Her Indomitable Heart

The bleeding hasn't stopped. Crimson fluid oozed in thick volumes, spreading like an infection on the bright white of the bandages.

"I just wrapped that thing," Ben said, sitting at the edge of her bed. He eyed the growing red pool on her leg, brows furrowed and frown twisted.

Ellie glanced over at him from the textbook in her hands, propped up on her stomach as she lay, still and immobile, on the comfy sheets. "You know--" she said, placing the book aside. Brought her hands onto the soft mattress and pushed herself up higher against the headboard. "You didn't have to come here."

He pointed to himself. "Nurse." Gestured to the injury. "Blood." Cocked a brow like you sure 'bout that? But without waiting for a response, he bent down to the bag sitting beside his feet. Wide and sunken, like a fat man on a couch. Thin and bony fingers wrapped around its black handles, and tugged. Felt its weight -- god, how did he even bring this up here -- and heaved it up to his lap, and dropped it beside her legs.

She paused, blinked at him.

He caught her stare, beamed. "Gotta be prepared," he said, zipping the bag open and taking out a pair of latex gloves. "So I brought most of everything."

She heaved out a sigh, groaning. "I'm fine, Ben--"

His eyes rose to her gaze and flashed, narrowing and glowering. Didn't look away as -- snap! The gloves fit into his hands, perfect and tight. His message was loud and clear.

Lips pursed, Ellie dropped her eyes to the uncomfortable stickiness on her leg. Crossed her arms underneath her chest, as if that could protect her from his menacing glare.

He brought the glower down soon enough, reaching into the bag and pulling out a few folded cloths. Thick, with thin threads stretched and waving. Gently, he lifted her injured leg, spread the cloths underneath. He glanced over to her.

Arms still crossed, gaze down. Eyes, a deep shade of brown, like raw ploughed earth. Almost reddish, and now, kind of faraway.

"What'd you do?" he asked.

She perked up, brows high. "Huh?"

"The wound was secure; the bandage tight -- I made sure of it." His tone has dropped to something stern. A bit clipped and exasperated at the same time. One hand ghosted over her calf, trying to feel for the location of the knot. And -- found it, back of her knee. With a cautious finger, he tugged, and it loosened. "What did you do this time?"

Ellie lowered her gaze, pursed her lips, and watched his hands. Quick and effortless -- even graceful -- the gaunt fingers in tight latex unwrapped the bandage. The cool air of the room caressed the exposed skin. Shivers shot into her legs, erecting its tiny hair strands.

Soon, the unrolled bandage was limp, wet and heavy. It revealed the thick cotton dressing above the gash, now soaked with a pulsing bright red. Ellie averted her gaze.

Ben looked over, breathed a tired sigh out of his nose. Tugged the last of the bandage off her ankle, and after balling it in a few sheets of tissue, threw it into a nearby trash bin. Plop.

He took out some more cotton dressing, gauzes and athletic tape from the bag. Indifferent to the red stained gloves. "You tried to run, didn't you?" he said, peeling off the athletic tape from the drenched cotton dressing. Tossed over his shoulder, into the trash bin. Plop.

Her posture stiffened for a beat -- a cat caught and frightened, fur standing. But it was quick to melt off her body, gathering instead around her facial features. The soft earth brown in her eyes hardened to underground stone; her jaw locked and brows knitted. Threw hair over her shoulder, as she shifted her gaze to the wooden door across the room. Lips sealed.

It was an answer enough.

Ben breathed out a sigh. His fingers were gentle in removing the cotton dressing, as it exposed the now vulnerable wound. A tear of skin, beginning underneath her knee and curling down to the opposite side of her leg. An eyelash deep, a drinking straw wide. Its edges throbbed an alarming red; a dribble of blood leaking to the side. "When are you going to stop, Ellie?" he asked, dabbing a cotton ball to catch it.

Her eyes grazed over the wound. Throat closed, breath caught. Clear - still clear, the memory; the adrenaline of running - and then, the wooden stick piercing her skin. The panic stuffing her chest, and pushing her forward -- but wrong move, it went deeper, cutting longer --

Ellie shook her head, threw the memory away. Shivers tingled her limbs, tightened her crossed arms beneath her chest. Oh, there's her heart -- pounding, boom bam boom, like hammers on nails. Her stomach was too numb to be felt. "I'll live," she said, curt and almost nonchalant.

"Well, you have to stop living like this," he said. Pressed a cotton ball dowsed with alcohol on the edge of the wound, and Ellie folded her lips, containing the yelp rising in her throat. God, it still stung like ant bites and needle pokes. "You'll only get hurt if you don't."

She glanced at him, brows drawn together. "Running is my life, Ben ..."

"It's never going to come back if you keep pushing it, Ellie," he said, casting her a sharp sideway glance. He placed a new cotton dressing on top of the wound. Steadied it with athletic tape, cut with his teeth. "For now, just rest."

Ellie folded her lips, swallowed back the words threatening to jump out. It wasn't worth it.

So, obedient like a child, she watched her best friend reseal the injury with a brand new bandage. Soon enough, he was packing up all his stuff, placing the bloodied items in a separate plastic bag. Then, he rose from his seat and turned towards her.

She forced a smile. "Thanks."

Bag in hand, he smiled back, nodded. "Don't make me come back here," he said over his shoulder, before the door shut behind him.

Ellie was gentle in lowering herself onto the bed, head comfortable on her pillow. She stared at the white ceiling, its corners dusting. Listened to the sound of Ben's footsteps echoing in the hall outside, gradually fading until -- bam, the front door was shut and click, locked.

The silence trembled, a deafening quiver in the air. It could have swallowed her whole. But then, she closed her eyes and listened to her heart's steady beating.

And it doesn't.