Chapter Two

The New Companion

The night died away; the blazing sun showed no mercy. Elrica was
unconscious, left to die. Days passed until she finally awoke and crawled above the pit, hoping, searching, for any sign of life. A beach exit had been cleared. Crawling towards it she found a run down road. "If only I could find some help." She told herself.
"Oh, but you can." Said a man behind her.
Spinning around she stared at the man before her.
"Who are you?" The man asked.
"Elrica" she stuttered out.
"You're hurt."
"It"s nothing..." she replied.
"You're bleeding.. are you sure you're alright""
"Yes.. I"m fine. Now go, before I shoot."
"I'm in no mood to be shot at, so first tell me why you're here and then I'll leave you be."
"I was wounded and left to die. I've told you, now go."
As the man watched Elrica he saw before him a wounded and lost soul.
"You look faint. At least allow me to escort you to the nearest hospital.”
“Why would you do that? You have no idea who I am. I could kill you right now if I wanted to.” She replied.
“I trust that if I don't help, you will die. You do not see it, but I do.”
Elrica tried to walk away from the man, but something inside told her to trust him.
“Fine. Don't expect me to be happy about this.” Elrica responded.
“Before we go, first tell me your name.”
“Matthew.” He responded.
As he replied he motioned for her to come to him. As she struggled towards him she fell onto the damp ground.
“I'm fine. Just help me up, please.”
Matthew bent down and helped her up.
“Here, lean on me. You won't get very far if you don't.”
Relentlessly she agreed.
They made their way to a bombed town. Hoping to find some medical assistance. The town consisted of rubble and half houses. The look of war was on each face. Everywhere you turned destruction followed you. There was no escape.
The two made their way to a church hospital crammed with wounded men and women.
“You may leave now, you've done what you said you would do.” Elrica told Matthew.
“I'll leave when I damn well please. Get in there and get some help. I'll check on you later.”
“Do what you will. All I care about is if I'll be able to walk again.”
And with that she limped into the church.
“How may I help you?” A nurse asked.
After relaying her story, Elrica was taken to a spare bed and was taken care of. The doctors obtained the bullets from within her leg and a passed out Elrica was left to rest. When she woke the doctors told her she would have a slight limp for awhile, maybe forever. But all in all, she would make it.
A few days later she found a letter laying on her bed. It read:

Dear Elrica
I am sorry I did not come to see you. I had some business to take care of. By the time you read this I will be gone. I hope all is well with you. Until we meet again,

Yours truly,
Matthew

She closed the letter and tucked it into her blouse.
She received word from an officer that after a month she would be transferred to a new company. Any able man or woman was needed. Remembering the last few weeks she thought of Jake and Matthew.
“I wonder how Jake and Matthew are. I owe them my life.” She thought to herself.
Over the next few weeks the stress and severeness of Elrica's injury resulted in a slow recovery.
Then one morning she was told to leave. The hospital was closing from lack of funding. A lost and lonely Elrica was about to began her journey to safety.