Chapter 16: The New Outfit

Pamela was upright for the first time since she was pushed into the well. Almost five months. Two wooden crutches were supporting her. Despite that, she wasn't confident at all. She cautiously took a step. David, who was standing just behind her, said something encouraging. She tried to concentrate on the crutching. When she put weight on her bandaged left foot, she winced and lifted it off the floor again.

"What?" David asked.

"It hurts."

"Can't you put weight on it?"

"It hurts," she repeated.

Pamela hopped ahead. David followed her.

"I feel soreness in my pelvis too," she said.

"Do you want to go to bed," David asked.

"No. I want to exercise some more. It's so exiting! I am walking for the first time since..."

Pamela crutched to the window. Her useless left foot was hanging above the floor. A couple of times, she just touched the floor with the tips of her toes. David was watching her movements closely.

"David, there is something wrong with my left foot, right?"

"It was severely injured, Pam."

"It should have healed already, I thought."

"Pam, it is difficult to predict..."

"My foot looks completely normal. There aren't any swellings or deformities, but I cannot put weight on it. It hurts like hell. Why, Dave?"

"Pam, the human foot has very complicated structure. 26 little bones, nerves, tendons..."

"What are you trying to tell me?" Pamela asked irritably.

"You should undergo an operation."

"Oh, no! I can't bare it anymore. I don't want. You promised..."

"Pam, calm down, please."

She threw one of the crutches at him and started to cry bitterly.