Chosen

Bounty Hunters

I don’t really have much time to think about it, because all of a sudden Quincy shudders from under me. I lean forward and whisper softly in his ear, drawing circles on his skin with my finger. It helps a little, but he still feels uneasy about something, and it makes me nervous. He’s never acted like this before, and that man’s warning echoes in the back of my head. Was he right? Should have I listened to him? I guess there was no going back now.

Then a branch snaps and Quincy bolts from beneath me. I fall roughly to the rocky ground. The right side of my face burns from hitting a rock and I already know that I will probably have a bruise on my hip. Sitting up I look at my dark surrounding. A full moon shines brightly, the only light I’ve got. Quincy is gone; I realize that the only way I’m getting out of here is if I walked. Wind whips past the trees and makes a whooshing sound that sends a chill down my spine. I don’t want to stay here for the night, it’s cold and who knows what’s out here.

I stand, finding that I have no choice but to continue on. The woods are alive at night and I flinch at every little sound I here. “Run.” The voice made me jump and causes me to look around to see who had said it. Then I realize that the voice had been whispered into my mind.

I don’t really understand what is going on, but I say anyway, “Who are you?”

The voice rumbles in my head and makes me to wince, “Does it really matter? You’re in danger… just run. I’m giving you a second chance. If you know what’s best for you, I suggest you get out of there, NOW!”

I break out into a sprint, the world passing wildly by. The moon gave off little light and I am not able to avoid the roots that stuck out from the ground. I trip, sticking my hands out to break my fall. Bad idea. Pain shoots up my arm and I cringe. Stupid…

I stand quickly and look around anxiously. I was unfamiliar with this part of the woods and I wasn’t really sure where I was going in the first place. There is no sign of being chased, and for a moment a worm of doubt pushes its way into my head. I sit down, trying to catch my breath, trying to judge whether or not someone could have followed me all that way without making a single noise.

Then something picks my skin. I reach up to see what it was, but suddenly I am lying face down on the ground. Then I realize that I can’t breathe and dread runs through me. Every time I try to move, my arms and legs start to tingle. I make my limbs move beneath me and push myself onto my back with some difficulty. I breathe in the cold air greedily, sucking it in until I realize that each breath I take makes my chest squeeze.

Something’s wrong, obviously; but things happen so quickly that I am not really sure what it is. I lay there on my back, staring at the stars and trying to think of what to do next. I know that I have been shot by something, but what I can’t say.

I want to get up; I want to run as far away from here as I can… to safety, but that option abandoned me the moment I stopped running. Closing my eyes I breathe deeply and think, is this the end of me? No, I won’t die here when I don’t even understand why.

I open my eyes just in time. The only reason I see it is because the light of the moon reflected off the metal. The sword comes down just as I roll to the side, confirming my question before. I have been being followed, and they want to kill me.

Moaning, I fumble for my sword. Whatever they shot into me was working; it was a miracle that I was even moving at all. I am unable to get my hand to close around its hilt and panic washes over me. I roll over again as I see the sword descending toward me. I don’t feel it hit me, but I taste blood in my mouth and know that it scratched my cheek.

I know I won’t last much longer. Pushing my arm up with as much strength as I can muster, I know I punch someone because I hear their grunt of surprise. Then, I take the opportunity to push myself up and run.

It isn’t easy; I thrust as much energy as I can into stumbling away from whoever is pursuing me. I can’t feel my feet touch the ground, so it feels like I am flying. And then I stop. What am I doing? Drugged as I am, there is a very small chance that I am going to escape. Running is not going to help me, I could easily trip and then I would be back in the same predicament I was before.

My mind races and my eyes settle on a tall tree with low branches. Stupid... I tell myself there is no way I am going to be climb this tree even as I begin my way up. Perhaps I should have listened to my conscience, but I guess I have a reputation of ignoring it.

As I climb I force myself not to look down and instead focus on moving one hand after the other, one foot after the other. It gets harder as I go and I notice that I am tiring quicker than usual; my arms and legs are stiff, making me nervous. There is every chance that I will fall.

Below I hear a twig snap and the mistake I just made dawns on me. If they had a bow, then they could easily shoot me down, and then there would have been no point in even trying… unless they wanted me alive… Despite my already growing nerves, I look down and immediately wish that I hadn’t.

Underneath me I see the thrashing waves of an ocean. The water whips against the tree, causing it to shake. I cry out, clinging to the tree as it quivers. How could this be? This couldn’t actually happen, could it? An illusion. The answer was quite simple, now that I thought about of it. But it doesn’t make this feel any less real.

Another wave rushes up against the tree and it quivers beneath me. An involuntary gasp escapes and I cling ever more to the tree. My body is going numb again and I am worried I will lose control and fall.

A sound suddenly catches my attention. Past the sound of rushing water comes the sound of a grunt.  My sensitive ears pick up the sound of sword against sword and then a cry of pain. When I look down next the illusion had subsided. Below me were two men sprawled out in a pool of blood. Next to them stood a man in a cloak that seemed to hide all of his features, making it impossible for me to tell who it might be. In his hand I see a green tinted sword that seemed to glow the same way his eyes did behind his cowl.

That’s all I really see because all of a sudden lights flash across my eyes and my grip suddenly loosens on the tree. Fear grips my heart as my arms and legs go limp and I plummet toward the ground. As I fall the air seems to rush through me in slow motion.

Then I hit the ground. It knocks the wind out of me and pain momentarily springs up my spine, but then that same numb feeling takes its place. Still, I am alive… I don’t know how, but I am alive.

I look up and see that man standing over me. My mind is muddled and I can’t really concentrate on his face, but I know he is dangerous. I scoot to one side, ignoring the tingle that once again runs up my body. I stand slowly, suddenly feeling light headed.

The man looks me up and down and says softly, “Let me help you.”

“Who are you?” I look down at where my sword hangs at my side. I go to reach for it once more, but a burst of pain shoots up my arm and down my entire body. I grit my teeth and stifle a groan.

“Don’t bother; I’m not going to hurt you… at least any more than you are.” He said it with slight sarcasm, but I don’t notice. All I know is that I am unable to even move without pain running through me.

He takes a step toward me and, despite the dull pain that gives me, I step back. My hand flies up to my head as I try to settle the dizziness that follows. Then the man’s hands are on me and a blue light flows through them and into me. Without warning, my arm begins to burn. I yelp and try to pull away, but his hand clamped tighter and only made it worse. It only lasts for a few minutes, then he pulls away and there is warmth that floods into me as he does so. However, it is nothing compared to the emptiness I abruptly feel.

My knees buckle and he is suddenly holding me up; gently lowering me to the ground. I look up at him; frowning, “You’re the man from the saloon…” What was he doing here? That’s the last thing I remember thinking as a wave of darkness washes over me.