My feet keep on moving, I don't stop. I won't chance anything. I keep on running. Branches scratch my face, and I feel trickling wetness slide down my face, I don't know if it's my blood or sweat, but I don't care. I keep running. I run until my lungs feel tight, my legs burn, and my chest is about to pop open.
I keep running when a branch snapped hard against my face and blurred my vision for a few seconds and pain radiant all over my face, I kept running. The image of Griffin laying helpless against the tree trunk assaults my vision, my breathing becoming dangerously labor, air getting thinner. I keep running.
Pain radiant through my toes as they spread throughout my body, my body stiffens and contracts as the pain travels up my body. My eyes sting as the whoosh of air left my lungs, I'm falling. My body hit the ground with a loud blood curling crack. Pain radiant through my body like never before " Ugh!!!" I writhe in pain on the ground.
I look down at my foot, a big tree branch lay beneath my leg, a sharp broken branch pierce through my thigh as I fell right on top of it " oh god!" I let out a sharp cry of pain.
My breathing becomes shallow as I assess the damage. I look around in every direction, I reach my hand toward my pierced thigh "Ugh!!" The area is so tender it hurts even with a slight touch, blood oozing out.
I take a couple of deep quick breaths through my pursed lips " You can do it, Elena! You can do it!" I chant to myself. I wrap my hand around the branch, the movement caused so much pain that I had to stop. My body slumps forward, and my shoulders shake with tears" Why are you doing this to me? I had been a good person. A good person." I said to no one looking up at the sky
Silent.
"That's what I thought."
I look down at my thigh once more, I inhale a sharp long breath then exhale slowly.
I wrap both hands over the branch, inhale sharply, and pull hard.
Sharp edges pierce through my flesh, and pain shot up my spine.
" Ugh! Oh god! Oh god! " I try my best to keep my voice down. With the last of my strength, and one last hard tug, the branch finally come loose.
My hands tremble, looking down at the deep open wound on my thigh, my lips feel cold as all heat zapped from my body.
I rip part of my shirt and tied it around my thigh to stop the bleeding; bile threatens to come up my throat.
I stay seated moments longer before I push myself up, muscles contract so did the pain.
I couldn't get up.
I try again.
"Come on, get up. Please." I beg my body
But my body did not listen.
With the strength, I have left I begin to crawl.
"Come on, you can do this. " I grit through my teeth.
Loud crunching footsteps could be heard to my left, I turned toward the thick tree line. What feels like an eternity as I lay completely still and listen.
More footsteps could be heard approaching. Heart in my throat, I pull myself harder to move on the ground.
My arms tremble against my body weight as I'm desperate to move faster, but I wasn't fast enough. I hear the footsteps come to a complete halt.
My body hit the ground in panic, I try harder.
"I found her! She's here!" A male voice announces
The man rushes towards me, I fight him off with my extended arms.
"Elena! It's me! Logan!" The man said
My body freeze, I recognize the voice
I look up at a familiar face, his brows furrow in worry as he looks down at me.
"Logan!" He wraps his arms around me tight, I hug his neck tightly.
"You're ok. You're safe now." He said close to my ear, he raises his hand to my head and run his hand through my hair soothingly.
He pushes his body away from my head and accesses me. His eyes roam my face as he smooths hairs out of my eyes.
"You're in terrible shape." He said
"No kidding" I laugh
He looks down at my thigh before looking around.
"Where's my brother?" He asks
"He's back there. We need to get him." I said
Logan looks down at my injured leg once again.
" Can you move?" He asks
"Yes"
"Ok, I need you to lead us there. Get on my back, I'm going to carry you."
I nod in response.
Logan turns around and waits for me to climb on his back. I did so. He wraps his arms underneath me tightly
"You're good?" He asks
Pain shot up my leg.
"Yes. Let's go." I said
Logan gets back on his feet, I feel less anxious enough to notice the number of people with us, all in combated gear.
"Straight that way." I point
"You heard the lady, let's go!" Logan instructs his men.
Five of his men went ahead, they move very quickly and stealthily as they instructed. While the other five trail behind, two flanking behind on each side while one stays directly behind us.
Logan moves quickly as if he doesn't have another human on his back.
In no time, we reach the spot where I had left Griffin.
I spot him " He's over there!"
He is stills at the same spot, leaning against the tree trunk with his eyes close. Relieve hit my chest, I tap on Logan's shoulder to let me down. Logan put me down.
For the first time in a long time, I feel joy and relief in the same breath. I cup my hand against Griffin's cheek. "Griffin, I got help."
He doesn't stir so I try again " Griffin, wake up. Help is here." I said again.
My pulse raises. Something's not right.
"Griffin." I tap his cheek
I feel a hand on my shoulder " Elena, move aside." Logan said, I turn to Logan. His voice sounds calm, but his eyes speak differently looking at his brother.
I move out of the way; Logan quickly moves in and signals one of his men to get close. The man steps in. He checks Griffin's vital and lifts his shirt underneath his jacket, revealing the deep wound, blood saturate all over his jacket and onto the ground beneath him.
The man looks at Logan with a grim look on his face. "We have to get him to the hospital now." He said
Longan quickly gets his brother on his back without another word.
Another man came up to me, and indicate me to ride on his back. I quickly oblige.
We move quickly in the wood.
"Stay with me, you hear?!" I could hear Logan say under his breath to his brother.
We make out three military trucks waiting on the curb of the road. Wasting no time, we all got into the truck, I ride with Griffin, Logan, and a few other men. The minute we are all situated; the driver takes off.
Griffin layout on a stretcher in the truck and one of the men quickly start an IV on him.
I move to sit on the floor closer to Griffin. My hand slide into his, interlocking our fingers. His skin feels cold to the touch. His face looks peaceful as if he's in a deep sleep.
"Hey. I'm right here." I said softly, my voice trembling. I press my forehead against his cold fingers.
I felt a light touch on my shoulder. I quickly look back up. Griffin still has his eyes closed. I look at the big hand, it belongs to Logan.
"Come up here, we need to check on you too." He said softly
I nodded before turning back to Griffin and getting up. Logan pats the seat next to his, I sit down. The same man who just started Griffin's IV came to me, he squats down facing me, and look at my leg.
"We don't know for sure the kind of damage your leg sustained until we perform a full X-ray. Experience pains any elsewhere ?" He asks
"My ribs hurt," I reply
"May I look at it?" The man asks
I hesitate for a moment looking around. Two other men are seated opposite from us as if on cue they both look away in the opposite direction.
Logan looks at me. I look up at him, his eyes are already on my ribs area.
The man in front of me clears his throat, Logan looks at him then. They both look at each other for a few heartbeats before something registered in Logan's eyes. Looking slightly uncomfortable, he turns away.
The man turns back to me "May I?" He asks
I nod.
He slowly raises my shirt, I wince at the movement.
"Looks like a very nasty bruise. From visual it doesn't look like it's broken, slight crack might be a high possibility, X-ray will confirm our suspicions." He said, he places my shirt back down.
Logan turns back to me "You need to lay down too."
He turns to another stretcher laying in the corner.
"Please." He adds
I nod.
He helps me to it and places me gently on the stretcher.
A man comes to my side and starts an IV on me, my eyes flutter in exhaustion as Logan gently moves my hair away from my forehead.
He moves to sit between me and his brother as the truck move and my eyes are closed.
The truck came to a complete stop. The door is yanked open, medical staff fills the doorway. Griffin's stretcher is pushed out first, and everyone rushes out after. I try to get up and follow Griffin when a hand stops me.
"You won't make it anywhere on your own in that condition." The man said, another two medical staff came into the truck and take out my stretcher. I'm wheeled into the hospital, my eyes stay on Griffin.
Relief washes over me, and the adrenaline dies down. My body feels light as my stretcher is pushed into the hospital along with Griffin.