Sixty-four

After many nights and many days, I finally succumbed to exhaustion, fever caused by the infected wound on my leg, hunger and that just to name a few. I lost track of days, time, and direction long ago, but I kept going in the hopes that eventually I'd find the way. I didn't.

I knew it wouldn't be easy but I never imagined that I would fail so spectacularly.

Something gently taps on my cheek. The gentle gesture feels like a punch to my weakened body, and I can't help the feeble groan that crawls up my throat but dies before it makes it past my lips.

" Hey...you can't die here. This is private property," The muffled voice pierces through the haze. And if I could, I'd roll my eyes at him. I can't even die in peace.

" Don't stupid Abe. We need to get Soph to have a look at her," Another one says, and the man who feels closer groans.

" I don't want to do the paperwork. Let's just throw her over the boundary. And she will be someone else's problem," All I hear is the sound of a slap and a string of curses directed at the man who suggested throwing me over the boundary.

With a dissatisfied groan, " You grab the legs, and I'll grab the arms," He suggests as I hear the rustle of leaves, indicating that he is moving around me. I don't have the strength to pry my eyes open. The only thing I can do is bear witness to this atrocious conversation where two strangers decide my fate.

" She is wounded...I don't think we can carry her like that," The other says.

" I can't believe that we came all the way here to have some fun, and now we have this to deal with," The other one gripes disgruntled.

Jesus. Kill me. Leave me. Throw me over the boundary. I don't care. Just stop talking.

I want to scream at them but sadly, I can't. And I hate to feel this helpless. I hate relying on others when it's a matter of life and death. I just hate everything about this situation.

" Then you carry her since you're so hell-bent on doing the right thing," Finally.

One of them picks me up, I assume is the one that advocated in my favour and I feel the warmth of his body seeping into my rigor-wracked body.

Although the tremors are mild, because I'm malnourished and dehydrated and my body doesn't have what it needs to fight off the infection that now is spreading rapidly.

" Soph," The man carrying me shouts, and hear the sound of muffled footfalls through the haze of my fever.

There is a rapid exchange of words that I can't understand or process and then we move again. All the while the woman named Soph, begins to ask a barrage of questions. The man carrying me answers the best that he can, and then I'm placed on something soft. My sense of smell is gone. I can't smell anything.

And that is all I remember before I slip into unconsciousness.

I don't know for how long but when I come to, the light that pierces through my eyelids, makes it painful to open my eyes. Everything hurts. Even my nails, my scalp. It feels like someone stuck thousands of needles into it.

When I try to take a deep breath, I hear the wheeze that scrapes against my raw throat and I stop myself before something else snaps.

Loud thuds against wood, force me to give my attention to the person that is approaching my bed.

" Hey," A man shouts," I think she is awake," He says as a damp cloth swipes over my forehead and I relish the cool feel of it against my skin.

" I didn't think she would survive. The sepsis was quite advanced, " I recognise the voice, even though now is clearer and brighter than the first time I heard it.

The man laughs, " I've never seen anyone so happy about a disease, " The man quips.

" Shut up Abe," Soph says, " Go get some fresh water and some food," She barks at him and Abe laughs as he moves away to do as he is told.

" Hey sweet girl," Soph croons in my ear," I'd like to have a look at your eyes. Be a good girl and open them for me," She says sweetly, her hand brushing over my forehead to check the temperature.

" Well, your fever is down," She carries on talking," So, that's good. It means that the antibiotics are doing their job. The wound on your leg looks better. But not quite healed. It's going to leave a mark. But I'm sure you wouldn't mind. Not many people survive these woods you know," With great effort and despite the pain that I feel inside my skull, I open my eyes. The sudden brightness deters me from keeping them open for more than a second.

" I'll turn the light off. They use these powerful light bulbs for some odd reason. Miners and their lights," She hums cheerfully. Mining? I'm in a mining colony.

I'm in Varan. That brings a smile to my lips. It's small and feeble but it's there. The last time I smiled was right before I almost plummeted to my death.

" I hope you don't mind but we have to change your clothes. I couldn't help but notice the marks on your wrists, ankles and neck. If it's not too much trouble, I wouldn't mind hearing the story behind that," Soph is a chatterbox, by the looks of it.

" Right, so you still have a few days of antibiotics, just to make sure the infection is gone. Thankfully none of it made it to your brain, which is good. Otherwise, you'd be dead. Abe will leave some food for you while I go and check on the other patients. But just you know, you'll be on my mind. I love a good mystery, " And with that, she leaves me to stew in my misery.