Arrows in the Dark

Deep in the Meadow

It's like everything slowed down. The burlap sack of apples toppled over spilling its contents. The ground erupted below. The earth looked like it was throwing up clumps of dirt and grass. Then it all sped up. The explosion knocked me back. I think I screamed. I'm not sure. I felt a sharp pain in my leg but didn't look down. I fell on my but about two feet away form where I was originally standing I groaned and shifted on the ground. I knew I did it but I couldn't hear it. The ringing in my ears was deafening. You were standing too close Catora. I told myself.

My vision was shifting and the ground felt like it was settling. I blinked more than once trying to regain my composure. Then a person ran across the field toward the remains of the supplies. He ran his hands through his hair dropping his spear. A look of sheer shock on his face. "Ash!" I shouted though I couldn't hear my own voice. "Ash!" I screamed. He wheeled around looking for who had been calling his name. Or was I even calling his name? Because he didn't look at me. Two more people ran up. Cato and Clover. Cato got all up in Ash's face.

If i was screaming earlier i surely hoped i wasn't now. They would hear me and kill me and i would let them. I slowly scrambled backwards into the bushes and watched the scene unfold before me. Cato looked like he was screaming at Ash. Ash looked just as mad as he tried to explain what the had happened. Clover was kicking at the rubble disgusted. There was nothing left. Ash had done a good job. Cato and ash circled each other and i shook my head trying to regain some hearing but if anything it just made me dizzy. That's when Ash saw me. He did a double take and stared at me for a couple seconds. I stared back. Cato was too absorbed in his yelling. Then he did something i didn't expect he reached up and snapped Ash's neck.

I gasped and covered my mouth chocking back tears. His limp body fell to the ground in a heap. Ash. I wanted to kill them. Kill them both right now. Instead. I turned and ran. The cannon sounded. Stumbling i fell on some rocks. Instead of picking the rubble out of my hands, which were now bleeding, i kept running.

Keep moving Catora. I told myself angrily. Rue needs you. They might be behind you. Someone else could be following. Keep moving. I pushed on and on like i did the day before. I just hopped i was heading in the right direction. When i had stopped for breath and a drink of water i realized i had. There was the smoking remains of the first fire. My hands stung i looked at them now. Wincing i pulled out the small sharp rocks. The blood had mostly dried. I wiped them on my shirt. That's when i felt it. The stabbing pain in my upper thigh again. I looked down grimacing. What was that? A long piece of charred metal was sticking out of my leg. How had i run that far and that long and not noticed? Adrenaline? What was it from anyways? Did it matter?

I ground my teeth and gripped the piece of shrapnel hopping it wasn't embed too deep. Of course, as my luck would have it, it was. I yelped and tried to muffle my screams as i pulled out the bloody end. Then i tried not to throw up all food as i looked down at the wound. It was about as wide as it was deep. It looked like i had been cut open. Was that bone? I clutched my stomach and sat down carefully. I rummaged in my bag and pulled out a roll of bandages. i took my knife and ripped my pants up a little bit more. This was not good. Definitely not good.

I rolled the bandages several times over until the blood stopped showing through which took an excessive amount of time. Then i tied off the ends and braced myself as i tried to stand. I almost fell back down. I winced. I would have to deal with that later. Right now i needed to find Rue. Leaning up against a tree i whistled the four note tune. I listened and waited for the tune to be echoed back to me, but it merely echoed out and faded. Rue?

Breathing in and out. I took off in a jog toward the next spot. It took longer than it did to get to the first one. But that was only because i hadn't noticed my wound. It was bleeding really badly. I already needed to change the bandages. There was too much blood. I might bleed out. In fact i was feeling pretty light headed. Keep going! My head shouted. I propelled myself forward and reached the second spot minutes later. Charred remains. Good. On to the third. Rue where are you? I whistled the tune again but heard nothing back. I took off. Please Rue. Please. The third spot was just up ahead. The thought gave me just enough strength to burst through the trees. The pile was left untouched. No sign of Rue anywhere.