For a while, we just stared at each other, frozen in fear.
Should I run?
After all, it was injured—there was no way it could catch me.
But something deep inside held me back.
I began to slowly step away.
Yet a voice inside whispered that I was making the wrong choice.
Would I regret leaving it like this?
My mind was at war with my heart.
It was wounded—possibly dying.
It could even attack me.
But that expression on its face... that helplessness...
It clung to me, refusing to let me turn my back.
Still within its line of sight, I turned away and walked quickly in the direction I had come.
I was scared, but I didn't even know why.
A dreadful feeling coiled in my gut.
With each step I took, my mind drifted back to that creature—
More frightened, more helpless than I was.
My heartbeat raced; guilt gnawed at me.
I had to stop walking.
It was like my feet refused to move any direction but back.
Was it really a good idea to leave it like that?
Maybe... maybe I could save its life.
Even if just to quiet my conscience, I had to try.
At the very least, I wouldn't be left with regret.
I took a deep breath and hurried back.
When it saw me again, its eyes widened in surprise—still wary, but not hostile.
I approached cautiously, not wanting to startle it.
When I got a closer look at its injured leg, I realized the metal shard I had seen was actually bone—protruding from the skin.
My stomach lurched.
I nearly threw up.
The thick smell of blood made it even worse.
But I had to do something.
First aid... yes, I knew it.
I had learned it before.
But now, my mind was struggling to access that information.
I moved with clumsy urgency, trying to remember what I was supposed to do.
There was too much blood—I knew I had to stop the bleeding.
Even if I didn't remember everything, I had no choice but to act.
I tore off part of my shirt, folded it into a makeshift compress.
The creature still watched me, cautious but alert.
I pointed at the wound and at the cloth in my hand.
Did it understand me?
It slowly nodded.
Relief loosened some of the tension in my chest.
I slipped the cloth under its leg, carefully avoiding the exposed bone.
It let out a low groan as I applied pressure.
I had to stop the bleeding.
I tightened the cloth as much as I could and tied it into a knot.
Its eyes closed from the pain, and its body went limp.
Had it died?
Panicking, I checked for signs of life.
I noticed its chest rising and falling—slow, but steady.
It had just passed out.
I let out a shaky breath, but the unease inside me hadn't gone away.
What was I supposed to do now?
Was that the extent of my first aid knowledge?
I looked down at it, trying to think of what else I could do—but nothing came to mind.
I gently touched its nose; I could feel it breathing.
Its nose was soft, almost humanlike, but the texture was slicker.
I touched its head—its skin was smooth, but not like human skin.
It reminded me more of a snake.
Do they shed their skin?
Random, pointless questions spun in my head.
But one thing was clear: I couldn't just leave it here to die.
After a while, the cold began to settle in.
Inside the wreck, the temperature had dropped sharply.
I was freezing—and it definitely was too.
I began searching the rest of the wreckage.
Most of it was destroyed.
Some areas had collapsed completely.
I found one or two bodies, but there was nothing I could do for them.
Eventually, I returned with a few scraps of cloth.
I gently draped them over the creature like a blanket.
It remained motionless, though its breathing continued.
I sat down beside it, quietly.
This place was cold, terrifying...
But leaving it here alone just didn't feel right.
For now...
All I could do was wait.
