In the depths of the jungle

Chapter two: Complications

It was early in the morning when someone shook me by shoulders hard. I opened my eyes and blinked, it was my brother Ramon.

"By the great goddess, what is the matter?"

I asked him annoyed. But he answered serious. "It is Flora, she is much worse, they sent me, to bring you."

I literally jumped up from my hay mats. I was wearing a light long brown skirt that almost touched my ankles and a long, broad cloth fabric which was in light red earth colours that was wrapped several times around my chest and then tied together. I wanted to get my men trousers but Ramon held me back "That will have to do, we don't have time for dressing". I walked alongside with Ramon to Lenobias house. When I passed through the door my eyes wandered around the room

"Where is Liam?" I asked automatically because he would never leave her side.

"He went out, searching herbs for Flora yesterday at the suns highest stand, he will return when the last day light will disappear." Lenobia answered me.

I turned around to Flora. She was just laying there, her eyebrows pulled together like she was concentrating very hard. I knelt next to her bed and held my hands against her cheek.

She was unnaturally warm. I softly stroke her hair out of her face like my mother used to do it with me. Than my gaze wandered to her arm. It was swollen around the bandages, though I guessed they did not dare to take them away because of the danger of the blood flowing again. Yet it smelled funny, sweet and like rotten fruit. "Lenobia, can I take the bandages away?" I asked  in a shaky voice. She just nodded. I took one layer after another and the more of her "skin" as  visible the worse it looked. The black circle was almost as big as my hand now,and there was puss smeared all over it and the bone that had seemed shiny white yesterday was changing it's colour to yellow now. Also there seemed to be no more blood flowing at all and as I touched her hand there was no reaction that she felt it. My eyes started to get teary, when suddenly her eyes opened.

Flora looked at me. Her glance was unfocused. "You will get through this" I whispered into her ear. Her eyes found mine and it seemed as if it took her some time to recognise me and understand the words I just said. Than a sad smile appeared on her face.

"No, Kira not this time. I have to thank you so much for saving me and giving me a chance, but my body just won't recover." her voice was so quiet and creaky.

"No, no don't say something like that! You understand?!" I sobbed. "You can't leave me. You have to survive this".

I grabbed her good arm and held her hand. I wanted to give her strength and already concentrated when she tried to pull her arm away. "Let it be, please Kira. I don't want you to be ill because of me" Flora said trying to smile apologetically what made me cry even more. Suddenly her face froze and she jerked together. Her face was twisted like a painful grin.

"Are you in pain? Just let me help you!" I forced all my will and strength to go over my hand palms over to her and felt how they prickled and got hot. She relaxed a bit, but I didn't stop.

All I could think about was that I have to save her. My knees wanted to give away but I put myself together. "Just breath, stay." I murmured. But her body was already under strain again. Her breathing got faster and her eyes widened. No no no. Everything swirled in my head and I hardly could have a clear thought.

"You will live" I could hear myself murmur. Flora was looking at me again, her lips formed to a little smile and in her eyes were wet shimmering. "Can you promise me something"? She asked quiet barley able to speak through her tensed cheek muscles. It was as if I only perceived her "Anything" I answered.

"Will you try to be happy even if I'm not here? And have an eye over my brother, he will need some comfort when I'm away" I just nodded than said

"I will try my best sister" She tried to smile like it was the happiest thing in the world. But then her smile changed again in this twisted way.  Her spine was arching back and her chest suddenly started to twitch and shake, the rest of her musceles contracting as well.

My hands where already going cold again, because I wanted to take her pain away, when I heard Lenobia saying: "Ramon, it's senseless. No matter how much she will help her, her body is poisoned, its impossible. She will die if she gives her too much, Kira cannot control this"

He grabbed me from behind and closed his arms around me, forcing me to let go of her.

"Let her go Kira! Stop it" his voice commanded.

I tried to get out of his grip but he was to strong. My nails cut into his arms but he didn't let go, he just carried me away. "No, Ramon please, let me help her" I shrieked.

"Let me go, let go of me!" I looked back to Flora who was laying on the bed, staring at me with blood running down her arm. Her lips were moving but she spoke to quiet and I was busy with getting out of Ramons grip, I couldn't hear a word. I looked at her eyes, into those eyes I looked so many times since I was a little girl. And then her eye lids closed and with a final thud her body fell numb on the bed. I cried out in agony and it felt like someone ripped my heart out.

Ramon carried me out side where he turned my face towards him. I drummed my fists on his chest. With one hand he grabbed my face and looked me in the eyes and said with his deep voice:

"Kira you will listen to me now! Calm down, Flora is save at the side of the goddess" he said a bit softer.

"You don't need to be sad, there is nothing you could have done more." I stopped fighting and closed my arms around Ramon and started to cry. He lifted me up from the ground and while he walked with me in his arms he kept repeating: "Shhhh little sister, you will be fine. Flora will watch over you from the other world" But I just couldn't believe that she was gone.

I felt how he carried me beyond our home and I was wondering where he would go, when I could hear the little water spring. Ramon let me down and I sat on the ground. I felt empty inside and the feeling of guilt strangled my throat. "Its my fault, I couldn't help her" I said my voice cracking at the end. "Don't you dare to say that! Kira it was not your fault, you have heard Lenobia, not even you could have saved her."

He touched my cheek with his rough hand. "Maybe it was just time for her to return to the great mother".

"But I'm still here and she is gone. I have barely anyone left!" My voice rose again.

"You have me and father" Ramon answered strict.

Than a horrible thought crossed my mind. I thought about someone that had it even worse than me. "Liam! I promised Flora I will look over him. He definitely won't accept that his only sister died and I did nothing against it. She held him together since their father died, now that she's gone, he has no one. The goddess herself will know what he will do". I started to panic.

"Don't worry Kira, I will take care of him. You're just a child. None if this is your fault." Ramon said calm but I was scared. Sad people do things, because they are desolated. What made me remember his arms. I took his hand in mine and stretched his arm. Welts were on it and little dots of blood.

"Oh I am so sorry brother, let me clean that." Before he could respond I got up, my legs were slightly shaking and walked a few steps to the stream where I ripped a piece of fabric from my cloths and held it under the lukewarm water. When it was dripping I went back to him and cleaned his arm carefully. It was nothing worse. It will be away tomorrow or the next day.

But it still shocked me that I lost control so fast. And if I hurt my own brother, what will Liam do to me? "Ramon, Liam will break if he finds out about Flora and he will take it out on me"

Ramon set up straight and looked at me with his head proudly up and said in a solemnly voice:" I will always protect you, no matter at what cost. You are my sister and are the most important thing for me, always and forever."