I have to get out of here. I can't stay here any longer, With much effort, he sat up. Slowly, with calculated movements, he pushed his legs off the bed. Unable to cry out in pain, he clenched his fists. It was like a hot searing fire was ablaze in his leg. As he waited for the sensation to die down, he glanced out the window. It was night, with the sky black as pitch. The moon was full this night, with an eerie red glow about it as if it were bleeding.
Alright, then. He looked around for a crutch, and found one in a staff Mikyla used when she went out. However, it was on the other side of the room. With as deep a breath as possible, he gingerly slid down off the bed and onto the floor, pausing once again as the pain in his leg ripped through him. Now in a sitting position, he started to push himself over to the staff using his arms. What seemed like hours later, he finally reached it.
Good! Now, to stand up.
Grasping the staff in one hand and the table it rested against with the other, he bent his good leg and started to push himself up. His arms began to shake with effort and sweat formed on his body. Almost there... Suddenly, he felt the staff start to slip.
No!
Before he could even blink, the staff skidded out from him. He lost his balance, and went crashing to the ground.
Oh SHIIIIIIIT!! His mouth opened in a cruelly silent scream. He doubled over, clutching his leg. The pain! Oh, gods, the pain!
'What's going on in here...?' Mikyla appeared, holding a lamp, and rubbing her eyes sleepily.. 'Oh!!' Hurriedly she set it down and rushed to the fallen boy. Wrapping her arms around his chest from behind, she dragged him with all her might back to his bed. With a bit of his help, she managed to lift him up onto it. At that moment, her mother came in.
'Mikyla, there's blood on the floor!' Mikyla looked the boy over, and saw the problem.
'He's pulled the stitches out. The wound's re-opened.' As she lifted her lamp to inspect closer, she nearly became sick. The open wound oozed with greenish liquid. 'Mama, it's infected,'
'We'll have to cauterize it, then. There's no other choice,' came her mother's reply. Mikyla glanced down at the boy. His face had gone completely white and he stared at her with terror in his eyes. His head shook rapidly and he went to sit up.
'I'm sorry,' she said, and meant it. Mikyla pushed him gently back down and went to tie his wrists and ankles to the bed. Meanwhile he continued to shake his head rapidly and pulled against the ropes. Mikyla looked to her mother, who was heating a small knife over the fire. She shuddered. It wasn't the first time she had seen her mother cauterize a wound -cut the infected flesh away and burn it to prevent further infection and aid in healing - but it made her sick every time. She cut away the fabric around the wound, then sat down on the edge, facing the boy.
'Please, we have to do this, or else you might lose your leg.' He looked at her in absolute fear. 'Be brave...'
'Ready.' Her mother returned with the red-hot knife. Mikyla leaned over the boy's chest to block the view and could feel him shaking uncontrollably. She quickly untied one of his hands and held it. The look in his eyes chilled her to the bone. She forced a smile and rubbed his hand reassuringly. Suddenly his eyes widened and he writhed and jerked under her. Mikyla forced herself to ignore the sound and smell of burning flesh and held his hand tightly. With one last look at her, his eyes shut together, and she could see tears flowing from the corners.
'Ssh... it's almost over... you're doing fine,' she said in her best soothing voice. His mouth opened in another silent scream, then he went still, fainting from the pain. Mikyla held his hand a moment longer, then retied it.
'Mama...?'
'You may go, Mikyla. I'll call you when I need your help.'
Mikyla walked calmly outside, and threw up.
***
Gatti became aware of a sound drifting to his ears. Slowly sitting himself up, he looked around his darkened room to see where it was coming from. His gaze fell on a large window, where he could see a shadowed form sitting on the windowsill, holding some strange instrument. Gatti listened to the music; a beautifully mournful tune. Studying the figure, he had a strong sense of seeing them before. Suddenly the musician turned towards him, and a black feather brushed past his cheek. With a loud rustling, wings exploded from its back.
'Ah!' Gatti woke with a start, unnerved to find he could still hear the music. 'Who's there?' he demanded.
'Awake, are you?' Gatti looked to the source of the voice and saw Guimel sitting in a nearby chair.
'That music...'
'Nice, ne?' Guimel gestured over to the windowsill, where a figure sat leaning against the windowsill. 'It started a little while ago.' Gatti paled.
'Who... who's playing...?'
'Shanti,' Guimel said, surprised at Gatti's tone. 'Why? Is something wrong?'
'I had another dream. I saw the same black feather, and I heard that music being played by the winged figure I always see.' he shook his head in frustration. 'I don't know what any of this means!' Guimel pulled his chair up to Gatti's bed, and put a hand on the other's shoulder.
'Don't get yourself worked up,' he said reassuringly. 'Maybe someone's trying to tell you something.'
'About what?' Gatti frowned. Guimel shrugged, and they both listened to the tune's end. As Shanti turned to face them, Gatti half-expected wings to suddenly appear. However, none did, and Shanti walked over, pulled up a chair and sat down.
'What's that called?' Guimel pointed to the small pipe in Shanti's hand.
'It's called a tin whistle.' Shanti glanced at Gatti and saw the grey-eyed Slayer studying his back closely. Gatti blinked when he saw he was being noticed, and looked thoroughly embarrassed.
'I'm sorry...' Wanting to change subjects, he asked. 'What was that you were playing? It sounded mournful.' Gatti thought he saw a tinge of sadness appear in the Highlander's hazel eyes.
'It was an old air I was taught.' Gatti decided that it was a subject Shanti did not wish to discuss.
'Could you play more?' Guimel, seeing Gatti's awkwardness, asked. 'If you don't mind, that is. That tune you were playing is so beautiful.' Gatti nodded in agreement.
'If you want me to, I will.' Shanti gave a small smile and walked to the windowsill. Taking a seat, he leaned against the window frame and resumed playing the soft tune. Guimel gave a happy sigh and snuggled into his chair to listen. Gatti tried to relax and do the same, when a sudden thought struck him.
What if Guimel is right? What if someone is trying to tell me something? He opened one eye and peered at the thin figure in his windowsill.
What if it's about Shanti?
*****
He opened his eyes groggily to see Mikyla above him.
'How are you feeling?' she asked. He couldn't describe what he was feeling, it hurt too much. He hated her for what she and her mother did to him. 'I'm sorry, boy, I really am.' He glared at her and looked away. Mikyla frowned. 'Don't you be getting mad at me, boy! It was stupid of you to try and leave in the first place! What do you think would happen if you did, ne? Your leg would get gangrene and be so painful you'd cut it off yourself.' He looked at her, and she glared at him. 'So don't you be hating me because you're doing stupid things!' He blinked, surprised. As he saw her try to leave, he hit the side of his bed to get her attention. Mikyla turned around, her arms crossed, and saw his apologetic expression. She pulled up a chair and sat down.
If I could only tell you...
'If only I knew your name, boy!' He made a face when she said 'boy', then paused. Mikyla looked at him, confused, as he started gesturing. 'What are you trying to tell me?' He gestured more wildly, then noticed her bewildered look and slammed his hands down onto the bed, frustrated. Pausing again, he pointed at her. 'Yes...? Mikyla...that's me...' He made a few more gestures. Suddenly, she blinked in realization. 'You want me to guess your name?'
Rapid nod.
'But how?' His face fell. He hadn't thought of that yet. He thought for a moment, then brightened. Moving his hand into a holding position, he pretended to write. Mikyla looked at him sadly. 'I'm sorry, I can't read.'
What??
'I can only read my own name, and some names of medicines. Mama does some of my writing for me, but she's gone to find herbs.' He was incredibly frustrated now. 'I'm sorry!' she said, starting to get frustrated herself. Mikyla thought hard.
Please, let me understand him! Suddenly, she got an idea. 'How many sounds in your name?'
Um... wha?
'Mi-ky-la. There's three in mine, and six letters.'
He brightened and held up two fingers. 'Two sounds?'
Nod. He held up five fingers.
'Five letters?'
Nod.
'Are any of the letters in my name?'
Nod.
'I'll sound them out, then. Just tell me when to stop. M...Mi...' He held out a hand. 'So the first sound is 'mi'?'
Nod!
'Mi... Mi-what? Mitai? Mi... Mikel?' He got an excited look in his eyes.
So close!
'Not Mikel, ne? Sounds like that, though?'
Yes!
'Mikel... Mig... Migel?' He could have danced! Instead, Mikyla did, jumping up excitedly. 'It's Migel? That's your name!' She sat down with a grin. 'Alright, then...Migel...That's such a nice name!' He liked the way his name sounded...it was so long since he had heard it... Mikyla looked at him and her grin broadened. 'Maybe another time we can guess your last name!'
Another time.
He laughed silently as she rejoiced at guessing his name.
It's Migel...
He smiled thoughtfully.
Migel Labariel.