Blanck Painting

Lonely

The time passed without the opportunity to count the days. The terrible stormy day was far away like a dream, and the young girl adapted herself with the simple life on the wood house. The earth was fertil and perfect for having a calm and hassle free life, getting her to have food, water and enough utensils for her survival in those seven years of loneliness, She fed on what nature could provide and, with the help of many animals who simphatize with her, she could have more many things that she couldn't reach for herself. The squirrels bring the nuts from the darkest places of the forest, the wolfs bring the most fresh meat and, with both birds and deers, bring her the necessary wood and herbs for heating and recipes (food or treatments). The young woman, abandoned her previous life and, at the age of twenty-four, no longer bothered to remember that life, living the life she currently had with tranquility and peace.

The young woman thought she would never be forced to remember the moments when she lived in a civilization, but that spring, everything she tried to avoid, came to her and destroyed her calm and peaceful life.

***

Sitting with her back against the hard rock of the well, the young woman cut a thick piece of wood in a perfect sculpture of a bear when the sound of wheels made the stones of the never used road cream and the wet land released its wail. Her attentive ears made her abandon her work of art and move away near the wooden house, taking from the inside one a shootgun, that immediately loaded and prepared for the arrival of its unwanted visitors.

There were three travel wagons in terrible conditions, it was like they had a very long journey before they got there. The man seated in the front, with the reins of the horses in hand, looked exhausted. The three wagons arrived on her previous location in less than ten minutes, and the eyes of the man stopped on her.

-Young woman... - His voice was weak and dry, which awoke the most pious side of her. She relaxed a bit and ran to the well, pulling a bucket full of fresh water, and advanced to the man, who had slid from the cart to the floor.

-Drink. - She held the bucket out towards the man's trembling hands, but he refused.

-My friend... Tell me... Where is the most closer village? - The man was desperate and pointed the midde wagon. - He was shot... Need treatment and we have no way to operate him in the wagons... We haven't enough medications...

-Drink. - She said it again, this time in a demand. When the man grabbed the bucket and brought it to his lips, she smiled and turned to que central cart, walked over to it, and pulled the old and dirty curtain aside.

-He... - Indicated another man who walker away so that she could see the man who was unconscious. - He haven't moved in a while...

-I take care of him. - She afirmed. - You have here beside a well... Drink as much as you want and camp in the forest ahead... - She faced the man, who had left the moment she got into the cart, and rested the wounded on her shoulders. If I see you on my land, you'll thake more than a shot of pure lead...

She strapped the gun to her back and went back down to earth, dragging the burly man towards the house that was anxiously calling her, looking like the safest place with the arrival of the strangers. She heard footsteps right next to her and a man's still husky voice was heard, while the man's weight disappeared from his body.

-If it's not too much trouble... - The man arranged his friend in a comfortable transport position. - Could you tell me your name?

-Luísa... - She replied calmly, don't feeling any danger from that man. He was an incredibly tall man who came from the northern lands. His hair was a light brown tone, his skin was lighter than any skin that the young woman had seen in her entire life and his eyes were hazel brown. - And you?

-Gonçalo. - The man widened his steps further in order to be able to accompany Luísa, who, although small, was able to advance much faster than he. - Are you sure about this? A doctor wasn't more acceptable? I don't think that...

-You don't think I'm capable? I'm sorry to informe that I'm your only chance. By the time you reached the nearest doctor, he would be dead. - She informed, pointing to your left side. - When you reach the Historic Bridge, you turn north and at the third intersection turn to east... - She shrugged nonchalantly. - After more than two or three days you'll reach the next town... Although the fastest way is on foot through the woods ...It takes at least a day to get there…

-That's a long time... - He gritted his teeth and looked around as they entered the small and cozy wooden house. Are you alone in this place?

-Yup... From a long time... - Luísa pointed to a single bed and prepared all the material needed for surgery, despite her utensils udes mohemade tools, she had everything needed. - Point me all the injuries and what caused.

-He took a shot in the left leg, on in the belly and another in the left arm... - Stammered Gonçalo.

-The leg and the arm I leave for the end... The belly is the most important at the moment. - Luísa pull the table and put all the material next to the bed, where the man moaned with pain. - Why did he have to wake up now?

She went back to a cupboard from which she took some valerian leaves and started crushing them in a bowl, making her pacient ingest them.

-What is that?

-It won't hurt him... - Luisa shrugged. - He will only sleep like a duck for a few hours and won't be in pain.

-How much time?

-That depends on him. Now, it's necessary to finish the operation and he will recover.

-What do I need to do? - Asked Gonçalo, looking for all the blades and pointed objects that Luísa carried with her. - I want to help with something.

-Do you want to help? - Luísa jumped close to the door and opened it. - Go out and keep your people out of my garden.

-What?

-Ah... And one more thing. Do you have disinfectant?

-Yes...

-Go get it!

-I will go and come back in just one footstep.

Gonçalo left before that strict order and Luísa closed the door. She washed her hands very well and put them to work. Although the herbs had its effect, the man started to struggle again and Luísa found herself humming a song that made him relax. She only stopped singing when the door screamed and Gonçalo was at her side again with a glass bottle and a large cotton bag that made her eyes widen.

-Thanks.

-Will he survive? - He asked. Luísa realized his note of fear.

-He lost too much blood, you should have bruised his wounds with something... - She grunted despondently. If there was one thing she hated, it was watching someone die in front of her. - However... You arrived in time for me to save him. What's his name?

-Ricardo. - Gonçalo seemed to suffer tremendously at the thought of being too late.

-Ricardo. - She repeated, grasping a pair of scissors firmly and placing it on a lighted candle. - How did you found your way to here?

-We got lost... - The house saves the losts and needy. - As we did not remember the way to return, we had to continue... We were traveling for two days without knowing that the city was still too far away to reach it ...We still had some hope back there, as we arrived at a village, but it was totally deserted ... - He sat in one of the two chairs and clutched his head in his hands. He is stressed and worried too... - When I saw your house... I thought it was abandoned too and have a dazzle of hope comes to me... When I saw you... Oh... I was so relieved…

-You don't have to treat me so formally... I'm just an excommunicated… - Watched Luísa with disdain. And You came to a land abandoned by God... A land lost for centuries... Nothing and nobody can find you here...

-That is better than I could have predicted ... - Gonçalo observed visibly calmer. - And, can i know why you say you are excommunicated? Did you do something you shouldn't have? - Gonçalo looked at her confused. He's worried about me even saying I'm an excommunicated? - I didn't think there were still cities that isolated people like you. - After all, he sees me as I really look... A slave... In their lands, that's what we are.

-I decided to walk away on my own. - Luisa shook her head and bit her lower lip as she threaded a thin fishing line into a sterile needle.

-How did you do it? - The man's curiosity was already beginning to approach a limit that Luisa did not want to cross. - I don't see how you could escape your master and end up in these mountains ... Where are you from?

-I walked away because I wanted to! - She snarled. The way Luísa spoke startled Gonçalo who huddled in his chair. She had Ricardo's lif ein her hands and she realized that it was the only reason for him to not treat her badly at that moment. - E para sua informação, já sou livre há muito tempo... I was alone and I couldn't trust anyone but myself then, why remain among my enemies?

--That's true… - Gonçalo got up and left the house so that no more questions would come to him.

***

The hours passed without being able to do anything about the screams coming from inside the house. Ricardo seemed to be in complete agony and that was something that made everyone nervous and agitated. Gonçalo was pacing the garden and one of his companions had still tried his luck to calm him down, but it was not up to the head of the group that an ex-slave was operating one of his companions and friends. It was then that Luisa left the small house to wipe her hands on a bloody cloth.

-And then? Gonçalo moved towards her, too eager to see her as anything other than a doctor. - How's he doing?

-It was more complicated than I espected... - She watched. - The wounds was already inflamed and he was at terrible risk of death. I had to use special and personal means to treat him...

-What kind of means?

-Does not matter. At this moment, what you really need to know is that you can't touch him from the next twenty-four hours, what means, that you are prohibited from entering my house until tomorrow's lunch hour. - Luisa turned away from them, but a heavy hand fell on her shoulder.

-You will let me see him, or I will forget that you are human and I will treat you exactly as a slave deserves to be treated! - Snarled Gonçalo, who made Luísa look over her shoulder directly into his eyes. Luísa's dark eyes showed no feeling, but it made him shiver from hair to feet, something about her was dangerous.

-If I were you, I would think twice before touching me. - She threatened, which made Gonçalo try to keep her away from the door..

-You will let us in to see Ricardo immediately...

-Look at this one... - Luísa grabbed Gonçalo's wrist, turned under it and pressed it against his shoulder blade. Making him squirm for releasing his sprained arm but to no avail. Gonçalo had been surprised, above all, with the tremendous strength that Luísa possessed. She was much shorter and thinner than he was, how could she handle him so easily? - If you want your friend to survive, You will do exactly what I'm saying and put on thing in your ignorant chocho garlic head! I stopped being a slave a long time ago and I can kill you for invading my lands. And like I said before... Here, no one will search or found you, so you should be very careful with your actions! - She let him go and gone into the house. - And one more thing, the animals here are not food. If I see that is missing just one of my old friends, you can expect for your extintion.

-O... Ok. - Gonçalo stammered, while the door was closed in front of his dazed eyes, however, a woman passed him and knocked hard on the door. There was a growl and the door opened again.

-What did I jus...

-Thank you. Thank you so much! - The woman holds Luisa's hands tightly, looking thrilled, however, this contact made Luísa retreat in a feeling of threat. She forced a smile and looked at the woman.

-You don't need to thank me. - She observed with disdain. - I just didn't want anyone to die on my land.

-Even so, I'm very grateful. - The woman straightened up. Her honey-colored eyes irritated Luísa to the very core of her being. - My name is Angela and this little child is my son, João. - Luísa stared at the little boy who had a very opaque glow in his blue eyes. They lie... They don't stop lying... How dare they? Right in front of me...

­-João. - Luísa softened her smile and grabbed the child's small hand. - At least you can see your friend.

-Ricardo is João father. - Luísa looked back at Angela with eyes that gave her the creeps.

-I can believe on that... - She declared, seeming to cause a flush in the group. - I can't say he is your son even if i put your faces side by side.

-How cold. - Snarled Gonçalo, approaching Luísa and almost grabbing João's other hand that moved away from him.

-It's everything fine... - Observed the small child. - We are not much alike ... It is normal to make this type of observation.

-Then... Let's go?

-Yes..

The coldness in Luísa's voice slightly scared little João, who was just a child with six or seven years old. Despite this, her beauty had drawn the big eyes of the beautiful and small child as if it were a light in the dark. He wanted Luisa to see him as a friend and talk more gently, however, this sudden affection would ruin his idea of being in the presence of such a princess.

Luisa closed the door the moment they entered the house. After a brief discussion with Gonçalo, she allowed him to enter as well, except that she did not intend to take care of the two. She just sat on one of the two wooden chairs with her eyes fixed on the camp that formed in her garden. Every hole in the earth seemed to hurt his pride at having such a perfect lawn, and at that moment, even the life of his forest friends was ruined.

-Gonçalo! - Their companions call Gonçalo in a scream. - Come out and drink something with us!

Gonçalo released a heavy sigh and moved away from the house. He did not seem to be keen to party with his friends and that slightly intrigued Luísa. It seemed that his only and important friend was Ricardo and, although Gonçalo appeared to be liked by the group, he did not show that same desire. And what also made Luísa furious about the energy released in those people, was that they also had a great desire for death.

Luísa crossed her leg as she watched Gonçalo's entrance to the group that had formed around a large fire. They brought glasses full of some kind of liquid that she had never seen before, only that there was something that bothered her deeply. The reflection in the fire in the drinks exposed the yellowish liquid in the transparent glasses and the reflection of Gonçalo's drink had a different brightness from the others. The crossing of eyes was even more suspicious than the drink itself.

In a thoughtless leap, Luísa grabbed a cup of tea, opened the window and, as Gonçalo almost lifted the cup to his lips, threw it. The cup hit the glass with precision and the drink fell to the ground heavily, along with the sound of the glass breaking into tiny pieces. She closed the window again on the moment they all looked around, turned to the door and advanced across the lawn. The moment she found herself facing Gonçalo, she grabbed the cup and turned her back on them.

-What in the hell was that?!

-It sliped from my hand... - She murmured, which made the whole group look at each other arrogantly. - It happens...

-Do you have a notion of the distance from the window to here? - Scream another woman. - That's obvious that it was on purpose, not a simple slip of hand. Don't think we are idiots.

-I don't think you are idiots. - Luísa smiled, which makes everyone swallow hard. - Quite the contrary ... You are very smart. I only feel sorry for the poor soul that lives in ignorance among you, and fails to realize your true intentions.

-Ei... - Gonçalo jumped out of his place to follow Luísa, who was walking back home. - It was dangerous!

-They are more dangerous than a cup, trust me.

-That drink have something, right? - Gonçalo stopped and Luísa smile. - They... I had already notice... But I ignored that feeling...

-What feeling? That they want you death? - Luísa turned around so she could look him on the face. - You and your friend... You two are the only pure hearth in this evil group.

Luisa's stomach protested, not from hunger, from an enormous desire to vomit, due to the heavy eyes that fell on her at that moment. Coming from all the members of that group, except for Gonçalo and the two inside her house, she could feel a hunger for death and destruction. She turned her back on Gonçalo once more, and returned to the cozy interior of the house.

She sat down again by the window with her eyes on the objects and cargoes that the travelers brought with them. Her beautiful lawn, which had beautiful wildflowers and weeds, was destroyed. Covered in tents, foreign objects, old cloths, pieces of wood cut in a hurry, skinny farm animals and wagons so used that they could be compared to something really old. She was no longer used to seeing such things and it scared her more than slightly. This invasion of privacy only added to the young woman's discomfort, despite her authorization, she longed to regain her calm and trouble-free life.

She looked at little João who slept with half a body on the bed where Ricardo was recovering. Gonçalo entered and closed the door, sat on a table almost next to Luísa and maintained a long silence that reminded her of mourning. However, his leg trembled uncontrollably and its heel hit the wood at a breakneck pace and, with each beat, unnerved more and more Luísa, which made her get up and put on boiling water.

-How do you know? - Gonçalo's voice broke the silence and Luísa rolled her eyes in his direction. - That the drink was poisoned.

-It's something I learned many years ago ... Identifying poisons by the reflection in the glass. - Gonçalo's eyes widened.

-That's impossible!

-For the many of the people, yes. For me, no. I was forced to learn on a young age.

-You talk like you've lived much.

-I'm not a child anymore.

-Well, that's something that's causing me confusion. - Luísa turned and Gonçalo was right in front of her, grabbing a lock of his dark, long, fluffy hair. - How can someone so young and fragile survive in a place like this? And ... How do you know so much about medicine?