the long and short of it

A Leg Up

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck," simon screamed out.

Only moments ago, the sky and ground had swirled in to one as simon tumbled down the steep slope of the tor. Everything had rushed past in a blur, he had grabbed out desperately at rocks and roots trying to slow his accelerating descent. It was to little to late though, the crack that followed his sudden halt rang in his ears, and pain shot through him like a thousand needles running through his veins. Simon had tried several times to lift him self up, but as soon as he placed any pressure on his leg, it just buckled under his weight. After a few attempts he gave up and sat. Tears of pain and hopelessness streamed down his face. All of his equipment sat about twenty feet away, upwards, and he couldn't move. to make things worse blood had began to soak through the make shift bandage he had made from his scarf.

He was stranded miles from anything or anyone, with a broken leg, and his skin burning from all the cuts and grazes his descent had inflicted. His screams of anguish soon turned in to light breathless sobs, the realisation of how helpless and isolated he was. With no way to escape his fate bore down on him. Nevertheless he still found himself desperately screaming out as loud as he could. The mixture of pain and fear was exhausting, and eventually Simon passed out. He spent what must have been two hours phasing in and out of consciousness until the touch of a soft hand in his forehead brought him round.

Kneeling before him was a woman, her silver hair was all he could really make out through the haze. But the way it flowed like a river and sparkled in the sun light calmed him.

"Help, please," Simon wheezed through pain stricken gritted teeth.

"Don't worry," she responded in a voice that felt like Silk flowing through his mind,  the stranger put a flask to his lips and Simon drank. The liquid was sweet and cool as it hit the back of his dry throat. Simon forced a smile of thanks through his anguish. Feeling more refreshed he looked in to her eyes. Their grey irises were incredible, they appeared to swirl and dance like whispers of smoke.

"Can you move," the woman asked.

"What's your name," Simon's voice trembling from shock.

"Oileph," the woman responded. "Now again, can you move, so I can get you some where I can take care of you," Simon nodded felling a little like a scolded child, before she threw his arm over her shoulder, lifting him off the ground in one swift movement. She was much stronger than Simon had expected. They walked through the woods and over fields for about half an hour, and she never tired, even though a lot of the time she appeared to be taking his whole weight.

Soon they approached a small building, the logs that formed the walls were covered in Silvery lichens, and various flowering plants that  seeped through the cracks in the timber, the roof which they held up was a poorly thatched and  looked is though it would collapse at any moment. The only inviting thing was the smoke that streamed out of the chimney, which had been cobbled together out of uneven grey stone and held together with more mortar than was probably safe. The Inside was just as rustic and simplistic, Oileph sat Simon on the bed his whole body buzzed from the pain and shook uncontrollably from the adrenalin.

"Take this," Oileph said, serving him a spoon of green paste.

"What is it, " Simon asked  suspiciously,the smell alone was enough to repel stampeding wildebeest.

" It's just Herbs, they're a pain killer for your leg. "

Hesitantly, Simon took it. Anything that might part him from his pain, was welcome, and it did everything went numb, his eye lids grew heavy, and he was asleep.
When he awoke everything was a blur for a start, but the first thing that came in to focus was the aged face of the woman who had come to his aid. His Leg was uncomfortable and felt heavy like there was a cast on it.

"my leg its, " Simon began. The girl interrupted "I have cast it for now, but take this it will keep the pain away.

Simon took another spoonful of the medicine, a familiar calm came over him. After a few days and when he was in a much more lucid state  Simon began to question who Oileph was. 

"How do you know how to do this, why haven't you taken me to a hospital yet," the questions poured out, " and haven't you seen if people are looking for me."

Oileph laughed, "feeling a little paranoid, it's the herbs, " Oileph chuckled again, " Its ok. When you live in such a remote place you learn how to look after your self the natural way. as for anyone searching for you, nobody has come by yet. and I haven't the resources to get you to the closest villages until the end of winter so healing you here is far easier. "

Simon felt a little uncomfortable with her answer but with a nervous smile and a nod he accepted it for now. The weeks passed in a blur, a mixture of pain and herbal medicines untill  his leg felt much better, Simon was glad of this and  Oileph had mentioned that he would soon be well enough to begin moving about. she cooked a special meal to celebrate it was a simple meal but there was care in it. Both the meat and vegetables had been freshly harvested, after they had eaten they talked for a long while untill Oileph retired for the night and Simon fell asleep for the first time with out the help of the medicine

The next morning Oileph sat at the the end of the bed looking vacantly over Simon  as he awoke, he could tell her smile was one tainted with sadness.

"It's time for you to move, " Oileph said emotionally. Her eyes had turned a far more solid grey than the usual smoky swirl of before. She prepared her self to leave. "I suppose you will be leaving me soon," she said through broken tears.

"Yes hopefully if I can get moving, but where are you going," Simon inquired nervously.

"To get some materials to build you crutches, so you can move about," she said as she packed a few thing in to a bag, her sobs now far more recognisable.

"Thank you, thank you for everything," Simon said.

"Please don't thank me, because I can't let you leave. Your mine now." Oileph said a tone of resentment in her voice " and you will stay. "

"I can't stay, I don't want to,"  Simon replied pleading, he launched himself forward. Before collapsing backwards, as the plank Oileph swung connected with the side of his head.

When Simon came around there was a lot of banging and clattering, and a putrid smell that filled his nostrils . He wriggled about on the floor like a fish out of water, disorientated, Simon eventually sat up against the wall, and using it to push him self up he took a step forward. He crumpled immediately to the floor, shock and fear engulfed him as he groped at the stump where his leg had once been. He pulled himself up to sit against the wall again. Oileph kneeled in front of him with a bowl and a spoon full of stew.  Simon looked down, inspecting what remained of his leg, he looked over to the fire and hanging above it was his roasted and carved up leg Simon stated at it almost longingly. Wishing it was still attached and he could run.

"Don't worry, this isn't you," she said forcing the spoon in to his mouth. Simon chewed the meat, it was fatty with a jelly like consistency. Oileph turned her head to look straight on at Simon he recoiled in horror, for now all that stared back at him Was on one side a grey swirling eye, and on the other a bloody and  gapping black hole.

"I hope you enjoyed it, "  Oileph said standing up, " because now you have eaten of me, and I have eaten of you, no we are bonded for life"

Simon was  speechless paralysed by fear, Oileph turned looking at him through her remaining  eye. "Say something then, do you know how hard it is to take out your own eye ball, "  she laughed " it was worth it though, "  she kissed Simon softly,  "now come on my love, let's get you back  in to bed and you can take your medicine".