Jeremy Laszlo - The Choosing

Sara sat down on a root that protruded from the ground beneath the canopy of the tree’s leaves. Unlacing her boots she pulled them off revealing her mangled little feet. Seth gasped at the sight and couldn’t believe she had done this to herself. At some time in the day, probably early, Sara must have developed blisters. Refusing to mention them she continued to walk until nearly her entire feet were covered with them, then she still continued until they had popped and new ones formed beneath the first. Those too had now popped and blood flowed from both of her feet freely. Knowing that Sara must be in terrible pain made Seth’s stomach tighten into knots. Ashton was setting down his pack when he heard Seth gasp and came to see the damage for himself. Garret seeing his twin and Ashton hovering around Sara’s legs too came to see what was going on. He had known she was sore, all of them had known, but maybe it was worse than he imagined.

Ashton regarded Sara’s feet just as he did the man’s mangled face the night before. He looked them over calmly, carefully, examining every injury. He looked Sara right in the eyes and smiled.

“This won’t hurt a bit.” Ashton assured her. “Much easier than the last person I helped.”

Ashton knelt down at Sara’s feet, closing his eyes, tilting his head back to look skyward. He prayed briefly, at least he appeared to, as his lips moved but no sound came forth, then returning his gaze to Sara’s feet began his low chant. To Seth it seemed this time Ashton used different sounds than he had the night before, but he couldn’t be sure. Almost immediately this time, Ashton’s fingers were consumed by the pale yellow light as they had been before. The light spread again, only this time it did not encompass his entire hands, nor his entire body, but stayed focused in his palms. The chanting only lasted a moment, and Ashton stood and admired his work, his childish face stretched into a toothy grin. Once again Sara’s feet were perfect. Ashton stopped however and leaned back down to where Sara was seated and, still feeling the magic in his blood, summoned it forth once again, and placed his hand over Sara’s forehead. He removed his hand a second later revealing where once had been a terrible jagged cut where her flesh had tore open, now lay a perfectly smooth patch of skin, unscarred by the heinous attack she had suffered. Sara thanked Ashton several times for his healing, each time Ashton’s cheeks flushed and he assured her that it was nothing. So it was that the four companions continued to make camp before all light was lost.

It was then Seth realized his mistake. He had made sure Sara was clothed appropriately, wore proper boots, was able to defend herself if the need arose, and had a pack to carry her food. What he had forgotten however was just as important. Sara had nothing to sleep on, neither did she have anything to cover up with. It was a simple mistake, but a stupid one. Each night grew colder as winter approached, and he had forgotten to at least buy her a blanket. It seemed to Seth, the only thing to do now was simply give up his own blanket to her. He couldn’t imagine her small fragile, beautiful body shivering on the bare ground.

They had each placed their packs around the base of the tree, marking their spots as it were. Ashton laid out his bear hide bed, and Garret his blanket next to that. Seth dug through his pack and pulled out his blanket, skipping the spot where his pack sat, the laid out his blanket, beneath Sara’s small pack. Sara seen him lay out the blanket, and approached him, realizing that it was his blanket. She walked right up to Seth stopping with just inches between them. Then looking up to face him, tears in her eyes, she spoke.

“No.” She told him quietly enough the others wouldn’t hear, but loud enough that he wouldn’t miss it. “I told you no sacrifices for me.” She said this as a tear slid down her cheek. Her golden amber eyes never leaving his.

“I’m not sacrificing.” Seth started his reply. “I will be fine, you need to stay warm.” He told her. “I won’t let you get sick if I can help it. I want you to use it, it would make me happy.” Seth finished.

“Why must you do this to me?” Sara asked, another tear sliding down her face. “Why must you make me feel guilty? If I use it I will feel guilty you are without your own blanket, If I don’t use it I will feel guilty that I have upset you it’s not fair.” She said this, now the tears came more rapidly.

Seth, reaching up wiped away her tears, and pulled her head to his chest. He hated seeing her cry. Angels shouldn’t cry.

“Please don’t cry Sara, and don’t feel guilty, not over this. Like I said I’m actually being selfish by giving it to you.” Seth stated, liking this new twist.

“How in the name of the gods is giving me your blanket, so you can freeze to death, selfish? Sara asked him with a tone akin to that of anger.

“It lets me feel like I’m protecting you, taking care of you. It makes me feel good.” It was the truth, it did feel good to take care of her, give her what she needed, and make her smile.

“Then we will share.” She stated, and Seth shook his head.

“No, it’s not appropriate, and it might make Garret and Ashton uncomfortable, No, I can’t share. Sorry.” Seth meant every word, and Sara could feel it.

“Why is it not appropriate, you don’t like me enough to share a blanket with me on a cold night? Sara was upset, but she really just wanted to understand his reason for refusal.

“It’s not that Sara, I swear, I care for you, I do, it just isn’t time yet ok?” Seth pleaded with her.

“If it isn’t time yet when will it be? Sara asked.

Seth shrugged.

“Will it be soon?” She demanded

“I hope so.” Seth replied.

Hearing the honesty in his voice, she gave in. Seth did care for her, and wanted to take care of her. It seemed he was waiting for something, maybe even something from her, before he would let himself get too close, too comfortable.

Seth let her go then, and she walked to the tree where the other two boys had already settled in their makeshift beds. She lay down then, on one half of the blanket, leaving the other half sprawled out beside her, leaving the invitation open if Seth were to change his mind.

Seth stood, where he and Sara had had their argument. It wasn’t fair to Sara, to make her feel bad for him. It wasn’t really even anything to do with her in the first place. The only real reason Seth turned down her invitation to share a blanket, to share a bed, was that he didn’t feel he deserved her. He hoped that at some point in the days to come he would do something so great that would make him deserving of any feelings she might have towards him. He knew without asking that she cared for him, just as he cared for her. It was a mystery how such feelings could overcome him about a girl, no a woman, he had barely known a day. But he couldn’t imagine a life without her. He dwelled for a while, about how best to deal with his feelings for her and decided upon some rules for himself. He could only be with her on two conditions. The first of course, if he did something unimaginable for her, earning her companionship, or second, if she told him she loved him, clarifying her feelings towards him, then he would allow himself a place at her side. Neither of these situations likely to occur, he felt secure enough in this fact that he would keep his distance, watching over her, protecting her, caring for her, but nothing more.

Seth walked to the empty space between his sleeping brother, and the woman who unknowingly was the master of his heart. He lay down on the naked ground, and rolling to face Sara, covered her with the unused portion of her blanket. Settling his mind, by watching her sleep, he too closed his eyes and drifted quickly into unconsciousness.