strokinit Chapter 92 The Unshakeable - Part 2
Chapter 92 The Unshakeable - Part 2
Chapter 92 The Unshakeable - Part 2
Back then, a whole log sled full of wood didn't trouble him. He could walk for hours with it trailing along behind him without noticing. But now he was sure that he wouldn't be able to pull a full one, especially not here, such a distance away from the worn-down trails.
He tested that half-full cart, not even sure if he could pull that. And indeed, as he sat behind the handle, he found it was a significant struggle to get it moving. With his one leg not able to push into the ground as hard as it should, breaking the inertia of the still cart required a considerable effort.
But he did manage.
"Mm..." He paused, considering his situation. He'd promised Nila's family two and a half sleds full of wood. He'd already delivered one of those. He could deliver this half full one too, and that would be progress. But it felt a little wasteful to him. At the very least, he thought he should at least fill it three-quarters full, and then do three-quarters again the next day, so that he could finish it off in just two trips.
That would be pushing his beaten body, Beam knew, but his impatience governed him strongly and even as his leg throbbed from merely standing, he briefly assured himself that it would be fine and proceeded to cut down some more trees, filling the cart three-quarters full.
And again, he sat behind the sled's handle, sucked in a deep breath and attempted to move it.
It didn't even budge. It seemed like it was glued to the ground.
It was difficult getting accustomed to the unfamiliar way of moving, but even the slightest lessening of the pain was of enormous benefit to him and he soon managed to get his way onto the beaten-down trail, where the ground was much more compact and less liable to sink.
He collapsed to the ground upon reaching it, his breath coming in ragged gasps and his leg throbbing. He lay on his back as he stretched the injured leg out in front of him, letting it relax so as to reduce the pain somewhat.
He saw that his scab had cracked once more and this time it was a thin trail of blood that leaked out, rather than that yellowish fluid that seemed to be part of the inflammation process. Beam guessed it was likely because the swelling had all but gone.
In his trousers with one leg cut off as he was, he realized that he'd have to make an effort to get his leg clean again before he delivered the wood, else he'd only be worrying Nila and her family.
Then, in a few days' time, once it stopped bleeding as often, he'd have to get a few new pairs of trousers from the marketplace to get him through winter.
Once his breath was recovered, he struggled back behind the handle of the sled and began the slow march back into town. It was certainly easier now, but it was far from easy. The constant throbbing pain required an endurance of the mind that was rare to come by, but still Beam pushed on, slowly but surely covering the long distance back towards the village.
What had taken him around an hour before now took him four hours. He'd left just after the sun had come up and now the sun was getting to past midday. Beam noted it as he left the forest, realizing that he'd have to be careful to make sure he got back before it got too dark.
He dragged his sled along the road from the forest, as people shot him glances, likely wondering why he was dressed so strangely, with half of one of his trousers' legs cut off. Then they'd see the wound on his leg and solve the riddle themselves before nodding and walking straight past him.