The Last Healer

Chapter 31: Ariella

Chapter 31 Ariella

Shouts sounded from the hall, high pitched screams came from below. Pressing myself against the window, I looked outside to the crowd of people. The wailing from below never stopped, sometimes it would get softer, others louder, but never silent. Bodies were still being found and brought in from yesterday's attack. Young, old, men, women. So many were harmed in the attack, so many would die.

Stepping away from the window, unable to look at the crowd below, I walked over to the couch and grabbed the book from the library. After the attack was over and my family went to bed, I tried to learn more about my Power. The pain never lessened so all I could do was fight through it until it was too much. I had to learn more about my Power so I could help those people. But it just took so long.

Slipping the book open from where I left off last night, my eyes scanned the words of the next step. Finally I was able to start Healing. It was a small thing, a simple cut, but one step towards where I needed to be.

Nibbling on my bottom lip, I wondered how I could even find a small cut. The people downstairs were injured far more than a small slice on the skin and I was far from ready to let people know I could Heal.

A bell sounded in the distance, a soft, melancholy sound. Holding the book tightly against me, I slowly made my way to the door and pulled it open. It was time for me to go and meet with Isabella. It would be interesting to spend time with her alone after seeing her with the others. I wondered what she would teach me and if she could help me with the next step of this book.

The crowd downstairs was like one that I've never seen before. Cots filled the main room leaving very little room for people to sit by their loved ones or the healers to get to the wounded. Small children sat curled up against the wall, tears streaming down their faces. Some of them had a woman or a man beside them, holding them close while others had no one. Blood trailed the ground, staining the wooden floors. My eyes scanned over the injured, the bloodstained bandages and blankets, and the countless people who were sitting around. The crowd was just as bad outside, the wailing was slightly louder than what it was on the inside.

Careful to avoid hitting anyone, I fought my way through the crowd to make my way towards the library. Men and women walked through the streets; children had guardians holding tightly onto their hands. Fear filled the children's eyes as they studied their surroundings as if they were looking for an unknown horror.

"Ariella!" A feminine voice shouted and my eyes darted around me, glancing over every face that came to view. Finally, my eyes settled on Isabella who was standing by the library's door. She waved at me as our eyes made contact, urging me to hurry up.

My feet collided with the ground as I ran towards her and she smiled down at me when I reached her.

"How's your family? Was any of them hurt?" She asked as her hand patted my cheek. Her brown hair was tied up in a bun at the top of her head, small strands had escaped and danced in the wind.

"They are all fine. Tired and stressed, but not severely hurt."

"Good, I'm glad to hear that." Isabella smiled softly, her eyes filled with pain. She turned to the library and motioned for me to follow her.

"How is your family?" I questioned.

"My brother was hurt. Stabbed through the left arm." She sighed quietly as we made our way towards the stairs. "The healers say he will be able to fight again once his arm heals."

"How long will that take?"

"A couple months, most likely." Isabella turned to me, her smile still playing on her lips. "Let us just worry about you, alright? Today's a big day after all."

I stared at the back of her head as we climbed the stairs, confusion swirling around inside of me. How could she worry about me at a time like this? Her own family was hurt and, yet, she still came. Isabella led me to the small room where we were yesterday. The chairs were pushed in and everything seemed to be in perfect order. It was the complete opposite to the world outside.

"Now, I thought we should start with the basics." Isabella turned to me with a smile. "The book that Shanae showed you when we first met is one of the simplest versions of the first steps."

"I've been studying and practicing it." I told her and held the book up, showing that I had brought it with me. "I was able to get through the first few steps, but I'm stuck on this one." Flipping the book open, the pages ruffling softly, I showed her the section I was on. The part where I needed to, finally, Heal something. "I do not have any small injuries to practice on and I wasn't sure if I should try to learn with the injured downstairs.

She shook her head as her hand wrapped around the book and lifted it from my grasp. "Telling them what you can do before you really learn will give them false hope and put you under more pressure to learn your Power. Some of the people will understand that you need to learn, but others will not. They will pressure you every day to Heal their loved ones."

"So how will I learn?" I asked her, defeat radiating in my body. Without a person to practice on, then there was no way that I could learn.

"Well, that is generally why we have the boys. However, everyone is forced to work more hours until some of the injured gets back on their feet." She placed the book on the table before pulling a chair out and collapsing into it. "Since we cannot have one of the boys, then I guess we will just have to make do with ourselves."

"What do you mean?" Sitting on the edge of the chair beside her, my eyes followed her as she bent forward and pulled a knife out of her boot and pulled a canteen from her side. "Here, I filled it with water for you to use today."

"Thank you." I told her as my hands wrapped around the rough fabric. The water sloshed slightly as I placed it in my lap.

"Now, how many times have you read over this?" She questioned as she pushed the book towards me.

"Many times, I just never practiced it."

"Well, time to change that." She smiled at me softly as her right fingers wrapped themselves around the hilt of the blade. Her smile never faded as I watched the blade in horror. Isabella lifted it and placed it over her left hand, her right wrist jerked and a small red line appeared on her pale fingers. Her eyes lifted to mine as she held out her left hand.

"This is your chance, Ariella. I know you can do it."