The Pain Of Their Presence - Sequel to Sound of Their Presence

Chapter Forty Seven: Behind the Solemn Illusion

Cheyenne's POV

    "Are they all dead, Lysander?" I can't help but ask the question. All the wolves, all the hunters . . . 

    "We need to get to a freaking hospital, Cheyenne. Don't worry about the others right now. Just focus on not dying on us, ok?" Lysander claims. He picks me up in his bare arms and starts to carry me.

     "I can walk-"

     "You just said that and ended up collpasing, Cheyenne. Don't be ridiculous."

     Naomi gives me a sympathetic look and strokes my hand. She picks up pace so that she matches Lysander's gradually growing pace that is currently at a long, sharp stride. As the two are silent, I try not to whimper in pain. Maybe, if I shifted I could heal faster. But alas, they wouldn't like the idea . . .

    "Wait!" I hear a voice strain in the distance. Lysander automatically leaps into the air, dropping me so tha Naomi has to catch me. She grins at me, with a nervous gleam to her eye. Lysander phases into his wolf form. He growls, and Naomi braces her body in preperation to run.

    The voice calls out again, and we wait just long enlugh for Shane to come into our lines of vision. While Naomi obviously strains her eyes, I can't help but laugh at the ironicy of the situation. Both Lysander and I can already see Shane because of our heightened senses, as compared to a normal human's.

    Shane runs past Lysander and rips me from naomi's arms. "OHMYGODYOUAREALIVE! YOUAREALAIVEALIVEALIVE!!!!"

     "Umm . . . ." I manage to get out. "A little slower, please-"

    "I thought I lost you, Cheyenne. I thought I had lsot you forever," I swear there are tears in the hollow's of Shane's cheeks. I press my lips to his cheeks.

    "I am right here, Shane. I am right here, and I am not going to ever leave you alone again. Although, you were the one who left me with Lysander and Naomi," I play at the end of my attempts to calm him. Just as I open my mouth to continue speaking, I can't help but groan. My shoulder is getting worse, and the blackness that spots the edges of my vision is taking over. I yelp again, and Naomi looks at me, as if she can feel my pain.

    "Come on, Shane. You can finish your reunion and celebrate later. We need to get Cheyenne to a human hospital. She is going to bleed out," Lysander urges. He shifts again, and Shane helps me onto Lysander's back. Naomi and Shane run along side of him, as he bounces along through the unrealistic forest. It takes everything I have left in me not to fall off the werewolve's back. Tears stream down my face, and I feel helpless.

    It has become nearly pitch black, when we can finally hear cars in the distance. We must have detoured through a swamp towards a larger city's highway.

    "Hang in there, Cheyenne," Shane attempts to soothe me. I don't know how much longer I can hang on though. I feel so weak.

    There is a sudden scream, and we all turn, realizing that Naomi lies several yards behind us. A long knife sticks out of her stomach. WIth the angle it is at, it must have hit a vital organ. She is gone before Shane and Lysander can get me to her side. With a closer look, I can guess what it was that was punctured.

    "Left lung," Lysander confirms. It is too dark for me to see either of the boy's faces, but they keep their breathes as solid and steady and possible. However, my weeping grows worse, and each sob wracks my body. I have given up on my solemn expressions illusion that I tried to portray for Shane.

    I think that the pain from the bullet may kill me itself.

    It is taking over.

    So . . . . overpowering . . . .

    And the world goes black beyond that of the night sky . . .