After the Crash

I had been sitting on a rock near the river, watching for anything suspicious, but there was nothing. The trees around us were quiet, not even a gust of wind blowing through them. Cali was having good luck with the fish; she’d caught four big ones and two smaller ones. I felt anxious, as I watched her stalk a fish in the water. I kept moving my head from her to the woods, and back. Then I heard it, just a few gunshots in the distance. I looked at Cali, “what was that?”

“Whitney and Ren are hunting, with guns,” she looked at me, “they probably saw an animal.” I heard a few more and then stood up. “Calm down,” Cali insisted, “they’re hunting.”

After that, I heard several gunshots going off, and I shook my head, “that’s not the sound of hunting, grab your fish and your stuff.” She raised an eyebrow, but I gave her a stern look. She rolled her eyes, following my orders. Logic would have said to move away from the gunshots, especially with Dale’s daughter there, but I was moving that way regardless. I kept looking up, in case they sent the flare, but nothing. Eventually, I met Whitney and Zack as they frantically ran toward me. “What the hell happened,” I looked at Whit, with my eyebrow raised.

“Ky, we were ambushed,” she looked freaked out. Whitney had never been in a position where bullets were flying toward her, and she was doing her best to hold it together in front of Zack, but I could tell she was moments from tears. I tried to calm her, but she looked at me, “Ky, Ren got shot.” I nodded, taking in the information as calmly as I could. She shook her head, looking back in the direction she’d come from, “it’s really bad, I don’t think he’s gonna make it.”

I took a deep breath, “he’ll make it.” I had no time to think of a plan. I just looked at her, exhaling, “I can’t carry him on my own.” I held her gaze as I explained, “you take Zack and Cali back, and send Sam and Dale after us. Tell them it’s urgent, and not to doddle.” I took a step in the direction she came and then took a step back, “and tell Sam that he’ll need something to wrap a wound.”

She looked at me, “are you crazy, you can’t go.”

“What else am I supposed to do,” I looked at her, “leave him there, let him die?” She didn’t say anything. I took a deep breath and shook my head, “I’m sorry, I just can’t do that.” She nodded, and I smiled reassuringly, “tell them to hurry.” I began running, and it didn’t take long for me to find the action. I could hear them from a mile away; they were so loud. I started crouching in the trees, moving with more stealth than I had before, but still moving with haste. I wasn’t sure where Ren was, but I figured he was going to be in the direction they were moving. I got closer, then took out the guy in the back with two shots. I sent a third shot; I had to lure them in this direction so that I could get over to Ren. I cursed myself as it missed the target but didn’t linger. They started sending shots in this direction. I got low; there was still heavy foliage around this clearing. I figured, if I kept moving, I’d run into him.

When I got to him, I had to hold strong. I couldn’t let him see I was worried; he already had a bullet wound to think about. It’s enough to scare anyone. He didn’t need to see another scared face. He needed reassurance. I slid in beside him; he had good coverage. I noticed the blood and swallowed. I took a closer look, lifting his shirt, and it was bad. I had to wrap it with something. I took my jacket off, insisting that he lay his head on it, then I took my over shirt off, wrapped it around the wound. I pushed his gun out of reach; he needed to keep his attention on his wound, not the gunmen. If he could put pressure on it while I kept the guns off him, it would be okay. “Ky,” he begged as he exhaled in pain, putting his hand on my wrist, “please don’t leave.”

I glanced over my shoulder to see where they were, then swallowed my anxiety and put on a smile, “believe me when I say I don’t want to,” I looked again and then at him, “but I have to make sure these guns stay off you.” I picked up my gun and said, “stay down and stay quiet,” before I started crawling in the opposite direction I had come. When I moved an ample distance away, I aimed at another one in the back. I counted six men that were still standing. I got two shots off before several of them started firing in my direction. I took cover and then crawled a small distance away and took a few more shots. There were still three left when they got too close.

If I took a shot, they’d have me dead. If I tried to move, they’d hear, and I’d be dead. I threw my rifle out and tossed my hands up, “I surrender.”

“Come out,” one of them said.

“Don’t shoot,” I said as I stood up. I stood slowly, facing them the whole time, I didn’t want them to know I still had my Victory pistol behind my back.

“Well,” the one in front looked at me with a smile, “you’ve got a lot of spunk, don’t ya’?” He walked closer still holding his gun and then he turned his head both ways, “or is there someone else hidin’ out?”

I looked at him, “I’m alone.”

He smiled, “I like this one.” He took a step closer and used the barrel of his gun to pull my shirt down slightly. I pushed his barrel away and gave him a dry expression as he tried to menacingly reassert his position of power. “We could get a pretty penny out of this one, she’s a little small, but she’s got a good face, and she looks pretty fun, doesn’t she?” He looked over at the other two, and I took the moment to grab the barrel, jammed the cylinder, and twisted to mess up his grip. I stepped to the side, pulling the gun towards me. I used him as a shield as I pulled the other gun out and shot one of the other two. The other one shot, grazing my shield's arm and hitting my good shoulder. I lost my grip on his gun but managed to hold onto my own. I shot the gun out of his hand, which bought me the time to shoot down the other gunman.

“Don’t try,” I said with authority, one hand on my shoulder and the other holding my Victory. He was unarmed, but called my bluff, taking a step toward his gun. I shot at the gun, moving it further out of reach and affirming my authority. He immediately straightened up and put his hands in the air. “PCD,” I said as I noticed the band with the PCD insignia on his arm. “Does the name Daniel Ceja ring a bell,” there was recognition in his eyes, but he shook his head. “Are you sure,” I looked at him, “because it could save your life.” He still shook his head and I rolled my eyes, “let’s try this, does the name Kyla Danes mean anything to you.” He looked at me unsure, “most wanted, as of yet, no one wearing that insignia has come face to face with her and lived to tell the tale.” He nodded his head and then I smiled, “would you like to be the first?”

“I know the guy,” he said, “he’s a higher up, his name's on your warrant." I nodded, then he shook his head, "you won’t let me go, you know there’s a reward for the person that brings you in.”

“Good point,” I said, shooting him in the knee. He fell to the ground, holding his leg. "That should give me a head start," I moved in closer, "on the off chance that you're stupid enough to chance another run with me." I squatted down, getting on his eye level, tapping his other knee, "next time I won't be as forgiving." Then one of the other men, who I hadn’t quite finished off, made a move for a gun. I quickly sent two shots into the guy's chest, before returning my eyes to the man I was dealing with. “Now,” I looked at him, “you're gonna do me two favors. First, you don’t tell a soul that you ran into me or my party, not until you finish favor two. You’re men already hurt one of my people," I shrugged, "but I hurt six of yours. If you take advantage of my kindness and point anyone in my direction, I will personally hunt you down.” He looked at me, and I smiled, “please nod if you understand my first stipulation.” He nodded, and I went on, “good, next," I held up two fingers, wiggling them in his face, "you will find some way to get Mr. Ceja a message. Tell him that Ky is heading east, and that she’s looking for revenge. Are we clear?” He nodded his head looking scared.

I heard Dale and Sam shouting from the distance, “Ky, Ren.”

I looked over, then hit the guy on the head with the handle of my gun. By the time he came to, we’d be long gone. I made my way back to where I left Ren. His eyes were closed. “Hey,” I put my hand on his face, and he opened his eye, “you have to stay awake, you have to keep your eyes open.”

“Ky,” Sam yelled, “for fuck sake, where are you?”

“Over here,” I yelled, then I stood up and they saw me. “Hurry,” I said, “he’s lost a lot of blood and he’s moving in and out of consciousness.” They came over and we all bent down over him and then Sam started examining the wound.

“You wrapped this,” he raised an eyebrow.

I shook my head, “it was the best I could do given the time restraint.”

He looked at me, “it was good, Ky, might have saved his life.”

Ren winced and then opened his eyes as Sam removed my shirt from the wound. He looked at me. “Please, stay with me,” he managed to get out as he reached out.

I swallowed hard before nodding and grabbing his hand. “I’m not going anywhere,” I shook my head, holding his eyes. Sam cleaned the wound real quick, then wrapped it. Then they lifted him onto the makeshift gurney; it would be easier to carry him that way. He was still going in and out of consciousness. I saw him lose it a second and I panicked, “Ren, you have to stay with me, you have to stay awake.” He didn’t say anything, and I let out a quiet, “please,” as I squeezed his hand. Sam looked at me with a raised eyebrow. I glared, “what?”

Sam just shook his head, “your shoulder’s bleeding?”

I glared at him harder, “didn’t even notice.” He rolled his eyes, and we kept moving forward. I knew we were walking fast, but the walk seemed to drag until we finally made it to the cabin. They rushed him into one of the empty rooms and laid him on one of the tables.

I was still holding his hand, when Sam looked at me, “Ky, you can’t stay here.”

I raised an eyebrow, “I’m not goin’ anywhere.”

“Mac,” he nodded at the person, who just entered the room, “get Ky to the other room and get the bullet out of her shoulder.”

“Fine,” I released, “I’ll take the bullet out myself.” I just looked at Mac, “make sure he’s okay.” He nodded, and I grabbed some gauze, tweezers, cut off enough suture thread and grabbed a needle. I was then promptly shut out of the room where Mac, Sam, and Rosa were working on him. I grabbed a bottle of alcohol and went to the library. I poured alcohol on the gauze, pressed it against my wound and exhaled in slight pain. It was worse than the bullet I’d gotten in the other shoulder a few weeks ago, but I could manage. I pulled out the bullet and put it on the desk then I used the alcohol to sterilize the needle and started stitching myself up. “Damnit,” I said as I made a mistake.

Whitney came in shutting the door behind her. “Hey,” she said tentatively, then raised her eyebrow, “should you be doing that yourself?”

I grabbed the bottle and took a sip, then dug the needle back into my skin, “I've stitched myself up before, and I’ll be damned if I take anyone from that room.” She looked at me, unsure. I exhaled, shaking my head, “Sam kicked me out.” She let out a slight laugh. I was unamused, “could you at least get in there to grab some tape, I forgot tape as I was forcibly removed.” She nodded and then I yelled, “fuck,” as I messed up again. She turned. I tried to exhale my frustration, “grab some scissors and another yard of thread for me, please.”

I winced as I pulled the bad threading out. Whitney came back, I threaded the needle again, and began stitching myself up. She looked at me, “what happened?”

“I got shot,” I looked at her, irritated. She didn’t say anything, just stood there. I shook my head, “I’m sorry, I’m just angry, this is gonna set us back a few days and I … I …” I sighed, looking away from her, “I don’t know if he’s gonna be okay, and I could have done something." I shook my head, "I could have worked faster, I don’t know, I could have …”

She shook her head, “you did everything you could.”

I shook my head, “I don’t know what came over me, I've never been so angry like this was the last straw or something.” She raised her eyebrow, not understand. I sighed, “they were PCD, and I let one go.” She looked at me, unsure. I shook my head, “he won’t be moving for a while, and he’ll move slow, I got him in the knee, but I let him go.” She raised an eyebrow. I shrugged, “I let him go with a message for Dan,” I looked toward the door, “probably got Ren killed.”

“Ky,” she looked at me, “you went back for him, alone." She smiled, "that’s more than enough, that’s more than most people would do.” I winced as I finished stitching myself up, and she continued, “you probably saved his life, no use beating yourself up.” She smiled reassuringly, “he’s gonna be okay, I’m sure of it. If there’s one thing Sam’s actually good at, it’s medicine.” I nodded, cutting the thread. “You know,” she said hesitantly. I looked up as I grabbed the bottle to wet another pad of gauze, “you seem to care.” I shook my head as I pressed the gauze against my badly stitched wound, and she continued, “about him?”

“I just don’t want a death on my conscience,” I said before motioning, “now hand me the tape.”

She gave me a weak smile as she handed me the tape, “I’ll let you be, but if you ever want to talk to me about this, or anything, you know where to find me.” I let her go. Time went by slow. I pulled a book off the shelf, started reading it, but couldn’t quit looking at the doorway. I kept getting up, sitting down, pacing and just plain thinking. I didn’t want anything to happen to him. This was a visceral feeling, and I didn’t understand it. Finally, as I was sitting, Sam walked into the room.

I stood up. “Ky, he’s probably gonna be fine,” he started, “but he lost consciousness, and I’m not sure when he’s gonna come to.” I bit my lip, and he shrugged, “we moved him to the bed, hopefully, he’ll be more comfortable there.” I walked past him into the room. I looked around and pulled a chair to the side of the bed. He followed me in, “Ky; it could be hours, you can’t sit with him all night, you need to sleep.”

“He asked me to stay with him,” I looked at Sam, “you know I keep my promises, Sam. If there’s one thing I can manage, it’s that.” He shook his head but left the room. I was alone with him. I looked at him. He was still handsome, even in this state. I looked toward the door, to make sure no one had lingered. “I’m here,” I said to him, grabbing his hand in mine, “I’ll stay with you if you promise to stay with me.” I took in a deep breath, “please,” I exhaled, “please, just stay with me.”

I didn’t have any more words, I'd never been good at this stuff, but I stayed. People walked by every so often. The kids made a game of it, even sneaking out of bed when it got late. For a while, Alex lingered at the door looking on curiously, but I shooed him away. When everything got quiet, I leaned on the arm of the chair, resting my eyes, but still holding his hand. When I felt his hand move, I opened my eyes immediately. I looked at him, and his eyes were open, "Ky."

“You’re awake,” I smiled. I sat more upright, “I’ll be right back, I’ve gotta get Sam or Mac or …”

“No,” he breathed, “just sit with me for a while.” I nodded and did as he said. We just sat there for a while. I held his hand, and he held my gaze.