The Endless Torment of an Admin (MCSM Fanfiction)

Chapter 18 - Pushing Onwards

Jesse skidded to a halt at the ledge's edge, searching the ledge below them with desperate eyes. She could feel the colour draining from her face when her gaze landed on the limp shape below them, instantly recognising the bright red hair and the blue bandanna.

"Petra!" Lukas cried out as he staggered over to the edge as well, still clutching his shoulder. "Petra! Are you okay!?"

No response.

Jesse threw her legs over the edge, jumping down. It wasn't a long drop, fortunately Petra hadn't been dangling over the cliff's edge itself when she fell. But it was still a decent way down, enough to break a bone or two if landed wrong. Jesse's boots hit the ground with a thud, although she didn't feel a smidge of pain. She ignored Lukas, who was struggling to climb down, running to Petra's side.

Petra didn't move, her body limp and her eyes closed. Her freckled face was so pale, it appeared almost completely grey in the dusky light. Her left arm was limply lying off the the side, her right partially draped over her middle. Blood trickled down the side of her face, a dark and gruesome contrast against her pale skin.

Jesse thought she was dead, her friend appearing completely still and unmoving. But then she saw it, the faint rise and fall of Petra's chest, shallow breaths leaving her mouth.

"Oh my god, is she okay?" Lukas gasped as he collapsed beside Jesse, immediately looking for a pulse.

"She's alive." Jesse confirmed in a small, shaky voice, sounding close to tears.

Tears were already brimming Lukas's blue eyes as he looked back up, taking in how far Petra had fallen. It felt like his heart skipped over several beats, everything too awfully familiar to that morning in the order hall. He looked down at Petra, who had quite obviously landed on her back.

He knew just how bad a second injury to her spine could be.

Jesse looked equally devastated, her brown eyes wide and fearful. Lukas had assumed they'd be glowing brightly, but there were no traces of red in her dark irises. Only a mixture of guilt and regret.

Neither of them knew for how long they sat there in the dirt with their friend, cold with worry. Both silently begging her to be okay.

It felt like an eternity had passed, when Petra suddenly moved. Lukas and Jesse were instantly focussed on her as the redhead turned her head, coughing weakly. Her eyes remained closed, but the slightest bit of colour had returned to her pale cheeks.

"Petra?" Lukas asked, his voice wavering. "Can you hear me?"

For a moment it looked like Petra had fallen back into unconsciousness, remaining still. But then her eyelids fluttered open weakly, looking up at Jesse and Lukas with a distant and unfocussed gaze.

"Petra?" Jesse asked hopefully, tears gleaming in her eyes.

At first Petra stared right through them, like they weren't even there. But then her eyes locked onto them, before slowly drifting over to Lukas, more specifically the arrow lodged in his shoulder.

"That." Petra said weakly, her voice a barely audible whisper. "Needs out."

Relief washed over Lukas's face as he choked out what sounded like a mixture of a laugh and sob. Even Jesse was smiling, tears of relief running down her face.

"Never, ever scare me like that again." Lukas said, causing Petra to crack a weak, faint smile.

"Are you okay?" Jesse asked, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

"Not really." Petra admitted, her expression returning to one of pain. "There are like... four of each of you above me."

"Can you still move?" Lukas asked, remembering with a jolt about his earlier fears. He squeezed Petra's hand in his. "Can you feel this?"