Backstitch [HxH]

X Seventeen X

{Content warning: poorly written injury/blood and action.}

     "So.. may I ask what we're doing for this
'assessment' that you speak of?" I ask Eda, who's now sitting at the bar, drinking something with an overly complicated name. I of course was sitting on the stool next to her, drinking a fruit soda.

"Well, you know what an assessment is. I assess your abilities and decide what and how I should teach you."

'Yeah, that's what an assessment is. Doesn't help me out.' I sweatdrop.

"I meant, what're we going to do for the assessment?"

"Well, it's what, 1:15? We'll leave town around, let's say, at 2pm. That gives you 5 hours to reach our destination. Then that's when the main assessment will start."

"What're we going to do before that?" I ask. I don't care what she wants to do before we leave. What I do want to know is what she means by 'main assessment.'

"I thought we'd just walk around town a bit," she says, giving what's left of the drink a small swirl before finishing it. Getting up she does a small stretch before gesturing towards me. "What're you waiting for, kid?"

    "A-ah yes!" I immediately stand, chug my drink, and grab my bag. I briefly thank the bartender before rushing to Eda, who was already exiting the bar.

~+~

     The town we're walking about is nothing special. There's a market place and a cool looking library but that's about it. Eda had told me to look around before she went into one of the buildings to talk to someone, which took forever. I'm not entirely sure why Eda had wanted me to wander around here but I couldn't be bothered. Instead, I tiredly waited for the woman to return.

    "Alright, kid. I got my stuff." She says, making me jump. I had been too absorbed in my head to hear her.  "Did you stay out here the entire time?"
I nod and get to my feet, brushing myself off.

    "Well. Let's get going. We don't have forever." She starts off to wherever we're going.  

     "W-wait for me!" I shout before rushing after her.

~+~

     I've been following Eda for... what? 4 hours now? I haven't checked my phone in a while so it could be more or less. So far we've been trekked through a forest, down a deserted road, and through barren woods. Wherever she's having us go, it's somewhere far away from other people. She mentioned I'll have 5 hours to get to wherever we're going, so I wonder how much farther it's going to be.

     Ahead of me, I can see Eda picking up the pace. So now we're running. Great. Not to mention there's a slight incline on the uneven ground. Jumping over logs and branches I attempt to keep up with her, only to fall onto a patch of leaves and scrape my arm on a branch.

     Cradling my arm on the ground I let out a small cry. Looking back at the branch my eyes widen. The branch and flew leaves are stained with my blood.  That... wasn't a measly scrape. It's a full-on deep slash. I focus back to my left arm, the one that had been hurt.

      I lift my right hand off of it, revealing a thick layer of sticky crimson liquid. Wincing at the sharp air on my exposed wound I reach for my bag but end up rubbing the strap against the wound.

     "Gah!" I cry out before biting my lip. I fish out a black tee wrap my arm in it. 'That's one of my nicer black shirts. The blood stains better not show through it. Although it's black I think it could still happen. Maybe. I'm not sure how that works.'
   
     The rustle of leaves makes my head jerk, panicking. The mix of adrenaline and anxiety going on is not a good look. Stepping out from a large tree is Eda, annoyed.