Chapter 15: A Rescue.

“Sel!”

“Sel!”

Mel had the windows pulled down on her dad’s truck and was belting out them as loud as she could! With the sun setting, and her being close to the Wooden Mansion, she realized that she didn’t actually know what she was driving into.

Sure, she figured Sel was in some kind of trouble. She was even pretty sure it was a ‘breaking and entering’ from the sounds she’d heard over the phone. But, in the end, she didn’t know why or what the perpetrators were up to.

Were they kidnappers? Were they there to plunder? Or was it something even worse!?

Regardless, she was going into the situation completely blind! Sel might be hurt or trussed up inside, or heaven forbid…

Mel scolded herself again for not thinking to grab a first aid kit on her way out the door. Of all the things to forget! What if she got there and Sel was hurt!?

It was simply an unforgivable oversight on her part! She felt a broiling of unpleasant emotions at how unprepared she was!

“Sel!”

Again, Mel listened trying to hear if there were any sounds other than the whoosh of air and the crunch of tires on gravel. It was probably stupid, but with the darkness descending, she couldn’t help but imagine Sel out there in the dark completely lost! What if she had flighted from her pursuers only to find herself aimlessly wandering through the woods! It could happen you know?

As she took another sharp turn, she couldn’t help but wonder what she could even accomplish coming here by herself. What if the assailants had guns? Should she stop down the road and attempt to sneak in covertly? Would it have been better for her to call the cops and her parents instead of leaving it up to Mickey? She didn’t know!

Questions and concerns swirled around in her head. She took her frustration out on the gas pedal. Taking another turn a little too fast.

Behind all the other fears, was the secret fear she held. The fear that nothing had happened. That Sel was jumping at shadows or had merely dropped a glass bowl. What if Mel had broken all the rules and it was for nothing?

Mel tried to tell herself that having nothing wrong would be for the best. She’d get there and find out she’d been mistaken and be grounded for the rest of her life. Sel would be fine and everything would be okay.

So long as Sel is fine, I’ll take the punishment. I’d rather risk eternal grounding than sit and wonder if she was hurt.

This was what Mel kept telling herself. So long as Sel was fine, she’d accept responsibility regardless of the outcome.

Still, if this was all a prank, I’ll beat Sel silly…

Mel turned the last bend and all thoughts of this being a prank or an accident vanished from her head.

The barn is on fire!!!

“Sel!”

Mel froze, what was going on here!?

Where do I go? Where is she? What happened?

Mel shook her head. That wasn’t helping! She needed to figure out what to do, not uselessly panic.

Take a breath, Mel. Okay, there are two options. The house, or the barn. I know Sel was originally in the house, which presumably was before the barn was on fire. I heard the assailants break into the house. Both were in the house in the beginning.

The barn is on fire now though. Barns don’t light by themselves. I don’t think the assailants have any reason to light the barn on fire, which suggests that it wasn’t them, or it was caused by a confrontation in the barn. Or… not enough clues.

So, the timeline looks like it went from the house to the barn and then somewhere else? I don’t know why it went to the barn, though. The barn. The barn. What’s in the barn? Did they want to steal hay? Or tools? The big question is would Sel be there. Barn or house, barn or house. Was there any reason Sel would be at the barn? Anything? If only I had more clues…

A memory flashed through her head.

“Sel, you need to take better care of yourself. You have to keep your wound clean! You! You…! How did you even get the bandage this dirty anyway! You didn’t have this on Saturday!”

“W-w-well I was in the b-barn and—”

Click.

Mel didn’t know why or how. She didn’t really know anything. Why had Sel been in the barn? She didn’t know. Past self-had foolishly interrupted her before she could say anything! (Stupid past self!) But she now had something linking Sel to the barn. Sel had been doing something in the barn last Sunday, despite being injured and terrified that there were ‘goblins’ hiding in the wood. Therefore, there was something important in the barn. Important enough for Sel to disregard fear and health.

It’s not much of a link, but it’s enough.

Mel swung towards the barn, her head beams sweeping across the clearing. She scanned it for anything. Smoldering grass, the wooden mansion, a dark tall something standing in front of it and—

There she is!

There, right outside the barn, silhouetted up by the flames, was Sel! She was standing in front of six… children? What?

Well, I’ll figure it out later.

Slamming on the gas Mel raced towards her friend. Quickly eating up the ground between them. Mel fumbled with her feet, still not used to working the gas and brake. She quickly found the right one and slammed her foot down.

The truck lurched forward, and Mel jerked the wheel to the side. Slamming on the other peddle.

*huff* *huff* *huff*

Mel felt the symptoms of what she knew to be shock. Lightheadedness. Chills. Shaking.

She had almost run over her best friend. She had almost run over her best friend. She had almost run over her best friend! How could she—Why did she—How could she have been so—

*huff* huff* *huff*

“You don’t have time for this Mel! Pull yourself together! Save Sel, then apologize for everything! Everything else can wait! Save Sel, freak out later!”

*Smack—Smack*

Ow. I really shouldn’t have smacked my cheeks so hard.

Grabbing her sword and popping open the truck door she hopped out to see what in the blazing barn was going on!

Feet hitting the long grass, she examined the assailants. It was hard to make anything out with them silhouetted against the barn fire, but they were clearly children. Way too short to be adults. Not enough muscle either.

They were also mostly naked.

She felt herself relax after seeing that. Them being almost naked meant no guns! She could handle a bunch of no-good kids, no sweat! She didn’t know how this had escalated to lighting the barn on fire, but she’d break up the fight and take it from there!

First, she’d try to talk them out of anything rash though. She didn’t want to beat up a bunch of kids her age without at least trying the diplomatic approach.

Though if they hurt Sel they’re not gonna get off lightly! Though no need to assume the worst! Maybe this was all just an accident I mean, just barely I almost… yeah.

“Haha, oops! I accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake! My bad! Are you okay? And why is everything on fire…”

The silhouettes shifted. Something about their form just didn’t sit right with her.

Wait, somethings not right, here…

“Mel!”

Then Sel turned, and the light from the barn hit her side. Mel froze. Her mind stuttering. Not quite able to accept what she was seeing.

What—

Sel had dried streaks of blood running through the bandage on her left arm, where her wound had clearly reopened. Her entire left side was soaked in blood and she was leaning heavily on her right side.

What is she—

She walked—no, hopped towards Mel. Her right leg almost dragging behind her as she staggered forward.

What is going—

Every inch of Sel’s exposed skin was covered in ash making her clear red eyes stand out starkly. Those eyes locked with Mel’s and she took another lurching step forward.

Why is she—

And then one of the kids behind her, a kid with big yellow eyes, leaped forward tackling Sel to the ground. She collapsed like a bag of potatoes, briefly struggling to get up before the rest of them jumped on top of her too.

“SEL!”

Then, the green-skinned, yellow-eyed, sharp-teethed, pointed-eared, ‘children’ began to wail on the still form beneath them. Sharp claws and fists smashing towards Mel’s best friend.

Why are you HURTING Sel!!!

Mel’s mind went blank as she rushed forward sword still clasped in its sheath. She still didn’t know what was going on. But right now, she didn’t really care about the ‘why’ of everything.

All she knew was that somebody was going to get the biggest beating of their life.

Six somebodies.

Arriving at the pile of flailing fists, Mel’s foot shot out smashing into one of their green faces sending them flying off. The pommel of her sword smashed into another. Another kick sent two reeling off, sheathed sword smashing into the sides of the last two leaving nothing but a battered girl beneath her.

Mel tightened the grip she had on her sword. She had gone easy on them just now. With the low lighting and the flailing limbs, there had been a small possibility that she could have hit Sel under all those bodies, and besides…

She didn’t want to spill even a single drop of their filthy blood on Sel. Mel had never been so furious! Never been so angry at anyone or anything.

You don’t gang up on people! You don’t attack people from behind! You don’t beat someone who’s already down for the count!

And you don’t get to hurt my best friend right in front of me!

Mel didn’t like fighting weak people. She didn’t mind if it was a training bout or if she was teaching someone the moves, but for the most part, Mel believed that it was the duty of the strong to protect the weak. If circumstances demanded she fight, then it was best to go just as far as needed and no more. Overkill was fun in games, but in real life, people could get hurt or die if something was taken too far.

But sometimes it can’t be helped. Sometimes the only way to get something through someone’s thick skull is to beat it into them.

Sometimes there are exceptions. Sometimes you can’t hold back. Because in real life when things that are taken too far aren’t stopped, people die. There are no save points in real life. There is no redo. Just game over.

Sometimes a show of absolute force is necessary to protect your ideals and the people you love.

They had gone too far. They had crossed the line and hurt someone they shouldn’t have, far more than they should have.

Let’s get this done quickly. I need to get Sel to a hospital.

The goblins had fully circled her. Yes, goblins. She couldn’t stay in denial forever. Darn, Sel was never going to let her live this down!

The other possibility wasn’t even considered. Sel would be fine. Mel would drag her kicking and screaming back from the grave if she had to! So just hold on a little longer, please.

They leaped at her almost as one, but it didn’t matter. Their teamwork sucked. Mel idly kicked one while smashing her sheathed sword into another, an elbow smashed into an eye and the pommel crashed into the fourth. A little rearrangement had the fifth and sixth crashing into each other.

The trick to fighting multiple opponents was to just not. You used footwork and parries to make it so that you only really had to deal with one opponent at a time. Without magic, fighting multiple trained individuals at a time was just unfeasible without a huge gap in skill.

A huge gap like the present situation.

*smack* *crack* *bam* *bam* *thwack* *thunk* *thwap* *wham*

Mel figured they had come at her about six-ish times. Her blows were getting hard enough to crack bones and if they didn’t give up soon, she’d unsheathe her blade. Her patience had only lasted this long because she could still see Sel’s chest steadily rise and fall. Most of the bleeding seemed to have slowed too.

But Sel couldn’t wait forever, if she’d known that it was going to take this long, she would have unsheathed her blade at the beginning. Regardless of her desire to leave killing as a last resort.

Heh, I was so set to do whatever it took to defend my friend, but I can’t even kill a few goblins when it really comes down to it. I really am the worst.

A wave of self-loathing ran through her. Her arms trembled as she grasped the sheath. It would be easy. Like squishing an ant. Just a little *squilsh* and they’d be gone. A single slash with only the smallest tug and a spray of blood to indicate that she’d killed someone. She began to unhook the sheath.

The goblins backed off, some clutching ribs, others trembled in pain from arms that didn’t quite hang straight. None of them moved.

Her trembling stilled.

Mel crouched down without taking her eyes off their now still forms. Grasping the sheath, she unclasped it and chucked it to the side revealing the shiny bare blade. She slowly looked into each of their eyes as she propped Sel’s unconscious form up and put her hand under her.

Then with the utmost gravity, she said,

“If you make me drop Sel, I will cut you.”

Hoisting Sel up, left arm under her knees, right hand around her shoulder with blade still positioned, Mel slowly backed towards the car.

Ug! How do princes make the princess carry look so easy? Sel weighs practically nothing, and even so, this is a huge pain! I should’ve just fireman carried her! Or even potato sacked! No wonder they never went over the princess carry in first aid!

Mel really hoped they didn’t attack. She really would have to drop Sel.

Mel was halfway to the car when she saw it. From the house, walking towards them was a figure about as tall as a man. Confidently sauntering forward, the figure entered the light revealing the features of another goblin. Only this one was taller and more... robust. His shape was misshapen, with one shoulder hanging lower than the other, and his head seemed too small on his large form.

He grinned at them, his mouth huge. The other goblins cowered away from the taller form. Their skinny selves contrasting with the obesity of the newcomer.

Mel’s eyes, however, were on the large iron fire poker he carried.

Ah, crap. I don’t even want to think of what that will do to the edge of my sword. Even worse though, I’m only halfway to the truck. I can’t fight this guy if I’m carrying Sel. I need to drop her off quick!

Mel hurried her footsteps.

Fortunately, the bigger goblin seemed to be a little confused. Looking at the six small goblins and then at her and Sel. He seemed to be looking for something.

“Gulga gargo? Gwar.”

The other goblins uneasily answered him, their responses lost in the distance between them. His face twisted with deeper confusion. Looking towards the barn fire, then looking at Sel in her arms. His face slowly taking on a mask of rage.

“RAAAAA!”

Sel I don’t know what you did to make this guy so angry, but you did a splendid job of it! But why am I the one having to deal with the cleanup? Don’t look at me big-bad goblin! I just got here! I got nothing to do with all this!

The big goblin charged just as Mel reached the truck. Popping open the passenger door and setting Sel down. She seemed to stir for a second before once again becoming still.

Quick! He’s almost here!

Untangling her arms Mel darted to the side just in time to avoid being brained by the iron poker. Instead of hitting her though, it came crashing down on the passenger door. Smashing the window and crumpling it.

Nooo! Not my Dad’s truck! I am going to be in so much trouble! Curse you stupid goblin!

Yanking the fire poker out of the remains of the door, he stepped forward within range of the unconscious girl sitting in the passenger seat of the car.

NO!

Mel didn’t hesitate. She launched herself at the back of the goblin sword slashing downward. She felt a small tug go through the blade as it bit deeply into the large goblins exposed back.

*Skreeee!*

The Goblins back arched strangely as torn muscled convulsed in his back, green blood gushing from the wound. The iron poker in his hand flung back at Mel.

*clang*

Mel took a step back as she redirected the force of the poker downward and into the ground. The residual force of the blow sending the goblin off balance and staggering away from the truck. Mel felt a brief flash of guilt at attacking a foe from behind, but…

This isn’t a match, and that cancerous-heap-of-smelly-trash was trying to kill Sel! He deserved a lot more than what he got.

The goblin charged at her again, poker raised above his head ready to deliver a powerful blow. Mel could have gutted him right there, but she focused instead on circling him, so his charge didn’t send him crashing into the truck behind her. The blow came down right as she leaped out of the way.

*Crash*

A fountain of dirt exploded up from the impact. Mel didn’t let the opportunity go, darting forward and slashing downward.

There was a brief tug on the sword once again. This one much stronger than the one before.

Her sword cleaved through skin, muscle, and bone cleanly slicing off the goblins right arm. The detached arm swung down, hand still anchored to the poker, to splat at her feet.

Mel paid it no heed and continued running forward passing the still hunched-over goblin as she headed for the truck. She couldn’t waste any more time on this trash.

“Urag?”

Mel briefly glanced back to make sure that the one-armed goblin wasn’t chasing her. She doubted that he would be able to fight in his condition, but she’d rather not get smashed from behind due to overconfidence.

Behind her, the large goblin was prodding his right arm with the poker in confusion. Looking back and forth between the dead arm on the ground and the stump that started just below his shoulder. His expression showing shock and disbelief. Though that expression didn’t last for long.

“UraAaaAaaah!!!”

The goblin screamed as it grabbed its fallen arm and tried to put it back on its stump. When after a couple of tries of this failed, it huddled up into himself clutching its stump, while shuddering from the pain.

Mel had to squash another pang of guilt at the sight.

She was now at the passenger seat, however, and didn’t have time for sympathizing with the enemy. Climbing up into the truck she began to rearrange Sel’s arms and legs so she could get the seatbelt around her. With the passenger door now unable to close, she was worried that Sel might fall out of the truck if she wasn’t secured properly.

She took one last look over her handiwork. The seatbelt was securely fashioned over her waist, but the chest strap fell more on Sel’s neck than across her chest. Not much she could do about that. It was Sel’s fault for being so short after all.

Legs put together and arms tucked in. Red eyes looking back at her—

Wah!!

Mel nearly fell out of the truck at the shock.

When she regained her composure, she saw Sel looking back at her, eyelids drooping and a small smirk pulling at the corners of her mouth.

“Hey, Mel. What are you doing here?”

Mel felt a strong urge to roll her eyes. What did Sel think she was here for? A picnic?

“I had the strong urge to cook smores and heard you were starting a barn fire.”

Sel sat there for a second, a small frown on her face. She blinked.

“Really?”

“No! Of course not! I came to rescue you and…”

Her reaction time is way too slow. I don’t know how much she’s bled out or just how injured she is, but it’s not good. I need to get her out of here ASAP!

“…Sel are you cold? Do you have any injuries besides your arm and your side? I’m going to drive you to the hospital but if you have anywhere that hurts tell me now so that I can wrap it. Sel, Hey, Sel! I need you to concentrate for—”

“Hey, hey, Mel. Did you see the fire I made? It’s super big! Did you see it? Look how big it is! Um, why is it so big?”

Mel felt equal part annoyance and worry at seeing Sel so out of it. She wasn’t going to be any help at all! She’d have to wrap the wound on her side with her jacket and get her help quick.

Taking off her jacket she started to pull it around Sel’s torso and the seatbelt to cover up the gouge in her side. Whatever had gotten her had ripped right through her black hoodie and shirt and left long red marks across the left side of her stomach and back. The blood loss wasn’t much, but that in and of itself at this point was worrying. The scratches looked deep.

“Hey, Mel. Look!”

Sel’s hand came up and started pushing at her head. She shook it off in annoyance. She didn’t have time for loony Sel.

“Mel! The fire! It’s getting bigger!”

“Yes, Sel, I know! You made a huge barn fire. I saw it when I drove in. Kinda hard to miss! Now let me finish tying you up and we can… get… out… of…”

Without noticing, an oppressive heat had begun to press up against her back. The loud cracks and pops that came from the bonfire steadily growing into a sound more akin to the roar of a furnace. Mel felt the hair on her arms stand up.

“Mel! Look!”

This time, she listened.

The barn was now a pillar of solid fire that reached up above the trees and up into the sky. The glow so bright that the orange flames were hard to look directly at. The pillar seemed to pulse from the bottom. Small waves traveling up the cylindrical pillar, and with each one, the heat grew stronger.

What did Sel put in that fire!

“What did you do?!”

“I don’t know! Maybe goblins are really flammable!?”

Their voices now could barely be heard over the roar of the fiery pillar as it began to twist in on itself, slowly changing form from a mere pillar to a swirling vortex. The ground around the barn began to crumble and be ripped out of the ground in huge chunks disappearing into the blinding vortex.

“We need to get out of here!” Mel’s lips felt scorched and the air was getting harder and harder to breathe. The hot air seeming to scorch her lungs and throat on the way down.

“No duh, Sherlock!”

I probably deserved that.

The goblins were nowhere to be seen, and parts of the wooden mansion's roof had lit on fire from the heat. It was long past time that they get out of there!

Hopping into the driver’s side, Mel started the car. The few seconds it took the engine to turnover felt like an eternity. She pushed on the acceleration as the car rumbled, not moving.

You need to put it in drive, idiot!

Quickly switching gears to ‘D’, she pushed on the gas and then took as sharp a right turn as her dad’s truck could take.

*Smash* “Eeeep!”

The crumpled passenger door swung inward crashing into the side of the car from the acceleration. Sel making a noise that Mel would have loved to of had a recording of, though now was really not the time. As soon as the car was straightened out, she hit the gas hard again and the truck shot forward.

From the corner of her eye, Mel could see Sel jouncing around under the seatbelt. The lawn not proving to be a very smooth ride. She seemed a lot more coherent when the fire had evolved into a death beam. But she wasn’t sure how long that would last.

Reaching the road, she took a left turn sharply. The acceleration from the turn pulling her to the right…

Crap!

Mel reached out with her right arm and grabbed Sel’s left arm and pulled.

*Crash*

“Owwww! Ow, ow, ow! It hurts!”

The speed of the left turn had started to pull Sel out of the open passenger door. Her seatbelt had stopped her from getting thrown out, but not enough to keep all of her in the car. The passenger door had been swung fully opened by the acceleration and had come swinging back full force as the truck had straightened out. Nearly smashing into Sel who had been halfway out the door.

Luckily Mel had been able to pull Sel back in time for her to avoid being crushed, unfortunately, she had yanked on Sel’s hurt arm producing a couple of howls of pain from the injured patient.

“I’m sorry! I’m really sorry!”

“Ugh. I might have been better off with the goblins. Please get a driving license, Mel.”

Mel felt her cheeks flush at that. She knew it was her fault, but did Sel really have to put it that way? She’d saved her from being smooshed!

Maybe… Maybe she deserved that too. She’d have a lot to apologize for after this night.

After that Mel concentrated on driving. A silence falling over the car. Well, mostly.

*Crash*

The wind through the open door and the occasional smacking of the passenger door made true silence an impossibility.

Sel broke the silence a minute later with another glance out the back window.

“Mel, look. Something’s happening to the fire.”

This time Mel listened right away. Slowing the car and examining the view behind her.

The trees had long since blocked the view of the clearing with the wooden mansion. Still, it wasn’t hard to see the fire. It soared into the sky, so high that it hit the clouds.

Wait… clouds?

It had been a clear evening, and by the time she’d arrived at the wooden mansion, a clear night. There hadn’t even been any forecast for today. According to the weather report it was supposed to be clear skies for the rest of the week. Still, it wouldn’t have been too strange for a lone cloud to have escaped their attention. Even a small rainstorm was conceivable. Nobody claimed the weather report was perfect.

What gathered behind them though was no small rainstorm. No. It’d be more natural to call the pillar of flame a campfire than it would be to call this a ‘small rainstorm’.

The thick black clouds swirled around the fiery pillar. Small wisps of it edging closer, only for the fire to respond in kind, shooting out tufts of flame to consume the cloud around it. Still on the clouds grew, expanding across the horizon, its center the burning flame.

Mel realized with horror, that not only were the clouds spreading outward, but they were also hanging lower. The clouds passing over their heads were brushing the treetops and still descending! Turning back to the road Mel realized that she’d waited too long. The windows were beaded so heavily that she couldn’t see a thing! Turning on the windshield wipers did nothing! The passenger door let in the mist and it coated both sides of the window.

The air grew heavy with mist. Every breath seeming to cloy in her lungs from the humidity. Thicker and thicker the black mist grew, till the only thing she could see was the pillar of flame, a mere dim line that flickered in the mist. Silence fell as if the mist had not only covered the forest but also whisked everything away.

“Sel!”

Reaching out in the dark, she felt a small hand smack into hers, she snatched it and gripped it tightly.

Sitting alone in the darkness, without a sound to be heard. The only comfort was the shared warmth of two friends holding—

“Hey Mel, I think this is what books mean when the protagonist says that they’ve been ‘swallowed by darkness’. Kinda cool. I always wondered what they meant by that.”

“Really Sell!? Is this really the time for that?”

“Well, I don’t think we have anything else to do? This isn’t too bad. My side isn’t hurting as bad too. Maybe the mist is numbing it?”

“Well, at least that’s good. To be honest this whole thing feels kind of anticlimactic. I mean, we just saw something huge happen, but now it’s just really dark. If this were a book, this feels like the part where something terrible occurs, like the main character's friend disappears in the dark or a monster comes out, but instead, it’s just really quiet.”

“Yeah, it really feels like some lightning and thunder would be appropriate right now.”

The conversation quieted. A stillness hanging over them. Mel wanted to ask Sel about the goblins, the fire, and her wounds. She wanted to tell her that she was sorry for not listening. Or to talk about what this cloud or fire meant. But it felt like she couldn’t say any of that. Or maybe shouldn’t.

It felt like if she brought up anything serious, then the silence would shatter and something terrible would happen. Like the whole world was holding its breath, just waiting for her to ask the questions that were burning in her mind.

So instead,

“I think you mean ‘kinda wet’ instead of ‘kinda cool’ it’s more ‘hot and muggy’ than anything.”

“It just comes along with being ‘swallowed’ by darkness. Part of the experience.”

“…That’s disgusting Sel.”

“Hehehe, it is isn’t it?”

Mel put the car in park. Her leg was tired of pushing on the brake pedal and it wasn’t like they’d be moving anytime soon anyway. The task took a little contorting and repositioning though, due to her right hand being occupied, but she eventually got it. She refused to even consider letting go.

There was still nothing but darkness and wetness surrounding her. She wondered how long this would go on when she felt… something else?

Mel wasn’t sure how to describe it. There was just something there. She didn’t know how she was feeling it, but the closest feeling she could relate it to was the feeling she got when she smacked her sword into something. The vibrations would climb up the sword to her arm, and even without looking, she could tell how far away the object was and how sturdy it was. Only this was as if her entire body was the sword and everything was vibrating from all directions.

This feels really weird.

“Mel do you feel that!?”

“You too? It feels really weird.”

“Mel! Do you know what this is! This is—"

“Um Sel, is it just me, or is the fire getting smaller?”

“Mel, I don’t care about the fire! That feeling you have, that’s mag—”

*KRACKOOOM*

A blast of light and sound ruptured out from where the fire had been. Banishing the mist and lighting up the clearing as bright as noonday sky! But Mel didn’t have time to pay attention to any of that!

Her right arm felt like it was on fire! The small vibrations she had felt were inside her arm! It hurt! Stabbing pain as if something in her arm had broken and whatever it was had released even more vibrations!

“”AAaaaahhhhhhh!””

Two young voices were screaming, and it took Mel a moment to realize that one of them was hers, and the other…

Sel!

Her entire right arm was starting to numb. Sensation and strength fleeing. And with that feeling, went the small left hand that she had been holding so tight.

No! I won’t let go! Sel!

Throwing her entire left side around, she reached past her useless right arm and grabbed Sel’s left with her left. The arm thrashed in her grip, uncontrolled and frantic. Looking over, she saw with horror that Sel was going through something similar.

Only much, much worse.

Sel’s eyes were squeezed shut and she was thrashing around limbs flailing. Her breaths were coming out in short quick gasps and sweat was beading on her brow and arms. Convulsing from whatever pain had seized her, the only thing keeping her in the truck the seatbelt still holding her in place.

Please stop! Please Stop! Don’t hurt Sel! Stop!

And then she did stop. Slowly her thrashing grew slower and slower until finally, she collapsed back limp and unmoving. Mel didn’t move.

No, this isn’t what I meant. Move Sel, move!

Reaching her hand up to Sel’s mouth she left it there for a second. Nothing. No. No, No! No—

Ever so faintly, the moisture and warmth of Sel’s breathing touch her hand. Mel sagged with relief. She was still breathing. Barely.

I need to get her out of here now!

Pushing on the brake, Mel stretched her left arm out to switch from park to drive. Her right hand was still mostly numb, though some feeling was returning in her fingers, still, it refused to move no matter how hard she tried!

Stupid right arm! This isn’t the time to suddenly take a nap!

Despite the handicap, Mel pushed on the gas and started zooming down the road. Pulling the steering wheel back and forth to take the turns and make up for her left arms imprecision.

It was super frustrating! Driving with one hand was just too difficult, especially since, even before this, she had struggled with driving the truck. It was simply a little too big for a thirteen-year-old to drive normally, let alone with one hand.

Still on she went. Her path wasn’t anywhere near straight, veering to the left and right side of the road haphazardly. Her speed was much lower too. The banging passenger door was still making itself known with every turn correction she made.

Then coming around a bend, Mel saw the trees ahead lit up by red and blue lights. Her head beams no longer the only ones lighting up the road.

Ahead of her on the road came three patrol cars, lights and sirens blaring making themselves known to the quiet woods. Mel almost didn’t notice with all the ruckus the police cruisers were making but right behind, looking decidedly misplaced, was her mother’s minivan.

Slamming on the breaks, the car came to a stop as the three patrol cars surrounded her and Sel.

But Mel’s eyes were on the figure that had just hopped out of the minivan.

Her dad jogged over to the truck, his silhouette a black form against the head beams.

She could imagine the expression though. She was sure he was furious. She’d stolen his truck and driven it illegally all the way over to Sel’s house. She was probably going to be grounded for life.

He reached the truck and Mel popped open the door. She wanted to rush out and tell him to not come to her, but to go help Sel, but she was stuck with her foot on the brake. She couldn’t stop trembling for some reason. Her breathing coming faster and faster.

“Mel, what’s going—”

“Dad, I know you're mad, but Sel was in trouble and—! You can yell at me later but right now—hic—Sel is, Sel is— She has a cut on her left arm that reopened and her side’s cut too, her left leg is h-hurt. And just before now, she had a—hu, hu, hu, hu—”

She kept stuttering and couldn’t seem to get the words out. Her breathing becoming more rapid. She had to get her dad to listen!

This isn’t the time to be panicking! Why can I fight goblins like it's nothing but now I’m a mess! Why can’t I talk right!

Her dad slowly reached past her and grabbed a lever by her side, yanking it up with a crank.

“Mel, everything’s going to be alright. Just calm down. I’ll look at Sel. Just take a deep breath, good, now another. You! Grab my first aid kit out of the back of the van! You grab some blankets!”

“Ah, Y-yes, sir!”

Mel watched in amazement as the police officers scrambled to grab the requested items. Her dad strode around the car to the passenger side walking around the shattered right door with no more than a glance. Reaching into the car he unbuckled Sel and began to pull her out of the car.

“Get me some clean water and prepare a car! One of you will be driving me back to the hospital! The other two will call in backup and escort my wife and daughter back to the main road! If any of you try anything funny, I’ll see you in court… What are you waiting for MOVE!”

Mel felt something hug her from behind. Startling her. Looking behind her, she found her mom had climbed up on the side of the truck and was now giving her a concerned smile.

“Don’t worry, your father will take care of Sel. Why don’t you climb down and come to the car? Why you’re soaking wet!”

Turning around, her Mom looked at one of the police officers and her voice changed from sweet to vicious in a second.

“You! Go grab my daughter a blanket! Can’t you see she’s freezing!”

The police officer hesitated for a second, glancing between the retreating car taking Sel and her dad back and her mom.

“Ma’am we need to ask her some questions about the light we saw earlier. I’m sure we can grab her a blanket, but afterw—”

“No, I don’t think so! My baby is shivering and scared right now, and you intend to drag her away from her mother to question her!? I don’t know where you get the nerve, but let me tell you, the only one who’s going to be talking to my daughter is me. You think I don’t realize what you are doing? You’re trying to cover your backsides from this absolute f—” Mel’s mom glanced down at her. “—fudged up situation! Well, I won’t have it! I will be talking to my daughter, and then, if you have any questions you can come to me! Now, scram!”

Mel watched in astonishment as the officer seemed to shrink in on himself. He opened his mouth, then closed it and scrambled back towards his patrol car.

Her mom turned away from the officer and gave Mel a bright smile as the grip around her tightened. Mel felt the hairs rise on her arm and alarm bells go off in her head, as her mom sweetly said,

“Sweety, let’s get in the car. I think we have a lot to talk about.”