A Twist of Tales (On Hold)

10. Aaravon

AARAVON

I averted my gaze back to Ryder, who stared into the distance. "What are you looking at?" I turned around to see what caught his attention. And that was when I spotted something lying on the ground. I walked closer to see what that something was and realized that it wasn't a something, but rather someone.

And that someone was my mother.

"Ma?!" I called out to her, trying to get her attention. She didn't move, her body laid motionless on the ground.

"Ma!" I cried out as I ran over to her stiff body. I kneeled down in front of her. Blood was running down her face, leaving a dark red trail. I took her body in my hands.

"Ma!" I shook her body lightly, but she didn't answer me. I laid her back down on the grass and checked her pulse. My whole body trembled with fear as I searched for any sign of life. Relief rushed through me when I finally felt a faint, yet present heartbeat.

"Come on, Ma," I pleaded, tears welling up in my eyes. "You have to wake up. Please. Don't leave me. Come on!"

I picked her up and carried her back to the house, careful not to hurt her. My hands shook with fear as I approached the house.

I almost tripped over a few times, but luckily caught myself before I could fall to the ground. "Hang on, Ma," I mumbled, trying to calm down.

As soon as I reached the house I kicked open the door and rushed to Ma's bed in the far end of the room. The candles provided enough light for me to see where I was going. Slowly and afraid to hurt her fragile body, I laid her down on the bed.

What do I do now? I thought to myself.

I looked around the room, panic settling in.

"I have to get water!" I thought to myself, remembering how Ma always told me to clean the wound first. I rushed out of the house, a bucket in my hands.

Once I had filled it with water I ran back inside and searched for a clean cloth. Soaking it in water, I reached out with my trembling hand to get rid of the blood. "Come on, Ma," I begged. "You have to wake up."

Finally, she let out a faint groan, her head slightly moving.

"Ma!" I called out, relief rushing through my body. She was alive, she was safe. "Can you hear me?" I asked her, my voice soft.

"A- Aaravon?" she answered with a hoarse voice.

"Yes, Ma, it's me, Aaravon," I answered, tears of joy running down my face. "You are going to be fine. Stay with me, alright? You have to stay awake. I am going to get help."

I stood up, but she stopped me by wrapping her hand around mine. "No, stay."

"But I need to get help, you could die! I- I have to get help, I don't know w- what to do!"

"No, please, stay," she begged. I had never seen her like this, so vulnerable and pale. I kneeled down and took her hands in mine. "We don't have much time, son," she told me. I could see that she had trouble breathing.

"Don't say that," I said, tears clouding my vision. "You will get better, and then we will have all the time we need. You will see."

A sad smile graced her face, a distant look in her eyes as she stared at me. "There's something you need to know, Aaravon."

"And you will tell it to me when you get better, Ma," I tried to convince not just her, but also myself.

"No, I can feel it, my time has come."