Lila and Loy

‘Surround it!’ shouted a female Agent.

The monster heard and lurched at her, biting her upper half with its fangs.

‘We’re running,’ Loy said. He grabbed Lila’s hands and dragged her, but she fell to the ground.

‘My legs…’ They were shivering and unable to stand. Her gaze fixated on the slaughter that the monster was doing. ‘Le-leave me, Loy.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous.’ He crouched down and grabbed her shoulders and thighs.

‘I said leave me!’

‘I’d rather die.’

He lifted Lila from the ground and turned to run. In the blink of an eye, the monster appeared before him.

In a split moment decision, Loy threw Lila to the left and he stepped to the right. When the monster lurched, it bit off Loy’s left arm.

‘Loy!’ Lila shouted with terror seeing the blood.

The monster then disappeared, returning to fight the remaining Agents.

With trembling legs, Lila went to Loy. From inside her pack, she pulled out a rope.

‘Stay with me, Loy.’ Lila tied the rope to his lost arm, then tightening it to stop the blood flow.

‘Leave… me.’

‘I’d rather die.’ She pulled the rope with both hands, tightening it further. The blood flow stopped, but Loy was already pale.

Behind her, the sound of Agents had vanished. Lila glanced over her shoulder to see blood all over that patch of the forest. Fallen bodies everywhere; and only the monster remained standing. It looked at her with one eye and slowly approached Lila.

‘Run…’ Loy said.

Lila took hold of her spear. Fear was written on her face, but the trembling had stopped.

‘Someone has to… take care of… Elis…’

Lila stood and faced the monster.

It winded its claws and went for a wide sideway swing. ‘You’re right, Loy.’ Tears coursed down her cheek. ‘Vengeance is stupid.’

Lila closed her eyes, accepting her fate.

Grash! There was the sound of its claws scraping the ground.

Lila opened her eyes. Faintly, she could see her father’s back, protecting her. He vanished like fog blown by wind; and Lila saw that the monster had missed.

The monster had two eyes. Its right was fine, its left had a spear stabbed into it. The spear Raladr had used.

‘Thank you, father.’

Lila stabbed the spear to the monster’s left eye, deepening the wound.

The monster roared, it stood on its hind legs and stumbled backward. Lila’s spear remained stuck on its left eye. It roared once more in pain; and Lila could see the beast’s sharp oval eyes, furious at her.

It wasn’t over.

‘The poison didn’t work?’ she muttered with despair.

She was now weaponless.

The beast got back on all four. It breathed out anger through its nostrils.

Stab! An arrow went to its left eye. It hurt the monster and surprised Lila.

Stab! Stab! More arrows. All shot with skillful precision toward the monster’s left eye.

Again, the monster roared. Stab! Stab! Stab! Three more arrows landed.

Having had enough, the monster looked at the direction of the arrow and vanished into thin air.

Lila was confused, but she took this change and wrapped Loy’s right arm on her shoulder.

‘I’ll bring you home, Loy. Stay with me.’

*

Lila stumbled across a branch and fell. After the mistake, she immediately checked Loy's arm; the rope didn’t get undone.

‘Sorry, Loy,’ Lila lifted him again with weak legs. Her breathing was rapid and tired.

Loy had lost consciousness.

Lila took 5 good steps before stumbling on a rock.

‘Move… I need to move…’ she said to herself as she rose once more. ‘I need to bring him home. Move… Please…’

Lila was wobbling now. The village was nowhere in sight.

Again, she fell.

‘Move…’

‘Grab his arms and I’ll grab his legs,’ a voice sounded. Lila looked up to see Kayla in a forest-colored outfit. ‘We’ll carry him together.’ She lent her a hand to stand. Lila hadn’t heard Kayla coming.

Together, with Kayla in the front, they carried Loy. Kayla led the way.

‘Careful,’ Lila said, ‘there are many traps in the forest.’

‘I know. I set them.’

‘That’s what you’ve been doing this past month?’ asked Lila with tired voice. Her consciousness was slipping. Together with Kayla they progressed better.

‘Mainly, yes.’

‘… Have I said my thanks for your arrows?’

‘No need.’