To Rhial

11

Adam

Dazzling glimmers of sunshine orbited my dizzy eyes, which opened to a scene of the azure sky and gently swaying leaves.

So familiar. Reminds me of waking up in that other world. Wait...

"Adam!" Desmond's new voice was jarring to hear, sending me up to a seated position, staring down at the green mitts that were my new hands. I sighed.

So it wasn't just a nightmare, waking up in another world and getting eviscerated by a giant bug. Am I relieved? Discouraged? What happened? I woke up in the forest. Wagon exploded. Talked with the boys. Then I ended up here.

My stomach panged with dull aches as I winced through stretching my core. My sword lightly scratched against the stone and into a mess of yellow ichor and blood. Blood, which soaked me from stomach to toe. And the smell, like rotting meat and burnt hair. Wherever it was coming from, it was revolting enough for my guts to retch up runny yellow fluid and dirt. I heaved and gagged out to my side, then wiped my lips.

How the hell did bug juice and dirt get in me? And how am I alive? I only have light scars, but my entire stomach... it was ripped out.

"No fuckin' way you're alive," Desmond limped to my side and grabbed my arm, leaving blood and yellow paste where he touched. "Come on, Adam, we gotta go."

As Desmond pulled me upward, jolts of pain shot through my core, cramping and keeping me in place.

"Erg, I can't! Desmond, stop, I can't get up yet."

He let go and slapped his leg. "Shit, well somebody's gotta help Venmo! My ankle got fucked tryna roll your fat ass over. I can't carry her anywhere fast!" He winced and then locked his intense green eyes on me. "Are ya sure ya can't get up, man?!"

I pushed against the ground and threw myself to a standing position. Suddenly, the world spiraled, darkness clouded my vision and I landed on my hands and knees, spitting out more dirty yellowed blood.

"God dammit!" Desmond hastily limped toward the cliffside groans of Brenden and Tells. I leaned back, catching my breath, watching them stand up. Both Brenden and Tells rose without much issue, stretching and wincing as they each felt their own scarred bodies.

"What's going-" Brenden started, then his eyes locked on the body laying at the cliff's edge, convulsing in a pool of blood.

My heart rate spiked.

No way we're all okay, but she's...

"Desmond!" I yelled, " What happened?!"

"The hell do you think happened?!" Desmond panickedly yanked Brenden and Tells to their feet, just trying to convey the weight of our friend dying to us. "She healed all of you and then keeled over! Her arms are noodles and she ain't responding! Somebody's gotta run her to town!"

Brenden dashed over to her side in a panic. "What are we supposed to do, Desmond?"

"What'd I just fuckin' say?! She's the healer! Somebody's gotta carry her to another healer, probably in that town!"

"You won't make it in time with your leg like that, Desmond," I pointed out.

Desmond yelled in a frenzy, pushing Tells toward Vetia. "No shit! That's why I'm trying to get your sorry asses up! Tells, how are you feeling? Can you run her into town or at least help me move her? I don't give a shit! I'll take her, but if one of you can go faster then do something for fuck's sake!"

Tells squinted and took in the scene, horror in her violet pearls, then ran over to Vetia. She hoisted our limp and convulsing friend onto her shoulders almost effortlessly and sprinted along the cliffside, into the forest.