CHAPTER SIX

ZAHARA

I gasped for breath as I staggered against a tree, leaning against it for support. Blood was flowing heavily from my back and I knew I had to bandage it up soon, otherwise they could follow the trail of blood.

The commander's gun was in my hand, from when I had kicked it from his hand. Unfortunately, I hadn't acted soon enough to avoid being shot.

With shaky hands, I reached inside my satchel for something to press to the wound, getting blood on the stained leather in the process. I felt a spare jacket inside and yanked it out before pressing it against my back.

Keep moving. The thought pressed me on, and my feet stepped moved, one in front of the other. Blood wasn't dripping from the wound anymore, although it still hurt like fire.

I knew where I was, at least. The forest around me was getting more and more familiar, and soon my home came into sight. Breathing a sigh of relief, I hurried towards it. Inside a different bag, there were some healing creams I had traded with Jacque for some time earlier.

Climbing the steps, I sank onto the cold metal floor and set the bloodied jacket to the side. I touched the wound with my bare fingers, relieved to find only a little blood on them. Crawling on my knees over to another, larger bag, I dug through it until I found a small glass jar with antibacterial salve. I started to dip my fingers into it until I remembered that the bullet was most likely still inside the wound.

Considering my options, I gritted my teeth and set the salve back down, reaching around myself for the wound. Finding the noticeable dent in my back, I dug my fingers into it, searching for the bit of metal. Pure agony shot from the wound as the scabs opened up again, sending blood cascading down my hand. My eyes squeezed shut, and my inactive hand clenched into a fist.

After what seemed like an eternity, my hand touched something cool and smooth. I ignored the pain as my fingers grabbed around it and yanked it out. I leaned against the rusty metal floor, pain rolling over me and threatening to send me into blackness.

Blood oozed across the floor from both my hand and back, and I reached for the glass contained again. My fingertips scooped up the warm and gooey substance, rubbing it inside of the wound. I pressed the jacket against the wound after the salve was all off, and relaxed as much as possible.

My eyes fell onto the bloody bit of metal that was lying on the floor from where I had dropped it. Reaching over to it, I chucked it out of the tube before leaning back again.

The forest was deathly quiet again, and I frowned, wishing for some noise-- some sign of inhabitation. Nothing answered my unspoken plea, and I resigned myself to the fact that it was going to be a silent rest of the day.