Cold and bitter.
I reached up and tried to touch my face, but I felt nothing. It was as if my senses had deserted me, and I was floating in a void. My heart was barely beating, and the blood that had once surged out of my chest now turned to ice, spreading throughout my body. Despite the numbness, I kept moving forward with a determination to find shelter.
The landscape around me was a desolate expanse of snow and trees. The wind howled through the branches, and the snow seemed to be their only comfort. There was no sound, no birds, no insects, nothing - just a dead, arctic silence. It was like the world was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. Waiting in anticipation of the rising sun. But there was no such respite here.
As I trudged through the snow, I realized how dangerous numbness could be. My bare feet were vulnerable to the sharp rocks and icy terrain. But I refused to let that stop me. I had to keep going, no matter what. Shoes or no shoes, I HAD to keep going.
In the distance, I spotted a small cave that was almost invisible, but it was my only hope. Summoning the last of my strength, I moved towards the cave. Every step seemed to take an eternity, with the cold gnawing at my bones. When I entered the shelter, I felt some temporary relief from the biting wind, and the darkness inside the cave wrapped around me like a thick blanket.
My shivering body collapsed against the cave wall. I realized that my extremities were completely numb. I struggled to find warmth, but my frigid fingers didn't cooperate, and my body slowed.
Alone in the freezing cave, I succumbed to the cruel embrace of the bitter cold. The numbness advanced steadily, paralyzing my body. I became a prisoner of the ice, a silent witness to my own demise.
The cave, instead of providing refuge, became a tomb. The distant lights I had glimpsed were nothing but a cruel mirage, a final tease of warmth before the merciless cold claimed its victory. Lost in the vastness of the landscape.
As the biting wind seeped through the cracks in the cave, the cold claimed its final victory. My breaths grew shallow, and my vision blurred into an icy abyss. The last remnants of consciousness faded, leaving behind only the haunting echoes of the wind. The world outside continued to hold its breath, indifferent to the tragedy that had unfolded within the chilling embrace of this wilderness.
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When consciousness returned, it was like emerging from a deep, dark abyss. My eyes flickered open, and I found myself lying on a simple cot in a dimly lit room, wrapped in the warmest blanket I’ve ever felt. The crackling sound of a nearby fireplace filled the air, and it’s heat that enveloped me was a stark contrast to the bone-chilling cold I had endured.
I attempted to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over me. A soft voice interrupted my struggle, and a figure approached. It was an elderly woman with kind eyes, dressed in simple robes.
"Easy now," she said, gently pushing me back onto the cot. "You're safe. You were found near the edge of the woods, nearly frozen solid. It's a miracle you're alive."
As the lady tended to my recovery, she explained that a group of villagers had discovered me and carried me to safety and that her name was Elara.
“Now the hard part,” she winced, eyebrow furrowing. I could tell what came next wasn’t pretty. “If Harris, the village’s mage was here, the damage wouldn’t have been-”
“D- damage?” I barely got out. Wait, mage!? I thought. She held a hand to stop me.
“Don’t speak, save your energy for recovery,” she paused. “Yes, because this winter has been especially harsh, and my abilities as a herbalist only extend so far, some of your body did not survive-”
In a panic I reached to throw the blanket back, however, the severe frostbite had claimed my fingers. I reached my other hand up, fingerless stump was all that remained. The realization struck me like a bitter gust of wind, and a mix of gratitude for being alive and grief for what I had lost overwhelmed my senses.
She had a downcast face, and she began again. “Your fingers were not recoverable, and had to be amputated, or else you’d have lost your whole hand.” She waited, gauging my reaction before continuing.
“Your left foot had the same for its toes, and your right foot,” she winced ever so slightly, “Your right foot had to be removed entirely.”
The news hit me like a physical blow. My breath caught, and my eyes widened in shock. I tried to absorb the words, but the reality of the situation was almost too much to bear. I stared at the bandages that now covered the places where parts of me had once existed.
The woman continued speaking, her voice gentle but heavy with the weight of the truth. "I know this is a lot to take in, but you are alive. We did what we could to save you. Harris wasn't here, and time was of the essence."
I couldn't bring myself to look at the remnants of my once-complete hands and the void where my right foot had once laid. The numbness I had felt in the cold wilderness seemed insignificant compared to the numbness now settling in my soul.
She waited for something from me. I couldn’t speak, my voice stuck in my throat, and all I managed was a sharp exhale of breath I didn’t realize I was holding. I balled up, wanting to disappear, and rolled to my side, away from her view, so she couldn’t see the stream of tears wetting my face.
She sighed lightly, “Take your time, I’ll be in the other room taking customers, just call when you need me.”
I could feel her soft warm hand rest on my shoulder in a reassuring pat. I shuddered at her touch, whimpering in a miserable heap. Her footsteps retreated into the hallway and disappeared. I don’t know how long I lay there until my crying exhausted me and I fell into a deep sleep.
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
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My consciousness waned in and out.
“I understand-”
It was a man's voice, grave and coarse, unlike Elara.
“No, there wasn’t much more you could-”
…
“Isn’t much I can do now-”
…
“When he wakes-”
…
I slipped back into the endless void.
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Days passed. Elara came and went, tending to my needs, but I didn’t speak, I’d only sit up to accept my food, and ask for her assistance to the bathroom. She’d wash me, change me, hold me while I do my business. If I wasn’t so distraught I’d have been extremely embarrassed, but it seemed it didn’t matter to me anymore.
When I finally worked the courage up to ask, I wasn’t pleased with the answer.
“You’re in the town of Helden, of the Whisperwind Kingdom” she spoke.
Kingdom? What does she mean by kingdom? I’ve never heard of such a place. The only “kingdom” I know of is the UK, and that’s not even a kingdom. I thought to myself.
“What continent is this on?” I asked.
She looked at me puzzled. “You don’t know what continent you’re on? You’re an odd one,” her eyes became slits. “Ironspire,” she said suspiciously.
My body tensed up, Ironspire, I’d never heard of this place before. It wasn’t any of the continents I knew of, and surely not a place in any geography book.
Wait, kingdoms, continents I don’t know of, mages… my thoughts began formulating an answer. They swirled and swirled, thoughts of fantasy worlds, and transportation to unknown lands. Then I realized what it was, I knew where I was.
…
This lady must have a disability, or maybe one of those cringy fantasy-loving people. I realized.
“Could you please just get me a phone, I need to call my-”
“What’s a phone?” She looked puzzled again.
“Ha- Ha- I’m enjoying your role-playing so much, now please, this isn’t a joking matter, I need a phone so I can call my family.” I became harsh, regretfully so, since this was the lady that saved my life.
I could see in her eyes, something changed. Fear maybe, shock, or just realization. Maybe a combination of all of them.
“Ok,” she said. “I won’t joke around anymore,” she began backing up from the room and left. “Let me just go get a phone,” she said from the hallway.
I sighed. I would admit that it was an entertaining distraction from an otherwise dire predicament. Either she was a weirdo, or she must’ve thought it up while she was waiting for me to talk, as a way to cheer me up. Can’t say it was the best move, but it seemed to have some effect on my mood.
After she left, I managed my way to the edge of the bed. I wanted to get a look out the open window. Beautiful mountainscapes met my view, greenery everywhere, much unlike the snowy tundra where I nearly met my fate. The trees arched into the air, seeming to go up and up forever. They were massive, and adorned with beautiful golden pine-like needles like I’d never seen before. The houses that surrounded what I supposed was the village’s clinic were simple, thatch-roofed, with plaster-like walls. People milled about, doing tasks, some cutting wood, some with baskets of straw and other plants. They all wore basic clothing, I don’t know what material, but it was muted colors, what you’d expect given the setting.
It was serene. Kids playing on dirt roads. People laughing and smiling. I couldn’t help but slip away from my situation and smile to myself, forgetting my ailments. I felt joy seeing these people. Their simple lives were so untouched by the modern world, and it made me somewhat jealous. It made me think of the life I had back home, working 9-5, a desk job that my brother got me even though I protested. I hated it there. Cars honking at standstill traffic, people yelling in the streets when someone just barely perturbed them. People there were so crass, and frustrating to be around.
Before I realized it I sullied my mood, slipped away from the window, and back under the covers.
Wish I could stay in a place like this forever…
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A few minutes later someone barged into the open room, a tall slender man, his bony figure outlined in large black robes that reached to the floor. His hair was grey and long, similar to the beard that covered every inch of his face. He was old, much older than Elara, which was saying much. His eyes were pointed, gazing into me, like he was seeing into my very soul.
This is when I noticed the silence, people outside the open window no longer laughed, and I glanced with my peripherals. There was no one there.
Ah, this must be the “mage” the Elara spoke of I thought to myself sarcastically.
“WHO ARE YOU,” he howled, but it was as if he was speaking from all sides of me. I could feel his rocketing voice in my chest, vibrating all throughout me. It felt dirty and unnatural. Like someone had surgically planted a bass guitar inside my body and just shredded the loudest solo known to man.
I felt fear and compulsion, I NEEDED to answer this man's questions right now, or else resisting would make my brain explode. Every opening to the room slammed shut.
“SAMUEL,” I shrieked involuntarily. “SAMUEL GREEN!”
“WHERE ARE YOU FROM SAMUEL GREEN!” he yelled once more.
“THE UNITED STATES SIR!”
“AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!”
“RECEIVING TREATMENT FROM ELARA SIR!”
Tears began streaming from my eyes, I kept feeling this overwhelming fear from this man's voice. The whole world began to rock back and forth and twist. Everything within my vision contorted as if reality itself was unraveling. The air thickened with otherworldly energy, and symbols began to appear just outside my vision. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat echoing like a distant drum in a symphony.
He continued to yell, asking questions, my mouth moved but I couldn’t comprehend the words I spoke. Everything became haze, my mind and thoughts melted into nothing. And then, like a candle extinguished by an unseen hand, the world collapsed into darkness, and I succumbed to the black void of unconsciousness.
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When awareness returned, it did so with a throbbing ache that pulsed in my temples like a relentless drumbeat. Transitioning to the dimly lit reality of the room felt disorienting, like trying to piece together a fractured puzzle. My surroundings swam into focus, and there, seated beside me, was the same man. It was at that moment I came to realize. Something was surely wrong.