7Chapter 2: New World
My Pov
Pain was what I felt when I came to and black was all I could see. I was on my back, and from what I could tell it felt like grass…..but wasn't I just on the road just now? I can't….why can't I feel my back? Everything felt like lead. Even my eyelids felt as if there had been weights set on them, it was a struggle to open my eyes, but when I was finally able to I was greeted with a bright red- orange sky, trying to sit up I immediately fell back down with a yelp and scrunched my eyes in pain. Gritting my teeth I slowly brought my hand to my back and stifled another cry of pain, pulling back I could see that my hand was stained red. I guess thats why most of everything feels numb…..I sat up again still feeling a throb of pain that brought tears to my eyes…..nngh...ah-I felt that. Letting out a shaky breath I lied back down.
Okay think, maybe this isn't as bad as it looks, another pang of pain hit me, okay maybe it is. Looking to my left I saw my bag beside me and dragged it over. Uh…..let's see if I have anything to help me in this…. ok so I have some bandages, but damn it, its not the kind or even the size that I need. Before this I'd always wanted a medical kit just in case anything ever happened, but I was reassured that there wouldn't be a reason for me to have one. "When are you ever going to need it, we could take you to the doctor's office there's no reason to waste your money on that." Well. How. About. Now. I rubbed the heel of my palm on my temple before returning to my . What else do I have in here, an ID card, money, the Twilight Series , my sketchbook and notebook….ah hah! I'd found my birthday presents, hopefully there was something useful in them.
Ripping one open I stared at it in disbelief. Then hastily re-wrapped the "gift" the best I could and stuffed back into my bag, my face a bright shade of pink in both mortification and embarrassment. My eyes are now forever scarred. I- what kind of-I told her not get anything like that! Opening up another gift, I smiled this time, inside was a slim pocket knife that I asked (begged) for, going on to the second last gift I got, surprise, surprise I got a new shirt how useless. Is it me or is clothes a default gift? Wait, on second thought the shirt could come in handy right about now. Using my newly acquired knife I cut the bottom half of shirt in strips, and then folded two of them and put them on my back as makeshift bandages. Seeing as I didn't have any kind of adhesive to help keep it on my body I wrapped the rest of the strips around my body to keep the bandages in place. Carefully twisting my body side to side I found that it was secure and didn't cause too much discomfort. I let out a sigh of relief and eyed the last gift before storing it back into my bag, if I was in a bad mood later it might cheer me up then.
It was time to get a move on.
Tentatively placing my hand on a nearby boulder I pushed myself up almost to a full stand before falling down on all fours jarring my back injury. I forced myself not to arch my back in pain knowing it would only hurt more if I did. I tried again and this time I stumbled upright before steadying myself. Again I twisted my back and found it that it didn't hurt as much as it did when I woke up, but if I had to guess, I had some internal bleeding. It was still hard to find some sensation in parts of my body. If I was going to find help I'd have to do it fast. I just have to find a path and find my home, because there's no way I'm where I think I am. Walking forward I noticed that the path in front of me was forked. I do NOT have time for this. Ok umm…..eeny, meeny, miney, moe, pick a tiger by the toe If he- ah to heck with it. Spinning around in a circle I limped randomly down one of the paths with a lopsided pace. "AARGH!" What was that? Going a little farther along I saw something I wish I would never have to see again.
The ground was ravaged by craters and gore, with bodies strewn as far as I could see.
"Get down!" What?
A blur of white and pink tackled me to the ground as sniper rounds passed overhead. Looking up I found myself looking into a pair of piercing brown eyes. A-ashley Williams, but that means I r-really am in Mass Effect! Hands grasped my shoulders and shook me."Hey!" I found myself peering in her eyes again. "You okay kid?" I scowled over her shoulder and saw a geth lining up its sights in our direction.
"I'm not a- look out!" I shoved her off of me and bullets flew over where she had been only a second before and into a unfortunate soldier behind us, flecks of his blood flew on my face as I stared in horror, hearing him choke on his last breaths.
"W-what I-I" Tears trailed down my face as I struggled to stand. All around us soldiers fell, fought and screamed as explosions sounded. An awful groan filled the air and I looked up in shock at what looked like a large metal hand descended from the sky growing closer and closer to the ground. Someone caught my arm and dragged me up. Ashley.
"We have to go now!" Her hand then slid to my wrist, and she dragged me forward as I tried to keep up, feeling the stutter in my steps Ashley tightened her grip on my wrist and increased the pace we went. As we ran I clung to her desperately as the sounds of phasers rushed by our heads. The Geth were following us and closing in fast. Another shot rang out catching my leg.
"AAAHH!" An agonized scream dropped from my lips as I fell.
"Damn it!" Ashley scooped me into her arms after thrusting a grenade behind us. "Just hold on!"
Ashley Pov
Damn it all to hell! Half the team is dead or dying and these damned synthetics aren't letting up.
Booom.
I need to get some cover, over there! An outcrop of rocks. Running forwards Ashley could the blaze of explosions until she dove behind the behind the outcrop, dragging the girl with her. She heard a cry of another from one of her men in the distance as he was shot down and squeezed her eyes shut in grief. We won't be able to last much longer if this continues. She looked to the dazed girl who had buried herself into her side. Her gaze hardened, but I won't go down without a fight. Ashley threw herself into the fray once more.
15 Minutes Before- Ashley
As the battle raged on her heart grew heavier each death. I'm sorry everyone, jumping to the side to avoid a spray of bullets , Ashley clenched her assault rifle tighter and ground her teeth, if I had acted faster you all would've made it out alive.
"AAAHRRGH" Lt. Smith was down.
Scanning the area she saw they were even more outnumbered than before. We can still make it, I still see a handful of my unit and there's a kid- wait what?! Snapping her head back to the edge of the clearing she makes out a small frame of someone standing there, it looked like a little girl. She rushed forward, no way in a Krogan's ass am I going to let a kid die on my watch. She was almost there, as she got closer Ashley leapt at the girl and yelled "Get down!" knocking her to the ground and successfully avoiding a volley of bullets.
Her easily larger frame provided cover for the girl beneath her. A quick glance at her surroundings told her that the coast was clear, for now. Gazing at the girl before her she found that she looked older than she had originally thought. Taking a hold of the girl's shoulders, she softly shook her. The girl's brown eyes then met her own and was confused by the hint of recognition she saw in them. Brushing the thought away she asked "Hey, you okay kid?"
The girl gave a small scowl and said "I'm not a-look out!" and shoved me off to the side as multiple bullets punctured the air that I had previously occupied, and into a nearby soldier sending blood in every which direction. Another friend dead. She looked at the girl who had saved her life, the girl's face had gone pale with shock and fear, struggling to stand as the blood freckled her face and was speaking incoherently. A surge of protectiveness and anger coursed through her. This she didn't deserve this, her lips settled in a hard line, no matter what, I'm getting her out of here no matter what. FWOOM. The hell is that! What seemed like a large robotic hand reached down. That's it, I have to get her out of here ASAP.
Grabbing her shoulders once more I spoke urgently "We have to go now!" Now holding onto her wrist we ran. We are not dying here! As we ran bullets punched in the ground and trees around us, frightened the girl squeezed herself closer and ran with a awkward limp. Fuck, when did she get hit? With no time to properly think Ashley tightened her grip on the girl's wrist and rushed at a faster pace than before. The Geth are trailing us.
"AAAHH!" A scream had torn itself from my companion's lips as she crumpled to the ground.
"Damn it!" NO! She's hit, stupid! Damnit, damnit, fuck! I should've been paying more attention!
After lobbing a grenade at the geth I gathered her in my arms, holding her close. "Just hold on!"