Vignette: The Cure
Warning: It's not violent but it can be considered disturbing by some folks. If you're easily squicked or bothered by such things, this isn't for you.
This little bit takes place after this.
Aivey slid down Morelenth’s side and stalked quickly away from the bronze. She didn’t look back and most definitely didn’t thank him. She headed toward the center of camp, then backtracked as soon as the bronze was gone to head somewhere else.
The damn bronze wouldn’t tell the asshole bronzerider where she was going. Not, Aivey angrily reminded herself, that E’sere would even care.
Aivey grit her teeth as she moved into the forest, following a winding path through the underbrush and thick clumps of trees. It took a good five minutes of brisk walking before she felt she was deep enough in that she could stop. And when she did, she found a tree and slid against it.
Her arm shook as she dug at her forearm with her nails. Closing her eyes and blinking back tears, Aivey released her hold and slipped her hand down to the waistline of her pants. There, just at the hem above her hip was what she was looking for. She slipped it out and carefully pinched it between the edge of her thumb and forefinger.
The shard of pottery was hardly anything anyone would miss, but a blessing when she found it. The edge was sharp enough that she had little difficulty in succeeding with what she did next.
Pressing the shard over the top of her forearm, Aivey made a long, precise cut. Blood followed instantly out of the deep cut. The hand doing the cutting shook, then settled into stillness as Aivey ground it against the side of her head. She waited two full seconds before making an even longer cut just below the first. Her hand shook more. Aivey waited for it to still before moving beneath the second line.
Instead of making a third cut she hesitated and tucked the tip of her thumb over the pointed edge of the shard. She didn’t want to cry anymore. She didn’t even feel angry. She just felt tired. It was enough… for now.
Tucking the shard back into its hiding spot, Aivey drew her arms against her stomach and rested her head against the back of the tree. The cuts on her arm were fresh enough that they burned and throbbed…but that was part of the cure.
This little bit takes place after this.
Aivey slid down Morelenth’s side and stalked quickly away from the bronze. She didn’t look back and most definitely didn’t thank him. She headed toward the center of camp, then backtracked as soon as the bronze was gone to head somewhere else.
The damn bronze wouldn’t tell the asshole bronzerider where she was going. Not, Aivey angrily reminded herself, that E’sere would even care.
Aivey grit her teeth as she moved into the forest, following a winding path through the underbrush and thick clumps of trees. It took a good five minutes of brisk walking before she felt she was deep enough in that she could stop. And when she did, she found a tree and slid against it.
Her arm shook as she dug at her forearm with her nails. Closing her eyes and blinking back tears, Aivey released her hold and slipped her hand down to the waistline of her pants. There, just at the hem above her hip was what she was looking for. She slipped it out and carefully pinched it between the edge of her thumb and forefinger.
The shard of pottery was hardly anything anyone would miss, but a blessing when she found it. The edge was sharp enough that she had little difficulty in succeeding with what she did next.
Pressing the shard over the top of her forearm, Aivey made a long, precise cut. Blood followed instantly out of the deep cut. The hand doing the cutting shook, then settled into stillness as Aivey ground it against the side of her head. She waited two full seconds before making an even longer cut just below the first. Her hand shook more. Aivey waited for it to still before moving beneath the second line.
Instead of making a third cut she hesitated and tucked the tip of her thumb over the pointed edge of the shard. She didn’t want to cry anymore. She didn’t even feel angry. She just felt tired. It was enough… for now.
Tucking the shard back into its hiding spot, Aivey drew her arms against her stomach and rested her head against the back of the tree. The cuts on her arm were fresh enough that they burned and throbbed…but that was part of the cure.