SHAUNTI [2015 featured story]

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Trap

Knox’s eyes flung open and he pushed himself off the ground.  He couldn’t think.  He couldn’t breathe.  Snapping his head in all directions, he tried to remember where he was.  In distressed gasps, he pressed his hands against the sides of his head.  He stared at the forest behind him and then at the sparkling river in front of him.  Slowly, the fragments began piecing themselves together and the jigsaw wasn’t confusing anymore. 

He recalled he had been looking at the sunset and then he had fallen asleep.  He also remembered Jace, the wolf, and the separation.  Rubbing the disorientation from his eyes, Knox walked over to the water and splashed handfuls into his face.   Letting the cool droplets run down his chin, he looked over at the forest for no reason except that it was there.

While he gazed at the woods, he saw movement among the trees and the sound of crunching leaves and snow.  Thinking it was the wolf, Knox retreated from the river and ran as fast as he could into the woods.  His hands flew before him, pulling branches from his sight.  His feet leaped over fallen logs and his body managed to duck and swerve other forest overgrowth.  Knox was slightly impressed at his own speed—he hadn’t felt so alive since he had arrived at his father’s cabin.

Picking up his pace, Knox, like a professional roller-blade racer, veered around a large tree without a stutter in his steps.   Seeing a fallen tree in his pathway, he sent energy down into his legs and soared over the log.   His left leg landed first and, naturally, he threw his right leg out to continue.  But upon the landing of his right foot, Knox was suddenly jerked backwards and a loud snap was heard.  A shooting pain shot up his entire left side.  Knox collapsed to the ground, sending snow and debris into the air.  The sound of fabric tearing and iron chains clanking echoed in Knox’s ears. 

The world faded in and out and the ground rose to meet the horizon.   Knox grabbed the ground and closed his eyes, waiting for the motion in his head to stop.  When, at last, silence settled, Knox opened his eyes and tried to get up.   But a stabbing sensation sunk deep into his left calf, sending him into a state of nausea.  Knox let out a gasp and looked down at his leg.  To his horror, he saw the glistening of blood bubbling from holes in his thin jeans.   Knox hovered a hand over the wound, trying to figure out what had punctured him.  Struggling up onto his right elbow, he looked closer and saw the glint of dark metal.

Knox’s face became a pasty white as stared down at the metal claws sinking into his flesh.   It was a bear trap.  Inhaling, Knox reached down, so not to disturb the throbbing pain, and gingerly touched the top of a bar lying horizontal across his ankle.   He grimaced as his fingers closed around the bar.   Thinking if pulling would open the trap, Knox gave a small tug, only to propel vomit from his mouth from the shocking pain. 

Shaking even more, Knox drew his hand to his side and swallowed several times, trying to keep himself from fainting.  He wanted to remove it, but the agonizing ache kept him paralyzed.  He wanted to yell for help, but he knew he was alone.  Dropping his eyes back on the wound, he carefully, with fluid motions, inched his body closer to the trap in order to relieve himself of his uncomfortable sitting position.   Knox exhaled in satisfaction of the rearrangement.

As he sat there, trying to find a way to clot the wound, Knox heard the soft thuds of footsteps behind him.   Thinking it was the animal that was supposed to be in such a large trap, Knox jerked around.   Despite the pinching of a dozen nerves, Knox stretched his eyes wide and searched the forest nervously.  “Hello?”

Much to both of their surprise, Knox met a pair of yellow eyes. 

“Shaunti?”

The wolf blinked his liquid eyes and stared at Knox, as if he wasn’t expecting to see the boy so soon.