There's Light at the End of the Tunnel

Chapter 2

-ORIGINAL POV-

I sit at the stream, filling my canteens and
cleaning my knife and arrows. I am hoping they ain't coming after me. What if they find me and try to eat me or something?

"They left fresh prints. Whoever it is ain't that smart" I hear a deeper, raspy voice say coming my way.

"They probably weren't thinking. How fresh?" Another man asks, his accent is thick, he speaks proper.

"They still could be close. Keep an eye out" The deep voice says.

I quickly and quietly pack up, and get my ass out of there. I start walking East, I walk lightly and try to step on as many leaves and roots to cover up where I was.

"C'mon, we are right behind 'em" The deep voice is obviously leading, coming my way.

"Let's get them then" The proper speaking man says.

I quickly try to make my way down a hill but I slip as soon as I try to step forward. I roll down the hill, one of my arrows punctures my right side. Just what I need, an injury. I stand up and speed walk away.

"Down here!" The raspy voice is getting louder.

They walk down the hill.

"Hold up. Look there's blood, pretty fresh to" He is pretty good I gotta say.

"Did they leave a trail?" The proper man asks.

"Yeah. It was a bad, whatever they did"

I sit behind a tree a rip out the arrow from my side. I bit down on my bandana and try not to scream from the excruciating pain.

"They are 'round 'ere somewhere" The deep voice is on the other side of the tree I sit at.

"Do you smell... blood?" The proper man asks, hoping he isn't going crazy.

"Yeah they're real close alright" The deep voice starts walking away.

I sit there, arrow between my teeth, holding pressure to my wound, trying to not loose as much blood. Next thing I knew, there was a man standing above me.

"Found 'em" The deep voice says.

The proper voice, a sheriff, comes over.

"Well, well, well..." He says, hand on his hip.

"Now whatta we gon do?" The deep voice asks.

"Do we end it for them now?" Sheriff answers.

Kill me!? Do I look that dead!? They can't do that! I just saved a kids life!

"I mean, it's up ta ya" The man in the vest gets down to my level and looks at where my arrow went through my side.

"Ya pretty messed up huh?" He asks me.

"I'll be fine" I respond.

"How are you gonna fix that?" The sheriff asks.

"Got ma ways" I say, probably a little over confident. The man crouching next to me chuckles.

"There's no way you're gon be fine. Ya arrow went through ya" He stands up and pulls the sheriff to the side.

"Would you like to come back with us? We have a doctor" The sheriff calls over to me.

"I'll be fine. More time ya stand here, less time I have" I look down at my bloody hands pressed on my side.

"I mean, she's right. She wouldn't operate with us standin' 'ere" The man with vest slings a crossbow over his shoulder.

"Don't matter ta me. Ya keep talkin' bout movin' me but I'm no condition ta go anywhere right now" I sit up some and
go into my bag. I pull put a small medical kit.

"We can bring the doctor to you" Sheriff says, concerned.

By now, my shirt has been rolled up and I have already cleaned the impalement.

"By the time that all happens, I coulda bled out" I say with my bandana in my mouth.

I start to stitch my side, the pain is ridiculous. I know they ain't doctors and probably don't know how to do this, but they just stand there...

The man with the crossbow comes over to me again, puts his bow on the ground and takes the needle from me.

"I got this" I say to him, tears in my eyes from the pain, but I'm not crying.

"Look at ya, you're a mess" He looks me in the eye. He is right, but how could I honestly trust some random people?

My shaking hand finishes the front and I start on the back. It's not too far behind me so I can still see it.

"Why did ya come after me?" I say to either of them as I continuously stab a needle through my skin and pull it through.

"We have a group. She was so thankful you saved her and she wanted you to come with her" The sheriff says to me, he is now behind the man with the vest.

"She'll be fine if I don't come back with ya. Tell 'er ya couldn't find me" I say as I finish my last stitch.

"Nice work ya got. Were ya doctor?" The man with vest asks out of curiosity.

"Naw, not even a nurse" I respond, cleaning the access blood from my side.

"There's nah way ya could do that so cleanly without medical practice" He says examining my work.

"Practice makes perfect" I say wrapping my side up. He chuckles and sits next to me.

"Why don't ya come with" He asks.

"Bad experience with groups"

"We ain't a group," Sheriff pauses "We're a family" He states very sincerely.

These words got to me. 'we're a family.' I start to have flashbacks... I get out of my trance before they notice.

"You are more than welcome ta come" He says reaffirming what he just told me.

"I can't" They look on the sheriff's face got to me too. He looked so upset, like he just lost his dog or something.

I pack up my things and stand up. My side is killing me.

"Ya ain't goin' anywhere like that" The man with the vest picks me up, bridal style, watching my side.

"Yes I am. Now put me down" I say to him, not too rude.

He ignores what I say and fixes his grip on me. I don't put up a fight, it's not worth it.

"I won't drop ya" He look down to me and cracks a tiny smile.

The sheriff picks up my crossbow and puts it on his shoulder.

"I won't loose it, trust me" Sheriff says as he leads the way back to their base.