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surplus-of-sarcasm · 10 months

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Numéro 23

Part 2

Guess what, ya girl finished a snippet on the plane!!

Words: 1.28 k

TW: Violence, bone fracture, slightly depressed and pretty anxious hero, questionable agency, bone fracture, guns, attempted murders, restraint mentioned

The file was dropped onto their desk curtly, no words spoken, like every other assignment Hero got. Their newest target didn't have a name, no alias of some sort, and the picture of them had shown them fully masked in a sleek, black suit, no inch of skin showing; a faceless caricature. However, their kill count, in three digits, was important enough that any other details seemed inconsequential next to it.

Besides, Hero had been taught to treat their targets more like tasks than people.

So the crime-fighter trained till they were left dead on their feet, till their knuckles were all ripped skin and covered in bloodstains, till their exhausted muscles felt like they were on fire.

“Hero! Don’t you think you’re going a little overkill, boss?” Sidekick asked, folding their arms across their chest and leaning against the doorframe.

The young hero was the closest thing to a light in the agency’s pitch black darkness; the soul that gave life to a lifeless place, like a flame lighting the slowly dwindling, half-melted candle that was the older crime-fighter’s life.

“I. . .can’t, Sidekick,” the hero replied breathlessly, hauling their form up for yet another pull-up, having done so many that they’d lost count. “This new target is unlike all the others before the-”

“Yeah yeah, but when are you not being paranoid about one of your enemies?” the teenager replied, cutting them off.

“Their kill count is in three digits,” the crime-stopper retorted almost impatiently.

“Bloody hell,” Sidekick interjected, eyes going wide.

“Watch your language,” Hero chided, but a sly smirk danced across their face.

“Okay, I wasn’t expecting that, but what good will it do if you show up to fight this bloody - sorry - serial killer exhausted? Weren’t you the one who kept lecturing me on the importance of rest for maximum work efficiency?”

The hero may have been stubborn, but they realised their protegé was right. They couldn't risk showing up to fight someone like their mystery killer while tired, so they decided to make their way home.

Normally, a hot bath would easily clear their head. Sure, they could still feel the tension blissfully seep from their form, the warmth relaxing overworked muscles, but their mind remained a raging firestorm of anxiety. It frustrated them how they couldn't even enjoy something this simple, the one moment where they no longer had to think or be whatever the hell they needed to be at the moment. "At least I smell nice," they scoffed, wishing to get this over with much faster.

They let out a heavy sigh, leaving the tub and slipping into a bathrobe, trudging to the desk in their room to use the old, but still functional laptop. Ironically, being a hero barely payed for rent.

For someone so high and mighty, their little terrorist wasn't completely difficult to find. Or maybe the hero was really a 'natural with the keyboard', since it had taken them a bit of hacking to find their target. Who's to say?

Changing into their suit, Hero stared at their reflection with such intensity, that it would look to most people like an attempt to shatter it to a thousand shards by just looking at it. In reality, their own harsh gaze bore into the dark corners of their mind, wondering for the umpteenth time if they were enough. It didn't matter because they'd still have to do this anyway, whatever the cost.

"Target spotted," they whispered into their comm, standing on their knees for long enough that their muscles ached, waiting for their enemy deigned to show up.

"I will engage now."

The killer's movements resembled that of a panther, and the crime-fighter would have been lying if they'd denied finding it graceful. They were fast and agile, almost impossible to keep up with, not even giving them the chance to reach for the gun in their waistband. But the hero was no slouch either. They aimed a harsh kick to their enemy's shins, their body slamming into the asphalt with an audible thud. Still, the figure in black remained undeterred, kicking the crime-stopper on top of them in the ribs, sending them toppling down across the street, making their head throb and effectively destroying their flimsy communicator.

The hero swore, muttering something ironically much more profane than what they'd chastise their sidekick for, but they rolled away, out of the bastard's reach, quickly getting back on their feet. Their assailant was quick on their feet, chasing after them, but Hero was faster. They'd managed to slip behind an old building, trying to quiet their laboured breathing. They slowly reached for the gun in their waistband, removing the old magazine and replacing it with a new, loaded one.

They waited painstakingly for their target to reach the perfect spot.

Bang. They fired, aiming for the kill, three perfect shots.

Except the bastard was wearing bullet-proof armour, the bullets ricocheting off of them uselessly. They were certain that underneath their dark cowl, the criminal must have had an infuriatingly smug smirk on their face, but right then, they recieved an entirely self-satisfied tilt of the head to the side.

Their only option was to destroy a piece of the armour and shoot them there.

The fight between them continued being a draw, one striking, their opponent blocking, and neither causing any real damage. Until the killer had managed to back Hero into a corner, kicking them to the ground and twisting their leg into a horrid angle, the crime-fighter crying out in pain as a grotesque crack rang in their ears. Tears sprang in their eyes and with whatever little movement they could manage, they furiously ripped their nemesis's mask off.

It wasn't the face of a stranger, like they'd expected, nor was it the face of someone entirely close to them, not that there were many people, aside from their sidekick, who obviously wasn't the ruthless murderer before, instead, it was their quiet lab partner from college, Villain, the one that sat next to them every day, brought them coffee and the occasional dessert, and doodled silly cartoons in their notebook to keep them both sane during boring classes, the closest thing they had to a friend that had nothing to do with the agency.

Their mouth was left agape, their eyes wide, their whole world spinning, but Villain didn’t even blink. They fired, straight into the hero's chest, utterly remorseless, no readable expression on their stone hard face.

Hero woke up. Woke up? What the hell? But Villain had killed them, yet here they were, lying on a soft mattress underneath a wonderfully thick comforter, with their leg in a cast, bandages crisscrossed across their chest. The only thing ruining the strangely mellow coziness they felt (possibly painkilling drugs) was the fact that they were handcuffed to the nighstand.

The bullet had missed their heart. But surely an expert marksman like Villain wouldn't miss, right? This, for some strange reason, was intentional.

We like to believe that our expectations have a foundation in truth, that they are of considerable value, that they can have even the slightest effect on any future outcomes. Yet, that is a fool's dream, a fruitless effort to calm a racing mind in fear of the unknown. Just when you are at the peak of your certainty, when you fully believe your fate is sealed, a spontaneous twist, the slightest change sets you on a path you were never aware existed. Our choices, our words, our actions have meaning, yet they only hold the power of a few tidal waves in the vast unpredictable ocean that is our future because destiny is a weapon one can only hope to master.

✨️Le Taglist: @larinzz @syberianjade @lateuplight @altu-interactions @enbious-prince @astr0-mj @thelazywitchphotographer @usernotfound000 @addictedsandwhichaki @justalittlecorrupted @quaggasus @theangstyclown @vernilliom @mothmancommitsarson @starssabove @kurai-hono-blog @talkingsperm @muffinrebel44 @sunnynwanda @annablogsposts @cardboardarsonist @itsmyworld23 @onlywhump @shr3ya @crotchgoblin69 @wtfevenisausername

Wanna be on the taglist? This'll take you there!

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emetoandotherthings · 6 months

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Jude's accident!

A/N: I had to dive deeeeeeeep into the messages to find this one, but it's been playing on my mind for a long time. This one is freaking long... but the whole backstory of Jude's cliff accident.

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“Are you sure it’s definitely waterproofed?” Eden asked for the umpteenth time, running his hands around the edge of his rucksack.

“Very sure,” Jude answered confidently, adjusting the straps of his own bag. “You’ve done it before, it’ll be fine this time too.” Eden ran his hand over the bag again, he was biting his lip. He could feel his heart banging against his ribcage and his knees felt wobbly underneath him. They were leaving the tents here, as they’d be returning after their trek – so Jude had driven a tent hook deep into the ground and was currently padlocking his and Eden’s full rucksack to it. Eden fiddled with his bag, he was beginning to feel a bit light-headed, his pulse now throbbing in his throat. “I wonder if Jack’s learned from last time?” Jude had straightened up, but his head still didn’t graze the top of the tent, unlike Eden who had to stoop. “Eden?” Eden hadn’t realised how badly his hands were shaking, until warm hands clasped them and held on tight.

“I-” Eden choked, his throat closing up on him and his breath catching.

“Eden, breathe…” Jude intoned slowly, squeezing at his fingers to try and bring Eden’s attention back to him. “Come on, in…” Jude modelled, he’d known Eden for long enough to recognise the warning signs of a panic attack, “and out…” Eden let go of the breath, it came out in spurts as his chest was still constricting. “In…” Jude kept going, squeezing Eden’s hand again. “And out…” Jude continued until Eden’s breathing had evened out. His head still felt fuzzy and the back of his top was damp with sweat.

“I don’t think I can do this,” Eden muttered eventually.

“Yes you can,” Jude spoke calmly and assuredly. “Remember when we first tried out kayaking?” Eden did, and he hadn’t thought he was going to be able to do that either.

“This is different!” He insisted, still trying to maintain that slow breathing which Jude had helped him implement, but the air was beginning to catch in his throat again.

“It’s not that different,” Jude shrugged, “we were nervous, but once we got going – it was fine! This is just the same!” Eden shook his head resolutely; black spots were floating at the edge of his vision and they seemed to be growing and joining together. He tried to breathe in through his nose, sucking in air, but that triggered something at the back of his throat.

The heave caught him by surprise, and he clamped his hand over his mouth, realising that he was trembling all over.

“Right, okay,” Jude seized Eden’s wrist and began to drag him out of the tent, which was more challenging as Eden was a head and shoulders taller than him. “Deep breaths…” Jude repeated, unzipping the edge of the tent with one hand and pulling him out into the cool, misty morning air. Eden’s knees were wobbling so much that they felt ready to give out underneath him. He retched again, a grating sound coming from the back of his throat. He didn’t bring anything up, his belly wasn’t revolting just yet, instead it was his brain was causing this.

“Come on Ede – take deep breaths in through your nose, out your mouth,” Jude told him, reverting back to calming tactics. Eden tried, but once the panic had gripped him, it was very tricky to get back to calm.

“Hmmmmlll!” The last heave was more visceral, Eden felt his stomach lurch and his eyes stung with hot tears as the back of his throat tightened.

“Come on,” Jude was gripping his arm, squeezing so tight that his fingers might leave marks. “Breathe Eden – it’s all going to be fine. You control your body, it doesn’t control you.” This was a new technique Eden’s therapist had suggested, reminding him of his brain’s autonomy. He took a slow breath in, only just staving off another heave. Then he managed another, then another – slowly, the black blobs at the edges of his vision dissipated and his legs felt more sturdy underneath him.

“That’s it,” he became conscious that Jude was right next to him, waiting patiently, no trace of annoyance or irritation on his face.

When he finally managed to gain full control of himself, the embarrassment crept in. “Oh God…”

“Don’t,” Jude said instantly; the other thing he knew was to nip this in the bud before it became a spiral. “I’m going to grab our bags, then we’re going to get Blake and Jack.” Jude disappeared back into the tent, then reappeared with both rucksacks. “Here, put it on.” Eden did as he was told and followed Jude through the long grass, staying silent as he tried to ignore the errant panicked thoughts that were still floating in his brain.

“Hey,” Jude banged on the canvas side of the tent, which was only partially effective. “You guys ready?” Blake’s head popped out of the entrance.

“Nearly,” Blake said, “just trying to get Jack to properly waterproof his bag.” He sounded derisive at the last part.

“Who cares if they get wet?” Jack’s voice came, then he exited the tent with a rather untidily wrapped bag.

“Please don’t tell me you’re using cling film?” Jude stared at Jack’s bag as he shrugged it onto his back.

“Yeah – and?” Jack said nonchalantly; Jude shook his head incredulously and exchanged a glance with Eden. He couldn’t help but grin – Jack was incorrigible.

“I’ve already told him that I’ll not be sympathetic when all his stuff is soaking,” Blake replied to Jude. “Are we the last ones?”

“I don’t know,” Jude answered honestly. “We came straight for you guys.” Jude glanced at Eden, he didn’t want to let them know about Eden’s panic attack. “What time was meet up?”

“10,” Blake said, peeling back the sleeve of his jacket. “And it’s five past.” He started striding off into the mist, towards the stile where they were to start. “We’re always late!’

“But worth the wait!” Jack called back, grinning at Jude and Eden. “Come on – before he blows a gasket.”

The rest of the group were already there; Lindsay was clutching a laminated map and scowling: “Finally!” She thrust the map out for them to see. “We’re meant to be charting our route – planning stops and that.”

This was a bit of a redundant exercise, as the map indicated that there was only one real route that was practical. The one that would lead them through the national park forest, down into the gorge, along the river, then the steep upward climb onto the cliffs, culminating in their cliff jump into the loch. This would be where they would meet the other Scout leaders, who would transport them back to the campsite. There were 14 of them altogether, including Archie and Jay, who were using this expedition as part of their Adult Leadership qualification. Lindsay saw Jack’s cling filmed bag and rolled her eyes.

Eden was still lingering towards the back of the group, he still felt a little wobbly but was trying his best not to think about the tricky bits still to come. Luckily Jack was oblivious to his panic, and began to chat inanely about how high they would have to climb, and how much he hated outdoor activities.

“You’re kind of in the wrong hobby if you hate the outdoors stuff,” Eden pointed out.

“No,” Jack answered firmly, “I hate the outdoors, I don’t hate the people I’m outdoors with.”

“Aw, Jack,” Lindsay commented, “that’s possibly the nicest thing you’ve ever said about us!” Lindsay punched Jack’s shoulder mock affectionately.

“Shut up,” Jack replied quickly, rolling his eyes, but his cheeks went a little pink all the same. “I tolerate you all.” He was trying to make it sound witty, but the rest of them knew him well enough to know that he actually meant it.

The rest of the expedition group had taken the lead, they had Ewan – who was always eager to be at the front. Jude, Blake, Jack, Lindsay and Eden just followed in their wake. Very slowly, the major panic that Eden had been fighting ebbed away – as they crossed the moor and headed into the woods which heralded the entrance to the national park that they would be traversing through. They fell into conversation about school, about the teachers who were the worst, and about the exams that were creeping up on them. Soon enough they were all warm and sticky – their waterproofs would be necessary for the gorge walk, but right now, on dry land, they were causing them all to be swelteringly hot.

“I’ll be glad when we can get these off,” Jude tugged at the sleeve of his jacket; his face was flushed from the heat.

“You’ll be glad of them when we get in the water,” Lindsay laughed. They were getting deeper into the thick of the woods, where the canopy almost shaded out all light, and every step produced a crunch or crackle from foliage underfoot.

“I’m sure,” Jude muttered, wiping away a sheen of sweat that was sticking to his face.

They trekked on; stopping about an hour later in a small clearing to have a snack and hydrate. Jack found an interesting clump of mushrooms that were growing out of the side of a tree. Eventually Lindsay had to drag him away so they wouldn’t fall too far behind from the rest of the group.

“I’m sure I can hear water,” Jack announced for the umpteenth time.

“Maybe you’re imagining it,” Lindsay suggested, sounding exasperated. “Like all the other times.”

“Nope, I definitely hear it,” Jack raced off ahead, showing a burst of speed that was rather unexpected.

“If it keeps him going,” Blake laughed. They could see Jack off in the distance leaning against a large tree. As they got closer, they could hear the steady rushing of water.

“Seems he was right this time,” Lindsay admitted as they approached him.

“Told you!” Jack grinned, throwing his arm out to indicate the source of the water. Jack was on the edge of a precipice which fell down to reveal a fast moving river.

“Jack! Move back from the edge, you idiot!” Blake called, as Jack used the tree to lean down towards the edge.

“It’s fine!” Jack intoned, kicking a twig over the edge and watching as it fell down towards the water. For a second he appeared to overbalance and Blake gasped as Jack teetered on the edge; then he straightened up and laughed. “Got you!’

“One day I’m gonna kill you!” Blake said angrily, grabbing one of Jack’s arms and dragging him away. “If you don’t manage it yourself!”

“Chill…” Jack motioned taking a deep breath in through his nose; Blake punched his arm in response. “Ow!” Jack clutched his arm.

“You deserved it,” Blake stated firmly.

“So we’ve located the gorge,” Jude brought the conversation back to the matter at hand, “but how do we get to it?”

“Along there,” Lindsay pointed over to the right, “I can see the others – there must be a way down.”

The water had seemed fast moving from up at their vantage point, but it was even faster when they were on the bank next to it. The rest of the group were already there, waiting for them to catch up; their map out so they could double check their progress and the intended route.

“We’re at this point here,” Carys pointed to the spot on the map, “so if we enter the river here we’ve got about a mile and a half to go upstream before we reach the exit point ahead of the loch.”

“A mile and a half?” Jude asked, looking at his own copy of the map. “That’s a long way to go in the water…”

“Isn’t there a point further upstream that we can enter at?” Lindsay questioned, running her finger along the blue line on the map. “It’d be easier to walk more on foot rather than on the water.”

“There’s no other suitable access points to the water,” AJ explained. “It’s this, or we don’t finish.”

“Great…” Lindsay sighed, resigned.

“We were thinking we should stop here and eat before we go into the water,” Carys suggested. “It’s not like we’ll be able to stop once we’re in the water.”

“You don’t say,” Jack murmured and received a swift slap to his arm from Lindsay.

Eden was picking at the edge of his sandwich, pulling the crust away from the rest of the bread. His mouth felt dry, and he struggled to swallow down even the smallest mouthful. He was beginning to feel anxious again – that sensation rising up in his chest. He likened it to being submerged into water, which he soon would be.

“You okay?” Jude asked, he’d been watching Eden pick apart his food for the past five minutes.

“Yeah,” Eden lied, “just not looking forward to the cold.” He nodded to the water, a relentless reminder of what was to come. He dropped a piece of the sandwich into the dirt at his feet.

“I know,” Jude said, “but you’d be better eating that than disassembling it.” Eden looked down at the crumbs and bits that had fallen to the ground. “You might need it to weigh you down!” Eden might be taller than Jude, but Jude’s frame might give him an advantage when facing fast flowing water.

As soon as they finished eating, the checking began – making sure that the water wouldn’t make it through their clothing and into their bags. Once they’d checked and double checked, they all stood staring at the water- as though waiting for it to rear up and swallow them. None of them wanted to be the first in the water.

“Fuck it,” Jack eventually said and, without any warning, he launched himself forwards into the water. It came midway up his thighs; and he wobbled as he tried to find a secure footing. “Come on, it’s not that bad.” Jack called as he took a few steps, the water moving further up his body.

“If he can do it…” Lindsay muttered, then jumped in; she shrieked. “It’s bloody Baltic!”

“Well, if I’d led with that, you’d never come in,” Jack told her.

“You bastard!’ Lindsay called, but Jack simply grinned.

“I know, but you love me for it!”

Wading through the water was tough. It felt like for every ten steps forwards they took, the current was pushing them back five. And while their waterproof clothing kept the water from seeping in through their clothes, they could still feel the cold and the pressure of the water around them. Before long, they were all quiet, speaking mainly to tell each other of an unstable area underfoot, as the concentration needed to stay upright and moving forward took all of their effort.

“We have to be nearly there now,” AJ called back, after what had felt like an age.

“Is that the climb to the cliffs up there?” Lindsay pointed; now they were looking at it, it did look like the sloping rise which led towards higher ground – away from the water.

“It better be!” Jack grumbled; he hadn’t anticipated how tough gorge walking would be.

“We’re nearly there, then,” Jude encouraged. Eden was so cold that he felt certain his feet would be blue, but he kept them moving forward. Only a bit further.

Jack flopped down onto the stone dramatically, his chest rising and falling rapidly. It turned out getting out of the river was more tricky than getting into it, especially as the smooth grey rock became slippy with the water dripping from each person. The forest had thinned considerably, and uneven, rocky ground replaced it; ahead was a winding area which led up to the cliffs.

“I propose we have a chill here for a bit,” Jack suggested, sticking his hand directly up into the air.

“Seconded!” Blake and Lindsay spoke simultaneously; everyone laughed.

“We’re in good time,” Archie told them, consulting his watch. “I think it’s time to break out the mint cake.” This was somewhat of another tradition on expeditions – the high sugar snack would give them another energy boost.

They all sat, leaving damp splodges from their waterproofs, munching into the sweet mint bar. Lindsay had her laminated map out again, tracing the line of what was left of their route.

“It’s a bit treacherous,” she was telling Jack, “but mainly because of the valleys and ditches until we make it to the cliffs.”

Lindsay had used the correct word – treacherous. As they began to pick their way along and up, to their goal. The surrounding landscape contained rocky scrambles, where they needed to use their hands to help them; there were areas of sheer drops which led into deep valleys. They had to be continuously aware of where they were putting their feet, some of the rocks wobbled and before too long they were dripping with sweat again.

“This is worse than the water!” Jack groaned, and Eden privately agreed with him; his heart was pounding at the effort and he could feel the sweat running down his back.

“Some of these are pretty steep drops,” Jude commented, as they passed yet another grooved valley that cut along through the stone. “How d’you think they were made?”

“Water,” Blake replied promptly; they all stared at him. “I thought the geography was unusual – so I did a bit of research. It’s all about water and pressure.”

“Huh…” Jude hadn’t expected that.

They were all beginning to feel tired again, the sugar boost beginning to dip, and more and more they found themselves trudging along in silence. They were on the final stretch; Lindsay said they should be finished in about an hour. Eden couldn’t wait. His feet were aching, and he was fairly sure he’d have a whean of new blisters; his back felt tight and stiff from carrying the rucksack. What felt better was his brain – he didn’t feel anxious anymore, and he almost felt ridiculous for panicking. It was always the way – Jude had been right. Eden should probably tell him that; he had been the one to help him regulate out of it.

“That part is wobbly, watch out!” AJ called back to the group at the back. That was enough for Jack, he raced up to the place where AJ had warned them about.

“Jack – don’t be an idiot!” Lindsay intoned as he stood precariously, leaning back and forth to test it out.

‘That’s like asking a fish not to swim,” Blake sighed. “One of these days he’s gonna do some real damage.”

“Nah,” Jude laughed, catching up to where Jack was jumping now, “what’s the harm in being interested in things? Curiosity is a good thing!”

“As long as it doesn’t kill the cat,” Lindsay commented, shaking her head.

“Come on,” Blake said, “we’d better catch up.”

“Fine,” Jack said, jumping quite spectacularly off the wobbly rock just as Jude went to step forward.

Jude’s foot didn’t make solid connection with the rock that Jack had leapt from and he slipped. Instead of going straight down, he went sideways – his foot turning as he slid down to the edge of the rock and into the deep crevice. Jack was the only one who seemed able to react, he lunged forward, trying to grab at Jude’s arm but missed. Eden’s heart stopped as he heard Jude’s nails scratch on the rock, then there was a thump. It couldn’t have been more than a second, but the world seemed to stand still.

“Archie!” Jack’s voice broke the moment. “Jay!” He was loud and panicked.

“Jude!” Eden’s heart was thudding in his mouth; he ran forwards and Jack seized Eden’s upper arm.

“Don’t you fall too!” Jack gripped tighter as Eden leant forwards to try and see where Jude had ended up.

“We need to get down to him!” Eden shouted; he could only see part of the way down – it was a drop of more than fifteen feet to the bottom. “Jude?”

“Archie!” Jack cried again, trying to attract the attention of the leaders who had continued on.

“Jack, Lindsay – you go, catch up with the rest,” Blake ordered, “get them back here – get them ready to call for help.”

“But-” Lindsay began, but Blake held his hand up.

“Lindsay, you’re faster; Jack, you’re louder,” he justified. “Eden and I will try to find a way down to Jude.”

“Okay,” she agreed. Eden had already started going back the way they had come, following along the edge of the crevice.

“Jude?” Eden shouted, “Jude – if you can hear us, please shout!” Eden’s voice wobbled, the lack of response was making this even worse.

“There has to be a way down,” Blake was racing alongside Eden.

“If I have to abseil down, then I will,” Eden said quickly.

“It won’t come to that,” Blake answered firmly.

“Jude!” Eden called. “Jude! Jude – fucking answer me!” They scrambled along, trying to locate an area which might allow them access down towards the valley. Blake was the one who spotted a slope, he grabbed Eden and pointed.

“If we go down as though we’re sledging, that might be a way down,” he suggested, but he’d barely got the words out before Eden was scrambling down onto the slope. It was steep, and they found themselves sliding down a bit at a time. Their waterproofs were catching on twigs and foliage, garnering mud as they progressed downwards. Eden felt sick; Jude had to be alright – he had to be. The bottom of the ditch was damp and squelchy underfoot as they reached the base. The sides of the crevice were uneven: there were moments when Eden could have laid down flat and not touched either side of the rocks; and other sections where his shoulders could brush both walls at the same time. Several times he stumbled, the ground was covered in rocks, sticks and branches.

“Jude?” Every few steps Eden called out, hoping that he’d hear Jude’s voice calling back, and every time nothing came back the fear gripped tighter. “Jude!”

“Eden,” Blake grasped at Eden’s shoulders. “Breathe…”

“I’ll breathe when we’ve got him!” Eden yelled fiercely.

“Eden?” The voice was quiet but distinct.

“Jude?!” Eden thundered forward and Jude came into view. He was lying awkwardly on the slope and Eden crashed to the ground next to him. “Jude…”

Jude’s face was white, except from the stream of blood running down from his left temple. His teeth were chattering as though he was freezing cold.

“Jude, you’re bleeding,” Eden gently brushed Jude’s fringe away from his eyes, some of the strands were sticky with blood.

“Eden…” Blake’s voice was strangled, Eden glanced up at him. Blake’s eyes were wide and Eden followed his gaze; the intake of breath was involuntary. Eden’s stomach lurched as he saw the large stain of blood that was spreading across Jude’s waterproof trousers; and he could see white poking through the tear in the fabric. “Is that… bone?” Blake muttered queasily.

“Oh shit,” Eden breathed, it was the bone from Jude’s thigh, visible as it had broken through his skin and trousers.

“It hurts,” Jude’s teeth were gritted and tears were leaking from his eyes. “It really fucking hurts.”

“It’ll be okay,” Eden ripped the waterproof covering from his bag. “We need to find something to stop the bleeding.”

“Applying pressure?” Blake suggested, trying to recall the first aid training they had received at Scouts – somehow the scenarios and practices they had done in the church hall felt woefully inept now.

“Not with an open fracture,” Eden shook his head, “we need something to tie around his leg to slow down the bleeding.”

“Here,” Blake rummaged through his bag and produced a belt, “will this work?”

“Absolutely,” Eden grabbed it, “help me slip it under.” Eden quickly found Jude’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “It’s gonna be okay Jude, we sent Jack and Lindsay to get help, but we need to tighten this around your leg.”

“How bad is it?” Jude’s voice was weak; there was sweat dripping from his face.

“It’s-” Eden paused, he didn’t know how much to tell Jude – it was pretty gnarly. “Your leg’s definitely broken.”

“Thought so…” Jude’s hand fumbled, trying to run it towards his wound, but Blake reached out and caught his hand.

“Don’t,” he warned, “you’re bleeding – best not to stick your hand in it.”

“Is there anywhere else that hurts?” Eden asked, trying to wedge the belt underneath Jude’s leg.

“My – my head,” Jude mumbled, “and my side a bit.” Eden looked up at Blake as he slotted the strap of the belt through the buckle.

“Deep breath, Jude,” Blake said, gripping on to Jude’s hand as he gave a small nod to Eden. Eden pulled the belt tight in one swift movement.

“Aaargh!” Jude yelped, the small bit of colour drained from his face and he panted heavily. “Fuck!”

“I know, sorry!” Eden apologised as he secured the end of the belt.

“Eden? Blake?” Jay’s voice called from somewhere above them.

“We’re down here!” Blake shouted back; they all looked up but couldn’t spot where they were.

“How is Jude?”

“Not great!” Blake replied, he glanced at Eden before continuing. “He’s broken his leg – we’ve tied a belt round it to slow down the bleeding, and he’s cut his head.”

“Archie’s trying to find a way down to you – he’s got the first aid kit,” Jay told them. “Is he conscious?”

“Yes,” Eden answered, “but we’re gonna need an ambulance!”

“Keep him talking,” Jay said, “I’m already on the phone for help.”

“Great, thanks,” Blake yelled. Jude was still breathing heavily and his teeth were chattering.

“Jude,” Eden moved another sticky strand of blood away from his face. “You’re gonna be alright – help is coming.”

“Ede, I think – you were right…” He forced out, but Eden shook his head.

“No, Jude,” Eden muttered, “it’ll be fine – just… just…”

“It really – really hurts,” Jude repeated, closing his eyes as more tears leaked out.

“I think you’re going in to shock…” Eden began to unzip his jacket. “We need to keep you warm.” Blake followed Eden’s lead, pulling his arms out.

“No – I-” Jude made a choking noise, and there was a gurgling sound before a spurt of liquid sprayed from Jude’s lips.

“Shit!” Eden exclaimed. “Blake, help me roll him!”

“But-” Blake started.

“He’s throwing up!” Eden explained, putting his hand at Jude’s neck to support him. Blake grabbed Jude’s side, and the two of them tried to roll him as smoothly as they could.

“Aaagghh-hhuuurrrllkkh!” Jude screamed out as pain ripped through him as he was rolled onto his side; a spray of liquid poured onto the ground and Jude coughed raggedly. “H’kgguuurrgllle!” Eden could feel Jude’s body tensing as another wave of sick poured from Jude’s mouth.

“Okay, you’re okay,” Eden gently rubbed at the portion of Jude’s back that he could reach.

“H’kgguuurrrkkkk!” Jude spat out the excess spit from his mouth, precipitating another wave of sick.

“Jay!’ Eden shouted. “Jay – he’s being sick!”

“Turn him so he doesn’t choke!” Jay called back.

“Yeah, we have,” Eden replied, wincing as Jude continued to retch and heave.

“They’re sending a helicopter!” Jay yelled. “They’re on their way!”

“You hear that Jude?” Eden told him. “You’re gonna get a helicopter ride.” Jude was still coughing, the puddle of sick had grown and Blake was looking nervous. “It’s gonna be okay…” Eden wasn’t sure whether he was trying to reassure Jude or himself.

“Blake? Eden?” Archie’s voice came from behind them. “I’ve got the first aid kit. How is he?” His eyes ranged over them as they still propped Jude on his side. “Shit.”

“Yeah,” Blake agreed.

“D’you think we can roll you back now Jude?” Eden asked; Jude was breathing hard but he hadn’t been sick for a few minutes.

“Yeah,” Jude’s voice was thin and he groaned pitifully as Blake and Eden slowly lowered him back down.

“Here,” Archie was pulling a reflective blanket from the first aid kit; the three of them gently laid it on top of Jude. “Help’s on the way. You’ve done a super job.” He looked at Eden and Blake seriously.

“What else could we do?” Eden said; he had found Jude’s hand again and was holding tight.

From somewhere overhead, the sound of a helicopter became audible, and Eden felt a wave of relief to know that help was definitely coming – and soon.

“Hear that?” Eden said to Jude, squeezing his hand again. Eden felt shaky, even as he reassured Jude; at least the sound of the helicopter meant help was nearly there. Jude’s face had drained of even more colour, he was ashen and trembling all over. Archie was slowly trying to feed Jude some of the sugar sachets from the first aid kit; attempting to stave off full blown shock from the blood loss.

“Eden?” Jude’s voice was faint and it was tricky to make out his words because of the way his teeth were chattering.

“Yeah?” Eden moved closer in so he could hear better.

“I need you to,” he paused; the noise of the whirring helicopter blades becoming much louder, “to tell my folks…”

“Jude, stop,” Eden commanded sharply, “you’re going to be just fine – listen, they’re nearly here to get you.”

“Look!” Blake called out at that moment, Eden followed where Blake was pointing and saw the helicopter directly above them. From its side, there was a red suited person descending on a rope; they came down slowly, using the sides of the crevice to abseil down. The moment he touched down at the bottom, he unhooked the caribeener and the rope drew up again.

“I’m Will,” he spoke loudly, to be heard over the helicopter, he knelt next to Jude, deftly avoiding the puddle of sick. “What’s your name?”

“Jude?” Jude struggled.

“What’s happened here then?” Will asked, surveying the full length of Jude.

“Slipped…” Jude muttered.

“We were up there,” Eden explained, pointing to the top of the crevice. “He slipped and fell down.”

“I’m just going to move this blanket to get a better look at you,” Will pulled the reflective blanket aside, inspecting the bloody break at Jude’s thigh. “You’ve banged yourself up real good Jude – let’s get some painkillers into you, make you feel a bit better.” He began to pull things out of his bag; then pressed a button on his radio. “Ethan, bring the board and leg splint with you.” He searched for a vein on Jude’s hand before warning him. “Sharp scratch Jude.” Jude barely flinched as the needle entered his skin. “You should feel a bit better very soon. I have to say, your friends have done a great job of looking after you.”

“We don’t know if he lost consciousness,” Eden blurted, “it took us a while to get to him.”

“When did he vomit?” Will questioned; another paramedic was descending, bringing a board down with him.

“Not long after we got down,” Blake explained, “we rolled him, Eden supported his head, I did his legs.”

“Excellent,” Will nodded, “you did the right thing.” The other paramedic was detaching the board from the rope. “Right Jude – are you feeling a bit more comfortable now?” Jude nodded, his teeth had stopped chattering. “We’re going to secure your leg and load you on to the board so we can get you onto the chopper.”

“Can – can Eden come?” Jude asked, as the paramedic called Ethan began to prepare the leg splint.

“Sorry mate – only room for you I’m afraid,” Will explained.

“We’ll get to you,” Eden told him. “We’ll get straight to the van and come. Which hospital are you taking him to?”

“Sick kids in Edinburgh,” Ethan said, “I think Jude will probably need an operation on that leg. Okay, Jude, you might feel some discomfort as this inflate, but it’ll keep it secure.”

“Okay,” Jude said; the splint took up his whole left leg. Eden was still gripping Jude’s hand and gave it an extra tight squeeze.

“It’ll be alright,” Eden promised. “I’ll – I’ll call your mum.”

“No!” Jude spoke emphatically.

“Would you rather the hospital phoned them?” Eden asked. “Or me?”

“You,” Jude whispered.

“Then I will,” Eden promised.

“Right Jude, you’re going to have to let Eden go so we can load you onto the board,” Will said; Eden gave a final squeeze and let Jude’s hand go. Blake took hold of Eden’s shoulders and gently pulled him back; he didn’t let go as they loaded Jude onto the board and began to secure the clips to lift him up to the helicopter.

“I’m going to come up with you, get you in and secured,” Ethan was telling Jude.

“I’ll see you at the hospital!” Eden called to Jude as they began to be hoisted up.

“You’d better!” Jude’s voice came back.

As the hoist took Jude and Ethan upwards, Will turned to Eden, Blake and Archie:

“Now, you all be careful getting out of here,” he warned. “We don’t want to be coming back for another of you.”

“We will,” Archie answered solemnly.

“And I’d advise you all to have something sweet,” he continued. “You’ve all had a shock too.”

“Thank you,” Eden said; the rope had descended again and Will was attaching himself up to it.

“We’ll look after him,” Will answered, before pressing a button on his radio and he, too, was hoisted upwards. The three boys watched as he reached the helicopter and after he disappeared inside, the helicopter started to move away.

They waited as the sound of the helicopter faded away. Eden suddenly felt rather cold without his jacket and he felt as though all of the energy that had surged through him was draining out of his feet into the damp ground. He hadn’t realised how much his knees were trembling and he put his hand out to steady himself against the rock of the crevice.

“We should get back up,” Archie broke the silence, “we need to get to the van.”

“I need to phone Jude’s mum…” Eden muttered, feeling a little numb.

“I think Jay might have already done that,” Archie told him. “but we can find out when we get up.” He’d started to make his way to the slope that they’d come down. Eden didn’t move – or couldn’t. Everything that had happened swirling around him.

“Eden?” Blake put his hand on Eden’s shoulder; but Eden barely noticed. His chest was feeling tight again and he’d leant further into the rock.

“Hmmmmbbbllleeuuuchh!!” Eden hadn’t even realised his stomach had revolted until it had burst from his mouth. He coughed harshly, heaving over and over until there was nothing left inside him.

“Eden – Eden,” Blake’s voice was repeating his name, then he held a bottle close to his lips. “Take a drink.” It took Eden a few moments to be able to respond; eventually he managed to clasp a shaking hand around the bottle and forced a sip down. “It’ll be okay. Jude’s going to be okay.” Eden looked up at Blake, who was peering anxiously at him.

“I-” Eden couldn’t get any words out.

“You did the right thing, you helped Jude, and he’s gonna be alright,” Blake reassured. “Take a deep breath.” Eden managed to take some deep breaths and felt slightly less shaky.

“I just-“ Eden whispered, then shook his head.

“I know,” Blake nodded. “All we can do now is get to the van and go see him.”

“Yeah,” Eden agreed.

“You just – take your time,” he assured, “and we’ll go when you’re ready.”

“I just want to get out of here,” Eden mumbled.

“Okay, come on,” Blake wrapped his hand around Eden’s wrist and gently led him towards the slope to get out of the crevice.

“We’re going straight to Jude, yeah?” Eden asked Archie as they had to use their hands to get out of the steep slope.

“Yes, as soon as we get to the van, we’ll head to the hospital,” Archie said.

“Good,” Eden said. “He better bloody be alright.”