Crashed

SEVENTEEN

I lay there for a few more minutes, trying to compose myself and comprehend what had just happened.

My leg was throbbing now, and my throat was sore. The tears had stopped but pain was still flowing throughout my body.

I looked down and saw blood soaking through my pants. I tried screaming for help, but no one heard me. I closed my eyes and tried to make a sound, but nothing came out.

I rolled onto my stomach and tried to move myself into a crouching position. I glanced around, checking for anyone who might have seen what had happened, but everyone was in their tents.

I stood up on shaky legs and leaned against a tree. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, I chanted in my head. Ok, pull yourself together.

I began to walk back to camp, acting as if nothing had happened. I received several odd glances from everyone and I don't blame them. I looked like a mess thanks to Alex. My hair was tangled and knotted, red marks were forming around my neck because Alex nearly strangled me, and my clothes were covered in dirt and mud.

I trotted straight through the camp, heading towards the supplies in the search of new bandages for my leg. I didn't acknowledge anyone and acted as if nothing was odd about my appearance.

Several people were huddled around the fire, which cast strange shapes and shadows across the dark ground. Kiana stood up and began heading my way, but I ignored her.

She followed me and began talking. "Where were you?! I've been loo-" Her voice caught in her throat when she took in my disheveled state. "What happened?!" she exclaimed.

I kept on walking, pretending she was nothing more than a figment of my imagination. "Hey, I'm talking to you!" I still gave her no response, and picked up several bandages from the large pile of medical supplies.

Kiana grabbed my wrist and spun me around so I was facing her. "TERRI!" she shouted, loosing all patience.

I smiled over-dramatically and said in a sickly-sweet voice, "Yes, dear cousin of mine?"

She shook her head in disappointment. "What happened to you?" she repeated.

I stared at her blankly for a few moments, weighing my options. I could have told her about Alex and Jonah, but I knew she'd just run off and tell Corey and Zoe.

"My best friend died," I answered in a monotonous voice.

Without another word, I pulled my arm out of her grip and crawled into a tent, leaving Kiana to mull over her thoughts by herself.

I lay down, closing my eyes and hoping to relax slightly but I wasn't given any relief. I tried moving into a more comfortable position, but I winced when I put too much weight on my thigh.

As if I only just remembered my injury, I sat back up, pulling my pant leg over the the cut gently.

The band-aids were soaked with my blood, and I knew it'd be extremely painful to remove them.

I grabbed the corner of one, tugging as gently as possible, and hissed in pain. "Just rip it off quickly," I told myself. "It's just like- well like ripping off a band-aid." I chuckled silently at myself. Maybe I am going insane, I thought.

While I was distracted, I tore one of the band-aids off in one shot. My hand shot up to my mouth to hold in my shrieks. I ripped the second one off without another thought, and actually screamed at the sudden jolt of pain in my leg.

If I had any tears left in me, I would have been sobbing.

Seth's head popped in, his face covered in a mask of fear. "Are you ok?" he asked nervously. "I heard you scream." And yet no one heard me when I was nearly strangled to death, I thought bitterly.