Antedate | Bucky Barnes

Chapter Ten

I lean my entire body weight against a pine tree, getting all the pressure I can off of my left leg. The cloth is entirely soaked in blood, my leg is covered in splotches of bright red and oxidizing blood. I take a few deep breaths and rest my forehead on my hand. I know I'm losing too much blood, I'm starting to feel dizzy and lightheaded. But I don't know where I am, if I'm even going the right direction. For all I know, civilization is a hundred miles the opposite direction.

I give myself a few moments to gather my wits before hobbling through the woods again. My left leg slightly drags behind me, and my jaw is sore from clenching my teeth together with every step. But if I don't do this then I'll die for sure. 

I go as far as my body will take me before I collapse next to a tree. My fingers are numb from the cold and insufficient blood circulation. The tips of them are blue and stiff. My eyes are heavy and I can't fight the sleep that's coming over me. I give into the darkness. 

Sun shines in my eyes through the trees and I blink, squinting from the brightness. My head feels dizzy and my stomach feels sick. But, I'm just surprised I lived. I look down at my leg and see that some of the bleeding has slowed down some. My throat is dry, so I pick up handfuls of snow and lick it until it's all gone. 

I get up from my resting spot, a sharp pain traveling through my leg. I bite the insides of my cheeks and adjust to the pain before I start moving again. My steps are slow and irregular, but they're better than nothing. If I survived this long, I sure as hell can make it to civilization. 

My optimism doesn't last long, and before I know it my body starts feeling weak once more. Like yesterday, I collapse against a tree and succumb to the fatigue. I know I'm not going to keep getting lucky, and if I don't find people soon then surely I will fall asleep out here and not wake up, it's just a matter of time. 

Once I find myself awakening once more, my body feels more rigid and run down than ever before. Please let this be the day I find people, even if it's just a small shack. I'll take anything I can get at this point. 

I trudge through the pine trees, each step sending a jolting pain through my leg. I continue on for what feels like hours before I hear something in the distance. I stop walking and hold my breath, maybe I'm just hallucinating. But I hear it again, I hear somebody laugh in the distance. I turn my head towards the sound and begin walking that way. 

I put as much pep into my step as I can, and as I get closer I can hear more. I hear several people talking, I hear doors slamming. There are people. Finally. 

I reach the edge of the pines and look at the small town I've stumbled upon. There are about five houses, a small general store, and a run down bar that probably doubles as a brothel right next to the store. I walk to the edge of the town and see an older lady walking towards one of the establishments. I stop her as she walks by, 

"Miss, please, I could really use some help." I beg. The lady looks at my leg and her eyes grow wide. She takes my numb hand and crouches so that she's eye level with me. 

"I will take care of you, poor child. Come with me." She says and leads me to the bar. As I suspected, it does also serve as a brothel. There are several women hanging around the seats, all of who stare at us as we walk through the doors. As we cross the threshold, the woman who has my hand starts giving other people orders as she situates me in one of the bench seats placed against a wall. 

"Get me the bandages and alcohol." She says. A woman jumps from her spot and rushes off to find the supplies. The woman takes my bag from me and places it on the ground next to me. My left leg is propped up and I take a look at it. 

Most of the blood is a rusty brown color now, it's caked onto my skin. The woman unravels the shirt fragment from my thigh and I see the bullet wound. The bullet is still lodged in my leg, the bottom half of it sticking out. The skin around the wound is bright red and angry, and I can see some pus setting in on the edges.