Apple

Chapter Four

We walk away from the house without looking back. I want to run, but I don’t think I’d be able to get far, and I know Skye can’t. He’s struggling enough with walking, leaning heavily on my shoulder and stumbling repeatedly. The night is cold and we’re both shivering violently. We both left our cloaks at the house, though they were probably too soaked through to be much protection any more.

Once the house is out of sight, Skye calls a stop. He sits down on a fallen tree, leaning forward, one hand on his knee, the other still pressing the makeshift bandage against his chest. He’s breathing heavily and I can see a sheen of sweat on his forehead, droplets running down and mixing with the blood on his face. His eye is still closed. I can see he is in pain from the way his jaw is set and the way his hand trembles slightly against his leg. My heart aches for him and I can’t stop my mind wandering over terrible possibilities. How much blood can one person lose and still keep moving?

I don’t want to stop here. I’m scared that the old woman will wake up and come after us. Or maybe a pack a wolves will smell our blood and hunt us down. I look around, listening hard for the sound of howls in the darkness. The shadows shift and break as the vegetation is caressed by the rising wind. Is that an eye I see over there? A claw? A fang?

I let out a squeak of fear and hurry over to Skye, burying my face against his shoulder, and burst into tears. I feel so sick with pain and fear that it’s hard to breath. It is as if everything I knew has been ripped up in front of my eyes. People should be decent and God-fearing and there should be justice to protect the weak. There shouldn’t be cannibals with knives and poisoned milk in the real world. 

Skye puts his arm round me and I scream when he touches my injury. He retracts his hand and looks at me sharply.

“You’re hurt! I… I never even noticed. God, Apple I’m so sorry. What kind of brother am I?”

“It’s not your fault,” I say quietly, though I remember him telling me that nothing would hurt me. “Do you think it’s broken?”

“I think it’s dislocated. I’m not sure I can put it back right now.” He goes quiet for a moment. “Dammit, Apple!” he swears at me suddenly. “Why did you have to come with me? I knew I wouldn’t be able to protect you.”

I back away slight, shocked by his sudden anger. “I told you, I wanted to make sure you were all right. I didn’t want to be worrying about you,” I say quietly.

He laughs, but it’s not the warm, hearty laugh I’m used to. Instead it chills me as much as the idea of being stalked by wolves. “And how’s that working out for you?”

I don’t like this. I know he’s scared too, but I want the strong, confident Skye back. The one who tells me not to be afraid, that he will always protect me. “Why did you leave?” I demand, my fear crystallising into rage. “Why did you have to run away in the first place? Would Pa have really thrown you out?”

“Probably, but that’s beside the point. He was right: I couldn’t stay there like that. And there was no one else on the farm I could go to, or even down in town. No one is going to be looking for new workers when they can barely feed themselves.” He sounds more tired than angry now, worn out and broken down. “I thought… I don’t know what I thought but it’s all wrong now. I wish I’d forced you to stay at home; I just couldn’t bear to leave it all behind. I…I miss Ma,” he admits in a hitching whisper.

I put my arm around him and try to urge him to his feet. “Then let’s go back and see her. Let’s make a promise that we’ll both go home, as soon as we can.” I can feel his heart beating very fast through his shirt.

He stares at me for a moment, as if I’ve grown two heads or suddenly started talking in another language, and then a slow smile creeps across his battered face. He holds out his hand to me.