Page 16 of Shadow's Sinner
In my haste, I trip over a log and we both tumble down a hill, landing in the stream below. Lakelyn’s sobs are the only way for me to find her in the darkness of the night. She’s hyperventilating, and we don’t have time for me to stop and make her feel better. Grabbing her hand, I haul her up out of the water and drag her through the stream to the other side. Unfortunately for us, the other side is a wall of rocks, and there's no way for me to get us both up there. I spin Lakelyn around and push her up against the rocks, slapping her cheek, stunning her enough to quiet her.
“I need you to shut the fuck up, pretty girl, and listen to me. If we are going to make it out of this forest alive, I need you to be strong and listen. I know you’re in pain, but we don’t have time to deal with that right now. Nod if you understand.” She nods frantically while she tries her hardest to visibly get her shit together. “Good girl. I’m going to hoist you up, then you’re going to grab that rock ledge and pull yourself up there, got it?” She nods then turns around quickly. Leaning down, I grab her foot, placing it in my hands and hoist her up as high as I can. She grabs ahold of the ledge and pulls herself the rest of the way up, grunting in pain the whole way. When she’s up, I half expect her to leave me, but she turns around and reaches her small hand down to help me.
Backing up a few steps, I sprint towards the rock, placing my foot on it and jumping as hard as I can, grabbing the ledge as she tries to pull me up with her. Once I’ve made it we both collapse onto the ground in a heap trying to catch our breath. Her small hand reaches for me and wraps around my own, the small movement warming my cold heart. Looking over at her, she gives me a tiny bloody smile before getting to her feet and pulling me along with her. We trek through the forest for hours,both shivering from the cold and weak from the journey. As the sun starts coming up over the horizon, I spot a run-down shack tucked away in the trees.
The shack is made of logs with vines running all around it, windows boarded over with plywood. Trees and brush surround it so well that you could almost miss that it even exists. I tuck an exhausted Lakelyn behind some trees while I go and investigate the shack myself. Wooden floorboards on the porch creak under my boots as I approach the front door. The door is barely hanging on its hinges as I push it open. Musty stale air assaults me as I walk inside. Sweeping my eyes around the small space, it seems like it’s been uninhabited for years. The living room is covered in dust with an old sixties floral couch against the wall and a box television across from it. The kitchen to the left simply houses only a fridge, sink, and stove. I continue on down the hall and find a bathroom that has definitely seen better days. Rummaging through the cabinets, I find a first aid kit and tuck it under my arm. The only other room in the house is a bedroom. A full-size bed sits in the room with a floral quilt on top and a rocking chair in the corner. A large wooden dresser sits off to the side. Opening the squeaky drawers, I find old men’s and women’s clothing. Not the most stylish options, but they will do. Once I’m satisfied that it’s safe, I leave the first aid kit on the couch and walk back out to Lakelyn.
She’s asleep against the trees when I get there, and I almost hate having to wake her up. I lean down, pick her up and carry her bridal style back to the shack. Sitting her on the couch, I rummage through the kitchen looking for a glass and almost praise the king myself when the water in the sink actually works and eventually runs clear. Making my way back to Lakelyn, I tilt the water to her lips, and she hisses at the cool temperature before guzzling it down.
“I know you're a tired little shadow, but we need to fix that tongue of yours.” Pulling out the first aid kit and sitting it between us, I sort through all the bits and bobs inside, grateful to find a stitching kit. Lakelyn looks at me with terrified eyes when she realizes what I’m about to do and tries to get up off the couch to run. Grabbing her hands in mine I hold her there before I finally speak. “After everything you just went through andwillgo through, this is the least of your worries, Lakelyn. You can do this. You have to.” She doesn’t answer me, and she doesn’t need to. I grab the needle and thread and set to work. She sticks her tongue out; it’s barely holding on by a thin piece of muscle on the left side.
As soon as I push the needle through the squishy muscle, she lets out a squeak and her nails dig into my thigh making me gasp. “Fuck, that’s it, baby girl, make me hurt too, Lakelyn.” I continue on with my work, and all the while her nails are making me bleed. My blood seeps through my pants as hers drips down my arm. Once I’m done I tie off the end and place the needle down. Looking into her tear-filled eyes she whispers, “What do we do now?” as a tear trails down her bloody cheek.
