little cry of dismay realizing I was indeed wearing some sort of sweats. I could feel them up and down my legs. But, I hadn’t been wearing sweats. I lifted the blankets and peaked inside.
“These are not my clothes!” I squeaked. My voice was still low and weak yet the panic was clear. “Where are my clothes? Who-…Who took my clothes?”
“Relax ,” he said softly. He winced, and I could see alarm in his face, though, he appeared to be trying to calm me while trying to keep his own panic under control. He had a doomed look on his face, his voice remained calm and reassuring. “You’re clothes are in the dryer. They were very dirty and soaked, and you were alarmingly cold. So, we got you some new dry clothes to help warm you up.”
A mix of emotions went through me, embarrassment, confusion, distrust. Definitely lots of embarrassment.
“Who is we?” I asked suspiciously.
“Well, I guess I meant me and you. Though, I was the one who got the clothes for you,” he confessed in a tight voice full of discomfort.
I closed my eyes again, feeling tears begin to gather in the corners and threaten to spill over. I awkwardly turned away and focused on calming my breathing. It had started to hitch as the silent tears threatened. This was just too much. I couldn’t bear to see him or him to see me. Since I could not run or crawl under a rock in shame, my only defense was to close my eyes. I could not bear to look at him. It was as if all of the events of the day, and all of the pent up emotions and fear, were crashing in upon me. I was safe now. I don’t know how I knew, but I knew I was safe with this strange man. He’d done nothing but try to help me. And, if I wasn’t careful I would be blubbering all over him like some half crazed, hysterical female. My emotions were overwhelming and all over the place. What the hell was going on? My mind could not process all that had taken place since I’d left my house to this moment. Something that started out so pleasant and wonderful had turned into a nightmare. The only thing I wanted to do now was to take the comfort this perfect stranger could offer and dump the burden of my jumbled and exhausted emotions at his feet for him to deal with.
However , I was sure from the obvious discomfort and wariness I’d seen in him, that wasn’t a bright idea. I closed my eyes and practiced meditative breathing. I was bruised and battered. I wasn’t quite sure where I was. Every inch of me hurt, and I was stranded in a cabin with a man who seemed as terrified of me as I was of the situation. And, to top it all off, I was wearing someone else’s clothes. It was too much. For once I was thankful for exhaustion pulling me back into the peace of sleep.
Chapter 3
I woke once more in the night. I must have woke with a start which must have startled – what was his name? Jordan? He jolted bolt upright. He was just about to speak but I cut him off.
"They're here. Please don't let them in!" My eyes were wide and I could hear my own voice was full of panic.
"Who?"
"The men who-," I broke off sharply and looked at him with renewed suspicion. Maybe these men where who he was waiting for. Maybe the whole story he gave me earlier about his sister-in-law and brother was all a lie. I was in a panic. The rational part of my mind told me panic would get me nowhere. I needed to think. I forced myself to calm and opened my senses. He just seemed confused. I took a deep calming breath, which hurt my chest, and continued, "The men who were chasing me. Please, don't let them kill me."
He stared at me for a moment in confusion, then cocked his head and appeared to hear something. He gave me a confused, assessing look before glancing towards the door and then back at me. He was clearly on alert now and turned his full attention towards the door. I didn’t hear anything, but he was concentrating as if listening very carefully.
I turned toward the door too now as I picked up the sound of
“These are not my clothes!” I squeaked. My voice was still low and weak yet the panic was clear. “Where are my clothes? Who-…Who took my clothes?”
“Relax ,” he said softly. He winced, and I could see alarm in his face, though, he appeared to be trying to calm me while trying to keep his own panic under control. He had a doomed look on his face, his voice remained calm and reassuring. “You’re clothes are in the dryer. They were very dirty and soaked, and you were alarmingly cold. So, we got you some new dry clothes to help warm you up.”
A mix of emotions went through me, embarrassment, confusion, distrust. Definitely lots of embarrassment.
“Who is we?” I asked suspiciously.
“Well, I guess I meant me and you. Though, I was the one who got the clothes for you,” he confessed in a tight voice full of discomfort.
I closed my eyes again, feeling tears begin to gather in the corners and threaten to spill over. I awkwardly turned away and focused on calming my breathing. It had started to hitch as the silent tears threatened. This was just too much. I couldn’t bear to see him or him to see me. Since I could not run or crawl under a rock in shame, my only defense was to close my eyes. I could not bear to look at him. It was as if all of the events of the day, and all of the pent up emotions and fear, were crashing in upon me. I was safe now. I don’t know how I knew, but I knew I was safe with this strange man. He’d done nothing but try to help me. And, if I wasn’t careful I would be blubbering all over him like some half crazed, hysterical female. My emotions were overwhelming and all over the place. What the hell was going on? My mind could not process all that had taken place since I’d left my house to this moment. Something that started out so pleasant and wonderful had turned into a nightmare. The only thing I wanted to do now was to take the comfort this perfect stranger could offer and dump the burden of my jumbled and exhausted emotions at his feet for him to deal with.
However , I was sure from the obvious discomfort and wariness I’d seen in him, that wasn’t a bright idea. I closed my eyes and practiced meditative breathing. I was bruised and battered. I wasn’t quite sure where I was. Every inch of me hurt, and I was stranded in a cabin with a man who seemed as terrified of me as I was of the situation. And, to top it all off, I was wearing someone else’s clothes. It was too much. For once I was thankful for exhaustion pulling me back into the peace of sleep.
Chapter 3
I woke once more in the night. I must have woke with a start which must have startled – what was his name? Jordan? He jolted bolt upright. He was just about to speak but I cut him off.
"They're here. Please don't let them in!" My eyes were wide and I could hear my own voice was full of panic.
"Who?"
"The men who-," I broke off sharply and looked at him with renewed suspicion. Maybe these men where who he was waiting for. Maybe the whole story he gave me earlier about his sister-in-law and brother was all a lie. I was in a panic. The rational part of my mind told me panic would get me nowhere. I needed to think. I forced myself to calm and opened my senses. He just seemed confused. I took a deep calming breath, which hurt my chest, and continued, "The men who were chasing me. Please, don't let them kill me."
He stared at me for a moment in confusion, then cocked his head and appeared to hear something. He gave me a confused, assessing look before glancing towards the door and then back at me. He was clearly on alert now and turned his full attention towards the door. I didn’t hear anything, but he was concentrating as if listening very carefully.
I turned toward the door too now as I picked up the sound of
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