499: PUSHING THROUGH THE PAIN

LUKE'S POV I sat there, closing my eyes, and then I opened them to look at Ariel. It was so sad to see her in this condition. The sight of Ariel's motionless form filled me with a mixture of anguish and rage. Her face was pale, her skin cold to the touch. Blood soaked the bandage on her shoulder, a crimson stain seeping through the fabric. I pressed my hand against her chest, feeling for a heartbeat. It was there, faint but steady. A sob caught in my throat. She was still alive, but for how much longer? I knew I had to keep going and find a way to get her to safety. But where? The woods stretched out around me, endless and foreboding. Ariel began to cough, so I set my eyes on her. Her cough was really serious, with blood coming out, but her eyes were still closed. The cough shook Ariel's body, causing her chest to heave as she struggled to breathe. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, adding to the crimson stains on the bandage. "Ariel," I whispered, pressing my hand aga