Cruel & Blue (Eyeless Jack story)

Chapter 17

*HEY GUYS! APOLOGIES FOR ANOTHER DELAYED CHAPTER. I'M NOT SURE WHAT QUESTIONS TO GIVE YOU GUYS SO I'LL JUST NOT GIVE ANY AND LET YOU ALL GET TO READING, SINCE YOU GUYS DESERVE IT FOR WAITING SO LONG. WAIT, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'LL TELL A JOKE. OKAY, OKAY, TRY THIS. -AHEM- "I sold my car for gas money." -crickets- YAY! SO, ENJOY THE CHAPTER AND HAVE A GREAT DAY! c:*

Stay Creepy, My Friends!~

Chapter 17

Leaves and dirt stuck to my feet like tree sap as I trudged through the forest, in search for any sort of shelter or place of rest. I have been walking for what is now two days and a half. My dress was tattered and torn from pushing my way through bushes or tripping over twigs or my own bruised feet. My skin was riddled with bruises, scrapes and minor cuts and I was beginning to tan. I had no means to fully treat my wounds but Sam has helped me survive this far. Without him I would've given up and let myself lie on the forest floor to die. He has taught me how to temporarily tend to my wounds with certain natural things around me, where to sleep during the dangerous night and what sorts of berries and fruits to eat that won't slowly kill me with poison. Sam has taught me a good many of things in our time alone, our first ever time alone.

I still have not forgotten what had happened with the bandits and Father. The sound of a single instant of gunfire still shook me to my bones and have caused me to break down into tears more times than I could count. I can still hear it now, ringing in my ears, signaling someone's death and my own mourning. Honestly, I'm not quite sure I can keep going without Father. As helpful as Sam is, he cannot teach me how to hunt or how to build a cottage or how to runaway from society like we have done so many times. How will I be able to achieve the money for goods and clothing? I can't reveal my face to society or else I'll be locked up until my burning, whipping, stoning, any other malevolent torture that people can force onto me. Father protected me from that and he helped me understand the disturbing system of the world we live in. And with him gone...it seems like left is right and up is down. I don't know what to do.

Emily, stop and rest.

"O-Okay..." I murmured weakly as I fell to my knees and plopped over onto my side. I huffed and tried to take in as much rest as I possibly could.

How are your feet?

I slowly sat up and looked down at my scraped appendages, only to grimace and whine at how much they've worsened since I had last checked them. "They look horrid," I muttered and turned my gaze away.

I have an idea.

"Wh-What is it?" I asked.

Remove your bonnet and tear it in half, then wrap the fabric around your feet. As flimsy as it is, it should at least reduce the damage to your feet.

"But, what about daylight," I mentioned, "What will keep the Sun out of my eyes or protect my head from that terrible heat it gains?"

Until we can find something appropriate to cover your head, keep to the shade.

"Okay," I murmured and removed my bonnet from off of my head. I began pulling on it and trying to tear it in half like Sam had told me to do. Unfortunately, I had no luck. "I'm too weak...," I muttered as I kept trying to tear my white bonnet. Thankfully, Sam had picked it out of my hands and tore it for me. "Thank you," I murmured, and grabbed the two halves of the torn fabric. Then, I began wrapping the halves around both of my feet, and I was careful not to touch my bruises and blisters. Once the two halves of the bonnet were tied around my feet, I sighed and stood up to test them.

"Not very stable, but it will do," I said as I stared at my feet and wiggled my toes. I looked up at the tree branches and tried to determine where the sun was.