Maya

In tense silence, Mike tried to pull out the shaft of the arrow that had pierced Maya's back. Blood soaked his hands as he broke the tip of the arrow with white feathers. His muscles tensed, and even though he silently apologized for the pain he had caused, he remained focused on what he needed to accomplish. Slowly, Mike pushed the arrow deeper into her body before carefully pulling it out.

She endured the pain tenaciously, only her tense body indicating how painful the process was. When the arrow finally came out, blood ran down Mike's hand and he immediately tried to stop the bleeding. Maya stopped him with...