The Guardian Wars: Part One #Wattys2016

Chapter Twenty-Two

Despite our shaken nerves, the rest of the day was very uneventful. We were making terrible time compared to the fact that we had planned to be in a car, speeding into Sector 6 by the next morning. Instead we had been forced to continue on the motorcycle, and I was nervously driving it at a turtle's pace. When we stopped for lunch, I inspected Mabel's ankle. It had swollen up quite a bit more, but when she asked how it looked I just smiled and reassured her that it looked fine. My worst fear was that it was broken and it would need to be set. I knew she was in a great deal of pain, because every time we hit a pothole or I turned the bike roughly, she would groan in my ear. I made a personal decision to take her to a medical center if it did not improve by the next morning. I wouldn't gamble with Mabel's health, even if it meant I had to continue on alone.

The sun was already setting before we crossed the halfway point. Originally, we had factored about five days and four nights of travel time. We were prepared to sleep in the back seat of the car for two nights, and camp out in the woods for the other two. Since our plans had unexpectedly changed, we decided to take advantage of staying in a motel while we were still in a Sector that offered them. With the little cash we had, we could afford one night in a very modestly priced motel.

After some skepticism from the desk clerk in the motel office, I handed over the majority of our petty cash, and helped Mabel to our room. The motel room was far from lavish. It was very small, and housed two twin beds, a small television set, and a bathroom. Once we got inside I immediately ordered Mabel to prop her foot up and left to go find ice.

It took some serious convincing but I eventually talked the office attendant into giving me a bucket of ice and a first aid kit. I had to hand him a few extra dollars but it was worth it to be sure that Mabel's ankle was taken care of. When I got back to the room, Mabel had fallen asleep on one of the twin beds, with her foot dutifully propped up on a pillow. I smiled and set the ice and first aid kit down. After wrapping some ice in a hand towel, I undid my makeshift bandage and winced. Bruises had begun to cover the inside of her ankle. I set the ice pack on a large bruise and secured it with another hand towel.

"What are we going to do?" I whispered, as I sat down on the bed opposite of hers. I stared at her sleeping face and mulled over how strange it was for me to take care of someone else. All my life, I had been tended to by Rowan for everything, and it was only recently that I had started doing things for myself. Worry settled heavily around me as I watched Mabel. Her ankle was probably broken, and we had spent almost all of our money just so we would have a place to sleep for the night. We also only had a day's worth of gas left in the motorcycle, which meant that we would have to continue on foot sooner than we had planned.

I sighed and leaned across the bed to open my duffel bag. I had intended to find clean clothes, but I ended up with one of the envelopes I had found in Rowan's dresser. I laid back on the bed and stared at the familiar handwriting on the front of the envelope. "To Liv." I smiled as I opened it. It was dated across the top from just two years prior.

Olivia,

Today, Lynette called you plain. It broke my heart to see your face turn red in shame. From the day you were born, I have lived only to protect you and I don't want anyone to hurt you. It took every ounce of my strength not to smack Lynette's snide, ugly, mouth. When she laughed and turned to her friends I wanted to trample them all to the ground.

You were so graceful, though. If I didn't know you better, I would have thought that the comment simply didn't bother you. You smiled and turned and walked away. Inside, I know it hurt you for your older sister to treat you that way in front of her friends. She will never have the strength you have. Your mother would be so proud if she could see how strong you have become. I know I am. Please believe me that you are anything but plain. You are the most beautiful person I have ever seen. The thought of seeing your face again made the twelve long years that I spent in the DOG bearable. One day I might be able to tell you this to your face, but until then, this will have to do.