The Archer and the Flare

The man is shot by an arrow and retaliates with a flaregun, wounding the archer.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Ambush

The Attack The Whistling Arrow As they pass a house, an arrow whistles past and shatters against a wall. The man grabs the boy and falls, covering him. A second arrow hits the man's leg, causing a deep gash. The Flare Response The man snatches the flaregun from the cart and fires at the window. The flare rocketed into the room, setting the archer on fire. The man hears screaming. The Aftermath The man limps across the street into the house. He finds a woman covering the burning man. She curses him. The man leaves without further harm. His leg is bleeding badly.

Suturing the Wound

The Self-Treatment The First-Aid Kit They hide in a store building. The man pulls out the first-aid kit and pours water over the wound. He disinfects it and then threads a suture needle. He stitches the wound himself, telling the boy he doesn't have to watch. The Pain The boy asks if it hurts; the man says yes. He finishes the sutures and dresses the wound. The boy is scared but helps. The Next Day They stay in the building for two days. The man's leg is swollen, but he can walk. They leave the town, heading inland. The wound eventually heals, leaving a scar.

after leaving the coast, near a small town

later that day