Survivors

Chapter 21: Xain

Chapter 21: Xain

          It’s been two days since the last fight. Someone shot Jada in the back with a poison tipped arrow, but she’s alright. She’s lucky, the arrow was a tiny ways away from her heart and for some reason, the poison didn’t get all the way through her blood stream.

          She woke up yesterday to a crying Melissa, who actually slapped me after I brought her in. For someone very caring and frail, she sure can hit hard. She and I aren’t on speaking terms right now.

          “Jada,” I stroke at Jada’s black hair as she looks at me with big, brown eyes. She’s been placed on bed rest in the infirmary.

          “I heard Melissa’s angry with you,” Jada starts before I can continue, “She kept saying how you promised her that I wouldn’t be hurt and that she could never forgive you.”

          “She made me promise,” I sigh sadly, “I promised her that not even an arrow would pierce you, but you almost died by an arrow. I so sorry I left you, I should have known that Brute would come to our base to look for me. Now over twenty unnecessary lives have been lost.”

          “I forgive you,” Jada grabs my hand, “it’s my fault for telling you not to worry about me and not sticking with you or Katya.”

          Her eyes grow wide with horror as the words come from her mouth. Katya was trying to protect her when Brute beat her.

          “She’s fine,” I quickly tell her, “she just had the wind knocked out of her and has a minor concussion.”

          “There was a girl...”

          “Maria,” I interrupt her mid-sentence. Her eyes are wide again, but no words come from her mouth.

          “She told me that you were up in a tree and had hidden the flag there, and that Brute was there,” I pause and clear my throat, “Last I saw her was when she was fending off fighters so that I could get through to you. There were so many fighters. Not just rookies, but very experienced ones.”

          “Brute,” Jada trembles, “where is he?”

          “After his fight with you, his worth dropped ten percent,” I answer, “No one wanted to support or sponsor a warrior who was a hot head and fought with a little girl, not to mention have a girl stab him. The biggest impact was the beating of Katya. They have him in an asylum as a protection. Funny thing is, not even Vice has been in that maximum of security.”

          Melissa comes in with a cheery smile on her face, but upon seeing me, her smile melts and her face turns to a look of anger.

          “Oh, it’s you,” her voice sounds very harsh. She looks at Jada and sees that her hand is in mine and continues with, “If you’d stayed that close to her, this would have never happened.”

          “Melissa,” Jada says, but Melissa’s glare is still on me, “He’s sorry, and he did keep his original promise to keep me alive.”

          “While still breaking the promise to not let you get hurt,” Melissa looks to Jada now, but I can tell that her words are meant for me. “But while you’re here, you may as well report to Doctor Ken. He wants to discuss something with you.”

          I start to say something, but then decide that it’d be best if I walk away and say nothing. Melissa turns her body just enough to let me out. I don’t even look back at Jada.