Chapter 82: Of Kind Enemies and Fake Friends
When Raylee looked down, she was relieved to see Shanice beneath the large tree. Shanice lay still, eyes closed tight, her mouth moving slightly as if trying to call for help, but unable to make a sound. Raylee knew she couldn't waste time. Despite the searing pain, she slowly crawled toward the tree's base. The tree was tall, and her injuries were severe. An ordinary person would have succumbed, but Raylee, having endured four years of prison torment, was not easily broken. These injuries were insignificant compared to her prison ordeal.
About ten minutes later, Raylee reached the ground. She immediately went to Shanice, gently patting her face. "Wake up. You need to wake up." Shanice didn't stir, so Raylee began to tend to her bleeding. Shanice appeared to have broken her leg, and a stone had pierced her elbow, causing continuous bleeding.
Just as Raylee was about to use Shanice's sun-protective clothing to stop the bleeding, Shanice awoke, shrieking, "What are you doing?"
"Stopping your bleeding," Raylee said, instantly tearing a piece of cloth and tying it around Shanice's arm. Shanice hissed in pain. "It hurts so much! Are you trying to kill me?"
Raylee furrowed her brows. "Pain? That's nothing. We fell off a cliff, remember? We're lucky to be alive. And you're accusing me? It's like a dog biting the hand that feeds it!"
"You think you're a good person? Give me a break! Just stay away from me," Shanice scoffed.
"Your wound is bleeding," Raylee warned. "If we don't stop it, you'll bleed out."
"I don't care!" Shanice spat.
Raylee, having developed considerable patience during her imprisonment, chose not to argue. Even minor issues couldn't provoke her. She focused solely on stopping Shanice's bleeding. Her prison experience had made her adept at stanching blood loss, even without medical training.
By the time the bleeding stopped, Shanice's face was pale with pain. She glared at Raylee with a venomous look.
"We aren't mortal enemies, are we?" Raylee asked. "Despite our constant clashes, have you ever considered if we actually did anything truly horrendous to each other? Our personalities clashed; we seemed incompatible."
After a moment, Shanice found herself agreeing. Their disputes always stemmed from minor issues.
"Didn't you just stop my bleeding? Why are you acting like you know everything?" Shanice mumbled dismissively.
"I know you broke your leg, but did you hurt your head? Are you suffering from amnesia?" Raylee asked, somewhat annoyed. "At the cliff's edge, you grabbed Waverly, but she pushed you away! I tried to catch you, but I couldn't hold on. I fell with you!"
Shanice's pale face froze in shock. "You're lying! Waverly and I are best friends, how could she not save me? No, it can't be!" Her voice trailed off.
Shanice recalled the moment at the cliff's edge. Raylee hadn't lied; Waverly hadn't just failed to save her, she'd pushed her! The realization fueled her anger and disgust toward Waverly. Pain and anger consumed her. With intense loathing, Shanice gritted out, "Why? I treated her like a sister, why would she do this to me?"
Raylee sighed in relief. "This is what you call a fake friend—one who can't withstand hardship, especially life-or-death situations. Why would a selfish person risk their life for you?"
Shanice's angry gaze shifted back to Raylee. "Why did you save me then? What's your agenda?"
"I saved you out of conscience. It proves I'm inherently kind," Raylee said.
"You? Kind? That's a joke!"
"Fine. I'm not kind. I'm not a good person. I should just leave, right?" Raylee struggled to her feet.
Seeing Raylee's own numerous scratches and wounds, Shanice was reminded that Raylee had fallen with her and was also injured. Despite her injuries, Raylee had stopped Shanice's bleeding. A wave of guilt washed over Shanice. "Don't leave!" she cried. "If you go, I'm dead meat!"