Forbidden

Chapter 16

"A-April?" Jed stutters.

"Yes it is, how is your arm?" I ask walking up to him and start unwrapping the bandage. Wouldn't want him to die from infection after that lie I just told. Jed started at me like in a trance as I unwrapped his bicep. I throw the bandage away and grab a towel from the bathroom. My thigh is now really starting to hurt from the dagger wound, but Jed is my top priority. 

"My arm is fine April," Jed says swatting my hand away. I give him a bland look and continue to clean up his wound.

"So," he says. "You're a part of the DAA?"

"Yes, but not by choice. But that doesn't mean I support what the Activist's are doing. It means that if I had a choice I wouldn't choose to work for the DAA, I'd live a normal unforced life," I respond.

"That makes two of us. Except I'd rather work for the DAA than the Activist's," he says. I nod and go back to the bathroom and collect the first aid kit. I get the things I'll need to stitch up his arm - yes I know how to stitch up an arm, Sensei Jordan said it was compulsory to know how to keep yourself together.

"This may sting," I say as I start to stitch his bicep. I feel him tense up, and the veins in his arm pop out.

"So this entire time yo've been with the DAA?" He asks once I'm done.

"Yes,"

"And thats why you went to New-York and now New-Orleans?"

"Yes,"

"What were you doing in--" he pauses as he pieces the puzzle together.

"wait, apparently an unknown DAA member killed Wayne in New-York around the same time you were there. It was you? Wasn't it?" He asked. I paused. How do I answer this?

"Yes," I whispered. "And I'm not proud of it,"

"I know you probably don't want to hear this, but Wayne has never lost a fight before. I'm not saying you should be proud, I'm just telling you that the Activist's think you're unstoppable. And that I think it was very brave of you to face Wayne alone. Not many would."

How is he so understanding? Everyone has congratulated me, he just nods and doesn't make a big deal out of it?

"April! You're bleeding!" Jed interrupts me mid thought.

"Huh?" I look down at y thigh where he was staring. "Oh this? It's no biggie, doesn't really hurt," I shrug.

"Thats worse than my arm April," he states. 

"And?"

"You need to get that fixed! I can't stitch people up!"

"Look, I'll have a shower than stitch myself up? Ok?" I ask.

"Ok." 

I grab some sleeping shorts and a baggy shirt and go to the bathroom. I turn the water on, and strip myself of my bloodied clothes. A warm team starts to come out of the shower, so I step in and immediately feel the comfort of the warm water soothing my aching muscles. The water circling my feet is a redy/pink colour from my leg. As that thought comes to mine, my leg starts stinging from the water washing it out. I whimper slightly but push through the pain. Once I am satisfied I climb out and put my pyjamas on. I walk out and find Jed sitting in the same spot as before fiddling with his thumbs. I roll my eyes and sit on the chair and start stitching myself up.

"How can you do that?" Jed asks.

"Do what?"

"Stitch your own leg up, seeing your own flesh and blood, seeing a needle pierce your skin, and not flinch?"