Aetherland

chapter 2 : Inner Fire

Anna's discovery of a man covered in black bruises left her standing still, contemplating her next move. She forced herself to look away, but
he was shivering in pain, a mess of tangled dark hair and grime.
A surge of anger, hot and unwelcome, bubbled in her chest. This fool, whoever he was, had stumbled onto her hard-won haven, disrupting her carefully constructed life. it was a calculated risk, a dance with the law she'd perfected. This, though, felt different. This felt messy.

Her fingers tightened thinking about her dream of a new life, far from the ruins and constant fear. It had been a long time coming, a dream fueled by countless nights she spent alone.
Glancing at the man again, she saw the pain in his eyes. He wasn't much older than her, maybe, with a strong jawline and a smattering of dark stubble across his chin. A flicker of something… pity? Attraction? – snaked through her.

She closed her eyes. Helping him meant jeopardizing her dream, her very survival. But leaving him here, to die… the thought was a lead weight in her gut.
"What to do now?" she muttered, her voice barely a whisper above the storm's fury. The urgency was amplified – darkness was descending in her heart, cloaking her already difficult decision in an even deeper shade of doubt.

One hand instinctively went to the pouch at her waist, the weight a stark reminder of her initial plan. Freedom, a new life – it seemed so close, almost within reach. Yet, the image of the injured man, his vulnerability etched on his pale face, refused to fade.

"This strange man," she thought, her voice laced with a hint of disgust, a desperate attempt to distance herself from the burgeoning sense of responsibility. He was an unknown element, a potential threat to her carefully constructed world. Maybe, just maybe, there was something valuable he possessed, something she could use to secure her freedom.

But the thought felt hollow.
Alexi. The notorious smuggler, a man who dealt in stolen goods and questionable favors. Turning the injured man over to him felt like a betrayal to herself.

"Wait for Alexi's return," she whispered, clinging to the sliver of a plan. It was a delay, a gamble, but it offered a twisted sense of control. Maybe, just maybe, she could extract something of value from the man, enough to appease Alexi and secure her own escape.

But a part of her knew this was a flimsy justification. The truth, heavy and unwelcome, settled in her gut. "I will save him," she confessed, the words a low growl against the storm. "I have to."

Shame and defiance wrestled within her. Shame for the cold calculations she'd entertained. Defiance against the circumstances that had forced her into this impossible situation.

Taking a ragged breath, Anna forced herself to focus on the immediate. She needed to find a way to care for the man, to keep him alive until Alexi returned. It was a desperate gamble, yes, but somewhere amidst the storm's fury, a flicker of compassion, a spark of humanity, had refused to be extinguished. And in that flickering spark lay the hope, not just for the injured man, but perhaps, for Anna's own redemption.

Anna found herself moving before she could think, fetching water and medicine. As she helped him drink, the warmth of his hand brushed against hers. A jolt went through her, a spark against the growing coldness in her heart.
In that moment, Anna knew her choice. The escape, the dream – they could wait. Maybe. But life, its fragile spark, wouldn't.

Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself. "Don't worry," she said, her voice rough but firm. "You'll be alright."
The lie tasted bitter on her tongue, but it was a promise, one she now intended to keep.

The erratic gasps from the stranger grated on Anna's nerves. Every ragged inhale and exhale seemed to echo the inner fire within, amplifying her growing frustration. Glancing at him, she saw the tremors racking his body.