Stella blinked thrice and shook her head to fight the unconsciousness. By the time she had taken control of her whizzing, Den had already gone.
Stella half stumbled, half dragged herself to the first aid kit and opened it. She carefully cleaned and dressed her wounds just like she had seen Simon do many times, all the while fighting away the blackness that seemed so bent on taking over her.
Finally she was done as she clumsily put down the bandage in the box. Stella tried to get up and go to her room, but the blackness overtook her now that there was nothing she needed to stay awake for.
Stella fell with a thud on the wooden floor and lost consciousness.
Stella groggily opened her eyes and looked around. She was jerked awake at the unfamiliar environment and the hardness under her, but the next moment Stella remembered everything as she winced when she tried to move her leg.
Stella pulled herself up, weak and tired. The light coming in from the window was the silvery one of the moon, and Stella was sure that she had been unconscious for quite some time due to all the stiffness in her body. She looked at the hall clock, 3 o'clock. Stella dragged her body towards the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. She badly needed something to eat to replenish her strength.
Stella sighed as she saw the inside of the fridge. She took out a carton of milk and some bread. Stella downed the bread with milk straight from the carton before she felt herself well enough to walk with support.
She supported herself back to the living room, her wound in the leg aching with every step she took.
Stella finally reached the spot where she had dropped the groceries in the morning. She rummaged through them and found what she was looking for.
Stella dialled one of the only two numbers on it.
"What's wrong?" The phone connected at the second call and Simon's voice rung through it.
"Could you... Could you come over? I sustained some new injuries." Stella managed to get the words out.
Normally, Simon would have reproached her for not taking care of herself. But he knew something had to be terribly wrong. Stella was not the kind to ask for help if she could manage herself. "I'll be there in five minutes." He said and then the call disconnected.
Stella dropped the phone and pulled herself into a comfortable position, leaning on the wall. She did not have to wait long, she heard the front door just a little after five minutes later and Simon appeared, exclaiming about what had happened.
"Where are the new wounds?" He asked at once.
Stella pointed to her shoulder and then to her leg. Simon at once crouched on her shoulder, but Stella said, "This one's not that serious. Take care of that one first. A lot of blood was coming out of it." And sure enough, the bandage that Stella had tied was already soaked with blood.
Simon picked up Stella and took her to her room. He laid her down on the bed, before carefully removing the bandages on her leg.
Simon's eyes turned dark as he looked back at Stella's face, "Did he...did he.....?"