Chapter Ten

A scream was torn from my lungs as I fell through the air, grasping at anything with numb hands. I flipped myself, and saw that there was waiting to break my fall. I closed my eyes and waited for what I imagined was scratchy, frayed netting to slam against my face.

As I landed, I felt that the cords felt like stretchy silk. It absorbed my impact neatly, leaving me weak with adrenaline. “Holy s**t,” I muttered.

“Up and at ‘em, girlie.” Two pairs of strong yet feminine hands grabbed me and gently pulled me off. The cloak swirled around my ankles as they put my weight on their shoulders. “Told him he shouldn’t have thrown her off the balcony. We’re lucky she didn’t faint, at that height.”

“That was fun,” I moaned deliriously. The ground felt like it was swaying underneath my feet. “Let’s never do it again.”

Faces started to take shape around me, and a few of them were laughing. “She’s a keeper! Not many could make it through a fall like that and still be awake after that, much less talking in halfway coherent sentences!”

I was set on the ground gently, my head and shoulders resting on someone’s lap. They tapped my cheeks gently, and then put a concentrated beam of light on my eyes.

“F**k!” I swore, blinking my eyes. I feeling enough like myself to be irritable, which was a good sign, I supposed.

I heard someone land on the net again. “Where is she? I wanna see if she’s still awake.”

Oh, him again. “Go to hell, you little dick.”

His face appeared in my line of sight, and he was grinning with excitement. “Nice! We’ve got a fighter this time, Tam.”

I blinked. That guy, too? “What?”

Tam’s face appeared next to Zeke’s. “Sorry about that, dear. We had to get you out of there before they tried anything.”I tried to sit up, but Tam pushed me back down. “Hold still, I’ll be done in a second, I swear. By the way, you looked like a vision in that dress.”

“Go to hell,” I said tiredly, “After you tell me what the s**t I’m doing here.”

Zeke twisted his neck towards what I deduced was the front of something. “Hey! What are we waiting for? Let’s get out of here before they figure out she’s gone!” He looked down at me again. “So, you’re in Fableland, which is where big bad stories exist, and is split into the tales and the myths.”

I tried to process what he was saying, but my head was too foggy. “So you’re immortal,” I summed up.

He breathed in sharply. “No, we’re human, from Earth, just like you, but-”

Tam interrupted. “But nothing; she isn’t in any shape to understand a thing that you’re saying, Zeke. Back off until we get back to the base and she isn’t completely out of it. Sorry, but all of this is going to have to wait until I give the say-so. Until then, focus on helping me get her to the medivac.”

“Medivac?” I asked blearily. “I thought this was a fairy tale…”

“We’re all from Earth- in our group, that is- so we know what modern technology is. Just imagine magic mixed with fancy bells and whistles,” explained Zeke quickly.

“Zeke! Get out of here, before I do something drastic,” said Tam heatedly.

“I’m fine,” I said, annoyed.

“No, you really aren’t. Just hold still.” He picked me up, cradling me like a child. I squirmed, but he had an iron grip. “Didn’t I tell you to hold still?” he asked, aggravated.

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever,” I muttered. “Why should I listen to you, anyways?”

“Trust me, I’ll explain once you’re thinking straight. Until then, just relax.” I was set up on a comfy stretcher. For some reason, whenever I had seen one of these things, they seemed really unpleasant.

“If I was thinking straight, then I would be screaming at the top of my lungs,”I clarified.

Tam chuckled as he pulled a few things out of the cupboards drilled into the walls of the vehicle.  “Yes, magical barriers will do that, even when you’re wearing some of Orenda’s gear. If you didn’t have anything, you’d be in a permanent coma until, well…” he shook his head. “That’s another thing for another time. Follow my finger with your eyes.”

I did as he asked with ease.

“Good- no concussion, but I’ll still want to get a better look at it once we’re back at base,” he murmured. “Turn your head to the right,” he ordered.

“Why?” I whined.

“I’m checking your pulse. Really, if you don’t start doing what I’m telling you to do so I can make sure you’re going to actually be fine, you’ll be out in a snap. Okay?”

I stuck my tongue out. “Fine, but you need to stop being so hovery,” I grumbled. “I have a father, so I don’t need another.”

“Remember what I said. And would you please turn your head?”

“I thought you said you’d be done in a second when you had me in your lap,” I sassed.

“Well, your sentences weren’t exactly coherent enough for me to trust you on your feet. Magical fields like that tend to do a number on most people.” he said. “I’ll be back; don’t move, or else I’m pulling the light on your eyelids. Got it?”

I nodded mutely as he jumped out quickly to do I knew not. I sighed listlessly, bored out of my mind. I looked up, and no one was outside of the medivac. I sat up and stood up in one fluid movement.

I peeked my head out warily, looking for anyone who might see me. The area around the medivac was placid, surrounded by antiquated trees that stretched into the sky for forever and a day. My feet met the ground silently, barely disturbing the oddly bare ground below, which was nearly devoid of undergrowth. Someone either took very good care of these woods, or I wasn’t in your average forest.

“Hey!” shouted someone.

I turned around, ready to bolt.

It was Zeke. “Didn’t Tam threaten to dope you up if you tried anything?”

I shrugged. “Yeah. So?”

He grinned, showing a pair of dimples in his dark cheeks, right under those mountainous cheekbones. “You got guts, girl. He’s done it before, you know.”

I raised my eyebrows playfully. “Do you speak from experience?”

He laughed, one that was playful and sarcastic all at the same time. “Yep. I’ve been knocked out, and I’ve seen him him do it to other people too.”

“Well, s**t. When are we out of here?” I asked, changing the topic.

“Any second now. I’d suggest getting back in the medivac, otherwise you’re going to regret it majorly.”

I made a face. “But he’s a mama hen…”

Zeke rolled his eyes. “Well, since you’re not completely out of it-”

“Oh, I’m still a bit out of it,” I admitted. “Just don’t tell Tam.”

I heard someone approach. “S**t, that’s him!” I whispered. As I said it, I became incredibly nauseous and my knees went weak.

And then they gave out.

Thankfully, Zeke caught me. “Damn, you’re light, even in all of that,” he grunted.

Another pair of hands grabbed me and swung me into their arms. “Told you not to get up,” said Tam matter-of-factly.

I groaned pathetically.

“Zeke, why the hell did you let her get up?” said Tam sharply. He proceeded to lift me back into the medivac. “Knew I should have done up the straps for this one…” grouched Tam.

“Look, I’m sorry, Tam, but you know I don’t hold any sway over her. I tried to stop her-”

“Horseshit,” I interjected, my eyes closed as Tam strapped me on, true to his word. “Don’t do those so tight, it hurts,” I complained.

Tam paused and looked at me for a second, then undid the straps slightly. “Sorry about that; you just made me a little mad, is all. Follow my directions next time, because they’re most likely for your own good. Okay?”

“Okay.”

He craned his neck around to look at Zeke. “Try that again and it won’t be pretty. I may be the greek god of healing, but that just means I know what will really hurt.”

I could barely see Zeke bob his head nervously. “Got it, gotta go and get his party moving.”

“Good, go find my assistants, would you? They should have been in here to watch her.”

“Her has a name,” I reminded him.

Tam ignored me. “Tell the driver to be careful, too.” Tam looked down at me, concern etched into his face. “I don’t want her to go spinning out of control when we need to make a sharp turn. It wasn’t pretty last time, if you’d remember correctly.”

“On it. Anything else?”

“Nope.”

I heard Zeke leave unceremoniously.

Tam got up to get something from a counter. He came back with a corked bottle of dubious character. “Drink this,” he said, pushing the edge to my lips.

I swallowed without a thought, hoping it would at least help with the spinning my head was doing. Before I knew it, I was out cold.

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

A wild chapter with a surprise ending. I like the interaction and the conversation in this chapter. Thank you for sharing the excellent chapter.
Coyote