• Chapter 6
    The Chase

    codyEliza broke into a run and when she heard rustling behind her, a sprint. Trees flew by and rain droplets started to fall, like liquid diamonds. Mud spattered her worn dress and hair and tears flooded her eyes and streamed down her cheeks in two rivers. The trees branches clung to her clothes, scratching her. Eliza’s foot caught on a root and she tumbled down the steep slope beside the path. The metallic scent of blood filled her nostrils and the taste dominated her tongue.
    Eliza stood, now at the bottom of the slope, but automatically fell once more. She stared down at her leg in disbelief. Of course. Her leg was broken, and bloody. Snapped in three places, it stuck out at very odd angles. It would ever support her weight. Her eyes blurred even more as she started crying harder.
    Cody must have heard her lamentations because a minute later she heard branches snapping and brambles being kicked aside. He then appeared. He had his simple oak staff in his hand and was using it to whack his way to Eliza. He was covered from head to toe in mud and blood, a mixture coming from his numerous cuts and scrapes and the mud-riddled ground. He swore loudly as he spotted Eliza, sprawled on the ground, with a broken leg.
    “What in the world do you think you’re doing? Everyone knows that this is the worst time of day to leave home! There are monsters everywhere! Ogres and Quyquys and Antyites! Who knows what might have happened to you if I hadn’t… aww come on… please don’t cry…” he finally noticed the tears on her cheeks and bent over to pick her up. “Come on. I’m taking you home. You couldn’t go anywhere with that leg anyways.”
    With Cody slowly picking his way through the small path he had managed to make on his way there, Eliza’s only thought was oh well. I guess I’m not leaving anytime soon. She was pleased with the thought of staying at Cody’s once again. The sun rose gloriously over the horizon, spreading warmth and light to all it touched. Its golden rays warmed Eliza and Cody to the tips of their fingers. The warmth also brought feeling back into Eliza’s leg. It stung as though from a thousand bee stings, having rolled over that sharp, rocky hill. It was covered with blood. She looked once more at Cody, bewildered, and fainted from loss of blood.