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Rosa fell asleep on the couch |
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Caden barely had time to react when the cougar lunged, knocking him to the ground. It scratched at his chest,him crying out as new streaks of red broke out, but he quickly grabbed his knife and managed to cut across the animal’s side. The cougar hissed and backed off, circling him. His legs were shaky, and he was tired, but he focused, waiting for the next move. The cougar came at him again, but this time Caden managed to dodge, giving it a quick slash as it passed. The cougar stumbled, and he saw his chance. With one more swipe, the cougar went down, and Caden took a deep breath, feeling the rush of relief. He turned toward the cabin, each step heavy as he made his way inside. He stumbled into the cabin,shutting and locking the door quickly and fumbly,the door banging shut.Caden turned,his eyes locking on Rosa as the red dripped off him. His vision blurred,and his world went spinning. |
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Rosa woke up to the door slamming open. She saw Caden covered in blood and ran over. She quickly caught him as he wobbled. She started crying, stroking his head as she called the ambulance to pick him up. She trembled as she held him |
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Caden’s world was a haze as he lay on the floor of the cabin, his body too exhausted to move. The sound of his labored breathing was the only thing he could focus on, the pain from his injuries pulsing in time with his heartbeat. But soon, the distant sound of an engine grew louder. The ambulance arrived, its sirens cutting through the silence of the woods. Paramedics rushed to the cabin, the bright flash of their lights spilling into the dark room. They quickly assessed the situation, one of them kneeling beside Caden, checking for signs of consciousness. “Hey, you with us?” one of the medics asked, his voice steady as he gently checked Caden’s pulse. Caden’s eyes fluttered open for a moment, blurry figures above him. He couldn’t speak, the exhaustion pulling him back toward the darkness, but he could hear their calm voices as they worked. “Blood loss is significant,” another medic said, glancing at the deep scratches on his chest and the gash on his side. “We need to stabilize him now.” They carefully moved him onto a stretcher, checking for other injuries. One medic applied pressure to the wounds to stop the bleeding, while another placed an oxygen mask over Caden’s face. “Stay with us, alright?” The first medic spoke again, giving him a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. “We’ve got you.” As they loaded him into the ambulance, Caden’s vision swam once more, his body weak but grateful for the attention. The ambulance sped off, the world outside rushing past, but inside, everything was a blur of motion and pain. The paramedics continued their assessment on the way to the hospital, monitoring his vitals as best they could. His chest was bruised from the cougar’s attack, the bleeding under control, but they knew he needed proper medical care fast. The deep cuts would need stitches, and there was a risk of infection. “Hang in there, we’re almost there,” the medic murmured as they pulled into the hospital. The ambulance doors flew open, and more medical staff rushed in, ready to take over as they moved him into the ER. Caden’s mind was fading, but he heard the sounds of urgency around him. He could only hope they’d get to him in time. |
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Rosa was sobbing in the waiting room, begging for Caden to be okay. She clutched her belly as she waited. She felt their reassuring kicks, which helped a tiny bit but she was still very worried and anxious |
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Caden’s eyes fluttered open again, his body still heavy, struggling to fight off the pull of unconsciousness. The sterile air of the ER felt cold against his skin, and the soft beeping of the machines around him made his head spin. But no matter how disoriented he was, there was one thing on his mind. "Where’s Rosa?" His voice was weak and strained, full of desperation despite his exhaustion. "She was at the cabin when I got there... She... she was just on the couch... Please, if you see her, bring her here." The doctor and nurse exchanged a brief, concerned glance. They were well-trained to handle patients in distress, but Caden’s concern for Rosa was palpable, and it wasn’t hard to see why. “She’s fine, Caden,” the doctor said gently but firmly, trying to reassure him. “Rosa is perfectly safe. She was at the cabin, yes, but she wasn’t hurt. Nothing happened to her.” Caden’s eyes flickered with worry, still fighting against the pain and fog in his mind. “She was just on the couch when I got there... She... she wasn’t in danger?” His voice shook, and despite the doctor's reassurances, he couldn’t fully relax. The nurse leaned closer, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Rosa’s fine, Caden. She’s been resting. She’s not hurt. We’ve made sure of it. She’s in no danger.” Caden’s brow furrowed as he tried to focus, but his thoughts were scattered. He needed to hear it again, needed the confirmation. “She’s okay, though? Really? And the twins?” The doctor gave him a reassuring smile, his voice calm and steady. “She’s fine, and so are the twins. There’s nothing to worry about. She’s been taken care of.” He paused for a moment, allowing Caden to take in the relief, before continuing. “Now, Caden, about your leg...” Caden blinked slowly, trying to shift his focus to the new information, though his mind was still swimming. He couldn’t fully process the news, but he managed to catch the doctor’s next words. “It’s a minor fracture, nothing too serious,” the doctor explained. “You’ll have a slight limp for the rest of your life, but it’s not going to slow you down. No need for surgery, just some rest and care.” Caden processed the news through the haze, the limp feeling almost insignificant in comparison to everything that had happened. But the more important thing—Rosa was safe. The baby was fine. His breathing slowed as relief began to seep in, even as exhaustion clung to his body. “She’s really okay, isn’t she?” he asked again, his voice barely above a whisper, but the weight in his chest lightened. The doctor nodded, his tone reassuring. “She’s okay, Caden. Don’t worry. Focus on resting now.” Caden’s eyes fluttered shut once more, the exhaustion finally pulling him under. His last thought before he drifted into unconsciousness was a quiet, lingering whisper to himself: Rosa’s safe. She’s really okay. |
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Rosa shot up when she heard that Caden was going to be okay. She rushed into the room, falling to her knees and clutching his hand trembling. She continued to sob. "Caden, Caden" she continued to repeat his name like a prayer that he was going to be okay. |
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The doctor walked in,checking things off on his clipboard as he walked to Rosa. "He has two broken ribs and a fractured tibia which will unfortuanetly,leave him with a permanent limp.He'll learn to adjust,they all do." With a reassuring look,the doctor left,leaving Caden and Rosa alone. |
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Rosa nods, thanking the doctor as he left. She watched Caden, smiling now that she'd know he'd be okay |
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Caden stirred, his body aching with a deep, relentless pain that seemed to pulse with every beat of his heart. His eyes cracked open, the light too bright, blurring the world around him. He groaned, a low, pained sound slipping from his lips as he shifted, his leg sending sharp, biting sensations through his body. The pain was overwhelming—deep, unrelenting. His breath hitched as he tried to move, but the sharp throb in his leg made him freeze, teeth clenched as he fought against the waves of discomfort. His chest tightened, a sickening wave of nausea mixing with the pain, making his vision flicker. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear his mind, but the world around him felt disorienting, distant. His fingers twitched, and he fought to control the tremor running through them. He wanted to push through it, wanted to find the strength to focus, to think clearly. But the only thing that pierced through the fog of pain was a single thought, one that had stayed with him even as he drifted in and out of consciousness. "Rosa?" The word was barely more than a rasp, hoarse and weak, but it was the only thing he could say, the only thing his mind could latch onto. He felt his heart quicken, anxiety creeping in as he strained to make sense of the world around him. Where was she? Was she... was she okay? His body shuddered with another wave of pain, and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block it out, but the ache in his leg and the emptiness of the room made it hard to keep his thoughts together. "Rosa?" he whispered again, the name escaping his lips like a desperate plea, though his voice cracked under the weight of his exhaustion. The world seemed to slip away from him again, but he clung to that one word, the one thread that kept him tethered to reality. |
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Windy with Flurries
