Just a Scratch

Just a Scratch



         The figure stumbled clumsily out of the thick wall of trees and into the campgrounds. His breath was quick and ragged, and he clutched desperately at a reddened area of his shirt. Moaning softly, he looked down and gazed at his wound. He recalled the ambush.

         They had come out of nowhere, seeming to melt out of the trees. The ruthless scouts attacked him without warning while he walked along a narrow forest trail. He fought off only a few of them. But, turning to retreat, he heard a heavy thud and saw the arrow suddenly appear in his abdomen. He remembered staggering back from the force of the attack, slamming into a tree. At a loss of balance and shocked from the sudden injury, his knees gave out and he crumpled to the ground. Bleeding and dying, he had no way of defending himself. The very scout who had inflicted his injury, was now hovering above him, drawing a long sword from a sheath at his hip. The wounded man weakly tried to stand but could not bring himself to his feet. The scout had raised his blade and was just about to put him out of his misery, when he abruptly dropped his sword. It landed on the ground with a soft thud. Looking up, he could see the silvery tip of a blade protruding from the scouts chest.

         Jolting back to reality, he found himself losing his feet once more and fell face first into the dirt. He heard frantic voices all around him and felt heavy, quick footsteps in the earth on which he now laid. He felt something gently pull him upward, turning him over. A face, vaguely familiar, stared down at him with concern. Eyes like sapphires pierced into his mind and soft dirty blond hair tickled his sweat dampened face.

         “He's wounded!” Quinn yelled loudly. “Get the medic!” She looked down at her old friend, expecting him to be dead. But, he was still breathing...barely. “Adam, just hold on.” She whispered. “Hold on!”

         Adam gazed up into Quinn's beautiful deep blue eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but found himself coughing instead, sending traces of reddened saliva trickling down his chin. After he had recovered, he found his strength. “It's...just a scratch.” He croaked. Quinn gripped his shoulder almost angrily.

         “Just a scratch?” She said, more loudly than intended. “You have no idea...” Her words faded away as she felt his body tense painfully beneath her hands. He was coughing again, worse this time. “You're always getting yourself into trouble!” Quinn said, trying to hold back her tears with a forced smile. Amazingly, Adam managed to smile through his life threatening injuries. The expression in his eyes sent her emotions spiraling. A tear slipped down her cheek. Adam noticed this and weakly raised his blood stained hand to her shoulder, gripping it as tightly as his strength would allow.

         “You know,” He began in a painful rasp. “I can't stay here forever.” Quinn was shaking her head in bitter denial. “You understand this.”

         “No!” Quinn cried brokenly. “You can't just leave us here! We need you, Adam!” She bent down over his body, her shirt soaking up his blood. “I need you.” She held him closely for what seemed like an eternity, listening to the painfully slow pace of his heart and breathing. Then, suddenly, everything just...stopped. The wind, his heart, his breath. Fearing what she would see, she reluctantly lowered Adam to the ground. His skin was pale and cold. His eyes were wide open, glazed in death, staring up in an eternal sightless gaze at the gray sky.

         The tears were now streaming unheeded down Quinn's face. This had to be a dream. A nightmare. Something that would just fade away with the coming of dawn. But, she knew this was the end. His last words echoed in her now empty mind. You understand this. Quinn reached over his face and gently closed his lifeless eyes. She didn't understand. And, now, she felt so helplessly lost. Kneeling silently over his motionless body, she resolved her emotion and pain. This was the last time she would ever sit by  while every loved one she knew died her in arms. Standing, shaking in sorrow and anger, she stared down at his body for one last moment. Then, she turned and stalked off into the forest, drawing her sword.

Written By: Sarah McCary

January 5, 2010