Darkness

Chapter 12: Savior

Strong arms wrapped around me and dragged me through the icy water. My eyes wouldn't open and my lungs wouldn't breathe but somehow I could feel everything going on. I was on the brink of death but someone had dared to interfere. Why couldn't they just leave me to my inevitable fate?

We reached the shore. I was dumped onto my back. I sputtered and gurgled water, but my body couldn't push it out. My half closed eyes tried to catch a glimpse of the meddler as he pounded on my chest. Water gushed from my lungs. I turned to heaved it out. My eyes still wouldn't stay open. Even my coughs felt weak. The cold clung to my skin and clothes.

I heard the man grumble out a few word. "You are more trouble than you're worth, little girl."

"I'm not worth anything," I whispered. "Just let me die."

A deep growl escaped his throat as if he was contemplating something. After a long moment, arms lifted me up. I could smell the charcoal smell off of him. It reminded me of a campfire.

"Hold very still," he ordered.

That was easy. I could feel myself slipping away again. My eyes closed and my body went slack. I had an eerie sensation of falling apart before I lost conscience.

When I awoke, I was warm. The soft cotton sheets moved against my naked body as I pulled an arm free to wipe at my sleepy eyes. Firelight filled the room from a nearby fireplace. The dark sheets covered a king size bed. The walls were made out of wood like I was in a cabin. The rest of the room was furnished in beautiful cedar furniture which included the bedframe, dresser, and nightstand. A navy oversized stuffed chair stood in the corner covered in what looked like my clothes.

I sighed heavily. I was supposed to be dead. This madness was supposed to be over. Wait. I looked around. Could I be mad? The shadow man had been a real man. This was a real place, after all, right? I patted the bed, accepting that it was tangible. Or maybe my delusions had completely taken over and I was really in the looney bin.

I pulled the covers aside and stood. A full-length mirror on the wall reflected back my figure. I looked away quickly. I was no longer the wiry, strong country girl of my youth. City life had made me soft and junk food had made me softer. I dressed quickly. My fingers and toes burned with the damage of frostbite making me feel even clumsier than I already was. My shoes were still wet, so I left them by the fire.

I turned the knob to the bedroom door as quiet as I could. A living room with another fireplace on the back side of this one filled the room with crackling firelight. A navy couch matching the chair in the bedroom held the figure of a large man. His hands were behind his head. His chest rose in an even rhythm. His black T-shirt had crept up his torso in his sleep leaving his abs partially exposed down to his dark jeans. I stared at the creasing V that disappeared down below the denim.

My heart fluttered. I took several steps forward over the hardwood floor and on to the carpet. The firelight was the most amount of light I had ever seen him in. I was going to make use of it to finally see this damn guy's face. His dark hair was a few inches long and lay tousled in his hands. His dark eyebrows rimmed deep set eyes and a hawk-like nose. Red scars laced his cheek on the left side. There was something about him that seemed so familiar, but it was like I was remembering him from a dream, only he was older now. It was such a strange sensation, like déjà vu without the actual memory. My heart was skipping around in my chest in a strange way. My fingers reached out towards his lips. I desperately wanted to see how soft his lips were. I caught myself. Not only was I crazy, but now I was acting like a stalker. I pulled my fingers back to my chest, then shoved them in my jean's pocket.

As if he could feel me staring, his eyes flicked open. We stared at each other for a few moments before he grumbled, "What?"

"You should have let me go."

"You summoned me."

My brows knitted as I thought. "Summoned? How could I summon you? It's not like you're a demon. I didn't use candles and black magic."

He gave me a hard look. "Just go. If you really want to go kill yourself, go. This time, don't call for me." He pointed towards the door.

I crossed my arms. What did it matter? This was all a hallucination anyways. I followed the direction of his pointed finger and opened the door. I wasn't expecting to see a forest full of snow. My mind really had gotten creative. How could I have been in the city and now here? This just cemented the fact I was hallucinating. I walked into the cold snow with my socked feet. It was truly cold, but it didn't matter. I walked a ways through the snow-covered yard and to the trees. It was damn cold. My body shivered. My mind was making this so real.

I cast a glance over my shoulder. The shadow man stood in the door way of his cabin watching me. I turned back to the forest. There was no way I was even close to the city. It wouldn't snow for another six months. My shoes were still wet so I knew it hadn't been that long. I really was going crazy. I was completely imagining a whole cabin and forest.

I walked. And I walked. I was thoroughly lost after an hour. All the trees looked the same. My feet were numb. Snow started to fall. My stomach grumbled with hunger, but I had to end this madness. I was too chicken to hang myself or shoot myself. But a nice winter nap sounded like a peaceful way to end my crazy. I couldn't take the needles, the rocking, or the screaming that came with the madness. I had to end it while I still had a choice.