False Start (Boyxboy)

17: LOST

I must have used up my body's supply of adrenaline by that point, because the magnitude of my pain was like nothing I'd ever imagined. It was persistent, excruciating, unbearable pain which no arrangement of adjectives could do justice. The burning pressure came in waves of intensity, my mood oscillating between acute agony and shock.

Though it was distressing to see the gore--to see my own body maimed--I couldn't sever my dilated gaze.

During the fall, I'd impaled my left thigh on a branch at least two inches in diameter. It bulged out through a rip in my pajamas, the tip streaked with little chunks of flesh. The shredded, meaty muscle of my leg was exposed, stretching around the wood, glistening bright red. Blood oozed out at such a rapid pace that it was black, lacking oxygen, pooling beneath me and expanding in smoke-like strands through a puddle of water. Each cold raindrop on the open wound stung like the flames of hell, and cold sweat started to pour out of every pore as I struggled to cope. I could feel my screams vibrating in the torn muscle.

"I'm coming down to get you!" Keiji yelled from the cliff's edge.

My hands wavered above my thigh, knowing I needed to stop the bleeding, but scared to touch the area. Sticky warmth was tickling my skin on its way down the side of my face; some spot on my head was injured, too.

"It's too dangerous!" I called back, blinking blood from my lashes, overwhelmed with worry.

That ringing in my ears was coming back. It felt like I was sinking, or floating away, and I started to take deep, shaky breaths in an attempt to stay conscious.

"Do you see a way up?" he asked. "Are you hurt?"

Twisting my body, even just a little, sent achy pangs deep into my bones. As I glanced around, I caressed the gooey part of my skull, keeping my leg as still as possible. Beneath me was a big slab of stone, some plants growing from its cracks. A yard to my left was another cliff edge, and I could hardly wrap my head around the fact that I'd almost fallen further. Beside my right was a low, rocky overhang, ontop of which were patches of dirt. That led into thick brush, tangled overtop a steep incline, but the branch which I'd skewered myself upon was still attached to the ground, rendering me immobile.

"It looks like there's a way back up." I hesitated. "But I hurt my leg. I'm stuck."

A crack above startled me, followed by the sound of something tumbling. Right afterward, a menacing blast of thunder crashed through the sky, too close for comfort. My heartbeat almost hurt, it was so heavy.

"Keiji? Keiji! Was that you?"

Only the angry sounds of weather answered my calls.

My teeth began to chatter, my mind shutting down, feeling sick from flares of pain, terror, and chill. I crossed my dirt-covered arms in front of my face and burrowed there.

This can't be real. This is just another dream.

"I'm okay!" Keiji eventually responded. "Just slipped in the mud!"

His voice was the only thing preserving my sanity, kicking my survival instincts into action.

"Kei, please don't hurt yourself! Go get help!"

"I'm not leaving you!"  His voice cracked.  "How badly are you hurt?"

Gritting my teeth, I grabbed hold of the area just above my wound, squeezing hard, pushing involuntary tears out of my eyes. The stick was keeping too much blood from gushing out, but I had to apply pressure to help stop the flow.

With my eyes tightly shut, feeling the tears, rain, and blood roll down the lines of my face, I choked out, "Pretty bad."

"What?"