Someone holds a skin up to my lips, and to my delighted surprise, it's filled with cool water. I suck it down to the best of my ability, but ultimately end up choking on it, spluttering as I try to clear my lungs.

The water seems to help a lot, because before I know it, my eyes are finally cracking open.

The midday sunlight is absolutely blinding, and it takes a second for my vision to adjust. When it does, I see I am surrounded by Tarak, Ela and Mangas. My eyes instantly squint on his worried ones.

"Get out." I croak. His eyes soften, and he takes a step towards me.

"Get out!" I scream at him, my throat protesting harshly- sounding like I've eaten nothing but rocks my entire life. I don't know where all that energy came from either, but now I'm more exhausted than when I first woke a few moments ago.

Mangas jumps back a bit, surprised at my raised voice, but wordlessly heeds my command.

Ela and Tarak share a strange look before looking back to me.

"More water?" Tarak questions. I nod my head, and drink what he gives me. When I'm finished, I stare at them both silently.

"Say something, girl." Ela urges me softly. When I try to crane my neck upwards to look at the hole in the top of my tent the smoke is flowing through, I feel something around my neck.

I look back down, and notice many wreaths of flowers around my neck.

I look up at Ela hesitantly.

"What is this?" I ask, holding one up- my hoarse voice beginning to sound like a whisper.

"You have been accepted into the tribe." She says, placing her hand on my resting one. My eyebrows knit together in confusion.

"Why?" I ask. She smiles softly at me.

"Because you are worthy." She tells me seriously.

None of us speak for a long while. Tarak is surprisingly the one to break the silence.

"You must drink goldenrod three times a day, every day. Until your cast comes off." He tells me. I nod, but otherwise don't reply.

I almost forgot my ankle was fucked, too.

"How long was I.. asleep?" I ask Ela. Her face changes to one of pity, and I can't bare to see it. I look away from her, watching people go about their business outside.