Pain exploded throughout me, a scream of agony rose up in my throat but came out only as garbled nonsense. Bone or cartilage snapped and tore loudly as it was bent into a direction it was never meant to go. Shouts erupted around me, white lights exploded before my eyes as I was pushed back beneath the force of the creature. I expected to feel the hard impact of the road against my back, but it did not come as something clamped down on my shoulder, bit deep into my flesh as it pierced me, grasped me, clung to me with murderous intent as it lifted me above the ground.
A scream of agony was trapped within my throat; it burned in me, choking me. I tried to raise my hands to grasp hold of the thing clinging to me, torturing me. My arms were like lead weights as they hung limply at my sides. I didn’t have time to fear that I was going to die. I was too caught up in the pain enshrouding me, wrapping around me, and freezing me within its cold, hard grasp. A high pitched ringing exploded in my ears; it pounded against me, filling everything that I was with its intense noise. I thought for a moment that it might be my own screams I was hearing, but my voice was still trapped tightly within me, unable to break free.
This was it; this was the way it was all going to end. I didn’t find peace in that thought, my life did not flash before my eyes, and I did not feel terror. All I could see was the bright lights popping before me, and all I could feel was the excruciating pain. A pain so intense that I felt as if I were being ripped apart from the inside out; felt as if I were being flayed alive and stripped to the very bone. I wanted to scream, wanted to let all the pain out but I couldn’t. I felt as if I were being wrapped within a spider’s cocoon, and encased to the point that motion and sound were no longer possible as the spider exsanguinated me.
My release came so suddenly that I didn’t even recognize it for what it was, even as I tumbled back. Normal feeling and sound came rushing back to me as I bounced off the road, bruising my elbows and tailbone. The hard, unforgiving asphalt felt like a cushion of bliss after what I had just experienced. The hard pop of guns slammed into my ears, causing me to wince in pain as normal sound blazed back into my tortured ears. I gasped, rolled over, tried to get up but found that my weak, wobbly legs would not support my weight.
“Grab her!” I heard Lloyd shout over the raining clatter of gunfire.
Hands ensnared my good arm; the other one hung uselessly against my side. “I’m sorry about this.”
Before I could question what Bret was sorry for, he heaved me up and tossed me over his shoulder. I groaned as my wounded shoulder protested the movement, but even this small measure of pain was nothing compared to what I had just gone through. I bit my bottom lip hard enough to draw blood, but I did not wince at the sharp, fleeting sting. Bret broke into a brisk jog as he hurried down the street with me.
“The gunfire will draw them here. We need to get away. Now,” Lloyd commanded hurriedly.
I could not see him as I bounced against Bret’s back, but his boots came momentarily into view as he crossed the road behind Bret. I could feel pain, normal pain, stealing through my body. My shoulder ached; there was blood seeping down my arm. I knew that it was dripping off of me, but I couldn’t see it landing on the dark street. The shock was slowly wearing off and I was beginning to realize that I was now a huge liability to them.
Not only was I dead weight, but I was also easily tracked.
“Bret put me down,” I managed to mutter through the bouncing impact of every step he made as we plummeted into the woods. “Bret…”
“You can’t walk.”
“I’m bleeding all over the place, they’ll find us.”
Lloyd’s boots reappeared beneath my bouncing head. I could barely see through the jarring impact that every step caused. “Stop,” Lloyd commanded. I felt his hands upon me as he helped to lift me from Bret’s back. “We have to staunch the wound.”
I felt slightly dizzy, and a little woozy, as they lowered me to the ground. Jenna was staring in wide eyed horror as Lloyd pulled the sleeve of my shirt down, baring my collarbone. I strained to see the wound, and then wished that I hadn’t. It was a disgusting, gaping mess of mottled flesh, bone, and blood. Even in the dark I could see the bruising that marred my skin and was spreading across my chest and down my arm. My veins were clearly visible against my unnaturally pale skin.
“The shoulder’s dislocated,” Lloyd mumbled. “We have to get it back into place before we can cauterize the wound.”
“Before we what?” Bret demanded as my mouth dropped in horror.
I wanted to squirm away from them, wanted to pull out of their hold but my strength was waning, my head was spinning, and I wasn’t sure I had the strength to fight off a gnat right now. Lloyd gave Bret a fierce look before shaking his head slightly. “It’s the only way,” he muttered.
“Stitches…”
“Do you have a needle and thread?” Lloyd demanded fiercely. His jaw was clenched tight, it was obvious that he did not want to do this either, but he would be the one.
“What about infection, pain.”
“Penicillin…”
“Allergic,” I managed to grate out between my suddenly chattering teeth.
“Good to know.” Lloyd dug into his pack, rooting around as he searched for something. “We’ll find something for you, but we can’t wait to stitch it. They’ll track that blood…”
“I know.” I was trying to sound brave, but my weak tone and trembling body gave me away. “Fine.” I swallowed heavily trying to wet my parched throat. “I’ll be fine.”
“Are you cold?” Jenna demanded, kneeling by my side.
“She’s in shock.” Lloyd turned back to me, and though his face was hard there was kindness and worry in his sky colored eyes. “And if we don’t stop the flow…”
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” Jenna gushed. “You told me, you all told me, but he just looked so real, so helpless. I really am sorry Bethy, if I had known…”
“It’s ok,” I chattered out unable to stand her guilt. “Not your fault.”
“But it is!” she gushed leaning closer to me.
“You have to move back.” Lloyd shouldered Jenna out of the way as he knelt before me. “Bite on this.” Before I could react he shoved a rag into my mouth. I choked in surprise and tried to spit it out but he held it firmly in place. “This is going to hurt and you cannot scream. The scent of your blood is already a big enough draw without adding to it. Bite Bethany.”