***
When life knocks you down,
get up and fight harder.
***
The knot in my stomach tightened uncomfortably as I watched Jared approach me with the ampoule filled with murky green liquid in his hand. Faint blue smoke shimmered at the brim and even ten feet it smelled vile and nauseous.
Breathe in... Breathe out... Breathe in...
Bella was standing next to me holding my hand. But in spite of all her support, I was on the verge of panicking and running away.
You chose this. I told myself. So now face it.
"We need to inject the Wolfsbane into your arm." He told me, his face devoid of any expression and I reluctantly raised my left arm towards him.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ashton grit his teeth and look away. If he couldn't stand watching this, how could people expect me to actually bear this?
I can do this. It's only for an hour.
Oh no, I can't. I'm going to freak out right now!
Breathe in... Breathe out. It's going to be okay.
I'm going to die, anyway. What a waste of oxygen!!
Be positive.
Give me one reason for that.
No answer.
My heart beat rapidly as I watched it happen in slow motion.
Jared had the syringe in his hand. He held my arm firm with the other.
The syringe was inches away from my skin.
My eyes shut automatically and I prepared myself for the pain.
The needle pierced my skin, and I bit my lip trying to suppress the scream that was building up in my throat.
It took me a few seconds to react, and then it started. The pain I would remember for a lifetime.
It spread slowly yet steadily, burning up every nerve fibre as it passed. My body felt as though it being torn apart and I could feel the wolf in me, weaken and fade away painfully.
"Zara!" I cried out with pain and worry. "Zara, answer me! Are you still with me?"
Sadly though, I received no response.
The pain of knowing you no longer have your wolf, your other half in you couldn't be described with mere words.
But I knew the torment had just begun, and this was nothing compared to what was about to happen ahead.
My knees buckled under the excruciating pain and I fell to the ground writhing in agony. The pain was unbearable and every cell in my body was on fire.
A scream escaped my lips as I clutched my stomach in agony. A new pain shot through my body as I lay there sobbing and dying because of the immeasurable agony I was going through.
Death was a better option, I thought in my weakened state.
At least then the pain would be over finally, but in my case, it was worse. I had to live. I had to endure. I had to show them that I could still do it.
And for that, I had to stay strong.
I stood up unsteadily and took a step ahead. Unfortunately, I tripped over something, most likely my own feet, and I fell again, this time on my face.
I could feel something warm trickle down my forehead and I wiped my hand to see what it was - Blood.
A strong pair of arms pulled me up and supported me while I swayed because of the dizziness. I clamped my palm against my forehead to stop the blood flow.
"You don't have to do this!" He pleaded and despite the tremendous pain, I was drawn to the warm brown orbs that were now swirling with worry and pain on seeing me in my current state.
"Please Ki, you're really weak. I don't give a damn what people think. You don't have to do this just to prove it to them."
As much as I wanted to listen to him and relax, I didn't. I shook my head pulling my hand away from his grasp. "Let me go!" I rasped, my voice unsteady with all the pain and dizziness, "I... I.. can do this."
He stared at me with sorrow while I staggered on my trembling legs and made my way to the entrance of the maze with difficulty.
I cast one look at the crowd as I entered the gloomy passage and I saw faces that were filled with awe and horror. But my eyes were focused on the person who had been with me through all walks of my life. His face was etched with worry, but he quickly put on a weak smile when he noticed my gaze on him.
Even through the pain, that single smile motivated me to go ahead. In spite of his concern for me, he had agreed to this. He knew how much this mattered to me and he let me do it, regardless of the pain I was putting him through now as he watched me.
Then, turning to face the entrance again, I put my first step forward into the suffocating darkness.
* * *
I pushed the leaves that obstructed my vision, and forced myself to move ahead. A few thorns scratched my arm and I hissed in pain when I saw a drop of blood ooze out of the wound. But I couldn't waste time on petty wounds now, I had to get out of here.
Alive.
I turned to the left only to find myself stumble upon a clump of bushes. Groaning, I stood up dusted the dirt off my clothes and continued walking.
I was growing more and more frightened with each step I took. The passage just seemed to grow gloomier by the minute, and weird noises and hissings seemed to come from the side. I bit my lip, looking for some weapon I could use in case something attacked me and my eyes fell on a silver knife that lay discarded a few metres away.
Okay, that was my first step to survival . . .
I thanked Ashton mentally, and picked up the knife. Careful not to touch the pointed end, I gripped the other end of the knife.
I checked my watch for the time.
Forty minutes more...
Forty minutes that would be totally unpredictable. Each turn, each step signalled a new threat.
I turned right when I reached the corner. However, it turned out to be a dead end. Sighing, I was about to turn back when a slight movement caught my eye. I spun around looking for a sudden attacker, hidden somewhere in the corner.
The thing moved again and the hold on the knife tightened.
And that's when I saw it.
A PYTHON. A bloody horrendous looking python.
Its eyes were fixed on me watching me with a glint in its eye, while it coiled and uncoiled its long body. It was watching me like a tiger watches a deer from afar, preparing to strike.
My first instinct was to scream and run like a horse whose tail was on fire, but I fought to keep calm. I began to back away slowly, trying to avoid any jerky movements that would make him attack me. However, it made no forward move and for a second I thought he had a change of heart.
Maybe it already had his lunch and he wasn't hungry anymore. Maybe, it wasn't like the rest of its family. What if it was tame? Could I pet it then?
A twig cracked beneath my foot, and I froze instantly.
A snake.
With a loud hiss, its fangs opened wide as it slithered towards me.
Uh-oh.
I let out the scream I had held in for so long. My instinct took over me and I quit my stealthy movements and made a dash.
It was the predator, I was its prey.
Unfortunately for the python, I was all skin and bones, I wouldn't be what you call a sumptuous meal. But I wasn't going to turn back and explain that to it now.
Just run, Ki. Run like there's no tomorrow...
But being a klutz that I am, I tripped over a stone and fell crashing down. My head was throbbing with the impact of the fall and my vision was becoming blurry. But the python was drawing closer to me.
I gripped the knife in my hand and did what a cat does when it is cornered. I attacked back. My knife pierced into it, slicing its skin. It suddenly stopped slithering towards me and my heart beat wildly trying to figure out if it was dead or not. For a moment I thought I had failed.
But then I noticed the blood gushing out and it became clear that I had wounded it. It wasn't dead, but wounded. Wounded fatally.
I cringed as I watched the python writhe in agony and though I had done this for my survival, I couldn't help feeling guilty for putting him through this.
Killing it was better.
I noticed the rock I had stumbled on a few minutes ago and lifted it up with all my might. My face turned blue with the effort but I didn't give up. My eyes once again moved towards the python who was now wriggling painfully, lying in a pool of blood.
Then without a second thought, I threw it.
Thump...
I didn't have to look back to check, if it had hit the target, I knew it. I could feel it.
And for a second, I couldn't help despising myself. What had I turned into?
From a bullied and abused girl, I sure had changed a lot.
It was just an ordinary python, and it did only what all pythons do.
But what had I done ? I had silenced it forever. I had sliced him and watched while it begged to die. I was horrible. Disgusting. Despicable.
I shuddered as I looked at it. It was an animal, alright. But still, it was alive until a few moments ago. Looking at it, made me feel nauseous and a second later, I puked.
I clutched my stomach and leaned against the hedge, until I began to feel slightly better.
The dizziness was still overpowering my senses, but I had to move on. Only twenty five minutes remained, and I still had to get out alive.
Once again, clutching the knife with my hand, I cast the python one last glance and walked ahead. I had walked for over ten minutes, when I noticed a huge heap of dry leaves and twigs ahead of me.
Instinct told me to turn around and use the longer route, but common sense reminded me that I was running short of time.
I decided to listen to my common sense since that sounded intelligent compared to my instinct. After all, how dangerous could a heap of leaves and twigs be?
Little did I know, how wrong I was.
I made a running leap towards it, hoping to cross it. Unfortunately, I slipped and instead of gliding over it like a smooth long jumper, I landed ungracefully in the pile of twigs.
But that wasn't all.
The next second I was falling into a pit, a pit that had been initially covered up by a heap of dry leaves.
Great, just fucking great.
This is what happens when you listen to your common sense.
Lesson Two : Never trust your common sense when you are in a life threatening situation. Trust me, I'm speaking from experience. Instinct is a lot wiser than common sense during times like those.
Grumbling and cursing Jared under my breath, I stood up and dusted the dirt off my clothes.
Ten minutes . . .
I tried to climb up by holding on to a few small branches that stood out of the newly dug pit, but in vain. I certainly was no Spiderman.
With a frustrated sigh, I looked around me, hoping for some clue Ashton had left, to help me out of the mess. Unfortunately, there was nothing of use. Giving up the search, I tried to climb again. I used the small chunks of rocks that stuck out of the soil as footholds and lifted myself up with difficulty.
There was a branch just beyond my reach and I tried to make a frantic grab at it. That was my undoing.
In my attempt to grab it, let both my hands go. It took me a whole second to realize my folly, but by then I was already halfway down.
Ouch...
My back hurt with the force of the fall and I winced at the pain when I stood up unsteadily.
My head hurt, my legs were sore and now to top it off my back was aching. Could life get worse?
Apparently not.
I had been through enough for a whole lifetime.
I sat down for a moment and wiped the sweat off my brow. Flicking a pebble idly, I wondered what to do.
The pebble landed a few feet away, but what caught my eye then was not the pebble, but the thing that lay near it.
It was a rope - a worn out rope that lay discarded in the dirt. My eyes had failed to notice that, until now.
My face broke into a smile of relief as I picked it up. At least there was one way out.
I quickly tied the rope to my knife and threw it into the distance. It struck the ground above the pit and I tugged at it to check if it was firm enough to hold my weight.
It was.
Five more minutes to go...
I grasped the rope firmly with both my hands and pushed my body upwards. My hands were slippery with sweat and it was difficult for me to maintain my hold, but just one thought made me go on.
It'll be over soon. Just stay strong and trust yourself...
A few chunks of soil fell away causing me to lose my footing twice. A yelp escaped me as I dangled in the air dangerously.
I continued to climb up steadily keeping my eyes on the above. I never once looked down, fearing I would once again panic and fall.
Nearly there... Just inches away...
My fingers touched the top, and I pulled myself up still keeping a firm grip on the rope.
My legs gave way and I fell on my knees, exhausted, tired yet relieved. My breath came out in gasps and I struggled to stand up.
A fresh wave of dizziness hit me and I closed my eyes leaning against the hedge.
I could hear faint voices and my ears immediately perked up. The voices were coming from the east direction and I could make out familiar voices.
Jared's booming voice, the crowd's excited chatter.... I was nearly there!
The exit was just few yards away from me!
The knowledge that I was just moments away from victory, made the dizziness and all the other pain fade. Adrenaline surged through my veins and I broke into a run.
My vision was cloudy and the sounds seemed to bounce of my ears making no sense to my mind, but I was determined to finish this.
The end of the passage was now only a few feet away from me and I stumbled in my haste to reach it on time.
Just thirty seconds to go...
I tripped over a log and crashed again. My ankle twisted and I let out a cry of anguish. I was just a step away from the end, for heaven's sake! Why did this have to happen right now?
Gathering the last ounce of strength I had in me, I tried to stand. I winced when I tested my foot. This really needed the doctor's attention.
I saw Ashton standing at the entrance and my face broke into a smile in spite of the mess I was in. He was here, I was nearly there...
Forget about the damn foot, just crawl if you have to.
"I'm coming!" I cried out in happiness, "I can do this!" It was more to myself than to him, but I knew he had heard me.
I crossed the distance between us limping painfully. But the cheshire grin on my face was still intact. After all, this would be over the second I completed the challenge, wouldn't it?
I stumbled again, but this time instead of meeting the ground, I was met by a pair of strong arms, that held me firmly from falling.
I looked up into the eyes of Ashton, whose eyes were brimming with tears of pride and joy.
"You did it. You proved them wrong!" He exclaimed as he gave me a kilowatt smile.
I nodded wordlessly trying to smile back. Now that I was out, the previous feeling of dizziness returned and I struggled to keep my eyes open.
But then, I was falling, spiralling down into the depths of darkness again, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
* * *