Thorn in the West
Copyright© 2025 by Heel
Chapter 6: A Lesson in Balance
Mika Thorn stood stiffly, her spine a constant scream of agony, each movement jerky and unnatural, like a marionette with frayed strings. The desert stretched endlessly before her, sun burning overhead, her revolver still clutched in her right hand, her left shoulder and lower back reminding her with every step of the teacher’s cunning.
Before she could take another staggered step, he appeared again, calm as always, stepping lightly over rocks and dust, his shadow falling over her like a cool promise in the relentless sun.
“Ah,” he said softly, his voice carrying that same teasing lilt, “still upright. I must admit, I didn’t think you’d last this long without keeling over entirely.”
Mika opened her mouth to snap at him, but the pain in her lower back made her words choke in her throat. She swayed, almost tipping forward.
“Stand still,” he said, taking careful, deliberate steps closer. Before she could protest, he reached under her arms, placing hands lightly but firmly beneath her armpits.
“Now, relax. I promise I won’t shoot,” he added with a dry smirk, and with gentle tugs, shifting her torso and lifting some of the weight off her lower back, the sharp agony dulling just enough to let her breathe more freely.
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