The Knife Thrower

Chapter 16

I ease open the back door, wincing at the loud noise it makes. I slowly shut it behind me. My watch says 11:30pm, so they should be in bed.

"Kyra!!" Someone bulldozes into me at full speed and I would laugh if I had any air. Jay's skinny arms wrap around my waist and squeeze me tight, pushing me backwards. I squat down so I am on his level and give him a proper hug. Then Izzy is hugging us too and it takes everything in me not to start crying. Standing up I walk over to light another candle for the dim room. Izzy gasps behind me and grabs onto my arm. I turn around in alarm, but find she is staring at me, not at the door. I look at her confused.

"What?"

"What happened? You are bleeding at the back of your head, there is a gash on your forearm, your hair is wild and your knuckles are swollen and bleeding." She says with deep concern, already getting out a piece of wet cloth. I look down self-consciously, suddenly aware of how awful I look, like I have been in a fight. What an idiot I am! I just hope no Rats saw me walking back. Then again, if they did I probably would be dead, so hopefully no one saw me.

I touch the back of my head, hair sticky with blood and perspiration. I just washed it! Oh well. Taking the cloth from Izzy I scrub vigorously at my head, trying to get out the worst of the blood. Izzy starts cleaning the gash on my arm with our limited medical supplies, supplies I got at the local drug-store. She sniffs a small tub of something grey and gags. She smears the toxic-smelling stuff onto my arm and I bite my lip from the cold. She wraps the gash in a clean piece of cloth and secures it with a pin.

All of a sudden I am hit by immense wariness and pain in my shoulder. The adrenaline cursing through my veins earlier must have blocked out the most of the pain, which is now returning. Izzy helps me into a chair and I tell her about the unsuccessful meeting. Jay has gone back to bed. Her eyes are grow with each word and her mouth hangs open. She clamps it shut and stares at me hard. I try not to squirm under her solid gaze. An awkward silence falls between us.

"Um..." I try to prompt her into saying something. She sighs and gets out of her chair. I get up with her but she signals for me to stay seated. She walks over to the sink but doesn't turn on the tap. Instead she just stands there staring out the small, grimy window. Her blonde ringlets fall delicately around her chin and her smoky blue eyes hold so much wisdom for someone so younge. She is so gentle and sweet. She doesn't deserve this life, nor does Jay.

"What is going to happen now?" She asks quietly in exasperation, all the fight drained out of her. I take her small soft hand in my rough one and give her what I hope is a reassuring smile, trying to cover my feelings. I know she is scared. I'm scared too.

"I don't know." I say honestly. We get up and I walk her to her and Jay's bedroom. Then I go to my own room and shut the door quietly behind me. I lean against it, sliding to the floor and put my hands around my knees. I lean my head against the cold door and shut my eyes. I let the natural sounds and blessed darkness fill me, calm me. I push my fears and worries to the back of my mind, focousing only on my rhythmic breathing and the steady rise and fall of my chest. I eventually escape away into a dreamless sleep, not long after the clock strikes midnight.