Memories (The Pack)

Chapter 13

Warnings: Vikk and Lachlan play surgeon... Very gross... Also says omg (in case you find that offensive)

     ~Vikk's P.O.V.~

The one word to describe this moment... Chaos. Let me explain. Small flash back.

      "Are you okay to travel by horseback Rob?" Preston inquires cautiously.
     "Yeah I should be fine now... Lets just take it slow."

     Key word 'should.' As it turns out, Rob isn't 'fine now.' because on the way back from the desert, only 200 blocks away from home, Rob literally fell off of Winter and was out within two seconds. Of course Preston noticed first, since he was riding at the very back, and started freaking out... Which easily got our attention. Long story short Rob hitched a ride on Arrow, the fastest horse. And upon returning we realize he's internally bleeding due to a shard of his armour that got lodged into him when the mutant creeper blew up.

     ...Great.

     At the moment everyone is exploding with action. Mitch and Jerome are heading out into the night to try and steal a healing potion or two from a witch, Preston... I don't really know where he ran off to, and Lachlan and I are stuck with trying to play surgeon and extract the piece of iron. It seems to be caught between some of his lower ribs, luckily just under the lung. Well, judging by the deep red... Pretty much hole, in his back. How on earth did we not notice this before?! Did Rob even know it was in there?! Wait... That healing potion must have momentarily stopped the bleeding... And then because there wasn't any blood none of us expected him to be injured... Oops.

     "Vikk I hope you're not squeamish cuz we're gonna have to take it out by hand." Lachlan declares, removing Rob's torn hoodie.
I groan sickly, "Do we have to?"
"Preston will probably kill us and or burn the whole house down if we don't."
     "Yeah good point."
      "Hand me a sword Vikk."
     "A SWORD?!"
     "You expect me to rip open his back with my hand?"
     "Touché."

     Quickly pulling out an iron sword from my inventory I hand it to Lachlan, mentally hurling as he slices through Rob's skin and widens the gash. He sets the sword to the side, it's tip covered in blood, to which I gag.

"Would you like to do the honours Vikk? I'll go get some stuff to patch up his wound after we get that iron out." Lachlan presses, "Thanks Vikk." He closes before I can protest, quickly rushing out of the room.
     "Lachlan!" I call after him, but he doesn't return.

     I curse under my breath, shifting to Rob's side and glancing into the sea of flesh.

     "Lachlan's gonna pay for this..." I murmur, trying to spot my target.

     Ah, there is is. Embedded deep within Rob's back, I catch the glint of iron. Upon a closer examination I can make out the colour ivory, smooth curved structures exposed to the air and on either side of the iron. It's stuck between his ribs... Way to make this job easier. I note silently, nausea threatening to surface. With hesitant fingers  I reach into Rob's back, prodding at the iron and seeing how loose it is. It doesn't budge. Crap. I draw my hand back, wiping off the blood from my hand. Then reaching back in I clench tightly around the shard.

     "Rob, I know you can't hear me but I apologize in advance."

     Jerking hard in the piece of iron, I wiggle it back and fourth until finally it pops out. Blood splatters everywhere at the sudden lack of blockage and it smears across everything. Across my clothing, his back, the floor... Everything. And just then, Lachlan walks in.

     "Hey Vikk I got the co- OH MY GOD WHAT DID YOU DO."
     "Just hurry up and give me the webs before he looses to much blood."

     Lachlan doesn't waste a second in springing over and shoving the cobwebs into my hands.

     I turn back to Rob and quickly cover the hole with the webs, slowing down the bleeding and patching up the wound fairly well.

     "Do you know if Mitch and Jerome have got the healing potions yet?" I question, trying to smooth down the strings.
"I don't-"
"Did someone say 'healing potion?'"

Lachlan and I turn towards the doorway where Mitch is casually leaning against it, Jerome right behind him. In his hand is a bottle filled with bright pink liquid, which sloshes around inside as Mitch swirls it around. Jerome slides past Mitch and peers uneasily at Rob.

"I can see why you needed it now..." He states.
"Vikk it looks like you killed him." Mitch cackles, nodding at the blood staining everything.
"Just hurry up and give me the potion." I rush, Mitch tossing it to me.

     I pop off the lid, pushing away some of the cobwebs so I can have better access at the wound. Then without hesitation I pour the potion over his back, watching as it works it's marvels. Swiftly the wound shrinks, until it's only a large scar on his back. The blood even vanishes from his skin as the last of the potion fades away. I watch in relief as Rob's breathing becomes more noticeable, the rise and fall of his chest moving rhythmically. And then the final person of our little group enters the scene. Preston pops into the room with a worried expression on his face.

     "Is Rob okay?" He questions, looking over at his resting form.
     I nod. "He should be okay now... Don't go too hard on him when he gets up okay? Like I know he saved your life and all but-"
     "Guys... What. What happened?"

     All our heads snap to Rob's direction, who has silently sat up and is now rubbing his temples.

     "ROB YOU CACTUS, WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US YOU WERE FREAKING IMPALED?!" Preston screeches at the top of his lungs, Rob wincing at the noise.
     "So much for not going hard on him..." Jerome mumbles under his breath, Lachlan chuckling.
     "I'm sorry, I honest to goodness didn't feel it."
     "Bull shrimp. You had a piece of iron, in your back." Preston retorts in some sort of harsh, cheeky, acceptance.

     Rob only weakly chuckles at this.

     "Well at least he's still alive, right?" Mitch points out, Preston grumbling an 'I guess so.'
     "Which reminds me..." I pipe in, "Where do you even go Preston?"
      "To a place."
      "A place?" Lachlan repeats.
     "A place." Preston confirms.
     Mitch raises one eyebrow, "While Rob could have died... You went to a place...?"
     "Yes, I went, and ventured off to..." Preston pauses for suspense. "A place."
     "No guys I don't think you understand..." Jerome trails on, "He's saying he went to the place."
     "The place?"
     "No I said I went to a place." Preston corrects,
     "But I thought it was the place."
      "No Jerome, he went to a place. A."
     "A place?"
     "A place."
     "So Preston went to a place."
     "Yes, I went to a place."
     "What place? I don't even know what's going on..." Rob states, joining the mess.
     "Didn't you hear him? He said a place."
     "Yes, a place."
     "The place of placing."
     "Could you all just stop. Like right now. You're making my brain hurt." Lachlan finally steps in, who at some point withdrew from the meaningless conversation.
     "Nah Lachlan, just go to another... Place."
     "Fudge you Vikk."

~~~