~The Hunt~ Javier Escuella AU ✔︎

One-The Dream

The air was soupy and thick. Heat from the bright sun that made you sweat, the air stuffed and hard to breathe. Fog floating around you as it lifted from the swamps that were occupied with alligators looking for an easy meal. Hidden away, tricking it's prey into thinking it's a floating log. The doe or the snowy egret that drew closer to have a drink. The earthy ground now felt like walking on water, feet getting stuck, panicking as the the jaws of an alligator nears. The squelching of mud or maybe it's the jaws snapping onto the flesh biting to the bone tearing every pink flesh off of you. Blood trickling into the swamps filling the nostrils of the devils in disguise and they swim together forming an army approaching. Your heart racing and loudly pounding in your ears. So loud that it drowned out the tight grip on your ankle. The hair that sticks to your face as you try and pull away, tears brimming in absolute pain, blood seeping from your chapped lips as you bit down hard. Teeth scraping against each other as you fight against the alligator, clenching your fist repeatedly until your knuckles go numb with your leg.

Eyes shot open from the sudden jolt. Her breathing was ragged, hair pressed against her forehead, sweat seeping through her white shirt. The wagon jolted again going over the bumpy and rocky path to the heartlands.

The woman looked down at her leg, currently bandaged up on her left leg on the ankle, the jeans rolled up to the knees. The bandage that was once white now covered in red in dry blood but soaked with sweat. She stared in complete shock that her leg was still connected to her knee but she knew a fever may come along soon.

She leaned over her arm reaching a medical box and pulling another bandage out. Quickly, taking the other painted red fabric off. Hissing at the sudden touch as her fingers grazed over the stitches that's Ms Grimshaw managed to do before the sudden escape from Lakay. She grimaced at the sight of her leg, deep teeth holes penetrated in her leg. Flesh peeling away and dried blood sticking to the bandage as she lifted the fabric up. Wrapping the fresh bandage over her fresh wounds applying little pressure.

The sky was dark and filled with stars, not a cloud in sight making it a little too cold for her liking. She pulled the blanket up that also covered Miss Jackson beside her as she slept soundlessly against the boxes and barrels. Though it felt like her leg was the only thing on fire.

Quietly closing the medical box and putting it back. She leaned her head against a barrel looking at the passing trees and often lonely riders. Some riders gave her silly sorry smile but it looked more like a grimace.

Her eye lids became heavy and they slowly fluttered shut, her head leaning to one side. Sleep welcomed her with wide arms and an embrace like a soft blanket.

Sunlight and loud chatter made an outbreak making the woman wake up from her sleep. No longer in a wagon but a cot in her tent as the canvas was closed, blocking prying eyes like Micah Bell or maybe a curious look from little Jack and seeing her bloody ankle. No child had to see this. But little Jack had seen a lot at his age of four. None of them was good.

Slowly the woman sat up ignoring the throbbing pain from her ankle. The fire that started to spread up to her hip but she carried on with a limp. Annabelle had experienced pain like this before, the ferry job was the worst for her. But maybe this injury was nearly a close to the top. She had been shot in the shoulder to n the ferry job and had to let it bleed to escape. The bullet still sitting in the wound when she raced away on her horse.

Finally, pulling herself together and standing up walking to her chest pulling out fresh clothes. A pair of black jeans, a white button up shirt and a red fancy vest similar to Dutch.

She changed into fresh clothes, combing the knots out of her brown hair. She rolled the sleeves of her white shirt down and grabbing her infamous black coat that reached that back of her knees.