Prologue...
Her face was impossibly beautiful, just like he remembered it. Pure serenity in an expression, pure love. Her eyes were wide—not in fright, but in recognition. Her lips spread in a peaceful smile, white teeth glinting like pearls.
She knew he was coming after her.
Well, he thought, no time like the present. His surroundings were unfamiliar and of no consequence. Not even stable in form but shadows of real surroundings he could not quite get a good look at. What attachment did he told to them? Nothing mattered anymore. Smiling in return, he stretched out his hand, scratched and bleeding, towards her.
Immediately she pulled back. Light too bright shocked his eyes in synchronization with shouted words he did not comprehend. He felt the scream burst from his throat, a response to the rocks that must have been throwing themselves at his head.
No. No. She was waiting for him, she wanted him to go now. He ran towards her fading figure, calling her name.
"Who's Anna?" A whisper from a hundred miles away.
The light faded, strange voices intensifying. "Keep that cloth pressed right to his head. Just like that. I've never seen so much blood. I can't…"
Her smile faded, but just for a moment. Her hands, tan and rough from sun and hard work, grasped toward his. Her smile returned, brighter than before, brighter than those strange lights.
His head hurt so badly. The shadows deepened, form began to fade. Somehow he had to move his feet toward her. Then he could go where she had gone before.
"Keep breathing, man!" The distant voices were surprisingly powerful in their commands. "Don't give up on us now, keep breathing. You know to breathe, right?"
Breathe? What an odd question. Of course he knew how to breathe, didn't everyone? Suck in air through the mouth, through the nose. Release the air just the same. Fill the lungs, let the stomach rise.
Granted, he didn't recall it hurting so much before.
"Worst disaster I've ever seen in there."
"He's one of the best. Everyone assumed he had a fighting chance. He'll pull through, he's a tough one."
"Yes, just keep staunching that blood."
"It's getting everywhere."
Blood? He saw no blood. Just her, now almost reachable. Face beaming like an angel's, arms ready to encircle him. Mission all over. The end.
No. He stopped his movement. The bright light mingled with the deepening shadows, the latter threatening to envelop him. Would that be good or bad? Was there any way of knowing? No, it wasn't over. Pretty little thing, still out in the woods if all went right. No one around to stumble on a small child, take her in. S he was smart. He couldn't leave her.
And everything else…
He tried to be still, but his body moved uncontrollably. Arms and legs jostled all around. He thought he would be stick
Breathing still hurt.
Head still hurt.
"Hang on!" one distance voice shouted.
He forced his eyes open, not aware they had been closed. Light, faces, nothing he recognized.
Open eyes hurt too much.
He closed them as the blackness surrounded him.
More to come.