Torn Apart (pt. 1)

Chapter 4

As soon as Katara stopped her blood from flowing, her whole side went numb. For a moment, she couldn't even feel anything. Then that moment ended, and the pain started to sink in.  

"Ok, I-I stopped the blood," she said, starting to feel a burning sensation. Dr. Joh Meng went to work on the arrow. He pulled on it, and Katara whimpered. It felt someone was cutting her into pieces from the inside out.  

"Katara, look at me. You're ok, just keep breathing. It's almost over," Aang said, never taking his eyes off of her. Drenched in sweat, Katara tried to speak, but she felt like she was going in vommit every time she did. Her deep, shaky breaths were slowly turning into ragged,sharp gasps.  

"Katara, you need to bend the blood away from the wound," the doctor said. As she did, she began to get dizzy. Aang noticed this and turned to the doctor. 

"What's happening?!" he asked frantically. As he kept pulling at the arrow, he explained.  

"When a person's blood stops flowing in one place, the blood cells stop getting oxygen. Once that happens, it can cause serious damage to the tissues in his/her organs, and from the looks of it," he paused, "A lot of harm has already been done,"  

"What organ is being damaged?" Aang asked, almost screaming. Dr. Joh Meng wiped sweat off his forehead and said, "Well, from the location, probably her kidney,". Scared and on the verge of losing his mind, he turned towards his wife.  

"Katara, stay with me, ok? Katara, answer me," Katara could barely speak. Her head was spinning like crazy, and her body was getting weaker and weaker by the second. She felt as if the life was being sucked out of her. Aang glanced at her hands. They were shaking violently.  

"Aang, I c-can't....I can't do it a-anymore.....it's hurts...s-so much, Aang..." Katara squeaked, struggling to breathe.  

"Katara, no," Aang said, wiping tears off her face. "I'm not gonna let you give up, we're so close,". The doctor looked up at them.  

"It's almost out, I just need one more tug. It's gonna hurt, Katara. You ready?"  

Katara gritted her teeth and said, "Start pulling,". He took a deep breath and yanked hard. Pain shot through her body like lightning so fast it nearly gave her a heart attack. She let out a scream as the doctor yanked at the arrow harder and harder. She felt like she was gonna die. The doctor gave it one more harsh yank, and Katara screamed so loud it rang in Aang's ears, threatening to haunt him forevermore. 

Then suddenly, everything stopped. Katara stopped screaming and put her hands down, her bloodbending ceasing. Through hazy double vision, she dizzily glanced at the doctor, drenched in sweat and panting, holding something long and bloody in his hand. The arrow. She licked her dry, cracked lips and tried to speak.  

"I-Is it out?" she stuttered. Aang sighed with relief and bent down, kissing her on the forehead.  

"Yeah, sweetie. It's out."