Checkmate || OUAT Fanfic || DISCONTINUED

Chapter 16; Reality Check

"We read, we travel, we become."

~ Derek Walcott

-

Alice's P.O.V

-

    "For the love of God, stop screaming, Alice," a familiar voice whispers in my ear.
    I stop struggling at the sound of Will's voice.
    "What are you doing?" I ask, but it just comes out muffled due to his hand still over my mouth.
    "Now, I'm going to let go of you, don't scream. Nod if you understand."

    "Of course I understand you, what do you take me for?" I snap, but it still comes out muffled.
    I take a deep breath, calming myself down before nodding. Will sighs in relief, letting go of me.
    "Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" Will asks as I turn around to face him.
    I smack him in the shoulder.
    "Ouch, what was that for?" he questions, rubbing his arm.

    I grit my teeth. "You know what that was for. Couldn't you have called my name instead of sneaking up on me?"
    "I could've, but this seemed like the more entertaining option between the two. Plus, I wanted to know what you were doing."
    I glare at him. "You're just lucky, I'm can't walk normally because I'd totally kill you if I could."
    "Why can't you walk?" he asks.

    "I may have hurt myself out here," I say.
    "How bad?" he asks.
    I gesture to my hastily bandaged. "Why don't you see for yourself."
    I wince as Will helps me sit on the ground, leaning me against a boulder for support.
    My eyes dart to his bag as he sits beside me. "You brought your first aid kit, right?"

    "Of course, now let's take a look at this," he says, proceeding to untie my now-blood soaked bandana.
    Will sucked in a breath when he saw just how terrible my wound was. It had turned from a light pink hue to an angry red shade. "On a scale of one to ten, how painful is it?"
    "Four," I lie, trying not to let out a whimper as Will applies disinfectant cream on my open wound.

    "Don't lie to me," he warns, his overprotective side showing.
    I bite my lip, feeling the stinging. "Okay, maybe a seven or an eight?" 
    "Couldn't you have waited until I came home to enter the forest?" Will asks as he proceeds to wrap my leg in medical gauze.
    "I couldn't. You know I couldn't."
    "Why is that?" He asks, tying off the ends of the gauze.

    "Because she would've gotten away," I reply.
    "Who?"
    "The dragon."
    "What dragon?"
    I point at the thicket.
    Will looks at the direction I'm pointing at then back at me. "Alice, that's a hedge."
    "I'm taking about what's behind the hedge."

    Will gets to his feet and makes a beeline for the thicket. He then pushes the branches aside, revealing the clearing behind it. I'd expected him to give a cry of surprise but he does nothing of the sort.
    "Alice, there's nothing there," he replies, turning back to face me.
    "What?" I try to stand up but my leg prevents me from doing so.
    Will slips his arms around my waist and catches me before I hit the ground.

    "Stop! You're going to hurt yourself."

    "I'm fine," I assure him as I slowly make my way towards the place where I last saw the dragon.
    "I swear, she was right here," I say, pointing at the now-empty field.
    "Alice, there's no one there." He places his hand on my forehead, concerned.
    "What are you doing?" I ask, giving him a look.