Flaw

Chapter 7: B

My head was pounding in some tremendous manner. It felt like my head had grown in the last twenty-four hours. My eyes fluttered open as I felt the sunshine on my face. The air was cold and dusty, and somewhat the stone-cold floor seemed to touch nothing else but my lower back. I let out a soft groan as I softly gasped for air. I lifted my hand and touched the top of my head. My head tingled with pain as I touched it, and it hit me that my whole body was aching and burning like I fought with the dead.

I tried to move but I was stuck in a position that held me lying down, and I blinked as I tried to clear the blurred lines that formed in my eyes. It felt like someone dislocated my spine – if that was even possible. Finally, my vision cleared, and I could see the dark and ruffled linings of cave walls. The interior was dark and dangerous, but the small fragments of light that came from the sun on the outside brought a wave of calm from it. If I was lucky, then the wolves would be out hunting. I thought about how amazing it was that I was still alive. I remembered everything. From me being caught in a noose, and up till that thing that took me in the night. That thing . . . what was it? I had thought it was a normal woman, maybe another tracer, but I was wrong.

Did she bring me here? Why did she take me to her shelter? I heard a scattering on the outside. I bit the pain away and rocked my legs backward (crushing my hands that remained tied behind my back) and rolled forward so that I sat upright. I looked around me as I sat clear as day in front of the wide cave entrance. I could see the dense forest on the outside, and the shuffling got louder. I saw muddied legs running towards me, and there was a coldness on her face that mixed with focus and something I couldn't describe without using the word hate. She swerved around and ducked as a wolf came flying in the air at her. She grabbed it by its neck as if its weight and power meant nothing and twisted it into a definite break.

Another one came at her from the opposite side and she grabbed it by its back midair and started pushing in at its ribs. She pushed her hands harder and harder and the wolf screeched and let out a loud whimper as she killed it. My throat got dry as my eyes widened. I could see the wolf just trying to get away from her, but she was crushing him. She focused so hard on him that I could've sworn I saw the world around her lift up and hover. I couldn't take it anymore.

"Stop! You're killing him!" I screamed as I tried to shimmy towards them, but it didn't help. Instead I fell on my side and I looked at her. She softened her grip but still she kept crushing him. "He doesn't need to die!" I yelled.

"They wanted to kill us." She snapped back and the sound of her voice made my skin crawl. I looked into the eyes of the animal as it begged me to save it.

"It followed its instincts, just like you. Please let it go." I begged and she looked me in the eyes and a flash of guilt crossed her face. She looked down at what she was doing and immediately withdrew her hands. The wolf got up from its side and limped away as fast as it could. I let out a gush of air as I collapsed back onto the ground. I heard her move towards me, and I wormed further away from her, hoping that I could get away. I felt her grab me up by the jacket and she sat me up against the wall. It was the first time I saw her face to face in the light. Her face was the image of perfection. Her dark hair caressed her shoulders in its messy tousles. Her legs were scratched and muddied, but her arms were protected by a dirty and ripped coat. It seemed like a lab coat.

I caught her eyes. Silver speckles melted with black as it made a whirlwind of emotions in her eyes. Looking at her, I felt a sense of familiarity. I felt safe, which I knew was wrong. It felt wrong to feel so safe, so I pushed the entity away and raised the wall around me. She reached out and touched my face with her icy tips, and the moment her fingers touched my skin it was like a fire spread through me. My skin burnt like an itched-out rash, and I tried to wash away the sensation by moving further against the wall. She took notice and removed her touch.