Haven

Chapter 5

Zane walks beside me and Red on the way to the Outlands. We don't talk about much, just a little about our lives in the Haven. He seems to think that it's absolutely impossibly amazing that Red just left her whole life behind to follow me because I was worried about something. "You two must be really close." He says, which the biggest understatement in the whole entire universe. We both laugh and tell him that we've been practically joined at the hip for years. When he asks why I chose my name I just shrug it off with a a causal "No reason." But I can tell he knows that I'm not exactly being completely truthful. I just don't feel like giving this guy my whole life story. Red explains the reasoning behind her name when he declares his interest in her unusual choice of name. I ask why he chose his name and am surprised to find that he was born in the Outlands. I mean, I was told there were whole families out here and people raised there but I had never really thought about it.

The two other Outlanders that met/attacked us introduced themselves as Clark and Anna. They are walking ahead of us, immersed in political conversations with my mother and Jamie.

After about another 15 minutes of walking, my feet are so painful that I cry out when I step on a particularly sharp stone or something. Zane spins towards me and seems as if he was going to catch me but I'm not falling. So instead he just ends up with his hands on my arms. For a second I am so stunned and don't really know what to do and when I try to take a step backwards I find that I am rather off-balance and fall into him. With a stammered apology I back aways but he doesn't let me go, just helps lower me to the ground.

Leaning against a tree, I seem to melt into it's rough bark as I finally relax, every muscle going slack. My head falls back onto the textured trunk and I allow myself to feel the pain in my feet. It hurts like hell, like my feet are on fire and someone is trying to put it out with a sharpened fork.

Zane crouches down to looks at them and swears when he sees the damage. "Jesus, Jess, you're bleeding pretty bad."

"What?!" I exclaim, leaning suddenly forward and twisting my leg so I can see my feet. God, I didn't realise it was that bad! The stones and twigs have cut up my skin something awful and they're bloody and bruised.

"You can't walk without shoes any more, you'll end up needing it amputated!"

Everyone has gathered round now, the other four having realised we've stopped. Mum crouches down to look too and gasps. "Sweetheart you should have said something! I didn't realised it'd be this bad. Oh I'm so sorry, it's all my fault." She is almost tearing up and I do my best to sooth her, telling her it's not her fault and all that.

"Well what're we going to do now?" Jamie finally asks. At least he has the sense to think logically. The only thing is, I don't know. Before I can answer, though, Zane speaks up.

"I would carry her but we're still quite far, I wouldn't be able to go the rest of the way." I'm shocked that he would offer that but I guess he is just one of those rare, kind, selfless people.

"We can take turns carrying her." Jamie suggests."Clark can help too. If you don't mind, that is." He adds, directing it at the other Outlander man. Clark agrees and I almost want to protest - I have never liked other people doing things for me - but there is no other plausible way so I agree as well.

I can feel my cheeks redden as Jamie steps forward and scoops me up into his arms like a helpless baby. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I rest my head against my brother's shoulder. It's been so long since I've been this close to him; the last time he carried me like this was when I was six and fell off my bike when I tried to do a wheely. Everything else falls aways and its just Jamie's strong arms holding me and the gentle bob of his steps lulling me to sleep.