The True Saint

Grief & Vengeance

I ᖴEEᒪ ᑎOTᕼIᑎG at first. All I see is the fluttering of my eyelashes. Then, all at once, I feel like I have laid down on a street and let a hundred carriages and their horses trample my body. I am all too aware of each place that had been injured when I fell from at least fifty feet in the air. How I am alive right now, I do not know.

        I open my heavy eyelids completely and notice that I am encircled by all of my friends. Our surroundings are unfamiliar. We seem to be in a single room that is similar to the one I stayed in last night. I am guessing that we are in the closest lodging that they could find. Cockroaches scatter through the cracks in the wallpaper and water drips from the ceiling. I couldn't care less. I am safe and surrounded by my friends. That is all that I need.

       "There she is," Nadia says in a sweet voice. Beside her is an older man that I do not recognize. He has short brown hair parted in the middle and holds a hand to his heart.

        I try to sit up on the bed, but I wince and shudder back on the pillow. "Careful," Toyla says. "You were healed, but will still be in a lot of pain for a while. Your wounds were critical. It is a miracle that you lived through your injuries."

        I point my finger weakly and ask, "who is that?"

        The man steps forward and introduces himself. "Sankta Alina. It is such a blessing to meet you." He bows his head. "I am Anton Balakin, a healer." I understand now. He is a pilgrim who most likely thinks he just saved a Saint from death. He stares at me like I am some higher entity, not a fragile girl who cannot move. "Sankta, everyone is rejoicing at the disappearance of the Fold. They have been cheering your name on the sands where the Fold once stood for days now."

        "Days?" I croak. "How long have I been asleep?"

        "Four days," David says matter-of-factly. I nearly fall out of bed.

        "Four days?"

        Genya comes in with a small bowl of soup. "Speaking of," she says while sitting gently on the mattress. "You must be starving. We tried to give you food while you were slightly conscious, however, it was small amounts." I did not recall any of this. "Eat." Genya holds a spoon of steaming soup to my dehydrated lips. I graciously take it.

        Once I have finished, I feel a tug at my shirt. Amelia. I have never been happier to see her look up at me with her large, beautiful eyes. I can't help but smile at her. I pat the spot beside me and she cheerfully hops up on the bed. Painfully, I lift my arm, encircling her at my side. Amelia looks up at me and asks," are you feeling better?"

"Yes, much better. Thank you all for saving me. And thank you, Anton. It is nice to meet you."

"The honor is all mine, Sol Koroleva." Though he looks at me like I am a magical, flying unicorn that just granted him three wishes, he seems different from the other pilgrims. He keeps his space and does not try to touch or praise or grab at me as the others have in the past.