4
Baby Steps
She struggled on the cold floor and inched her way towards civilization. Her body ached from the wounds and bruises and her mind was disoriented. She tried to rest, but she was worried that they may come after her.
The waterbender couldn't go any further. She flopped over on her back, breathing uneasily. She passed out...
-
It was an easy awakening this time. Katara looked up at the tent ceiling, gazing at the blurred shadowy figures that the trees casted at dusk. She looked over at the stand; fresh fruits and a half-filled canteen await her, as usual.
Katara sat up without struggle; it felt weird, however, not experiencing any pain or recoil. She grabbed the fruit, a pair of kiwis, and began eating them without peeling the outside skin. On time, and on cue, Captain Unago arrived at her tent for his daily attempt to convince the waterbender for information.
"Katara," he lazily greeted. "Obviously, you know why I'm here. I came to talk to you about-"
"Listen," Katara interrupted. "I've seen it. I've seen anthanicitis." Unago stroked his beard. "I'm sorry about before. I didn't have any clue on what happened after they tortured. I don't want to see anybody with that disease."
"I understand," Unago confirmed. "But, it isn't a disease." Katara looked up at the captain. "It's biological warfare. We the resistance have discovered that the fire nation is attempting to cripple the Earth Kingdom from the inside by unleashing a contagious 'virus' from within the nation. Anthanicitis is simply a bioweapon."
Katara couldn't believe the sickness and cruelty the fire nation could unleash upon the war, or more importantly, the world.
"Now," Unago continued, "Are you ready to lead us to the facilities? Well, until you're healed, of course. I'll let you think about it."
Katara's eyes widened. Physically? She wasn't sure if she could even walk yet. Liu walked in the tent, leaving Unago to step aside to the corner.
"Time for healing trials," Liu said, just in time.
"Healing trials?" Katara questioned.
"Yes." Liu lifted up Katara's blanket, revealing her bandaged legs and torso. "I'm just trying to get a little creative with my health terms. I'm still young and learning." Liu flung the blanket to the base of the bed.
"Really?" Katara said. "How old are you?"
Liu raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Just curious..." Katara answered, looking down at the bed.
"Sixteen," Liu reluctantly answered. He hated giving away his age to strangers; sometimes even his name.
He handed the waterbender authentic Earth Kingdom clothes and shoes for her to wear.
"Am I supposed to wear this?" she asked.
Liu dished out a vague look. "What else are you supposed to do with them?"
Wipe the floor, she thought. Katara sighed, took the rags and were about to put them on, just when she noticed a slight detail. She just sat there, waiting for something. Liu scoffed and turned around.
"Thank you." Katara removed her old clothes and tossed them to the foot of the bed, then carefully put the rags on, slightly struggling. She was careful enough to not undo any bandages.
"Done?" asked Liu.
"Yes," Katara answered.
"Good." The medical officer turned around and took Katara's dirty clothes, placing them at the corner of the tent for later work. Katara put on her shoes, grunting when she stretched out her arms. "Now, let's start with the basics. With all of the chi blocker and purple cotton medicine in you, it will almost be like you're a baby who is learning how to walk. So, you know what to do."
Standing by Katara, Liu watched her get up on her feet. She then began to take small steps across the tent. Painful tremors pulsed throughout her brain. It had been a few days since she had stood up.
"What are you doing?" Liu asked. "I said 'like a baby.' You have to crawl."
"Crawl?" Katara rebutted.
"Yes. Crawl."
She thought it was insensible, but once she got on her knees and elbows, hurtful recoils started to kick in. She grunted and moaned.
"Come on," Liu said. "All the way across the tent." Katara didn't realize until now how big the tents were in length. She finally reached the other side and got up.
"Hey, I didn't tell you to get up," he chuckled. Katara pointed her eyebrows down and got back on her elbows and knees, feeling the small recoils each time she lifted and put down a limb. She crawled all the way back to Liu.
"Good," he said. "Remember, don't stop until I tell you to stop and don't go until I tell you to go. Now, follow me outside."
Outside. That phrase was repeated in her mind. Outside. She couldn't wait for that sunlight to hit her skin and feel the wind blow against her hair and face.
-
Katara violently squinted when the sun rays impacted her eyes. She looked at the sky to get used to the brightness.
"Stand over here," Liu pointed to a spot on the terrain while grabbing a piece of paper. He read the paper and rolled it up, still holding it in his hand. Katara stood where she was directed to, examining the other tents and barracks. The passages between each tent and barracks were very narrow.
"Stretch," Liu commanded in a monotonous voice. "Touch your toes." Katara reached down to the ground, and the built up pressure in her leg muscles soon let out. Katara then attempted to jump up in the air to get a little more feeling in her legs, but Liu restricted her.
"Whoa," the medical officer said. "Babies can't jump." Katara's face scrunched up. "Bring your thighs up in the air."
Katara barely managed to do so, but once she got her right thigh up in the air, all of the tension remaining in her right leg was gone. She did the same with her left leg, and got the same results.
"Good," Liu commented. "Your joints are being replenished."
Shai, Liu's assistant, arrived at the scene and took a seat under an awning at a nearby medical shack.
"Get down to your crawling stance again." Liu spoke aggressively.
"What?" Katara surprisingly said.
"On the dirt," Liu said. He wasn't joking. Liu seemed very different today. Katara licked her lips and once again got on her elbows and knees. Suddenly, a large shot of pain coursed through her body. The rough, rocky terrain was too hard on her joints. She wanted to get up, but quickly remembered what Liu remarked. Don't stop until I tell you to stop and don't go until I tell you to go.
Katara felt humiliated; in her crawling stance like a little baby right in front of Shai. She reminded herself that this was for her own good. Liu walked over to a position in the passage that was about 10 feet away from Katara.
"Crawl to me," Liu said, without a chuckle. "Go."
The pain doubled, tripled, then quadrupled as she got closer to Liu. When she finally got there, Liu waited about five seconds, testing to see if Katara had been listening.
"Up."
Katara rose up on her feet; her head was pounding. Sweat trickled down her forehead.
"Good job, Katara," Liu commented. "Keep up the effort and you'll be good as new. We're done for today." Liu led Katara back into her tent.
-
Taking her shoes off, she plunged into the bed, completely exhausted. Then she realized that she felt exhausted... not weak...
Liu was in the corner of tent, dipping his hands in a bowl of water, cleaning them. He walked over to Katara, setting a new batch of bandages on the stand beside her bed.
"Take off your rags," Liu said.
Trying hard not to blush, she slightly hesitated before taking off the apparel, only revealing her underclothes.
"Lay back," Liu said in a soothing voice. He removed Katara's dirt-stained bandage from her torso and set it aside. The bruises that were once wrapped around her body were now beginning to fade away. Liu set his hand on Katara's torso, applying pressure and making her grunt. "Does that hurt?"
"Of course it does," Katara quietly exclaimed. Liu went to go retrieve the bowl of water and returned, applying water to her torso with a wet cloth.
"Sit up," Liu ordered. He began wrapping a fresh bandage around Katara's belly, pressing it down each time it got loose, making Katara send out painful breaths.
The medical officer removed the other old bandages, revealing the former harsh wounds to appear as fading scars. Liu applied the new bandages, gathered up the old ones, and was about to leave, but was interrupted by Katara.
"Wait," the waterbender delayed.
"What?" Liu quickly responded.
Katara wanted to ask if he had gotten any news on her friends, but she didn't. "Never mind."
Liu left the tent with her old bandages, slightly blushing.