Jerone and the Girl from the Sky

chapter one

Jerone

I walk through the wood collecting the fallen branches of the Orian trees, I scanned for any living ones. The storm from last night had knocked some of the living ones out of the tree and if I found one I could buy my family a decent meal for once, maybe get Ori some boots that fit.

If I could find two or three I could hire a hand and make twice as much and slowly hire more hands, maybe by the end of next year I'd make enough to move out of that hollow hole I call a house. I couldn't think like that, it was unlikely for me to find one if I found two or three the Rangers would be knocking on my door with a warrant for my arrest.

I hear a snap as I make a wrong move, crap. I can almost hear Daba chastising me, "What's wrong with you, boy, that's our food you just stepped on."
Something's wrong.

I pull my jacket closer to me and choke on the air. There's a flash of light that knocks me back a good 30 hand, I blink away the blindness just enough to see a pitch black body fall from the sky. The portaler hits the ground and jerks before going slack. The Rangers will be here, and no doubt the military. I should leave before they frame me as an accomplice, but curiosity pulls me closer.

I look over the body, it wasn't moving, and I'm not sure they were breathing. The fall might have killed them, but that's not normal for portaler's. they usually portal 6 hands off the ground at most this one fell at least 60 hands.

The body jerked to the side and made a noise that sounded like a broken faucet, before laying on their back and choking on air. I rushed over to them and pulled the strange mask off their face to see a mouth gushing with blood. Crap. I picked them up in both my arms as they moaned, and began to run towards my house.

I can feel the ground vibrate as the rangers vehicles approach where I was, I slide into the hollow of two roots and prop the body against a dirt wall. They're moaning, I need them to stop or we'll get caught. I pull out a twig from my bag and gag them.

I'm not sure how long we stay hidden between the roots, long after the ranger leave, I wouldn't think the portaler was still alive if I couldn't feel the warmth of their body. When I finally crawl out of my new found hiding place it's dark, lifting the portaler into my arms I make my way home at a more comfortable pace.

Every tiny movement seems to hurt them, and they occasionally spit a mouth full of blood out but other than that they're quiet. When I finally make it to my home my family is on the porch, Ori looks confused, but when Moda sees the body she runs to me shouting for Ori to do something.

"Jerone, what happened," She says naturally putting her hand to her patient's forehead.
"Long story, Moda, they need help." I carry the portler into the house.

Moda takes the lamp off the kitchen table that doubles as an examination table. Ori had already gotten a pot of water boiling on the stove. Moda took the thick coat and shirt off revealing bruises, one that went across their waist.

"Internal bleeding?" I asked.

"No, gravity sickness, she will live," Moda said.
I couldn't have this portaler die on me, not after I risked my life and a days' worth of work for her. Wait, her? I became aware that the girl was topless and my cheeks turned red, "Go get the medical wraps,"

"How many do you want?" I stepped into the washroom.
"All of them," Moda said.
I gave them to Moda and she put them in the boiling water. I held the girl in a sitting position while Moda used the heat resistant gloves to wrapped the hot wraps around the girl's chest. When she was done the girl's chest was flattened and she stopped choking, "The wraps aren't the healthiest option, but it's what we have right now." Moda put the gloves in their drawer, "I'll get her a proper gravity vest tomorrow,"
"Where's she going to sleep?" Ori asked putting hot towels on the girl's bruises.
"Why don't you get the blankets from the closet and make a nice place for her to sleep on the coach.