Unveil The Veil

Chapter 3 - Aleena

Aleena's Point of view:

Determined, I rise and face the dawn with resolve. This time I will win.

- Richelle E. Goodrich
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I couldn't believe it. A numb feeling overcame me as we walked through the spider filled woods. Weird noises kept coming from different directions and although it was somewhat sunny out there, it was pitch dark here. The long tree branches covered everything. I kept rewinding Maysa's face as the two brunette guys carried her away. My heart clenched and a fresh batch of tears formed in my eyes again. From the look he gave me, I knew. I knew they were going to hurt her. I continued walking and crying until Tariq finally glanced at me and spoke. "We'll get her back Aleena."

I ignored him until I realized that he was limping. The bottom of his foot was damp with a red color around his ankle and his shoulder damp with blood too. I gasped and wrapped my arm around his arms to help him up.

"Tariq you've been shot!" The entire time I was worried about me and my sister when there was a man right next to me bleeding to death.

He attempted to shrug me away. "Aleena I'm okay. I promise."

I shook my head and watched as a pond came into view nearby. A small puddle of water surrounded what looked like rocks with grass for hair. They reminded me of the trolls in that one Disney movie May was obsessed with. It was outdated but nonetheless pretty great. I grabbed Tariq's arm by the sleeve and pulled him towards the rocks. He sat down and raised a brow at me before I cupped my hands and washed them in the pond. With them clean, I ripped three pieces of fabric from the bottom of my skirt and laid them down beside me. I pulled off his jacket and pulled his sleeve up. I grabbed one and wet it in the water before quickly pulling out the bullet and gently palpating it onto the wound.

"Ouch, careful please."

I continued trying to peel off the part of his shirt that was covering the wound but it didn't work. It kept coming right back. "Tariq, I need you to take off your shirt."

His eyes instantly snapped to mine and I felt his heart beat rapidly. "Are you sure?"

I nodded and dampened the fabric again while I watched him flex his left hand over his head to take the shirt off. I tried my best to keep my gaze only on his wound and nothing else. Gently, I tried to stop the bleeding and wipe the blood when he flinched. If he kept moving then the blood would only become messier. I gripped his shoulders and held him in one spot. "Keep still."

I suddenly realized that my palm was on top of the right side of his chest, and I felt the frantic beating of his heart. I looked up at him face and noticed he was a bit red. "Tariq, you okay?"

He nodded quickly and averted his gaze while I grabbed the other piece of fabric and tied it around his shoulder. When it was securely wrapped I moved on to his foot.

"It's all my fault." I pulled out the bullet and ignored his shriek,wiping on the wound.

"No it's not. If it is your fault, it's mine. I deserve the blame."

"No you don't."

"Yes I do."

"If I had just calmed down and waited for her to come out of school. If I had just driven a little bit faster so he wouldn't shoot. If I had just-"

"Lena no. It was my fault for even putting you both through that. I deserve those bullets for risking your life." I looked up at him and we locked eyes before I looked down and secured the wound.

I sat down and rested my hands in my lap and remembered something. "Why did you pull my hand back there and not May's? I could've been there instead of her right now." He looked away before looking me in the eye.