I emerged from the trees. I stood at the boarder of the camp. Blood dripped from my hands and the knife in held at my side. I hear a blood curtailing scream. It sounds distant. Some runs up to me. I can feel them shaking me; trying to get my attention. I stare at the ground. I feel them take my hands in theirs. I look down at my blood stained hands. The person got right down into my line of sight. It was Sophie.
"Lin! Linnea, what happened?" I hear her beg me for an answer. Her voice sounded far away. I try to focus on her but I can't. I don't feel like me. My gaze drifts back to my hands. I hear someone else yell for Dean. Maybe it was Sophie. I don't know. I feel someone try to pry the knife from my hands. I uncurl my fingers andmdrop the knife. I hear her say something about shock. I finally look up. I see a group of people surrounding me. They're all just staring. Then I see him and I instantly regret dropping the knife. His eyes are wide and his is jaw almost touching the ground. Ryan. That's when I begin to come back. The nothingness is replaced with anger. I rush at him. I burst into a fit of rage.
"This is on you! You almost got me killed! Her death is on you!" I raved at him; punching and kicking with all my might. He put his hands up to protect his face but I didnt stop. I hear others yelling in the background. Some are chanting out "Fight! Fight! Fight!" Others are yelling for someone to stop it. I hear someone who I'm assuming is Sophie yell for Jess and Dean. Within seconds Jess is in between me and Ryan trying to break up the fight. I try not to hit Jess but, it's hard to tell who I'm swinging at. Jess pushes me back and without thinking I punch him square in the jaw. Then I turn my fury back to Ryan. Who's just standing there taking it.
All of the sudden I'm being lifted into the air. Away from Ryan. I'm still fuming. I start screaming and cussing. When I'm finally sat down. I'm still trying to charge at Ryan again, but someone's holding me back. "Linnea! Look at me!" I hear the person yell but they're voice is drowned out by my own. My eyes are dead set on Ryan; whom Jess is walking off with in the other direction. I feel the person tug at my chin. My eyes meet a similar pair of blue ones. They remind me of the feeling I had when I saw the sky for the first time. My anger begins to simmer. I begin to feel like someone is squeezing my heart. I feel a burning sensation in my throat. Tears well up in my eyes but none actually fall. I fell to my knees and scream at the top on my lungs.
"Take her to your tent. I'm going to make sure Ryan isn't hurt to bad." I hear Sophie say to I'm assuming Dean. I feel a arm wrap around my back then another on the back on my legs. I'm lifted up and I rest my head against his chest. I look up the sky and watch the clouds. For a moment I question whether they're moving or its because Dean is. I come to the conclusion that the clouds are the ones moving. Next thing I know I'm sitting on a cot. Dean is crouched down in front of me. His hands are placed on my knees. I stare at his hands. I never relized how big his hands were before. I hear him say my name, but just like Sophie's voice his voice sounded like it was off in the distance.
"Lin, I need you to come back to me ok?" This time his voice wavers but, it sounds clearer then before.
"I think she might be in shock again.
"Is she going to be ok?" I can hear the desperation in his voice.
"I hope so. Here move over let me try." His hands leave my knee. Smaller, softer, and paler hands appear. They remind me of my moms. I look up; a small piece of me hoping it's actually her. It's not. They eyes that meet mine are green. It's Sophie.
"Linnea, can you hear me?" She asks slowly in a soft motherly voice. I nod.
"That's good," She smiles reassuringly just like always "this blood on your hands...is it yours?" I try to speak but words fail me so I just shake my head.
"Ok. Do you mind if we clean it off?" I shake my head again.
"I'm going to go get some water I'll be right back." She informs me. I hear her whisper somthing to Dean. I hear the name Ryan mentioned and I speak up "It's his fault." I say. Nothing more nothing less. They both exit the tent. I sit in silence. I feel numb to it this time.
A few minutes later Sophie returned with a bucket of water and a cloth. She drags a stool in front of me and sits. She plunges the cloth into the water then rings it out. She begins to wash the blood off my hands. After a many minutes of silence she was almost done and she sopke. "You don't have to tell me yet, but when you're ready I'm here."
"Its from this kid I knew from the compound."
"What is?"
"The blood. Ryan was going to trade me for his sister."
"Why?" She says returning the cloth to the bucket and taking a seat on the cot next to me.
"She trespassed. So, he was going to trade her for me. Devan, he was going to...to rape me. T-Then let them kill me. I had to." I blubbered to her. My throat gelt tight. Tears began to streak down my cheeks. She wraps her arms around me and begins singing the same song from the day at the creek. The one my mom used to hum. I didn't want to sleep for fear of what nightmares I would have, but the more I cried and the more she sang the heavier my eyes got.
