Moon Light Memories

Chapter 20

     The landing was certainly not what I expected.

     I was falling the opposite way of Carter and Toby, my back facing the ground. My heart was pounding and sweat was pooling off of my face. When I landed first I swear I had a heart attack, waiting for the pain that would lash at me and then the darkness that I would fall into and never come out of again.

     But after the heart attack I felt. Instead of agonizing pain and blackout, I only felt the agonizing pain that signalled itself in my arm. After the pain that attacked my arm, green and brown swan in my vision. Closing my eyes, I bounced around for a couple moments hitting my head, my back, my legs and other body parts when finally the last hit took my whole body and stopped.

     I opened my eyes and found myself looking up at a tree. Pain wrapped around my body, but mostly it was in my arm.

     “Carter? Taylor?” Toby’s voice came from somewhere far beside me. I made no attempt to move, just closed my eyes as I tried to settle the pain in me. “Are you guy’s fine?”

     Carter’s voice came from the other side of me, “I’m fine! I just hit my head really hard. I think I might have a concussion. Taylor, you okay?” I heard her shift, probably to sit up, and then she gasped loudly.

     “I’m fine.”

     “Toby! I don’t think Tay’s alright.” She ignored me and soon enough gentle hands touched me and I opened my eyes looking at Carter.

     I smiled, the pain was making me dizzy. “I’m fine.” I said again, starting to feel a little loopy.  Maybe it had something to do with hitting all those branches.

     Carter smiled back, “Ya, you keep thinking that Tay. You’re bleeding. Like, a lot.” she shook her head.

     A low whistle sounded beside me. I turned my attention to Toby who was walking up to us. Small twigs and leaves brushed through his hair. Tiny cuts and bruises were scattered along his face. His clothes were dirty and small holes poked through were he landed on the branches.

     “Are you going to whistle every time I get hurt and am bleeding?” I asked, trying to lighten the mood.

     He shrugged. “Depends, does it piss you off?” He smiled kneeling down beside Carter. His hand swiped some dirt out of my face and moved to my shoulder. He touched something, and pain exploded throughout my arm.

     “Good thing is you still has feeling. But the bad thing is it’s going to hurt when I remove it.”

     “Remove what from my arm?” I asked.

     Carter took my hand and squeezed hard. “A twig went through your shoulder. So right now Toby’s going to remove it,” She sounded a little too perky. She stood up and moved to the opposite side Toby was on and gripped my hand again. “Just look at me the whole time and it won’t hurt as much.”

     She tried for a smile, but failed. “Are you trying to convince me of that, or yourself? You know I have a high pain threshold, I’ll be fine.” I smiled a real smile, ignoring the dopiness that threatened to take me into the darkness.

     She sighed, “You always had.” She closed her eyes for a moment, than opened them. “Okay let’s get this done and over with, no matter how great you’re feeling Taylor, me, well, I’m feeling sick from all this blood.” she looked at Toby. “Go. I’m ready.”

     Toby’s big hands gripped my shoulder gently. I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly, letting the calmness of the breeze take some of the pain away. Carter’s hand gripped mine so hard it cut off circulation.