~I have upped the rating for violence and very ouchful injuries. So it's rated T now. Just a heads-up. :D~

I cried out in pain as the clawed hand pulled me up into the train car. My eyes watered, and I screamed out loud. I was sure that those three-inch claws had ripped through several layers of my wrist tissue. My arm felt like white-hot fish hooks were pulling my flesh apart at the wrist. Ow. I sat on a sack of potatoes near the door of the train car, and then I felt another pain, but in my calf this time. I saw a black thorn the size of a ruler protruding out of my leg, dripping acid. I gasped, pulling the thorn out slowly. That was a mistake.

I should have pulled it out quickly and just stabbed the manticore with its own weapon. But I didn't. So the manticore had time to pounce on me, crushing my stomach with its weight. It pulled its head back, hissing. This was my chance.

I took my good hand, and, using the manticore's momentum, pushed it sideways out of the moving train. It curved around the edge, and a telltale bump told me that the train had run the manticore over.


I pulled off my backpack, careful not to let the strap touch my wrist. My backpack held a first-aid kit, some matches, a blanket, a change of clothes, three granola bars, a flashlight, extra batteries, and a paperback copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Tools of survival, right there. I picked up the flashlight, placing it between my teeth, and then I took out the first aid kit, and opened it one-handed. Then I selected the witch hazel dropper and gingerly cleaned my wounds. Witch hazel is the kind of astringent that doesn't sting, or so I'd thought. When I'd moved to clean my leg wound, which I was delaying, I dropped a drop of witch hazel onto my leg wound, and gasped, my eyes watering in pain. I did this six more times, and then decided that that would have to be enough. After that, I took out the linen bandages from my first-aid kit and wrapped my wrist tightly, using my good hand and mouth to tie a knot. I did the same with my calf, and then wrapped it all up with an ace bandage at the end.

I sighed, wondering a thousand things. Why northeast? When was I going to get there? What was I going to do when I got there? How long would it take for my leg and arm to heal? What if I ran out of food? What if the train's conductor caught me? What if I needed to go to the hospital? What if I got caught? What if-stop. I chided myself. I wouldn't go to sleep if I worried like this.

So I picked up Harry Potter and I read until I fell asleep, not trusting myself to think about what might happen. Not trusting myself to think about all of the ifs.

~So I actually got back to you in a good amount of time for once! Oh my gosh, this chapter took a long time to write! Even though it's not exactly Moby Dick, I had some saving issues. Excuse me while I vent my feelings to you all.

So, I had the first paragraph all written out nicely, with imagery and everything, and then I went to Facebook and forgot to save it. Which sucked, but it was my fault, so I wasn't too mad. But then, I stayed up semi-late (10:00) and my wifi decided to throw a temper tantrum and turn off, so I didn't realize it before I could copy and paste my finished story into word. So I lost all of that. And now I've written it all out, and I am absolutely determined to post this chapter. So yeah.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please review! Like, now! Not kidding! Review! Or favorite! Or follow! Please! You need to review to be amazingly awesome! That's what it takes! As I have said before! Why am I adding exclamation points after everything?! I don't know! Maybe I'm crazy! We just don't know!Maybe if you review, I won't be crazy with sadness anymore! So, the box is right there! \/ See the arrow?! Here's another one! \/ Bye!~