The Carnelian Islands

Chapter 5

It took me alot to write this chapter, so please feedback :)

Dedicated to Angie, the one person who constantly bugs me the hell off to write more :D Love you dude :)

Now in this chapter, things get bit more personal. Possible love intrest, suggested by Forgottenchildren.

Chapter 5

When I open my eyes, it’s still dark. I try to get up, but a blanket and a sharp pain in my right shoulder stop me. I gasp from the pain and someone’s hands around me tighten their hold.

„It’s okay Ivy, it’s okay. I’m here.“ Firecracker whispers and my head is filled with hundreds of questions.

„What happened? Who died? Why... Why are you under the blanket with me?“ I blurt out, my words cutting through the darkness and I see him blush, though now it’s just him getting greyer few shades.

„Well the dude, attacked you, after you told me not to bash his head in. He got your shoulder though, not your neck, as it was already dark and you moved.“ He starts slowly, and I swallow. That must have been a mistake too good to come true.

„Then Blessie sent an arrow to his neck and one to his head for insurance.“ Senna shows me two arrows, lying next to us. „We need to clean them tomorrow, because she pulled them out after he died.“

„It took us some time to move all of our supplies and you, I carried you, to here. We put out the fire though, as someone could notice us. Blessie fixed you up and she thinks your shoulder will be better in few days.“ Firecracker ends his speech with an enouraging pat.

„Thank you both for everything, I though you would kill me.“ I mutter and my male companion smiles. „I thought by not killing you, we are even.“

I grin. „True, very true. But what about Buttons?“

He shrugs. „As for Blessie, she needed us to trust her and now we do, don’t we?“ Firecracker points to a body few metres from us, covered with another blanket.

I look over to her and frown. „How did she get a blanket? I thought only you had one.“

I get no answer. Instead, a plastic retangular object is pressed into my left hand. It’s a comunicator, I understand. Little phone like object, to keep in touch with the higher people. I see it is closed, for now, but by clicking correct buttons, it would open.

„Nice, didn’t know she had some credit on her.“ I smile and Firecracker snorts.

„She had five hundred, as she killed the guy with no blood. Well almost. Blanket cost her about fifty though, as it is the first day.“

I get an idea and smirk. „Give the phone to me.“ He does that and looks at me with a waiting look. „Now what?“ Firecracker asks and I smile. „Well I was thinking of getting myself some medicine for my shoulder, or did she have it in her backpack?“

Senna shakes his head. „Unfortuneately not. If you want to order it, order quickly, because if two people get into the line at the same time, they both can’t get what they want from those phones.“

I guess he is right, I better hurry up.

„Number?“ The robotized voice asks and I quickly think of a way to ask for medicine. „Eleven.“ I simply say, but my mind is still rapidly working through the ideas and thoughts.

„State what you request, your credit is. 1500 dollars, number eleven.“ Automatic answer.

„Medicine for cut wounds.“ I go for the easiest version and I hear a ’clink’ sound, probably my credit account emptying.

„Thank you for dealing with us, your package will soon arrive.“ The same dumbass voice says and I hit close.

Soon enough, a small cubicle falls down the sky, with a black parachute, which I see only thanks to the shiny cast of the cubicle. It’s about the size of a loaf of bread, atleast I think so.

„There, it’s coming straight at us!“ Firecracker stage whispers and I nod. „Yeah, just like it has to.“

Suddenly, I can’t see the parcel for my wound and I frown. „Where did it go? Did someone steal it?“

Firecracker shrugs. „I don’t know.“

We sit in the darkness, his hands wrapped around me and I do some fast movement, trying to grab the blanket, but my skin rips apart once again and I scream.

„Shit! That hurts!“

Firecracker tries to comfort me, but the pain in my shoulder is blinding and tears roll down my eyes. „Damn! Make the pain go away!“ I moan and seems like he freaks out too.

„Your bandages, they are all bloody.“ He starts undoing my bandages, after pulling my shirt off and I cry silently, as his cold fingers trail on my skin.

„Blessie! Wake up! I need your help!“ Firecracker shouts for the newest member of our team to rise, but she is like in a comatose, not moving.

Until Buttons yells „Ouch!“ and sprungs up like a dog with rabies. „Who threw this at me?“ She screams as she holds up a cubicle. My cubicle.

„I need it. My- my shoulder.“ My hoarse voice is nothing like it used to be, but I don’t care. I need some relief for that mind blowing pain, oozing through my limb.

„She ripped the stiches open, come help me out!“ Senna commands and soon I feel two pairs of hands on my shoulder, one undoing the bandages, the stiches and then applying the creamy medicine on the hurt area. It’s soothing the pain almost instantly and I smile. „Feels so good.“

Buttons snorts. „It looks horrible to me. Now hold still, I don’t want to do the stiches right now, as it is dark, we are just going to wrap you up again.“

I do as she says, I don’t move a muscle until they are done with me and then I exhale deeply.

„Thanks guys, I will take over the guard duty for now.“ I offer and they accept it with smiles. I think, I kept them up with my bleeding shoulder before, so it’s the least I can do.

I sit under the tree we all are camping out at and think of my life back home. It’s like a dream, a bad bad dream. Hailey running away with my money, me looking for a job and trying to live through each day. And now, this.

Weirdly enough, I would rather sit here, with a hatchet near me, my shoulder feeling slightly better, but still painful enough to keep me from moving fast. At least now I had some true friends, whom I could count on.

Until we are the last three and have to hunt each other down.