The Elementals

Something is poking me. A stick or a rock, maybe. I turn over to get away from it. Yow. Pain shoots through my side. I sit up, blinking against the light. I shield my eyes and look around the cave. It’s empty. Reassured, I yawn and stretch carefully.

Empty.

I stop. Coal isn’t here. People on the brink of death don’t just walk off. Horrible image of bears running in and tearing him apart make me stand up quickly. I ignore the flash of pain-I’m getting used to it- and dash out of the cave. The sunlight after almost two days of rain is blinding. Squinting, I look around.

“Hi.”

I jump about a foot as Coal comes up behind me. I turn around. “Don’t do that!” I wave my arms around because I’m still deciding whether to shove him or hug him. “I almost had a heart attack when you weren’t there.”

“Calm down,” he says, “It’s very hard to kill me.”

“No kidding.” I mutter. Coal’s wounds have healed way faster than what should possible. Come to think of it, so have mine. My side still hurts, but I can move without reopening the cuts.

“About last night,” Coal starts and my body automatically goes rigid.

“Yes?” I ask cautiously, insides fluttering around like rabid butterflies.

“What happened?”

I step back slightly, not expecting this. “You mean you don’t remember?”

“Well up until the bear hit me.” He grits his teeth, rubbing the back of his head. “After that it hurts when I try to remember.”

“Well you hit your head really hard.” My voice is kind of shrill. I clear my throat. “It’s fine.”

“Are you okay?” Coal asks, looking at me strangely.

“Yes. I am. Completely.” I say. This is great, right? He has no clue what happened. Now I can just play it all off like everything is the same as always. But it’s not. I frantically try to figure out a cover story.

“Did something important happen?” Jeez, it’s like he’s psychic.

“Nope.” I say, “Except for the fact that you attacked a bear single handedly. On purpose.”

He stares at me. “Not that, something else.” He winces.

“Stop worrying about it.” I walk around him and push him back towards the cave. “Rest.”

Coal looks over his shoulder at me. “Is something wrong? Because I feel like something is different.”

“Everything is fine.” I say, “I’m serious. Get some rest.”

“I don’t need rest,” He argues. “I’m good.”

“No you’re not. You almost died last night! Does that mean anything to you?”

He grins at me. “Not really.” I look down, avoiding his eyes, and instead look at his mouth, and then I flip out inside and end up staring at the sky like some sort of retarded bird. “Are you sure you’re okay?” he says, glancing at me worriedly.

“I’m sure,” My voice is going on a rollercoaster again. “Let’s go look for the others.”

“Alright,” He says, still looking at me. “If you say so.” I start walking quickly, tripping over a rock. “Walk much?” Coal laughs, and my stomach sort of flip flops. He grabs my hand and pulls me up.

“More than you,” I reply.

“Hey, I’m not the one with a chronic falling disorder.”

“Says the person with extreme people issues.”

“Personally I’d take that over falling any day.” Coal says and I can’t help but smile. Not paying attention, my foot catches under a root and I topple into Coal. We both smack into the ground with squelching noise. “See,” Coal says in mock disapproval. “Now I’m catching it.”

I roll my eyes. “I think you started off with it.”

Getting up is a slight challenge because I keep sliding around in the wet earth, but eventually I stand and keep moving. The coolness of the mud feels good on the cuts. Just that one moment felt good, normal. Now thoughts are spinning through my head like a whirlpool. Coal did hit his head hard. I remember the stomach twisting crack of the wood when the bear hit him. And, you know, he did kind of lose a lot of blood and stuff…

But that still doesn’t answer the question that’s been burning in my mind since last night.

I almost want to smack my own head into wall so I forget it all too. I twist my bracelet in aggravation. It’s sort of a habit now.

“Do you have any idea where they are?” Coal asks.

“Nope.” I reply, still walking. I’m hoping to find some sort of town, with food and maps and things.

“Great.” Coal mutters.

“You don’t have to come.” I tell him. He stays silent.

“Do you think Shylock is gone?” He asks, pausing slightly before saying gone.

“I don’t know.” I say honestly. “I never saw him actually…fall.”

We’re both avoiding the word dead.

When we finally have to stop, the sun has almost set. The trees are bathed in a soft mix of gold, pink, and orange light. I haven’t seen any sign of the others. I drop down on the ground against a rock. Frustrated, I kick a pebble into the trees. Coal watches it clatter away. I scowl, daring him to say anything. Surprisingly, he stays quiet and settles down across from me.

I can’t sleep. The sky grows dark and my eyes are still wide open. The stars glint at me, mocking. I’m such a horrible person. Here I am, sleeping-at least trying to-, and the others are probably wondering what I’m doing. Maybe they’re in a ditch, dying, calling for me. I shift onto my stomach, resting my forehead on the cool stone.

“We’re going to find them Tide,” Coal says reassuringly. “They’ll be fine.”

I nod, then realizing he can’t see me, whisper, “Okay.” My eyes slowly close and I drift into sleep.