Foster Wolf

Chapter 4: Wounds Sting (Pt 2/2)

Mist and Ryder's Mom /\

She leaves, softy shutting the door behind her.

I finish eating and set the tray aside and slowly get out of bed, and I grab a shirt from the closet. I stop to look out my large bedroom window. I turn to walk to the bathroom, but something in the woods catches my eye. I open the window and I realize what I'm looking at. It's the same wolf from last night.

I stare at the wolf; he looks like he wants to come closer, but he doesn't. He turns and runs off. My first instinct is to go after him, but as soon as I turn to go do that, I wince in pain and remember that I can't do any running for a few days. "Dammit," I mutter to myself.

I limp downstairs, and Mist comes running to me and meets me at the bottom of the steps.

"What do you think you're doing, mister?"

"Um, walking?"

"Heh, no. Get back up the steps and into your room right now, or I'm telling."

"Okay, okay, I'm going." I turn back around and limp back to my room.

A few minutes later, Mist comes in and places her rump on my bed next to me. She looks at me.

"I just want you to get better."

"I know, Mist. I promise you that I'll be fine, okay?"

"How can you know that? People have died from wounds like that, Ryder! I don't want to lose you."

"You won't lose me. It's gonna take more than a stupid rock to kill me. I'm too stubborn to die that easily."

She laughs. "You are pretty stubborn. I don't understand why you won't go to a doctor. You afraid of them or something? What if you have internal bleeding!"

"I think I would know if I did. I feel okay; it's just a little sore."

"You just got hurt last night and I'm the one who cleaned it. I know how bad it is, and it should hurt a lot considering you haven't taken any medication."

"Mist, really, I feel fine. I'm just sore."

"Well, at least let me change the bandage."

"It's fine, I can do it."

"Okay, what's your problem? Why won't you accept any help?"

"Because I can do it. I'm not a helpless baby!"

"Fine, fine. Do it yourself, but don't come crying to me when Mom and Dad find out because you tried to fix it by yourself because you're too damn stubborn," she huffs and exits my room.

I try to say something, but nothing comes out. I lean back on my bed and close my eyes.

***

"Ryder! Wake up!"

I swing up. Bad mistake on my part. I rub my side.

"What?" I yell back.

"Get your butt down here," the voice yells again.

Did Mist tell? What did I do? I look at the clock and see that it's 10am. Oops...

"Coming!"

I get up and jog down the stairs and to the kitchen, because really, where else would I go?

My side is feeling better today, and I no longer have a limp. Still can't run but no limp!

I enter the kitchen, and my mom is standing at the island.

"Finally," she mumbles.

"Any reason I've been beckoned?" I ask.

"Yes. One, it's 10am. Two, I want to talk to you."

"Okay, I get the second one, but it's spring break. Can't I sleep?"

"Haha, that's cute. Spring break is soon to be over, and you need to get back into the habit of getting up at a decent hour."

"Yes, ma'am. So, what did you want to talk about? Am I in trouble?"

"No, Ryder. I wanted to ask you if you knew why Mist is acting strange. She seems a little ticked off."

"Really? I don't know why she would be mad."

"Well, she won't talk to me. Would you go and talk to her? She's been in her room all morning, she didn't even come down for breakfast, and she always does. I think it might be because school's almost back and she's stressed."

"I'll talk to her."

"Thank you, Ryder."

I knock on her door. No answer. I sigh. I go around to see if the bathroom door to her room is unlocked. Ah ha! It is. I walk in and she shoots up, her eyes bloodshot from crying.

I frown. "Mist, I'm so sorry. It's just, I'm not used to people trying to help me, I-I..."

She looks away.

I sit next to her on her bed. "Are you worried about school?"

She looks at me then away again.

"Mist, I promise I'm not trying to-to hurt you. I just—I am capable of doing things myself. I know you're worried about me. I've learned that it takes a lot to upset you. And I've done it a few times now. I'm amazed you don't completely hate me. I'm trying to open up more, I really am. And I swear on my life, I will not let that bully from school hurt you, ever."

She latches her arms around me.

"I love you too."

"We've got to stop fighting." She sniffs.

"Yeah, we're just working out the kinks. You've just got to give me a little more to time open up completely to you. The doors are easy to close, but they're a lot harder to open."

"I know, I'm being pretty pushy. How are you feeling? How is your side?" She sits up straight and dries her face.

"A lot better."

"Did you change the bandage?"

"Yes."

"Did it look okay?"

"Better than it did before."

"I don't understand how you can be so calm."

I shrug. "I've hurt worse. I'm an expert when it comes to pain."

"That's a bad thing," she states.

"Yeah, I know. Come on, let's get some lunch."