It was a beautiful and sunny day. Shem and I had taken the children to see everyone. The twins were eight months and had just started to stand on their own and I wanted to show mother. I sat outside her and father's hut while the children played. Ham and father were busy doing something and Shem had taken Japheth for a hike since they had not done anything together in a while. We had been talking for a few hours when we heard Japheth screaming for mother. We both asked Na'el to watch the children and ran towards his voice. We finally found him after about twenty minutes of running. I ran closer and screamed at what I saw. He was crouching over Shem who had a large gash across his chest and blood trickling from his head. One of his legs was twisted as well.
"Shem!" I screamed, dropping to my knees.
"What happened son?" Mother asked Japheth, checking Shem's neck for a pulse.
"We were walking when Shem noticed a wounded baby animal. He went over to check on it and the mother saw and got angry. She scratched him and he trampled backwards and hit his head. He is still breathing but he won't wake." Japheth told us crying.
"Japheth I need you to find Ham and your father. Have the bring something to carry Shem back with them and some water and bandages." She instructed him, "Ila hand be your scarf, I need something to put pressure on the wounds."
I nodded and handed her my scarf. Still shaking I took one of his hands in both of mine. Mother wrapped my scarf and wrapped it around his chest and wrapped hers around his head. She was shaking to, but I believe she was trying to be strong for me. She wrapped her arms around me and rocked me. After a many grueling minutes, I don't know how many, Japheth finally returned with father and Ham. Japheth ran to mother and I while father and Ham gently lifted Shem onto a board they had covered with a mattress. Mother and I went ahead of the three men and brought all the children into Ham and Na'el's hut.
"Mother, Ila." Ham called us from the opening of the hut.
We both rushed out and followed him into mother and father's hut. They had taken his shirt of and placed him on the bed. Mother went to go help father find the herbs and things they needed while I rushed to Shem's side. I took a piece of cloth, wet it, and placed it on his forehead.
"Ila I need to get to the back of his head." Father told me.
I moved his head and father began to clean off the blood so he could find the wound. Mother was attempting to fix his leg.
"It is broken." She said, "He will not be able to walk on it for a month or two. I will clean it and make sure it is wrapped well. Japheth will you get me three sticks that father has cut?"
Japheth went off to find the sticks and mother went to clean the wound. As soon as she put some herb mix on Shem's leg he let out a moan.
"Oh Shem." I cried, burying my head into his neck.
"Ila." He mumbled.
He tried to move his head and when he did he cried out in pain.
"Sh Shem try not to move." I told him.
He laid his head in my lap and I began to stroke the hair surrounding his face. He continued to cry out in pain and after a few hours he was done being cleaned off and had fallen to sleep.
"Ila?" I heard and turned to see Na'el holding Naomi and Asher, "they're hungry and I tried to feed them but they want you."
"Thank you." I told her taking the twins from her arms.
"How are the other children?" I asked her.
"Elijah is fine, Naameh is with him, but the girls were getting worried so Noah and Ham explained what happened and told them that they could see Shem in a little bit." She explained to me.
"You can bring them in now." I told her.
She left and came back with the girls moments later. The girls walked cautiously over to me and sat down. Evi started to cry and laid her head on Shem's stomach while Adah just stood next to me, frozen.
"Papa." She said.
Shem stirred and Evi jumped back. He opened his eyes and when he saw the girls he reached out for them. Evi crawled into his arms, but Adah didn't move.
"Adah, I'm okay." Shem told her.
"Blood." She replied, pointing at the blood stained bandage on his leg.
"It is dry now." I told her.
She got down on her knees and crawled next to her sister. The twins were done feeding so I went and brought them back to Ham and Na'el's hut; they offered to watch the children. When I got back to Shem, mother was feeding him while father washed the girls and Elijah and got them ready for bed.
"How are you?" I asked Shem, kissing him.
"Sore, but I am alright." He replied.
"Here Ila eat." Mother said, handing me some food.
I realized I hadn't eaten all day and took the food and ate it hungrily. Father brought the children over and once we said goodnight, he took them to Ham and Na'el.
"You will both stay here with me tonight." Mother told us, "Father will stay with Japheth. I want to stay in case you need anything."
She handed me the bowl she was feeding Shem from and left the two of us alone.
"Is everything alright Ila?" he asked me.
"I thought I lost you today." I told him, tears cascading down my face.
He lifted my chin up and kissed me on the lips. He then whispered in my ear the five words I wanted to hear the most in the world.
"You will never lose me."