From Scarred to Healed

Chapter 6, Emergency

*Above: Jess Conte starring as Jess Quinn*

I wake up to my alarm and go to move my left hand to stop it. Then, as pain shoots through my arm, I remember what happened yesterday.

Pictures flood through my mind, the shark attack, the hospital, my arm, meeting the lifeguards, running. My body was stiff and sore in places I didn't think could get sore.

Realizing that my alarm is still going off I slowly get up and rotate myself so I can reach it with my right hand.

It's 3am which means if I wasn't hurt I could've slept in but that's not going to happen. Within two minutes I'm completely awake.

The air around me is freezing and my clothes are also slightly damp. This was good for my hot and inflamed arm, but not for the rest of me.

Grabbing another pain pill, I swallow it and lay down as I wait for it to take effect. Thirty minutes later the throbbing in my arm has lessened considerably.

Double checking the clock, I see that I've only one hour to get out of the cave.

Because of my arm it takes another thirty minutes to get myself dressed and everything gathered. 

Finally, I crawl to the entrance of the cave. My head spins as I look down, it's never looked this far from the ground before.

That's when I'm hit with the sudden realization that I can't get back down. While climbing up I could get away with not using one arm, but getting down was  a different matter.

I'd have to use both arms to stabilize myself to be able to reach downwards with my foot. So unless I give away my hidden home to the entire world, I wasn't getting down.

Technically speaking I could just drop, but the likelihood of me surviving that is extremely low.

Being careful with my arm I scoot back to the open area of the cave. My food stash is basically nothing. I have a granola bar and plenty of water but that's it.

I could survive two days easily but I don't know about anything past that. Considering the condition my body is in, with it being weak from the loss off blood, I could end up being in serious danger.

With hesitancy I divide the bar into 3 pieces, my dinner for the next three days. Then I lay down to conserve my strength.

*Morning of day two*

With the cave being as cold as it was I had to move a little. Slowly I stretch my limbs, one at a time, except for my left arm of course.

The soreness from two days ago has lessened but it's still there. I had only been taking painkillers when it became to unbearable and there was still plenty there.

Yesterday I had eaten one of the thirds of the granola bar, I wasn't full but I wasn't dying yet. Sitting up I begin to pull the bandages off of my arm.

With my right hand I cup some water and dump it over my wounds. The iciness lessens the throbbing as I continue to pour the water over it.

Once I'm done rinsing my wounds, I put the bandages back on and lay down again onto my mat.

*Evening of day three*

I ate the last of the bar, I knew I was getting weaker. I had to get help tomorrow, because no one would be near here at this hour. Shivering I lay back down to wait till morning.

*Day four at 12pm*

Waking up was torture. Hot, cold, hot, then cold again. Before glancing at the clock I swallow another pain pill.