If I Had Wings to Fly

Chapter 7: Help

"I knew I had to see for mys-- The flames were-- I'm glad I found you fir-- The others can be-- but they'll -- I'm just so exc--" The strange woman speaks enigmatically but in fragments. Or maybe I'm hearing in fragments.

"Do you have a cellphone?" I interrupt her.

"You have to come with me right away!" The woman says ignoring my question. She reaches for my bad arm. Instinctively I slap her hands away, this time more adamant.

"Phone. Please." I say between jagged breaths.

She tilts her head curiously at me.

"We don't have those. There are no cell towers."

"Okay." I say, accepting defeat. "Thanks anyways." I feel too tired to say anymore, but then I think I'm being rude, so I say, " I hope you have a nice day."  I say blinking heavily.

The woman's eyes shine intensely with concern.

She reaches behind her and digs through a sack. I stare straight ahead at the ocean. What a lullaby--If words can be pictures then nature is a song. I like the songs the water plays. It rocks me back and forth and back and forth...

"Oooh Nooo you don't. It's not time to sleep Sweetie. Wake up. Wake up Darling."

Water splashes against my cheeks. Opening my mouth I feel cold water slip onto my tongue. I swallow, refreshed, then open my eyes in a panic. When did I lay down?

"Oh dear! How'd you got into this mess..." The woman says with furrowed brows.

I snatch the metal canteen from her hands and drink savagely. Gulping down icy water pains my dry throat, but it's so much better than the hot water from before.

"Slowly. Not too much at once. "

I begrudgingly listen and stop drinking so fast. I still feel nausea tumbling around in my stomach.

The girl's hair, like ebony, is pulled into a bun and held together with a carved wooden pin. I can't make out the design because my vision is too blurry. Regardless, I can tell that she's classy, or well put together. She wears a flowing white tunic with a satin red belt tied around her waist. She digs through her sack once more while I stare at her through sips of water.

"Can you stand?" She asks. I have trouble seeing her face from this angle, and remember that my eye is swollen.

"I don't think so." I mutter gruffly.

I make it a couple feet off the ground and fall.

"I think you're suffering a concussion. Judging by your face, I'd say you crash landed. HARD." The young woman says kneeling beside me. 

Without asking, she gently wraps her arms around my shoulders and lifts. My muscles stiffen in pain.

"Don't flipping touch me!" I growl, moving away like a feral dog.

The woman stops and scowls, offended.

Ignoring her, I collapse into the sand and heave heavy breaths. 

"Your shoulder is dislocated." She says crossing her arms, looking down pointedly.

"Thanks for the water, but I can do this on my own." I say trying to crawl away from her.

"If I don't help you, you will probably die."

"That's my problem lady. I don't need your help anymore."

My world goes black when I hear a pop.

I'm stunned into silence as fireworks go off in my brain. The popping sound reverberates in my mind. I hear it over and over as I cringe so deeply in pain. The girl drops my shoulder satisfied.

"OWCH!" I growl at her, and no one.

A second later waves of pleasure flood over my body, like I'm wrapped in a blanket of dopamine. It feels like... YES. I never knew so much relief could be felt from your shoulder sitting in the right spot. 

The girl grabs my other hand and easily lifts me to my feet without so much as a grunt. She is so strong. 

"There. Now you don't need my help."

"Thank you." I say smiling. I smile because of the relief. I smile because I am just so grateful. I guess my brain wouldn't allow me to know how much pain I was really in, until that pain was gone. 

"My name is Lauren." the stranger says cooly.

"Sarah." I say, "But my friends call my Birdie."

With that Lauren laughs. I stare at her confused, not understanding her sudden laugher. I look around me, but see nothing funny. When she notices I'm not laughing along she stops.

"Your name is Birdie?" She questions, looking seriously into my eyes. 

"Yeah. Why is that so funny?"

"It's not. I've just never heard that nickname before." She says smiling, although her eyes are more thoughtful.

"My sister gave me that nickname when I was a baby. I don't know why, but it stuck." I say candidly, then realize I'm talking about my sister to a stranger. I grow quiet, rubbing my right shoulder with my left hand. 

"Thank you again." I say more guardedly.

"Can I help you? Or do you want to wander about on your own?" She says recalling my obstinance. "I don't want to scare you, but I'm worried about a different clan finding you. I think it would be more dangerous for you."

I ponder her words carefully. I'm still fuzzy, and tired... and if she's right that I have a concussion, I probably don't have the best decision making right now. Finally I answer her.

"If you could help me, I would be grateful. I will find a way to repay your kindness." I say slowly, so that I don't mess up the words. 

Lauren smiles brighter. I can't help but feel in awe of her beauty. 

'She is so tall, she could be mistaken for royalty,' I think to myself.

"Very good. I'll take you to my village, but we will move to the shade first so you can recover."