Recklessness

“I love you.”, Ingrid says to me but before I can even react she lets go of my hand and runs towards the stairs after Chief Benterro.

“I love you too…”, I mutter to myself still feeling the shock from the kiss. But she loves me… I am so glad. Even with this horrid battle and needless death surrounding me I feel a lightness of bliss. This feeling washes over me like a gentle refreshing breeze.

“Medic!”, The mayor’s voice brings me back to reality. I turn to see the elderly man holding a much younger security officer in his arms. “I tried to stop the bleeding.”, He explains to me as I pull out a roll of gauze. “Is there anyway I can help?”, The mayor inquires. I look at our leader’s wizened face and at the young man in his arms. They looked similar to each other. Was this his grandson?

“There is.”, I answer as I look over the injured officer.

Thankfully it appears the young man is not too badly injured, mostly shock from the wound probably.

A deafening thud breaks into the air. Did the golem finally reach the gate!? I smack my hands against my face. Forcing myself to focus on my patient. Keeping this boy alive is all that matters right now.

“Alright sir.”, I say to the mayor. “I’m going to need you to keep the patient from losing consciousness.”, I begin to order our leader. No, right now he is not the mayor he is merely a grandfather not wanting to see his grandchild die right in front of him.

“Hey.”, the old man says to the officer. His face truly shows the weariness of age as he continues, “Do you remember what you said to me when you first joined security?”

The only audible sound between us is the continued slow but steady crashing of the golem’s fists against the gate.

“I’ll... make you... proud…”, His grandson finally replies quite weakly.

“You did say that.”, The mayor responds. He kisses the younger man’s forehead before he adds, “And you have made me proud.”

If I was not so focused on my task at hand I swear I would be crying my eyes out from the interaction of these two family members. It makes me miss my own parents.

-- -- --

“If this doesn’t work we’re probably dead.”, I hear Chief Benterro say as he slides below the battlements next to me.

“What?”, I turn around and see the chief holding that large laser he found in the base back when we cleared it out in his arms.

Before any of us can say anything, Benterro stands up and aims the laser at the massive construct.

Time and the world itself seem to bend to the needs of the security chief as he pulls the trigger of the large rifle in his arms.

“Fuck you!”, The chief yells as he holds down the trigger of the weapon. The beam stays strong and steady but slowly and surely melts through the chassis of the machine until it melts all the way through the construct slowly returning it to an inert state.

“How the hell!?”, The leader of the raiders yells in anger and confusion. But before they seem to be able to formulate a plan the mayor shoots through the leader’s head. Killing him on the spot.

“That’s for my grandson.”, The mayor mutters as he admires his shot.

“Holy shit!”, A cacophony of voices erupt from the large wave of raiders at the sight of their leader’s headless corpse slumped on the ground.

The rest of the defenders on the wall begin to shoot at the remaining raiders until they finally break away and scatter like rats.

I breath a sigh of relief before questions rise in my mind. Where is Ingrid? Did she not go with the chief? Without a thought or a word more, I stand up and head towards the stairs.

“Ingrid!”, The yell escapes my lips as I see the teen slumped against the stone wall. I run to her as fast as I can. The rest of the world seems to become unimportant and still. “You did something stupidly reckless again.”, I nearly cry as I check for a pulse. Good! She still possessed one. “I need help!”, I yell for anyone to hear. Sarah hops over the stairs’ railing and lands near by.

“What-”, She stops herself at the sight of the unconscious magic user.

“We need to get her to the infirmary. Immediately!”, I order the woman.

She meekly nods her head and walks over to Ingrid and I. Sarah and I lift Ingrid up to her feet and carry her off to the infirmary.

“What did she do?”, I ask aloud not necessarily to chat with Sarah.

“Saved our lives is what she did.”, Sarah responds with a hint of relief in her voice. I would question her about that and more but I am more concerned about Ingrid’s well being. “I don’t know how she mustered so much power but she raised a wall of pure earth as an extra barrier against the siege.”, The woman continues to explain as we pick up our pace.

-- -- --

This keeps happening… Why do you keep doing this to yourself? Tears begin to fall from my eyes. I just want her to be alright.

“You keep being fine physically yet you enter a coma for a week.”, I mutter to the unconscious Ingrid.

“How are they?”, I hear Sarah’s melodic voice inquire to the doctor in the main room.

“Lawson hasn’t left the patient’s side the whole time now.”, Conti responds trying to at least sound professional.

“I see.”, The woman says.

“Wait!”, Conti yells in surprise.

“Do you always watch her like a hawk?”, Sarah asks me as she steps into the small room.

“I am a medic and she is my patient.”, I respond coldly. I am not in the mood for dealing with Sarah’s evasiveness. “Why are you still here?”, I ask her as my eyes remain glued to Ingrid’s sleeping form.

“Can’t really leave when the wall of stone is still blocking almost the entire entrance to the town.”, Sarah answers. “I meannnnn, I could but it’d be a pain.”, She adds nonchalantly. This woman is starting to actually get on my nerves.

A burdensome silence falls in the small room until Ingrid groans and mutters something unintelligible. It was different than last time though, she did not move.

“You don’t know anything about magic do you?”, Sarah inquires dragging me out of my daze.

“Why would I?”, I retort with unconstrained snark. Sarah lets out a quiet chortle. Seems she enjoys pressing my buttons or that I am finally done with her annoying attitude.

“Well here’s the only lesson you need to have about it.”, Sarah finally says after what feels like an eternity of silence between us. “Some places have a stronger aura of magic than others.”, She explains. “Specifically places with more nature usually have a stronger aura.”, She continues as she walks up to the foot of Ingrid’s bed.

Realization dawns on me. A place with more nature. There can only be one place in New Yuma that fills that description.

Without a word I remove all the tubing and wires stuck into and attached to Ingrid.

“What are you doing?”, Sarah asks with a voice full of surprise.

“I’m taking your lesson to heart.”, I respond as I wrap my arms around Ingrid. “I’m gonna need your help though.”, I continue as my gaze meets the beauty’s empty eyes.

-- -- --

Despite his many protest I did manage to convince Conti to let me take Ingrid out of the infirmary. Sarah and I slowly lower Ingrid into a sitting position on the small hill overlooking the fields of crops. I keep a hand wrapped around her to maintain a seated position for the unconscious teen.

“I know this is your favorite spot.”, I gently whisper into Ingrid’s ear. A groan of either annoyance or disgust escapes from Sarah’s lips.

“If you don’t need me anymore.”, The woman stands up to her feet as she speaks. “I should be going.” She adds, “Besides Cal should be done flying for the day.”, As if she needs to make an excuse to leave.

“Thank you for the help Sarah.”, I say to her, my voice full of hope. The woman merely waves a hand my direction as she walks away.

“I love you Ingrid.”, I whisper gently into her ear. I do not know why I would expect a response. But I do not get one. “I just wanted you to hear me say it back.”, I add quietly as I rest her limp head onto my shoulder.