Awake - Book One of the Spinner's Curse

Chapter Fourteen: A Helping Hand

Chapter Fourteen:

A Helping Hand

 

          As the days passed, Spark's arm got worse and worse. The red turned a sick yellow and began giving off a nasty smell. At first, we ignored it. We could do nothing else. We were hiking over rough terrain and we hadn't passed any towns or villages in days. I had spotted the occasional cottage but Spark would look at their front doors and shake his head. What he was looking for I didn't know.

          Five days later, Spark collapsed. His head was hot with fever. Panic rushed through my veins and I had no way of quelling it. I knelt beside him and tried calling his name, to no avail. I knew that I needed to find help. It was foolish not to stop before. I brushed Spark's hair away from his eyes, my hand felt seared from the action. "Spark, wake up. We need to keep moving, we need to find somewhere safe to stay." He didn't respond to my pleading, I knew he wouldn't.

          With a great effort, I grabbed his arms and began pulling him. We were far from the main road, but we were on an obviously well worn path, I had to get him far from sight. We couldn't afford to get caught. I pulled him under the dense bristles of a pine bush. The ground below it was covered in a cast of needles, brown and yellow ones that showed their decay.

          I wished now that I hadn't given Jo the cloak. The weather here was still cold, and from what I remembered of fevers, it would be best if Spark were covered. I cursed myself internally, hating that I had made another hasty decision. I took off the bandage covering Spark's arm. It came away sticky, a yellow film marking where the wound had been. It needed washed. Everything needed washed.

         It didn't surprise me that an infection had set in. We should have been more careful. I should have known to treat the wound. I should have been more prepared. I laughed, bitterly. There had been no alternative. I was still a princess. I had no experience with these types of things. Everything had always been done for me, how would I have come by such knowledge? What I needed now was a healer: someone who knew what to do. I just prayed that it wasn't already too late.

         I stood, torn between finding help, and leaving Spark alone. He was still passed out cold, but what if he woke up? Would he think I had abandoned him? I wanted to stay, my heart screamed at me not to leave him, but my head told me I had to. If I didn't find help he would die. An instinct I didn't know I had told me that. It also told me that if he died I would be lost too. I would never be able to find the Chain he kept talking about, I would never make it to safety. I needed Spark, and right now, he needed a healer.

         With a last glance over my shoulder at Spark's inert form, I walked away. I didn't know how long it would take me to find someone who could help, but I couldn't leave him for long. I gave myself to the end of the day. At nightfall, I would return. If I couldn't find help I would try to fix him up on my own. I pushed back my doubts. I shoved away the knowledge that, if I failed to bring back a healer, Spark would die. I quickened my pace. I could do this.

        I sprinted back down the path we had taken and towards the main road. I threw caution to the wind. If I saw any soldiers, I would dive into the bushes. My legs pumped beneath me, my muscles warmed. Rocks and sticks flew by beneath me, threatening to trip me. I ignored them the best I could, time was of the essence.

        I sped past trees and bushes, frightening a herd of deer in my flight. They watched me, their dainty heads turned to stare. I rushed past, my focus on the house that we had passed the day before. We had been hiking upward for days, and the downward tilt helped me build up speed. I just hoped that it was enough. The hike back up would be torture, but I had done it before, and I was sure I could do it again. The scene of Spark lying helpless and alone beneath that tree would have to be enough to keep me going.