The Trees Up North

Chapter II

I tied off the last stitch of the biggest cut on the man's body. The next cut, made by the index finger of the vampire, was much shallower and not as deep as the others. But the only thing that mattered in that moment was to stop the man from bleeding out. The man had not fluttered or stirred in his sleep. The more I poked the needle into his skin, the more I waited for any sort of movement, but there was none. I guess this means the man couldn't feel the needle, which was probably for the best. But despite the lack of response, I felt a sense of guilt. The final stitch was tied off. The other two cuts on the man's body were very shallow. I sighed with relief as I grabbed the bandages from the first aid kit, leaving the bloody needle on the floor next to the first aid kit. I carefully wrapped the bandages around the man's arms, gently pressing on them to make sure they were secure and providing enough support for his cuts. When I was finished, his arms were covered in soft white bandages. The weird patches on his skin peeked out from under the bandages and his pants. With a sigh of relief, I knew I had done my job and the man was safe for now.

I sat by him and studied his face. He was very pale, either because he had lost a lot of blood or because he also lived up north and rarely saw the sun. His face seemed to be at peace. There were no tensions or wrinkles. His eyes were closed, and his body lay still on the bed, but he had a serenity about him that was unshakeable. He would have to be around my age. He had dark, hooded eyes that contrasted sharply with his pale skin and a full head of dark brown hair. The bangs swipe a little in front of his eyes.

I get up, pick up the needle and any leftover bandages, and place them in the garbage. Then, I open the closet to get some pajamas out and walk slowly to the bathroom. Taking my time, I lean into the mirror and look closely at my face. My hair was a mess, and my face was full of blood. The sight of myself made my stomach turn. My green eyes looked very tired. My lips were cracked and pale, and I realized that I had been neglecting myself lately.

I go over to the bathtub and begin filling it with hot water. As much as I want to sleep, I should clear the blood from my body. I take off my shirt and pants and slowly let myself into the hot water. I sit in the warm water, letting my mind wander. The bandages on my chest were still there, and I thought about changing them or at least taking them off for the bath. With a wet hand, I unwrapped the dirty cloth.

Underneath the bandages was a chest I didn't like. As much as binding affected my breathing while hunting, it didn't really affect much more. I sank deeper into the water to ignore the body I had.

The water was a brownish red after I had gotten out. My entire body was devoid of blood. I had never felt so clean. I slide on my pajamas and walk out to the open room. The fire was still going strong, and the patch man had not moved. I carefully grabbed a blanket and put it over the man. I then grabbed other blankets and built myself a bed on the other side of the room. The warmth of the fire and the feeling of being alive and clean were relieving. My eyelids started to droop as I pulled the blanket closer to me. Before I knew it, sleep had taken me over.

There was a horrible scream off in the distance, and I began running towards it. I saw shadows of a human and a vile vampire fighting. The human was losing terribly, with its long limbs hanging over the person. I jumped down the hill and quickly stabbed the vampire in the back. I watched as the vampire came at me instead, causing me to fly into a tree trunk. I lay there, hearing crunching in the snow in front of me. When I looked up, I saw myself covered in blood, holding the sword carelessly in my hands, as if I were about to kill or stab what was in front of me.

I jolted up, grabbed my blanket, and clutched it to my chest, panting for air. I'm trying to gather myself. It was just a dream, really. I struggled to concentrate on the fire in the middle of the room as my breath staggered. The dream seemed so genuine. I exhaled a sigh of relief and was grateful it was just a dream. Even after carefully settling back down, I was unable to sleep again. My attention was riveted on the dream as I lay in bed for what seemed like hours.

The sun began to peak in my window, telling me it was morning. I forced myself out of bed, feeling the weight and exhaustion in my body. The village people of Nix Luna sent out a message earlier in the week that a snowstorm was supposed to hit the area soon, which meant a day or two spent in the cabin with several blankets and a fire going to try to keep warm.

Nevertheless, I wrapped a heavy scarf around my neck and pulled on my warmest coat before heading out the door, making sure to grab an axe on the way out. I was going to need a lot more firewood than I already have to make it through the next few nights. A snowstorm could be unpredictable, and I was determined to prepare for the worst. A small sled and drag it behind me.

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The logs on the sled had begun to pile up, and I decided it was time to go back home. The sled dragged behind me with very little effort. As much as I was tired, I was also very strong.

Once I walked onto the deck, I started stacking the wood by the outside of the door. I would have taken some inside, but there was too much to bring in. I decided to leave some of it there, just in case I needed more later. Slowly, the door creaked to my small house, and I took some time to peek over at the guest. I stood at the door as I saw that he had not moved. I was starting to think he was really dead; how could a human survive that?

I take a few trips to bring some logs inside and place them near the door, just like I did with the ones outside. The wood began to stalk up as the wind grew harder against the windows. I moved over to the kitchen and began working on a pot of soup. My hands were still cold from being outside for the majority of the morning.

Marlow moved around on his bed and faced me to see what I was doing. I gave him a smile and my hand. He gladly climbed on top. I put him on my shoulder and continued working on the pot of soup. Marlow looked curiously around the room, seemingly enjoying his newfound vantage point.

A soft whine came from the left side of the room, breaking any silence in the quiet house. The knife in my hand fell in shock, and I quickly turned my head. Laying there in my bed, a pair of soft blue eyes stared at me. The patch man was awake. His small, scrawny body lay still, and I could feel the fear emanating from him. I stared at him as he gave out a small cough and a whine. His eyes closed slowly.

I jumped over to where the man was sleeping and put a hand on his neck. He was still very much alive. The bandages on his arms had a great deal of blood on them, but other than that, he was ok. I quickly rewrapped his bandages with fresh ones, trying my best to be very careful so as not to awaken him. The new bandages hung onto his arms tightly, stopping any remaining blood.

I stood up and slowly made my way back to the kitchen. Marlow was carefully watching the potatoes on the cutting board. I slowly picked him up and brought him back to my shoulder. Taking a deep breath, I continue cutting the potatoes into small squares before bringing them to the pot.

The pot sits on the fire, and I watch as it boils. I brought up all the vegetables and meat and stirred it around as I had a few conversations with Marlow.

"Marlow, it's going to get cold tonight." I murmured. Marlow wiggles around on my shoulder to show that he is listening to me. "Make sure you have that quilt that was made for you, ok?"

I grab a bowl from a cabinet and pour some soup for myself. The warm steam gently caressed my face, causing me to let out a contented sigh. The hot air enveloped me, carrying with it a comforting sense of peace and relaxation. The soup warms up my hands as I hold the bowl. I carefully transfer Marlow from my shoulder to the table that sits by the fire. I sit down and cross my legs as I take pleasure in the warmth of the soup in my throat.

I take another spoonful of soup before I feel my eyes staring at me. In the distance, I hear the blankets on the bed starting to move. I turn my head to find the man with patches staring at me once again. His stare was gentle and soothing.