Survival -Guardians of Vesturon [1] (8 page)

The mist swirled around in my brain, washing over me like an early morning fog in autumn. First there was darkness, stars, and then bright lights. At times, I could feel myself spinning. I awoke with a start and sucked in my breath. Had I dreamed this? The pain that ensued with each breath I took reminded me this was no dream. I couldn’t move either of my legs. I lifted my head to try to see what had them trapped. I was lying on my right side. Where was I? What happened to me? When I raised my head and saw the arrows, my memory came flooding back, like a giant wave crashing over me.

I knew I needed to do something, but I didn’t know what. I took a try at pulling out the arrow in my chest, but the pain it created nearly made me lose consciousness again. I began talking to myself, convincing myself of the importance of staying awake.

I wondered how long I could survive like this, exposed to the elements, with no water, like wounded prey, waiting for the hunter to return. The reality was I was at death’s door. I was more frightened than I had ever been. And freezing. Icy cold. I touched my fingers to my cheeks and that awful gash had started bleeding again. My mouth tasted like dirt. Dry and rusty. I was so thirsty. I cried. I didn’t want to because I couldn’t afford to lose any more fluids, but I couldn’t stop the useless tears.

Somewhere, in the recesses of my mind, I knew I must try my best to remove the arrows. I gritted my teeth against the pain and pulled as hard as I could on the one embedded in my chest. I succeeded in pulling it partially out when I blacked out. I awoke, disoriented and dizzy, with pain thrumming in every fiber, every molecule of my body. When I remembered where I was, I lifted my head to look at the arrow again.

I achieved my goal on the third attempt. It took everything I had, but the arrow came out, leaving a gaping hole of ragged, bleeding flesh. I pulled my shirt over the hole and tried to put some pressure on the wound, but I was so weak I was pitifully ineffective. I held the offensive weapon tightly in my hand for no apparent reason. Then, I returned to the blackness that released me briefly from the grips of agony.

* * * * *

Everyone has defining moments in their lives, moments that they can recall with precise clarity the details that shaped them. I had several up until this point.

The first one was when my mother died. The second was the day my father died. Anyone I have ever met who has lost his or her mother will tell you how painful that loss was. In my case, the worst was the loss of my father. Maybe it was because I was such a tender age when I lost my mom, or maybe it was because it had only been my dad and me. In any case, the profound and abject misery I felt when he died will be carved in my memory forever.

I remember the announcement over the intercom…my physics teacher’s slight nod to acknowledge my departure from class…the clicking sound of my heels as I walked down the tiled corridor…the cold feel of the door knob as I turned it to enter the principal’s office…the looks of pity on the faces of those present…the smell of the principal’s aftershave…the feel of the cold cloth on my forehead when I regained consciousness…the sounds of the emergency room…the antiseptic smell of the hospital…all the machines to which my dad had been hooked…the deathly pallor of his face. I remembered it all as if it had just happened…every single time I thought of it. What would happen to me in the next weeks would come to hold many more of those unforgettable defining moments.

* * * * *

I opened my eyes to see her standing about five feet from me, shrouded in a hazy mist. She reached toward me, and I started sobbing. Why did I have to start hallucinating now?

“Maddie, don’t cry. I’m here to help you. You must reserve your strength. Crying will only weaken you, and you can’t afford that now.” She placed her warm hand on my brow, soothing me. It was an odd sensation.

“Oh, for the love of God, Mom! Why do you have to show up now? I have spent so many hours thinking of you and wanting to talk to you. Why now? This is so not fair!” I croaked between sobs.

She replied, “I told you honey. I’m here to help you. You are not in the best of situations right now.”

“Really, Mom? Who’d have guessed? I’m dying, right? It’s okay, you can tell me. My life hasn’t exactly been a cloud of cotton candy, you know.”

“Maddie, don’t say that. You cannot possibly want to die. You are destined for great things in your lifetime. You must believe that,” she scolded.

“I’d like to, Mom. I really would. I can’t help but disagree with you on that though,” I muttered. “I never thought things would end up like this. You know something? If I’m going to die here, no one will ever know I’m gone for at least a week or so. That’s the kind of life I have, and that’s not much to brag about.”

“Oh, Maddie, I’m sorry. You know it wasn’t our choice to leave you. It was not in our hands. There are much greater powers at work here.” Regret laced her words.

“I’m not blaming you. I know you and Dad would still be with me if you could. It’s just that life doesn’t mean a whole lot if you don’t have anyone with whom to share it. I’m just glad you’re here now, so I don’t have to die alone. You will stay with me, right? I mean I’m so scared,” I begged.

Her image seemed to become clearer as she continued to speak. “Maddie, listen to me. Help is on the way. I’m not going to let you die. The man who hurt you turned away after you fell. He thought you had died. I’m here to see that everything is done to prevent that; trust me when I tell you great things await you if you’ll only be patient a bit longer.”

“Mom, I can’t feel my legs. I don’t get it. They should be killing me. I’ve been shot, right? I pulled one of those arrows out, but I don’t think I can get the one in my leg. My head and my face are killing me too. What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I feel my legs?” I could feel myself panting from exertion.

“Maddie, just stay calm. Take slow deep breaths for now,” she advised. “I’m here with you.”

I wanted so badly to hold her hand that I found myself reaching for her, begging, “Could you please just hold my hand?”

I could feel the blackness threatening to take over again, so I fought to stay awake. I didn’t have the strength to beat it, much less compete with it. It won, and I slipped into its comfort again.

In the dim recesses of my mind, I heard a constant murmur of voices. I couldn’t decipher what was being said, only sounds and whispers. I can’t recall how long I stayed in that state of mind. I lost all recollection of time.

Then, unexpectedly, three brightly glowing melon-sized balls of light came soaring across the dark sky. When they were a few feet away, from me, they elongated into long thin slivers. Moments later, the slivers expanded and then took form into three indistinct shapes.

I kept blinking my eyes, not trusting what I was seeing. I was positive I was hallucinating. This must be what happens right before you die.

Then, the indistinct shapes morphed into three men—three very tall, powerfully built men. They were identical in that they were all dressed alike—wearing black hooded cloaks that fell to their ankles. The hoods hid their faces, but I had the strangest feeling they were there to help me.

Eventually, I could understand words and phrases from the voices I was hearing.

“Serious injuries.”

“How long?”

“Does she know?”

“Fell…”

“Arrows…”

I was still fading in and out, but the hallucinations were disturbing. I couldn’t quite discern them. I heard one of the men saying something about a scanner. Then, I heard a high-pitched sound. After that, there were more discussions about injuries. I assumed they were speaking of my injuries, but I was so befuddled I wasn’t sure of anything.

I must have been crying because one of the robed strangers brought a hand to my face and gently wiped my tears away.

He whispered, “Hello, Madeline. We are here to care for you.”

“Who are you?” I struggled to get the words out, as it had become increasingly more difficult for me to speak or breathe.

Then, my senses were assaulted with the scent of an earthy pine forest—deep and luscious, the type of scent, that you could only experience hiking in the woods after a rain, when everything is moist and damp. It was simply wonderful as it blanketed me; I just wanted to continue inhaling it, enveloping myself in the heady aroma. It was extremely soothing, almost a sensual feeling. I didn’t stop to think it was unusual for my mind couldn’t focus on any particular thought. I was simply there. Was I still alive? Had I lost my mind?

“Madeline, we are going to have to move you, but do not worry. We have given you something for the pain, and we will take great care not to cause you too much discomfort,” the man said.

“Where are you taking me?” I whispered. “I’m really scared,” I pathetically squeaked out.

“We know, but do not be alarmed.”

Whoever spoke tenderly placed a warm, soothing hand against my uninjured cheek. I felt a soft, gentle touch that somehow soothed me.

“We are taking you someplace safe, where you can be treated. We are here to help you.” I felt this savior take my hand and hold it firmly, passing his strength to me.

I tried to lift my head, but I didn’t have the strength anymore. Then, I started feeling a sense of numbness wash over my body, and my pain began to ease tremendously. I think they had given me an anesthetic for the pain. Then, I felt myself being lifted, but I couldn’t open my heavily weighted eyes. I felt the comforting cocoon of darkness return.

I awakened to see a strange, beautiful woman leaning over me, wrapping a bandage over my chest and shoulder. She was wearing a leather tunic and pants, much like you would imagine the Cherokee Indians wore two hundred years before.

Who was this woman, and why was she dressed this way? While I was curious about my surroundings, it was her astonishing face that captured all of my attention. Simply put, she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.

Her delicate features were absolute perfection. Her dark eyes, like molten chocolate, were soft and kind. Lips the shade of summer berries surrounded her perfect teeth. Her black silken hair hung past her waist, and she was tall and slender and seemed to glide instead of walk. I can’t define it, but a glow emanated from, and surrounded, her so that she lit up the darkness.

I continued to stare at her in amazement; I felt myself reaching to touch her to make sure she wasn’t in my imagination. Her bronze skin was warm and smooth. She let me rest my hand on her arm; she knew I needed that.

When she moved, I noticed there were others around her. They were much like her; all of them were beautiful. There were about ten of them; at least that was how many I could see from where I was lying.

I had never seen this many stunning people in one place. They all seemed to have a glowing aura around them. As captivated as I was, I could no longer keep my eyes open.

I drifted off into a deep slumber, and for the first time in a while, I felt completely at ease.

When I awoke, I was alone, floating in a pool of warm water. I could see a waterfall in the distance. It felt like hands were holding me so that floating was completely effortless. I felt entirely calm and at peace again. “Where am I?” I wondered.

A voice, or more like a sensation, floated back to me, telling me I was safe.

That’s not exactly what I wanted to hear. Deep down I instinctively knew I was safe. I had no feelings of any imminent danger. I was just curious and wanted to know where I was.

“But where am I?”

“All of your questions will be answered soon. Please be patient with us. You sustained severe injuries, and the important thing now is for you to get better. Let the waters calm and heal you.”

I felt myself drifting off again.

I awoke in another place that had a cave-like appearance. I was lying on a very soft, and comfortable, bed of fur. I was cocooned in warmth and felt very drowsy. The strangest part of all was that I didn’t question anything, but instead, I felt entirely at ease. The beautiful woman I saw earlier came toward me with a cup of liquid.

“Drink this. It will help ease any pain you may have.”

“Can you please tell me where I am?” I inquired.

“You are in the place of the Nunne’hi. We are deep in the caves of the great mountains. We are Spirit People. Once you gain some strength, we will tell you more.”

“How long have I been here?”

“You have been here for forty-two suns and moons.”

Forty-two days! What in the world happened to me that I have lost all track of time? I was unbelievably shocked.

“Do you have any memory of what happened?” she asked hesitantly.

I thought about that question for a while. My memory was clouded with images. I could remember flashes, bits and pieces mostly, of hiking and running and suddenly, I gasped and put my hands to my face.

I saw an image of that hateful, evil man. I remembered that awful knife arcing toward me, and the devastating blows to my face, head and body. I reached up to my face. My jaw was only slightly sore but not the way it hurt before. The wound on my cheek had healed; I could feel where the deep gash had been.

“Ah, I see you are remembering,” she said as she reached for my hand to comfort me. “We have done as much as we can here, but you still have injuries for which we cannot help you. We are waiting for The Guardian to arrive. He is the one that brought you here, and he will be able to complete your healing,” she informed me.

“The Guardian? What’s that? And what other injuries?” She had a look of pity in her eyes, and I gathered she did not want to answer my question. She didn’t say as much; I could just sense it.

“We will speak of this later, when you are stronger. Please drink this to help ease your discomfort.”

I soon drifted off into a deep sleep again.

I awoke to voices, and this time I could comprehend them.

“She is mending nicely. Her wounds from the arrows are all but healed. Her face has healed as well. The spinal injury is what we are most concerned with now. One more thing, my lord, you should know. She carries ‘the mark’ on her back.”