Labyrinth Pt. II

17. Filled With Renewed Determination

After the fae brat's little visit, I finished replenishing my strength and continued my trek. I had a renewed determination from my recent conversation. I was going to win. I was going to return Sarah, safely, to her home. I was going to fix my kingdom.

 
The city walls were within my sight. I was there. Actually, I cornered myself and didn't realize it. Not until four gnomes popped out of the bramble bushes lined up on either side of me. Three were at my back and one was in front of me. I couldn't jump in to the bushes without getting pricked by the poisonous leaves. They started growling. I turned so I could keep them all in my line of vision and took off my backpack. I didn't let go of it, though. It could come in handy.

 
One of the ones on my right let out a piercing scream and launched itself at me. I raised my hand to grab its throat, which I did. I squeezed but his claws sliced my wrist and i let go.

"DAMMIT!" I yell.
Change of plans. I can't touch them without getting hurt. That was never a problem before. New Rule of Fighting Gnomes: Don't let them touch you.
The one that scratched me had some blood on his claws that he started licking off. His face changed.

"Your blood is different." His little voice growled. "I must have more."

He launched for me again but this time I ducked. I didn't have time to see where he landed because another one from the same side ran towards my legs. I quickly regained my balance and kicked the charging gnome. With a grunt it flew against a tree and fell in to the brambles. It didn't come out.

"One down. Three to go. Come at me you little winter bastards."

This time all three attacked at the same time. I guessed I asked for it but I was only slightly prepared for it. I swung the pack and knocked one in to another but the third one latched on to my leg and started gnawing at it. I screamed in pain. Shaking my leg as roughly as i could, he stopped but held on with his claws. I grunted in pain but it hurt less than his teeth. I grabbed both of his clawed hands and separated him from my flesh. He struggled against me but I threw him hard and he landed in a bramble bush. He didn't return.

"Two down."

The other two had recovered from their collision and made their way to me. My leg was burning but I couldn't get distracted.

 
Their tactic changed. This time they stayed together and circled me. One leaped forward and scraped me on my shoulder. I grabbed his hat out of reflex. He yelled in pain so I squeezed tighter. The gnomes screams got louder he flailed around and my hands got slightly scrapped but I could handle that. I slammed him on the ground and kicked him in to a bush. While the other one jumped on to my back. His claws latched on and he let himself fall so they went straight down. I cursed at the pain but fought threw it. 

He jumped up again and attached to my upper arm. He bit hard and used his claws to pierce my shoulder and neck. Quickly learning from the last one, I made efforts to grab his hat. After a few attempts and a few more bites later, I got him. He snarled in my face and spit at me. Disgusted I chucked him against a tree and he knocked out cold.

"Four down." I wobbled on my feet slightly from the pain and dwindling adrenaline.
"Done."

Burning pain ran down my spine. It was one I had not expected latching itself on to the cuts already made. I roared in pain. Nothing I did caused him to unlatch, rather he only dug deeper in to my skin. I remembered the gadget I kept from Sarah. The taser, I think. I pull it from my back pocket and press the button. My arm bends behind me and touches the creature. A shrill scream erupts from it and it lets go. It spasms on the ground. I don't wait for it to recover. I run. 

I spotted the entrance several feet from where I was. If I pushed myself harder, then I could make it. My run had turned in to a slow walk. My feet dragged in the ground as I went. My whole body began to shake from the effort I was making in walking to the entrance. My teeth clenched to the point where my jaw hurt.

 
I reached the door and pushed it open. My pain made me careless. Once past the door I was in a darkened room in the shape of a circle. There was nothing in it except me, the door I was leaning on, and a door across the way. I took this moment to assess my pains.

 
The shaking increased and now I could process why. The poison in the gnome's saliva. The places where I was bitten are turning a nasty shade of green. I rummage through my sack to see if Sarah packed anything that could be of assistance. I need to kill the poison in the wounds. Whatever is already in my blood stream, I will have to fight it internally. Nothing to be done about it now but I can stop it from getting worse.

 
I pull out a bag labeled first aid. There should be something in here to help. I pull out plasters, tissue, wrappings, and a few other things i don't recognize. There is a clear bottle labeled 100% Alcohol. If it's what I think it is, it should be strong enough to kill the poison.

 
I unscrew the top and pour a small bit in to one of the bites on my arm. My breath hitches at the sting of the alcohol. It burns so it must be doing its job. I lightly douse the other bites on my arm and move on to the big one on my leg.

 
I've lost a lot of blood and feel light headed. The pain hasn't helped in keeping me conscious. It's like my body wants to shut down. I know that if I fall asleep now, I may not wake up. I put the alcohol bottle away in the first aid bag and drink water. There were little white pills in a bottle that had instructions reading TAKE 2 FOR PAIN EVERY 6 HOURS. CONSUME WITH FOOD. I pull out one of those food bars and eat half before swallowing 2 pills. I clean the area around me and wrap the scratches that I could reach. My back was still slowly bleeding. I took my shirt off with great pain and difficulty. The back of the shirt was shredded.

"If that's how the shirt looks, I can't imagine how my back is." I say to myself.

Using the small knife I found in the bag, I cut the back part off. I pull out the bottle of alcohol again and sprinkle some on the remaining, whole parts of the shirt. Alcohol is something I am familiar with. It should do a decent job at cleaning my wounds.

 
I'll use to soak up the blood on my back and clean the wounds. I laid it on the floor with the alcohol side up and placed my back on it. I kept the knife in my hand as I laid down. I didn't plan on falling asleep but I did need to rest for a moment. My shaking has reduced but I was sweating and felt a chill. I had what humans would call a fever.

 
I've never had one of those before. I don't like it. I also don't like being pervious. It isn't fun or useful.

 
My vision starts to fade.
I hear a the door across from me open. My body stiffens at the sound and my grip on the knife grows.

"Jareth?" A quiet, feminine voice said my name. It's familiar so my body relaxes against my better judgement. I turn my head to the door and see the face I needed to see.

"Sarah? Is that you?"