Until Ragnarok

Part 3: Run

"It will be ok, sweetheart...," Kaida begged, "please."

The insanity of the situation left Kaida confused because how in the middle of Vancouver, Kimi had an arrow shot into her rib cage. This was a dream, and they were heading home. There would be movies and talking.

The crap was kicked out of them, but Kaida saved them with brand new superhero strength, and now Kimi had a projectile lodged through her. They must be in an intoxicated stupor somewhere, imagining this, and it was nothing but a gruesome dream.

A light blazed and Kaida scanned around for the paramedics. They would realize what needed to happen, and Kimi would be fine. She cradled Kimi to her heart and promised that the paramedics would arrive soon. Everything will be better.

"Hang on, honey," Kaida said, "it's ok and I'm right here and help is coming and..." Kimi was no longer breathing, and her eyes glazed over.

Kaida recalled her first aid training as a child sitting beside the pool.

Wasn't there something about doing the chest compressions to Staying Alive?

Ah, ha, ha, ha, staying alive, staying alive...

Breathe.

How was CPR performed with a projectile in the chest? What if she hurt Kimi more by moving her and wouldn't it shift the object?

"Help!" Kaida cried, but there were flashing lights, but no ambulance. The sole person there was Angrboda.

"I am helping," said Angrboda and she was holding up her hands and battling against a force. She acted like an insane mime stuck in an imaginary shrinking box but with bolts striking against the invisible shield.

Kaida's perception changed, and vibrant red radiated from Angrboda's palms. The shield was a swirl of deep violets. Projectiles struck the obstacle in a bright burst of crimson before diluting into oranges. It reduced the colours to olive, churning in with the murky purple. No more arrows hit the shield and the flashing light ceased.

Kaida watched the glowing blue archer run across and leaped to the next building before disappearing.

Kaida looked at Kimi and her body no longer had any colour brighter than the yellows fading into greens. All the reds and oranges had melted into the cooler tones.

Angrboda glanced at Kaida, holding Kimi. "We need to run!"

"We can't leave Kimi here," Kaida said, holding Kimi tighter to her chest. She would keep the last remaining warmth of life from escaping her friend's body. "Help me, I don't know what to do? She's cold. We have to warm her up." Kaida opened her eyes, and her regular vision came back with a headache, but she took solace in that Kimi looked normal. Her dark blond hair was messed up, and the bruising was there, but her friend wasn't in pain anymore.

The ambulance would show up and take her and Kimi away, making tonight an awful memory. They would recover and tell the tale of the night someone had attacked them. This would become a story of trauma strengthen their friendship and Kimi would join the living and Kaida would settle down. They would be old ladies together.

Angrboda brought her back to reality by announcing, "She is dead, and we are leaving now."

"The ambulance will show up," Kaida said.

"If you stay here, you'll die too." Angrboda pulled Kimi from Kaida, who lashed out at her. Angrboda slapped her face hard. "We are going."

Angrboda didn't wait for a reply and pulled Kaida along until she ran. Kaida followed Angrboda, but her mind stayed with Kimi and what her face looked like as they discovered the arrow. It wouldn't leave Kaida's mind.