((OOC note: This takes place right after the massive ORP where Camelot called for help))

Chailee hauled herself into her bedroom window, hissing as new bruises and wounds screamed in protest from the exertion. The sun was still a good three hours from rising which was in the young teenagers favor. If her parents saw her like this there would be a lot of problems and she wasn’t sure there would be any way of talking herself out of it this time around. So, once securely in her room she quietly closed the window and limped over to her bed which she gingerly sat down upon.

Pale moonlight filtered into her room and was about the only light she felt safe using as she carefully reached under her bed to the first aid kit she had stashed under there. It was thanks to seeing Darrens kit that she had thought to get herself her own. Mind, hers wasn’t as expansive as his but it would get the job done.


Carefully she pulled off her clothes, and took in the damage done to her. Her mid section was mottled with ugly bruising and some shallow cuts and scrapes but was thankfully not something anyone else would see. She prayed there was no internal damage but she had no intentions of going to the hospital. So after adding so antiseptic to the wounds she took a deep breath and reached down to inspect her ankle.

The snare she had managed to get caught in had done a number on her poor ankle. An angry ring of bruising was slowly growing, and the wire that had been used had managed to rub her skin raw despite her boot. I bet it would have been so much worse if I didn’t have my boot to protect me. With great care she put some antiseptic on the abused skin sucking air in sharply through her teeth at the abrupt burning. Then pulling out some gauze she carefully wrapped it around her ankle and foot. I’ll have to make sure to wear pants for a few days to hide this. It wouldn’t be terribly difficult, not with the weather still being on the cooler side.

Throwing on some Pajamas Chailee hesitantly opened up the door to her room and peeked out. Glancing down the hall she saw her parents room was firmly shut so she slipped out of her bedroom and into the bathroom across the hall. Closing the door behind her she flicked on the light and grabbed a wash-cloth from the linen closet. I have no energy for a shower right now, and that might wake Mom. So, she thoroughly wet the washcloth and added some soap before scrubbing away at the dirt smudged across her face, arms and legs. Her poor hair though was beyond repair as she plucked leaves and small sticks from the now knotted mass of curls. I am going to have to get a shower as soon as I wake up tomorrow to get all of this out.

She sighed, but did the best she could and ended up opting to quickly plait her hair to help hide the dirt she couldn’t get out of it. That was when a small knock came at the door. “Chailee honey?”

Chailee stopped dead in her tracks. “Yea Dad?” She quickly threw the washcloth into the hamper, taking a moment to hide it under another towel already inside.

“What are you doing up already?”

“Um, I just had to the use the bathroom.” She turned to the toilet and quickly flushed it. “I’ll be out in a second.”

Taking another quick look at herself in the mirror she grabbed one of the small paper cups by the sink that her mothers kept stock for rinsing toothpaste out of your mouth and filled it up before opening the door. She attempted to make herself look sleepy and half awake, which really wasn’t all that hard, as she slipped past her father as he watched his daughter curiously. She prayed she wasn’t limping too much. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Yea. I am fine. Just needed a drink too.” She gave him a sleepy smile before reaching the safety of her bedroom and closing the door behind her. That was too close.

Glancing at the cup she downed the water before tossing it into her small trash can. She moved across her room to the safety and comfort of her bed which she snuggled down into with a gentle sigh as tension began to ease from her body. The warm embrace of her blankets quickly luled the girl into sleep. Her last thought being that she wish she didn’t have school in the morning.

Word count: 785