[P]Limping Home

[Neela Garcia]

[html]

Set very early 5th, about 4am.

Everything hurt. That was all that Neela could think as she stumbled through the trees inside Casa territory. It was all she could let herself think, because actually processing what had just happened would mean breaking down, and Neela needed to get back to the fort.

Her son had appeared from nowhere, and attacked her. Somehow the boy had managed to track Neel all the way up from Mexico and hunt her down in the middle of the night. Neela had been taken by surprise and easily subdued and even though Grynn had tried to defend her-"

Grynn.

Neela tried to not think about her but all of a sudden she couldn’t help but feel the small, still body in her hand. The physical wounds Neela could shrug off and much as it distressed her Neela had been running over what might happen if her family found her ever since she left but this, Grynn dying, was something she had never expected.

Pain, pain. Focus on the pain. Neela repeated that like a mantra and it worked, largely because there was so much pain to focus on. The attack had left her in very bad shape, some of her ribs definitely felt broken and every step sent a wave of pain radiating outwards, small cuts littered her body and two severe gashes adorned her left arm and leg, leaving her with one arm hanging uselessly and a limp respectively.

After what seemed a lifetime Neela finally passed the archway into the fort, her eyes roving the darkness hungrily to pick the house she and Tony had taken out of the darkness. There was a light on inside, leaving one of the windows illuminated. Neela tried to move forwards but fresh pain from her ribs sent her tumbling to the ground, pain from the fall causing her to black out for a few seconds.

Desperately Neela tried to howl for help but the sound came out weak and wet, more of a loud cough than a true how, and left small droplets of blood running down her lips.

Defiance suddenly burned deep inside her. She had lived through storms, survived five winters and travelled the length of the continent in an oversized fishing boat. She refused to die here! Somehow Neela marshalled some strength from somewhere and let out a clear bark, chest screaming in protest, before flopping back down onto the ground, watching dimly as blood flowed from her wounds into the dirt.

Word Count :: +413