Chapter 4

James used his hands on the end of the thick arrow shaft to push the arrow through quickly with a grunt of strength. He felt Jessie lurch forward to his shoulder harder and her grasp on him became extremely tight. She gasped, unable to breathe for a second. Then, she screamed, tears down her face, which was contorted in pain. James winced at this and at the sound of flesh being torn through. He then hastily managed to break the bloody tip off the arrow, which was now seen through Jessie's front. This caused another moan of pain from Jessie and her breathing became more strained and deep. James then pulled the shaft out through her back, trying to block out the sucking sound of the blood, flesh and arrow. He then felt a warm sticky substance leaking onto his shirt. He didn't need to look to know what it was.

At that moment, Jessie could only feel the pain in her shoulder as it coursed through her body becoming so great that she was gasping for breath and shaking with shock. Her brow was furrowed in extreme pain and confusion.

'Who the hell had done this to me? Why? Why does someone want to cause pain to me? It hurts so bad! James is here though. I hope he will take protect me. I feel sick. Maybe this is what I get for acting like such a bitch all the time....I guess I deserve this. Fuck, it hurts so much! I want to die! Why won't it stop! James....." A million thoughts raced through Jessie's head through her torment. She began to feel lightheaded and dizzy from the pain and instant loss of blood.

She was still leaned against James for support and he had to quickly pry her off of him and lay her on her side on the couch so Meowth could use the towels to soak up her blood. James then got a good look at the blood covering Jessie and himself and felt sick to his stomach. He bit his lip and looked to the ground to stare at the bloody arrow pieces with hot tears stinging his eyes. He released his lip when he tasted salty blood and wiped his eyes with the back of his wrist. When he looked again to the arrows, any color in his face drained as he noticed something so obvious that he hadn't noticed before.

He then viciously grabbed the arrow parts into his hand, clutching them tightly as he examined them. They were hollowed with a liquid venom exiting from the broken ends. He threw the pieces furiously against the wall, muttering to himself as he walked across the room to vent his anger.

"Shit!" was what Meowth caught from James' mouth along with many other obscenities as he quickly looked up from tending to the wimpering Jessie on the couch to James. Meowth could tell that there was something James had found out about the arrows. James had now come back to Jessie's side with even more tears spilling mournfully down his cheeks and looked to Meowth.

"Jim....what is it? What's wrong wid da arrows?" started Meowth. James simply shook his head in disbelief. "Dey're poisoned, aren't dey?" A silent tear from James confirmed Meowth's suspicions. "Damnit! Alright, James, dere is no way ta get da poison from her now, other den clean da wound, cauterize it, and try ta den flush her body of da venom some other way, because she can't afford ta loose anymore blood. Stay wid her while I get da hot rod ready for, well youse know what for," said Meowth, leaving James' and Jessie's sides to get the tools from the fire.

"James.....make it stop. Please make it stop, make it go away....," Jessie trailed on as James held her hand.

"It's almost over, Jess. Just try to relax. focus on my eyes, Jess. Look, Meowth and I are here for you, do you see it in my eyes?"

Jessie nodded in response.

"What were you angry about, though?" Jessie asked through clenched teeth as she stared into James' soothing emerald eyes. She was still writhing in pain and breathing deeply. The pain wasn't being nullified, it only seemed to be increasing with every slowly passing second. She could still feel her blood oozing out of her shoulder and the world around her was spinning. She had asked the question to try to stay awake.

"Well, whoever shot you, well they.......they poisoned the arrows, Jess. But don't worry, Meowth and I will take care of you. I promise, I will not let anything happen to you again, Jess. Just try to hang in there." She nodded in a pained response.

Jessie was starting to feel a stubborn tiredness that became more persistent with every passing second. A peaceful calling was telling her that if she just closed her eyes, everything, all the pain, physical and mental, all the pains and scars she had recieved through her life, would go away.....forever. She tried to close her eyes at that moment.

"Jessie, keep looking to my eyes, please! Don't quit on me now! Stay with me, come on Jess, you've almost made it," James was now holding one of Jessie's hands with one of his own and another one was pressed against the front of her still bleeding shoulder, as if his hand alone could stop the bleeding. Crimson fluid seeped between James fingers like lost memories.

"James, hurry, prop her up so I can do dis!" Meowth came runing over to the couch with the heated metal rod. James was still talking to Jessie and telling her to keep her gaze on his eyes. She had managed to look into his eyes again, although it took a great deal of effort, for her eyelids were extremely heavy to her. Suddenly, James saw her pupils dilate in pain and surprise as the wounded flesh on her back was burned to a close. She gasped again and cried out in pain. She now seemed to be hyperventilating as she was lurching forward to James, who held her and turned her so Meowth could close the other side of he shoulder. There it was.....she could smell it. The rancid smell of her own flesh and blood burning came to her nose, making her Jessie feel even more faint. This time, she had cried out, although it was muffled by James chest as she leaned against him.

At this point, everything was spinning faster and faster and dark shadows threatened to engulf her very being. All she felt was pain.....physical pain, mental pain from her haunting memories, and other things, too. She felt regret..... 'Why has my life been such a waste? I should have been nicer to him, poor James. I wonder if he'll even miss me? Why should he? I've been such a bitch......I'll never get to tell him.....' These thoughts plagued her mind. Jessie could hear James calling to her and slightly shaking her as he held her to him. She could feel his sorrowful tears on her head. She could smell him and her singed flesh as he held her close. These last thoughts of James on her senses were erased as she felt the overwhelming pain, tiredness, and sorrow circle her with black, making her even more dizzy. Just when she thought the blackness couldn't become darker and the spinning faster.......she knew no more as she slumped down into James' sad loving arms.