When the World Came Crumbling Down

Chapter 6

I woke in a strange place, on a strange blanket. I felt fuzzy, as if I’d slept for days without waking up. Slowly I remembered, and wished I hadn’t. I remembered waking up by the river on the limb, then the terror of running, and then hitting that guy…I tried to get up – a big mistake. Pain wracked my body, and I couldn’t help but moan. Where was that man? The one I saved...Or did I save him? I had to know. I forced myself to stand up, gritting my teeth and ignoring the tears that slid down my face. When I had finally gotten to my feet, I gasped with the effort and looked around at the small camp. There was a fire, encircled with stones and hardly more than hot coals. There was a strange thing hanging on a limb, something I hadn’t seen since the crumbling. It was a saddle. Why…? Oh. Tied on another limb not far away was a black horse, long mane and tail, munching on the leaves it could reach. A halter was on it, sun-faded nylon, it looked like. I took my eyes off the magnificent creature and continued looking around. There was a water jug sitting by the fire, to keep it warm, I guessed. Then I saw what I had been looking for - the dark haired angel was propped up against a tree, asleep, a poorly made bow in his hands. Satisfied, I slowly sank to my knees, and then lay down – I was tired, and I hurt. I just couldn’t stay up like that for much longer. Then as a last thought, I scribbled a map in the dirt where he would be able to see it – I wanted him to go to the refugee camp. He would be taken care of there…what did he save me for? Why did I not die? I moaned when a rock jabbed into my side, and his gorgeous green eyes snapped open, instantly alert. When he saw me, he dropped his poorly made bow and ran over to me, kneeling by my side and picking my head up ever so gently. He looked confused and desperate…and so cute…it was a shame I would never see him again. My eyes glazed over with pain as my body remembered and relived each and every hit I had taken, twitching uncontrollably as if it was actually happening. I gasped and gasped, trying to convince myself it was shock…somewhere in the back of my mind I knew it was fake, due to the trauma I had suffered through, but my body didn’t listen to my mind. “Here!” I croaked to him, painfully picking my hand up and pointing at the map. “Go…here…,” I said, barely able to get the words out as darkness enfolded me in its cold embrace.