Ranger [ON HOLD]

Chapter Ten - Vision of Death

My breathing was ragged. Wild as my pale and blood-soaked hands fluttered over the almost lifeless form at my knees. Tears stung at my eyes and dripped down my cheeks to mix with the blood slowly pooling over the wound. After a small half a second of helplessness my hands found placement on the wound, pressing down carefully in an attempt to halt the frightening flow of blood.

The slick, yet warm liquid slickened my hands and weakened their feeble attempts at life preservation. I could feel the jaggedness of once smoothed and tanned skin fold and bend like wet pieces of paper under my hands. I would have pulled away from the feeling had I not been conscious of the incredible amount of life literally spilling onto the ground. Stitching would be near impossible to do.

Too much... Too much...

His chest rose and fell slowly, and my heart ached as a sob forced its way through my lips. Absolute terror clawed at my thoughts, digging until I was surprised I had any coherent thoughts at all.

"Please... open..." My breath was caught in my throat, and I shuddered as I struggled to regulate my panic. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears.

"Open your eyes... come on..." Even to my own ears my voice sounded weak, despite how strong I attempted to make it. It only seemed smaller and more vulnerable.

"Please!" This time my voice gained volume, raising in pitch. The blood wouldn't stop. It flowed still despite the pressure, seeping up slowly but steadily through the gaps of my fingers. The fact that he was still breathing, and still gazing at me with those eyes broke my heart even more. His gaze said it all.

I'm not going to make it.

I couldn't. I wouldn't give up on him. The fight was meaningless. The anger, and betrayed emotions I had felt any time before was dust in the wind. I had to save him.

But what could I do?

Without my knowledge my body had curled over his own, hands still in place over the gaping wound in his abdomen just below the ribs. In an almost pathetic attempt I curled my right leg over the deep gash on his own leg, pressing as much as I could manage as my head snapped around to search for something, anything that could help. It was too dark to see.

"Ella..."

My head snapped back down, and I was stunned again by the ever vibrant hue his eyes held. For a moment it almost felt as if he wasn't hurt. I felt at ease and calm. Protected as he always managed to make me feel without fail.

"You're going to be okay." My voice came out just a bit stronger, more determined as I tried to convince him and myself of this fact. "Ethan will be back, and he'll have Von. And we'll have help, and we-"

I felt a hand on my wrist, gently pulling it away from his wounded chest with more strength than he should have had.

"Its okay..."

There was a shrill ringing in my ears, much like that of a dog whistle. It was as if every bit of energy I possessed was being sucked away by a vacuum, leaving me to shiver and tremble. Black dots danced before my eyes, rimmed in blue and purple that flickered in and out like strobe lights. It hurt.

Seconds later, a loud bang rocketed off the walls, and very nearly stopped my heart mid-beat.

A cold substance, far from the consistency of water splattered wetly across my left cheek, and the hold around my throat dropped after a moment or two. A low thump made it through my frightened haze and the ringing in my ears.