Disguise

Tourists?

The sight of the mangled body was clearly visible through the small hole in the bushes. I tasted bile and immediately moved away to breathe. My heart was no longer in my throat. It had leaped out of my body and run back into the car, probably reversing out of Mast Town this very second. Xena was unreactive. She sat there on her bottom, her eyes shut as she took several deep breaths to prevent her scream. I wanted to take her and run. I so wanted to be in the arms of a certain someone right now.

What were we doing walking alone into the woods? This was what stupid girls in horror movies did. I heard some more whimpering and my eyes widened.

The body showed signs of life. Without thinking, I stood up straight. Xena's eyes widened as she looked up at me, her head shaking in furious denial. I bent down and took her hand in mine, tugging to pull her up. She didn't put up much of a fight.

We moved over the hedge into the small clearing within the forest.

She lay there. Her yellow dress was shredded in places. She was lying on the ground in an awkward bent angle, her breathing shallow. Small cries of pain escaped her every few seconds. She couldn't even scream openly, how horrible must that be? Her arm was broken in two parts - at the wrist and just above the elbow. I could see the white of the bone even in the dark of the evening. The rest of her body was battered as well. Ugly bruises were beginning to form on her better hand and legs. There were several smaller cuts that were present. Her face had taken a huge blow just below her left eye.

Next to me, Xena ran to the side and hurled her stomach contents. I tried not to feel queasy and bent down next to the woman. She had a huge gash running down the length of her body. It began at the base of her throat, through the valley of her breasts and up till her belly button. Someone had ripped her apart.

Her red hair was shrouded in mud, along with smudges of blood. She was lean, with clear features, someone you could tell was pretty. Her short dress was hitched just below her waist, and the top part was torn in half - on account of the gruesome gash - and entirely stained red. She wore no shoes. I couldn't see her eyes as she clutched them tightly in pain. I was glad. If I saw the pain and fear in them, I'd have broken right there and then.

Her labored breathing stuttered before it picked up rhythm again.

What were we doing?!

Quickly, I looked around for something to stop the bleeding. "Xena get over here, she is still breathing!" I yelled. I loved my best friend but she needed to get it together right now! Finding nothing around and fearing using her own clothes as they were completely covered in mud, I made the split decision of removing my jacket and my top.

Xena took a deep breath and ran back next to me. She had a determined look in her eye. Without saying anything else she sat down on the opposite end of me and focused on placing a cast on her hand. Xena surveyed the surroundings around her, then she got up and walked to the closest short tree. Using her body strength she broke off a large piece of a branch. Then she moved to another, and another.

I balled up my jacket and my top together and placed it right on her chest and along the length of her gash, gently pushing the material into it, to reduce the bleeding. The woman below me gave no reaction. Panic fled through me and I placed a finger below her nose, relieved to find her still breathing.

I hope Reece gets here soon. Whoever did this to her might come to confirm her death. Hell, they might be looking for her! Xena and I could also be done for.

I raised my head again as Xena came closer. She had gathered several pieces now and bent near her broken arm. Tears were running down her cheeks as she carefully tied the twigs around her broken elbow with her rubber band to keep it in place. Yet, not once did her movements falter. A swell of pride rushed through me at my best friend's bravery. She would hold her ground now, I didn't have to worry.