Forgiven-Part 1

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==Forgiven==
By
===Sarah A Mills===
Walking through the woods I struggled to avoid patches of snow left behind by winter. My bare feet -already cold to the bone- protested my decision to go for a walk. The last thing I needed was to step in a patch of snow.
Ahead of me a small hare struggled, caught in a hunters trap. This coaxed me to a stop. My stomach rumbled at the thought of an easy meal as I forced myself to turn away.
“As hungry as I am, I can't take that family's catch. I'll soon catch my own game.”
But what if that's the only game there is?
“That's impossible.” I scolded myself.
I bet he'll never miss it. He'll never even know.
“Well... I suppose it can't hurt.” giving in I moved to the rabbit, killed it then freed it.
Holding the hare by the ears I looked around. I sighed in relief knowing that no one would know I stole another item. A victorious grin crept onto my face as I walked deeper into the woods.
It wasn't until I was within a quarter mile of my home when I came across a young man laying on his stomach. I tensed and backed up only to stare at him.
Just leave it there. All people ever do to you is cause you harm. Why should you care for one? The voice in my head countered.
“But... He looks hurt.”
So? When you are hurt no one cares.
I hesitated knowing this to be true and turned to leave. A rustling in the bushes caught my attention. Whirling on my heals I stared at the bush, my heart racing.
A muscular man came tumbling through the trees toward me. My eyes widened as I stepped back.
“You!” the man snapped as he thundered my way.
“W-what do you w-want?” I stuttered.
“My trap was tampered with. It makes sense that it was you, you being a thief!”
“N-No it wa-wasn't me!” I lied, hiding the hare behind my back.
Enraged the man charged me. Before I could move out of the way he tackled me. The hare flew from my hands into the bushes behind us as he grabbed my hair.
I was lifted off the ground as the man stood up. Gasping out in pain I gripped his hands, desperate to get away.
“You'll regret stealing from me wench.” he said as he glared. “If I had a knife, I would give you the proper punishment of cutting your right hand off. Unfortunately for you, you're not that lucky.”
Closing my eyes I forced tears away as my heart thumped with fear. His hand hit my cheek with great force, snapping my neck back in the process.
I screamed out in pain while kicking, trying to get away. The man dropped me then picked up a tree branch and began to strike me with it. After a few minutes the man lifted me up by my hair again then threw me to the ground next to the boy.
The man crashed away from where he came, leaving me scraped, bruised and bleeding. I laid there and cried for what must have been a half hour. Then, I looked at the young man and grimaced seeing his shoulder and chest were bleeding.
“I can't leave him here... I know what it's like to be hurt and left alone.” I muttered as I attempted to get up. I stumbled to the ground and groaned in pain. The next few hours passed in a blur as I struggled to bring the young man to my home.
Once we reached the cave I lived in I traveled to the back where I kept my herbs and food. I pulled out poultices that would help this young man as well as cloth and bandages. Returning to the young man I knelt beside him.
I cleaned his wounds then wrapped him up with bandages.
“There. Done.” I said and collapsed.
You're not done. The fire is dead and we have no food.
Groaning I muttered, “but I'm hurting too.”
Too bad. You forgot the hare in the bush. You're also the one who saved this... thing and wasted three hours. Now you have to finish your other duties.
With my stomach rumbling in complaint and my head throbbing I grumbled. With a sigh I stood up and went to starting a fire.
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