Caged

Chapter 13

     Breathing heavily my feet hit the ground with a thud, powder snow flew out behind me and the wind ran its fingers through my hair. With each exhale came a large cloud of white mist, a snowstorm would rip through this landscape any moment now. Abigor ran beside me, we were getting the last of our training in before it was time to head back home, we didn't want to get stuck in this storm.

     "Move that ass of yours yeah? We don't have much longer until the storm gets here. Although I wouldn't mind keeping you warm if I had too." He shot a sly wink in my direction and picked up his pace, he was ahead of me now. Giggling to myself I slow down to scoop up some snow, packing the snow tightly in my bare hands it turns into a perfectly compact snowball. I took off in a sprint, opening my mouth to call his name so I could aim at his face, a shot rang out and echoed throughout the vast forest. Abigor stood in place, I jog to his side breathless.

     "What, you scared of a few deer hunters n-oh my god!" Red liquid gushed out onto the white snow, his warm blood created craters in the cold snow. He was clutching his bare chest falling to his knees. 

     "Abigor!" Getting on my knees beside him I gently grasp his face in the palm of my hands, he coughed and blood splattered on my hands. 

     "You need to get out of here, now. They're here." Hell no, who does he think he is. 

     "You're gonna be okay, don't talk, just listen to me." I cleared the snow underneath a tree and gently drag him to my makeshift shelter beneath the drooping branches. Tearing apart my leggings I create a bandage to wrap around his chest. 

      "Keep the pressure on that." I strip out of my hoodie and the long-sleeved shirt I was wearing, pulling them over his head I help him get his arms through the sleeves.

     "No...you need...these." He took long breaths while speaking, drying off the blood on his chin I smile sadly.

     "Stop caring about my health when I'm the one that's okay." I strip until I'm wearing nothing more than my undergarments, giving him everything that I could, nothing fit perfectly, but it was better than nothing. 

     "I know what you're gonna tell me right now." Abigor's breathing slowed down, I noticed because of the mist escaping his blue lips. 

     "But it's my turn to protect you." 

     "I-I don't know...how much longer...my heart."

     "Everything is going to be fine." Tears began rolling down my cheeks, but I quickly wipe them away with the palms of my hands. 

     "Stay right here, I'm gonna clear the area and get you out of here." Anger spread throughout my body and so did the heat. Screaming in pain I dug my nails into the palms of my hands. I want to save him, I need to save him, I-I need him. I was once again transformed, hastily throwing together a pile of sticks I create a small fire for Abigor and melt the snow residue around him. One of the perks of having a hot body, literally. 

     "Stay right here okay?" I know he can't walk anywhere, but I was referring to his life. I couldn't, I'm not going to lose him like this. Smiling one last time, I return to the pathway where Abigor was shot with guns blazing. Focusing on the environment around me I close my eyes and reopen them, now able to see the heat signatures around me. There that bastard is. With every step I took, the snow melts to puddles beneath my feet. A few more shots rang out and I felt a shooting pain in my right shoulder along with my lower abdomen area, but I kept walking with utter rage in the direction of that coward. With one swift movement, I came to a stop mere inches away from the enemy, face to face, sitting on a branch in a tree. Ripping off the bandana covering half of their face, to my surprise a woman's face appeared.