Page 10 of Alora: The Portal (Alora 2)

Jireo shifted under the deadweight imprisoning him, desperate to release the excruciating broken wrist wedged beneath him. Leaving skin behind on the roof, he worked his arm out, finger-width by agonizing finger-width, until his hand broke free. The pain eased somewhat, settling into a strong throb. The body on his back blocked his vision, but he knew his wrist was broken, the bones wedged in some off-kilter position.

With his legs still dangling off the edge, he had no leverage to pull up on the roof, even if he were able to dislodge himself. His only choice was to wriggle free and fall to the ground. Having chosen his platform for its attribute as the highest roof near the square, he was unlikely to survive the fall without serious injury. Maybe I can roll when I hit the ground. Yet can I escape being crushed under this warrior’s body when we fall?

Even in his blazing pain, he almost laughed at the irony of the situation.

A screech and a thump on the roof above him caught his attention. He tried to peer around the warrior’s limp arm, which blocked most of his vision.

“Whoa! It’s slanted.”

“Careful. Do you have your balance?”

“Yes, but where is he? I see that dead guy, but where’s Jireo?”

“I don’t know. Here’s a broken arrow shaft.”

Is that Kaevin’s voice? Jireo tried to call out, but his lungs were constricted by the weight on his back. “Kaevin.” He knew the muffled whisper was too soft to hear.

“There’s a lot of blood here,” said Alora. “If we were home in Montana, we could take this blood to a lab, and they could tell us whose blood it was.”

“Really? That’s an amazing gift.”

“No, it’s not a gift. It’s science.”

“I hate science.”

“You only hate it because you’re trying to learn it all at once.”

I’m wedged under a dead warrior, with a broken wrist, about to fall off a roof while they quibble with one another. “Kaevin.” The sound was barely audible to his own ears, much less to his friends’ hearing. He would have screamed in frustration if he were able.

Jireo felt his body slipping further off the roof, and he swung his legs, searching for a purchase.

“Could he have fallen to the ground?” asked Alora.

“Perhaps, but why would your transport bring us here? Try again to bring him to us.”

“Okay, I did it,” said Alora, “but nothing happened. Why don’t you go check out that body? Maybe there’s a clue. I’ll wait here.”

“No, we agreed to stay together. It’s safer.” Kaevin’s tone was insistent.

“Please Kaevin, I don’t want to get any closer to a dead body. Anyway, it’s right by the edge.”

“If we fall you can transport us to safety, can you not?”

“Yes, if I’m really fast.”

“Then be prepared to be really fast.”

Jireo felt slow steps vib

rating the planks beneath him.

“Look,” said Kaevin. “Is that an arm sticking out from underneath the body?”

Jireo attempted to wiggle his fingers, but nothing would move beyond the broken wrist. He managed to shift his arm a tiny bit.

“I think Jireo’s under there.” Alora’s voice rose in excitement.

The arm obscuring his view shifted and Kaevin’s face appeared. “Jireo? Are you alive? Are you hurt?”