Adurna

The Stone

Chapter Six-

My eyes fluttered open to find a harsh darkness around me. I blinked multiple times until my eyes adjusted to the blackness. Though I could barely see, it was a start from blindness. Trees swirled in the violent gust of wind that howled around me. Trees? I did a double take to make sure I wasn’t crazy. Why was I outside?

I tried to stand, but found my legs caught in a strange olive toned cloth wrapped around them. Last night flooded back to me, making my gasp in surprise. My eyes teared up in anger and humiliation. I cursed Gran for making me go to that terrible dinner party. And without asking me to boot! I had thought she already knew how much I hate waiting on people for them to decide what to put down their gullets. I rose to my feet once I had freed my legs and searched my surroundings for something familiar. Luckily, I was exactly where I had thought to be the day before. Me and Marcus’s spot was barely recognizable in the darkness which sent fear through me. How long have I been out here? The moon was covered by clouds and fog, but I was able to make out a sliver of the bright light from the passing clouds. Without thinking it too far, I set out for Rakr.

As I stomped through the woods, I ran through the events of yesterday through my mind. A blush crept up my face as I remember falling into the hands of Eragon.

 I continued to fume with I walked towards the village, at least where I thought the town was located.

Sighing deeply, I rounded a large bush quicker than before. I was anxious to get home, to get back to my room so I could sleep in an actual bed. Something struck my left foot, sending a strange sounding echo through my ears. I jumped back in surprise at the unexpected clatter. To my horror, I felt my ankle hit a hole that was surrounded by roots causing it to stay in place while my body crashed down upon it. I cried out in pain and surprise as sharp shooting pain cascaded up from my ankle to my knee, seeming to paralyze my body in fear.

My throat closed as pain increased, causing choking sobs to escape my closed lips. The numbness had overtaken the sudden agony of my ankle, but it was still apparent that something was wrong with it. Whipping away the idiotic tears from my cheeks, I tried pulling my leg out from the roots grasp. The pain intensified and my leg stayed in place. I groaned in distress once the second attempt showed no improvement from the first. The clouds were growing darker by the seconds I stayed hunched over under the damn tree. Once the rain started, there was no way I would know how to get home. I need to get out now, I decided after watching the way the dangerous clouds swirled above me.

Shifting my weight to get a better angle on the situation, I saw a root jutting out in an odd angle into my angle; the obvious culprit to my trapper. Every time I tried to free my leg, it would halt my process. Stretching my arm to the limit, I reached into the slightly damp hole and grasped the tree limb. I grimaced with effort, but was able to break the long part of the root from the others. I sighed happily from my successful effort as I found that I was able to wiggle my leg into an easier access for pulling it from the dark hole. With the last of my energy, I wrapped my hands around my still trapped leg and gave a final tug. I grunted angrily before yanking the remainder of my foot out of the root infested hole. As soon as my foot was free, I rolled away from the ditch so I was not to fall to into its clutches once again.

I scrambled back onto my feet and surveyed the remainder of my surrounding. Remembering the odd sound that had sent me falling into that tree, I slowly made my way towards where I thought it would be. A slight limb had formed to my stride, but I did my best to ignore the discomfort. A few steps into my ascend, my foot again connected with something hard. Since I was going slower it did not make as loud as the sound before and I tried my best to remain calm. Gently, I searched the ground with my hands since my eyes were no help, for the noise maker. An unexpected smooth object found its way into my reaching fingers. I flinched away from the strange substance, but quickly got over my uncertainty and picked up the item. It shown dully in the slight shine the moon provided through the thickening clouds. To me, it looked as if it were a perfectly carved stone, though it was lighter than I had expected. I ran my hand across its smooth surface with ease for it did not catch on any imperfections the exterior might contain from the kick it received from me. Instantly, I felt guilty for causing the beautiful rock any flaws.

Just as I was about to put the strange stone back to the ground below, the sky opened up. Rain cascaded down from the clouds and landed in large drops around me. I stared at the stone in my hands and felt a strange tug within me. I couldn’t part with it, I realized suddenly. The very thought of leaving it in the middle of a forest where anything could happened to it appalled me so greatly, it made me ill to think about it.  Quickly, I removed my skirt from my waist and wrapped the stone in it gently. It suddenly seemed like wearing slacks under a dress was the smartest thing I have done today…or yesterday. I covered the stone as best I could, to protect it from the rain in case it would somehow ruin my treasure.

Looking around, I picked a direction at random and hoped blindly that it was the way home. I limped through the mud and the loose gravel with much difficulty. My ankle protested to every move I made and did not quit its pain for a moment. Moron. Moron. Moron. I continued to chant to myself through my misery. Fall into a hole why don’t you, I thought bitterly, it’s not like you have to trek through uneven terrain to find your bloody town! With one hand, I tried to use it to balance my labored steps against trees, but the stone slipped fearfully from my grip. Soon I was slowly limping through the mud with both my arms clutching the wrapped stone.

I stumbled ungracefully to my knees and cried out in pain as the force of my weight brought pain to my ankle, though I did not have the energy to move from the agonizing position. As I looked up into the rain, I saw a dull glow coming towards my spot rather fast. The mysterious object glowed a soft yellow and orange color, but it was hard to tell in the dense rain and thick fog. Hoping for a person, I got to my feet with difficulty. I limped quickly towards the light and called hoarsely to it without bothering where I put my feet. As the ominous glow grew closer I could see the dancing flames that were held up by an invisible arm. People! I thought with glee, speeding up slightly until my calls with short bursts of air from my labored lungs.

“Chrystal?” a voice I didn’t bother to recognize called closer than I had originally thought. Someone who knows me, I would have smiled if it wasn’t for my clumsy feet. I toppled onto my hands and knees once again, but kept one arm around my body as it still held the stone. A rush of feet bounded up to my fallen body and soon strong arms were holding me.

"Oh, Chrystal,” Marcus’s worried, yet husky voice whispered in my ear as he hugged me to him. For once his touch was welcomed, for I was shivering uncontrollably from my rain soaked self and the chilling breeze that blew in from the lake. “We were looking everywhere for you. You nearly had me balding at such an early age!”

I missed how funny Marcus could be. My free arm wrapped around his neck as he hoisted me easily into the air. I slumped against his warm and solid body with exhaustion, ignoring the way he held me tighter than before.

“I’m sorry I worried you.” My voice was just a breath as a yawn ended my sentence. I hadn’t realized how tired I was from my many nights of uneasy sleep until now.

"All is forgiven,” He said easily as he continued down the slight slope. By know I could see the warm lights of the village houses. I wasn’t that far from it. “As long as you promise me never to do that again.”

“Do what?” I asked, only mildly curious enough to hear the actual answer. My head was rested against Marcus’s hard chest. I was able to hear his fast heart beat from beneath my ears. Comfort overtook me at the simple sound of life I loved so much.

"Runaway without telling me.” His voice was soft as my eyes slowly closed as the sweet rhythm of his heartbeat playing like a lullaby. “I would have come with you.”

Too exhausted to answer, I sighed bitterly. “I promise.”

We entered the town and found the streets deserted. Marcus followed the familiar path to my home that I could easily recognize even with my eyes shut tight. The last thing I heard was Gran’s worried words as they hurried inside. Instinctually, I tucked the stone closer to my chest and willed myself not to let go during my slumber.