I got up with the help of the wall and slowly undressed. A large crack ran across my smartwatch screen. I'd just noticed it. Usually, I would've been upset. Now, I had no energy left to care. I took it off and stuffed it in the bag.
The walk-in shower beckoned me with the state-of-the-art shower panel and heated floors. But I couldn't help myself and stopped in front of a large mirror.
I fought back tears. My looks had always been my greatest asset, and now I was a wreck. Bruises covered my ribs, legs, and hands in ugly patches. My leg was swollen and red.
A gash on my face promised an ugly scar. It was about two inches long, had uneven, jagged edges and curved towards my temple. I was very lucky the claw just grazed me and didn't skewer my head. The side of my brow was surrounded by red, inflamed skin. The other side, closer to the middle of my forehead, where I used the [Heal Wound], looked much better. The cut was flush with the skin and was scabbing over. Even to my untrained eye, it was obvious I needed stitches.
I turned away and stepped into the shower.
Who even knows what the future would look like? Maybe the Internet will shut down tomorrow, and I will have to go to my humble roots: tending to a farm and popping out kids every other year.
The soap burned in my cuts as I worked it through my hair and across my body. I lathered and rinsed until the water stopped being the colour of the hiking trail mud. Heat soaked into my aching muscles, and I felt halfway decent again as I stepped onto the mat.
The bathrobe was soft and fuzzy. When I sat on the wooden bench again, I had to wonder if there was a way for me to stay in this place until I was healed. It had an electric fence, firearms and people who knew how to use them. Jessica was obviously rich, so they must have lots of food stashed somewhere in this place. Not even taking into consideration the countless rows of grapes we passed on the way here.
A knock on the door pulled me out of my daydreaming.
"Ma'am," a soft female voice said. "I have some spare clothes for you to wear while I wash yours. Can I come in?"
"Yeah, sure," I said, picking up a pile of my discarded, dirty garb.
A maid we saw earlier confidently stepped into the room.
"Here, I didn't know your size, but we had a few selections from items that the guests had left over the years. If it doesn't fit, don't worry, the washing cycle is only an hour. I will tell Noah to come in ten minutes, yes?"
This must be Maria, the maid. She moved around the room in a swift, efficient way, picking up my clothes and getting rid of the mess I didn't even notice I left behind me.
"Um, yes, thank you, Maria."
"My pleasure."
There were a few different mismatched sets she brought. Some were workout, some fancy natural fabric garments. There were no underwear, but I found a new swimsuit with the stickers still attached, and had to praise the woman for her thoroughness. I put on a simple beige t-shirt and flared linen pants. The light fabric would likely be ruined by blood, but it provided easy access to the wound.
Just in case, I checked the timer on my healing skill, and I still had ten minutes on it.
After a warning knock, Noah brought in a whole bag of first aid supplies, and we've set up on the bench again.
He sanitized and cleaned both cuts of small debris, I didn't notice in a rush.
"Ok, we have a few choices here. Both wounds need stitches. I personally would prefer to just keep these closed with butterfly bandages until you can get to the hospital. They have fancy plastic surgeons who would make sure this cut heals with minimal scarring," he indicated on my forehead. "I know how to apply the most basic stitches, but they won't be pretty. We only have a topical lidocaine, so it will be painful, and you would also need to take them out after a few weeks."
Wow, he was really making this choice obvious.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
"I would need to get to the hospital anyway, right?" I asked to confirm my suspicions.
He nodded. "We have some topical antibiotics, but I'm pretty sure you would need pills. You will need to visit the hospital for prescriptions."
I looked at my leg. Another option was going out and killing more of those things in hopes of getting a healing card. But I couldn't do that when I was barely able to walk.
"Ok, let's do the butterfly bandages. To both."
Noah nodded. "Good choice. Even for the small one on your leg, we are looking at six stitches at minimum. That would hurt like hell, and I don't enjoy torturing people."
"Thanks," I smiled weakly.
Noah set up materials beside me on the bench. He had applied the lidocaine ointment and waited for a few minutes for it to act, while also looking over the rest of my cuts and bruises.
Despite the cream, the burning pain was still intense when he pulled the edges of the wounds together and applied the tape. I couldn't help but twitch and turn, while swearing under my breath. But Noah had a steady hand and immunity to bad words. He wrapped everything in a proper medical gauze, and when we were done, I was exhausted. Physically, mentally and emotionally. All I wanted to do was curl up on this bench and sleep for the rest of the week.
"Mrs. Glendale offered you and your friend to stay for late lunch. It should be ready in the dining room in twenty. Feel free to join when you are ready," Noah said, before leaving me alone.
I pulled up my deck screen. My [Heal Wound] timer was out, so the skill must be good to use now. I thought about healing my forehead, but if I wanted to survive this mess, I needed a working leg.
I pulled up my foot on the bench and moved the bandage to the side. The wound now was half covered by the tape, but the angry-red raised edges were still peaking out from under it. I touched the middle part and whispered, [Heal Wound]. I observed in real time how the redness and swelling subsided, and the edges of the tissue moved closer. But it didn't close completely. The skill stopped. The cut looked miles better. Less like something that would be a potential cause for amputation and more of a botched surgery vibe.
I found the dining room by the noise of voices. Both Jessica and Andy were there.
"I mean, they could at least have sent someone to witness the death!" Jessica griped.
"They must be overwhelmed," Andy suggested. "Have you seen the news?"
"Where am I supposed to keep the body!? In the freezer?"
I walked through the ornate wooden arch and nodded to everyone. The table was fully set for four people. Andy sat by Jessica, Noah on the other side, by the empty chair. There was another larger chair at the head of the table, and I assumed it was where Mr. Glandale used to sit.
I limped to an empty spot, and Noah got up to help me with the chair. I thanked him quietly, sinking into the soft cushion. I wanted to be in bed so badly right now.
"Oh, mine. You are Chloe from ChloFit, aren't you?!" Jessica asked.
My lips stretched into a practiced smile against my will. It was more of a reflex, at hearing the name of my channel, than a conscious effort.
"I thought you looked familiar, but with all the muck gone, I can finally see it. I followed your "toned body" program for two months. Best workout ever."
"Thank you, Jessica. And thank you for your invitation to lunch. And to you, Noah, for your help. This morning has been crazy."
"Well, you guys saved my life. Andy told me that you led the wolves away. This is the least I can do."
I nodded and threw a glance at Andy. He just shrugged his shoulders. She was sticking with the wolves' story after all.
Maria started bringing out plates for a family-style lunch, and I realized how hungry I was. The food was all healthy: salad, grilled chicken breast, soup, and homemade bread. The smells were divine.
"Wait, hang on. Completely slipped my mind that you're a vegetarian." Jessica said, making a gesture for Maria to come back.
"No, no, it's fine. I've actually moved past that. Health issues, unfortunately. Wasn't getting the right nutrients. So really, don't worry. Let's eat."
Jessica didn't comment further, and I was grateful. I'd only tried it for the clout. I dropped the diet when it became a hassle, and didn't grow my audience like I'd hoped. Being in a constant calorie deficit was hard enough.
Noah helped me to fill my plate, since my hands were covered in bandages, and we all ate in silence for a few minutes.
"Andy is dead set on leaving after lunch, but you could stay, right?" Jessica asked. "The police said they won't be able to come today, but will send someone tomorrow. You can just wait to give them a witness statement."
I looked at Andy. He looked back at me with a sad look in his eyes. His shoulders drooped, and he generally looked like an abandoned puppy.
"I was hoping Chloe would go to the city with me. It's a complete dumpster fire out there. And we were a great team on the mountain."
"I would recommend you see a doctor and start taking antibiotics today, too. Wild animal bites and scratches are no joke." Noah piped in, adding to Jessica's dissatisfaction.
"We can always exchange phone numbers, and you can give them our contact info, when the police have the time to stop by," Andy added.
Jessica pouted, eyes still puffy from intense crying. On one hand, staying here was a safer option, something I had dreamed about just a few moments ago. On the other hand, if I did stay here, I would need to deal with Jessica's attitude and say goodbye to my chances of finding a white [Heal] card, which would erase any chance of removing the scar on my forehead. I looked at Andy, then back at Jessica.
Oh, screw it. Dumpster fire, here I come.
Chloe's Deck (2/10):
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Blue Card: [Leap]
Instantly leap forward up to 6 feet. Beware of obstacles. Cooldown 30 minutes.
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Blue Card: [Heal Wound]
A small burst of healing for a single target area you touch. Cooldown 1 hour.