Healing the Broken

Pain shredded through my head as I opened my eyes. A tightly wrapped band was squeezing my head. I pulled it off though the pain continued. I was lying on soft cotton sheets. I sat up, but I did not recognize where I was. The walls were made from a reddish brown type of wood. Only other furniture beside the bed was a rocking chair near the window. The dim sun rays poured through the window, showering everything in orange. I walked over to a window and found myself looking down from the second story of Mrs. Melberry’s farm. Everything came back to me. Taun! Melberry!
I swung the door open and descended down the stairs so quickly I nearly tripped. Petily, Mrs. Melberry, and Kye were all sitting on the sofa. Mrs. Petily was crying into Kye’s shoulder. I could hear her heavy sobs. Petily sat next to her, rubbing her back. Both Kye and Petily had red eyes of their own.
“Zey,” Petily exclaimed as she saw me and stood up in surprise.
I knew the answer, but I had to ask anyway.
“Where’s Taun, where’s the other three children,” I asked.
“They took them,” Petily said, grief toning with her voice.
I dropped to my knees. I couldn’t breathe. It was as if someone had slam a wooden board into my chest. Not Taun. Not my family, again. All this time I had been worrying about being taken. Never had I thought that someone else in my family would be taken. Petily rushed over to me. And held me by the shoulders.
“Are you okay,” She ask me. “Did the wound heal enough?”
What wound?
I then remembered the head bashing I had taken from behind. I anxiously touched the back of my head with my hand. My hair was crusted into thick locks, they had mashed together with dry blood. It didn’t take me long to find the gash in my scalp as my fingers sunk within the cavity. So they had tried to kill me. If they had tried any later I probably be dead. The affects of the vix only lasts for a few minutes, and any injuries received after those few minutes cannot be healed. The gash on my head had not healed all the way because the vix was already starting to wear off when they attacked me. They must have taken the vix when they bashed me since Petily couldn’t find it.
“I’m fine,” I said not really sure. “I saw who took them. It wasn’t the gull clan. They were women dressed in black clothing to head to toe. I didn’t see them. But I heard their voice--.”
Kashon burst through the door, and he was in his unit attire. He was breathing heavily and held a note in his hand.
He saw me and spoke sternly. “It is your choice.”
He handed me the note. I read it…
At dusk, bring the girl who acquires the potion. She will meet with us and the trade for the lives of the children. We will meet by Urchin Lake. You will stay on the east of the lake and we will stay west of the lake. The girl will cross the bridge alone and with one of our own. Any misleading or treachery and the children will be slain.
“What does it say,” Kye asked gravely as Petily and Mrs. Melberry stared at me anxiously.
“They want me to deliver the vix,” I said, fright rippling through my voice.
Kashon shook his head. “We will need you to gather the vix but we will not have you delivered the vix yourself. We will have one of our soldiers instead. We will tell them you are injured and recuperating from the wound.”
“They will know that’s not the truth,” I said.
He stared at me quizzically.
“I have to go. They have the vix. They know its power to heal and they know I swallowed it,” I said, accepting my fate. “if you make any errors or if they suspect you’re lying, they will kill Taun and the other children.
Kashon knew I was right? He stared at with a clear understanding but a dread to allow me to go into danger. “Are you sure?”
I nodded my head. “We can’t take chances.”
“I will be back,” Kashon walked away, leaving us alone.
“I’m going to fetch a pail of warm water so we can clean your hair and I can examine the wound thoroughly,” Petily said.
I nodded my head.
She left to get the water.
I began trembling and stared at the ground. Anything could happen if I traded with them. They could abduct me, thinking I could create more remedy for them. They could take the remedy for themselves and kill me to make sure that I didn’t share it with anyone else. They had tried to kill me already. I didn’t know what their intentions were. What I was afraid of the most though is if I didn’t do this, they would kill Taun and the other children.
Kye walked over toward me. Knelt in front of me and wrapped me in his arms. I couldn’t hold it in and began to sob. Kye gentle stroke my hair trying to soothe me.
“You don’t have do this,” he whispered in my ears. “we can find another way.”
I shook my head. “This is the safest way.”
We walked through the deep, dense forest to the lake. After I had washed my hair and Petily had checked my wound, I went to the enchanted forest and gathered the vix. I had taken some myself to heal the gash on my head. Kye, Kashon, and forty soldiers had gone with me for my protection. They continued to guard me as we headed to Urchin Lake. I had only been there a few times, I never liked to travel through the thick forest. I could hardly find my way home without marking my route.
We finally reached the opening of the forest. On the bridge, I could already see six figures waiting on the other side of the bridge. Four of them were small, I was sure they were Taun and Mrs. Melberry’s children.
“Are you ready,” Kashon asked.
I nodded my head. I then hugged him and then Kye.
“We’ll be watching closely,” Kye said.
Some of the soldiers were excellent archery experts and would not miss if something went wrong.
I slowly walked toward the bridge, my heart pounding against my chest. I watched as the five figures crossed the bridge. As they approach, I was able to see clearly that it was Taun, Mrs. Melberry’s children. Fear reflected from their eyes as two figures completely dressed head to toe pushing them along the bridge. Once they cross the bridge the two dark figures pushed Taun and the other three children away from me. He tried to reach for my hand, but he was yanked away before our hands could touch.
“Proceed forward,” one of the figures bark in a gruff voice. I could tell it was a woman disguising her voice.
I began to cross the bridge. I felt light-headed and realized I had forgotten to breathe. I stabled myself and thought positive. It was almost over. I would trade with them, they would leave, and everyone would be able to return home. Another person dressed in black stood in the middle of the bridge. I approached them.
“Where is the potion?” said a woman’s voice. Unlike the others, she didn’t manipulate her voice to sound different. Her voice actually sounded familiar but I couldn’t point out who she was, only that I had heard her voice before.
I grabbed the pouch of vix from my waist and handed it to her. I let go as soon as I thought she grab it. She hadn’t. The pouch of vix hit the wood and spilled over the bridge. Some of them rolled forward while others rolled behind me. I hastily turn behind me and picked up the fruit below me. I looked up and that’s when I saw them. They were up in trees. Unlike this other band of kidnappers, these people were wearing all green even branches and leaves jutted out from the fabric they wore. They tried to stay still but as they shook while gearing their bows and arrows at Kye, Kashon, and the rest of the unit. I know the unit couldn’t see them, I could hardly tell they were people. If hadn’t been far enough to see them and they hadn’t been setting up their bows and arrows, I would have missed them completely. Maybe there were just there for precaution if we tried something. If they were only there for precaution, why were they beginning to pull back their bows!
“Kashon, Kye,” I shouted so loud, I could feel searing pain through my throat. “Above you, run!”
I didn’t see what happen next because the woman bandit slammed me into the ground. My head hit the ground and my lip tore open. Lifting my head, through my blurry eyes, I watched as some of the bandits in the tree had fallen to ground arrow buried in chests. The soldiers must have shot them down. Some of the unit soldiers had been shot and lying on ground dead or injured. The woman flipped me over.
“You stupid girl,” she seethed. She jumped on top of me and plunge her knee into my chest. Her hands clutched my throat.
I began gasping as I struggle for air. A large rock slammed into her face. She let go of my throat and screamed out in pain. I rammed my feet into her chest, and she flew backwards. I jump up and turn to see Taun.
“We have to go,” Taun urged. He grabbed my hand. We ran across the bridge. Behind us, the soldiers and bandits were battling. Many were still shooting arrows. I look back to search for Kashon and Kye in the mayhem but couldn’t see them. Riding a horse, a bandit emerge through the trees, galloping toward us. We sprinted to the forest, hoping to lose the bandit. Chains whipped round my ankles and I slammed into the ground. The bandit had ensnared me. I struggle to release myself from the chain.
“Run to the forest,” I demanded Taun as I saw the bandit rushing toward us.
“I can’t leave you,” he said, his eye began tearing up.
We both gasp as the bandit headed for us, the bandit leaned over and snatched Taun up. I tried to grab for him but his hold was ripped from my hand.
“No,” I screamed. Devastated, I hurried to take off the chains and another bandit on its horse, galloped for me. I hurried to my feet and ran into the forest.
I could hear his horse charge through the trees as it galloped over broken branches and thrust through the leaves. I did my best not to go through narrow spaces between trees so the bandit wouldn’t follow me.
Heavy metal wrapped around my ankles and I fell over a log. I looked up to see the bandit hovering over me, grinning. I could see now that the bandit was a man
I swallowed hard and struggled to take the metal off my ankles.
He jump down from his horse and flipped me over. And tried to pull my pants down.
“If you’re good,” He said, laughing. “I will make it hurt less.
I tried to crawl away but he pulled me harder and then suddenly stopped. I turned around and an arrow pierced through his stomach. His face was flushed with shock and anguish. He fell over me and his blood spurted on my face.
I looked up to see a boy about my age holding a bow and arrow. Half of his face was covered with a silver mask.