Chapter Text
Driving down this dark road, nothing up ahead of you and nothing behind. The trees lining the road making it thick with darkness. Why you ended up here was a whole other tale. The night closing in around you as you wind through this back country road. Running away from something, it’s what you do. You have become a pro at it, but this time it was life or death. Meeting your ex was like a twist of fate. A fairytale come to life. He was everything you had hoped for, Loving, Kind and thoughtful. As time went on you got a peak behind the façade he had worn every day you were together. The day you moved in with him he left a bruise on your left hip from pushing you down after accidentally leaving a scratch on the wall moving some furniture. The next time it was for more simple things, making his coffee wrong, the dinner wasn’t right and finally for wanting affection from the one who said he loved me. That time he hit you in the face and you had had enough. Waiting till he was asleep you packed a small bag with just enough things to get you out of there. Taking the keys to his car you throw the bag in the back and start driving. You have no idea where but as far away as you could get. Maybe then you could be safe from him.
Focusing back onto the road ahead you notice there was something big and black in the middle of the road. Slamming on your breaks and swerving to avoid the object you loose control and the car skids off into the trees. It slams into a truck of a very tall old tree. The bumper bent back in towards the engine. Steam blowing out from under the hood. “SHIT!’ You slam your hands down on the steering wheel. Turning in your seat to see if you could make out the thing that made you crash. It was BIG, Black and had fur. “NO, no, no, no…shit, shit, shit” Coming in your direction was a very large black bear. You should have put on better shoes, you think to yourself as you look down at your sandals. Grabbing for your phone you try to make a call and it beeps at you. Looking down you notice at the top it says (NO SERVICE). Peeking out the window again you see it getting closer.
Without thinking you push the driver side door open and take off running into the woods. Maybe you could out run it or find a place to hide until it wants to find something better. Clutching your phone in your left hand you duck and dodge the low handing branches scanning the horizon for something, anything to help you. Looking over your shoulder you notice the bear had started running after you.
“HELP! HELP ME PLEASE!” You start to scream out into the open air around you. Hoping, wishing for someone to hear you. A stray branch catches the side of your dress. You franticly pull against it hearing the ripping of fabric. It finally lets go leaving you with a huge hole in the side. Up ahead you notice a small shape similar to a small cabin. You were not sure that you were completely coherent, but it was the only chance you had to get away from this beast. Your next step you trip and fall into the wet leaves and dirt. I sharp pain emits from your right ankle and left hand. Crawling back up to your feet you stumble as fast as you can towards the dim light coming from one of the windows in the little cabin. There was a black car parked out front so there must have been someone inside.
“HELP ME!” You scream out as you trip over another root sending you to your knees. An overwhelming feeling comes over you and you feel your vision fading. Trying to stay aware you push to get yourself up off the ground and fall back into a heap in the dirt.
“Help!” You start to cry feeling like this was not the way you wanted to die.
You hear a man’s voice screaming and something whiz by you at a fast pace. Turning your face all you could see was a blurry shape running in your direction with his hand out in front of him. He looked to be holding something then a loud bang and flash came from his hands. Was he shooting at me? You duck your head and cover it with your hands. Crying uncontrollably at this point. Your head is going fuzzy and your vision fading. You hear the loud yells getting closer to you then stop at his footsteps stop right in front of you. Lifting your head slightly you can see he has squatted down to your level.
“Hey, you ok?” His voice low and deep with a slight rasp. Something like a smoker would have. You noticed this with your father for years as a kid. Before you lost him a couple years ago to lung cancer. “Hey? Hey, are you ok? Did he get you?” He places a hand on the side of your head.
‘Uh….No, I fell running from him.” You barely manage to get out before your head starts pounding. There was a sharp pain on your forehead and pressure around your left temple. You reach up touching that spot and pull your hand back to see blood on your fingers. You must have hit your head in the crash and didn’t feel anything until now.
“Come on, let’s get you inside before he tries to come back for seconds.” He gently pulls on your right arm helping you to your feet. You take one step on your right foot and you leg buckles under you. Before you hit the ground again you are being picked up and carried.
He walks you to the front of this little cabin and pushes the door open. Spinning around he scans the woods around the area, you would assume looking for more signs of the bear. Turning back to the door he walks you inside and places you down on the couch. Grabbing a blanket off the back of it he places it over your legs. You grab it and pull it closer to you trying to cover the hole in your dress exposing you and potential bruises.
“How did you end up out here in the woods all alone?” He stands back up walking to his kitchen. He looked to be grabbing a small box and bringing it back over to where you were.
“My car crashed up the road. He was in the middle of the road, I swerved and lost control.” You wince as he places something on the cut on your head. You couldn’t believe this random stranger was so willing to help you.
“Sounds pretty fucked up if you ask me. Like he planned it.” He turns his head to you giving you a slight chuckle. “How many times did you fall?” He points to the bruises on your arms and the few he could see on your side due to the blanket falling down slightly.
“Oh-“ You pull the blanket back up to cover the hole in your dress. “-Those are nothing.” You pull your legs up into your chest wrapping your arms around them.
“Look you don’t have to tell me, but you’re safe here. Not many people know about this place. “ He places a bandage on your forehead then grabs your left hand looking at your knuckles. “These look bad. Hold on I have something to wrap this up.” He stands up and heads across the small room to what seemed like an open bathroom. Opening another small box he grabs something and heads back over to where you were sitting.
Your head was now feeling like a vice was placed around it, tightening more and more. Closing your eyes trying to clear the pain away you feel a sharp stinging on your left hand. Snapping your eyes open you look down to see that he was cleaning the deep cuts with some sort of alcohol. He places a white bandage around your hand then ties it on top.
“You are more than welcome to stay here for the night. I’ll make a call in the morning to get your car towed into town.” He stands up walking to the fridge grabbing a beer, cracking it open taking a big sip, then turning back to you with a concerned look of his face.
“Don’t bother. It’s my ex’s. Good riddance, but I could use my bag out the back of it.” Grabbing your head you gasp in pain. Pulling your knees up to your face you try to hide the tears falling from your face.
“You need a Dr! You probably have a concussion.” He steps over to you placing a hand on your right arm. You flinch out of habit. Jerking your arm away. “Hey, I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to help you and if in the process take care of that fucker he did this to you, then good.”
You notice his hands clench together and his arms flex. Looking through your hands that were covering your face you look up to his face. He was clenching his jaw over and over. A severely stern look on his face, you recognized this look from when your ex got angry with you, when he got like this he was moments from taking it out on you. You pull your legs even closer to your chest and wrap the blanket close to your body. He turns his head noticing you recoiling.
“Hey, I told you I’m not going to hurt you. I’m going to go outside for a little bit, but I’ll out there if you need me for anything.” He stands up grabs his beer and walks out the front door.
Sitting there you pull the blanket up over your shoulders after the blast of cold night air comes in through the open door. Looking down at your hand you examine the bandage. He really did take care of me, but if Bobby finds me here this guy could be in trouble or worse….Dead! You needed to get out of here but where would you go? Your head starts pounding as you lay back on the couch. You jump to a loud sound just out the front of the house. Standing up you peer out the window of the door. This man had his fist against the wooden beam of the porch. He had a lit cigarette in his mouth, figures. He steps down off the porch and sits on the step. Reaching for the door handle you twist it and pull it open.
“Are you ok?” You step lightly out onto the porch. Pulling the blanket up around your back.
“mmmh” Was all he could muster. Placing his right hand down next to his side, clearly trying to hide the marks.
“I was going to say thank you for saving me earlier. I don’t know what would have happened if you didn’t stop that bear.” You step down off the step sitting next to him.
“I didn’t do much, he’ll be back.” You turn to look at his face, that same tendon in his jaw clenching and releasing like earlier. “I’ll take you into town in the morning and we can figure out how to get you patched up.” He reaches his hand up and takes a long drag from his cigarette before tossing it out into the dirt.
“Well, again, thank you.” You stand back up and head back inside.
“You can sleep on the bed. I’ll take the couch.” He stands up and walks in behind you heading toward the couch.
“I don’t mind sleeping on the couch” You take a step in his direction then get stopped by him holing up one finder in your direction. You turn around and see the open doorway leading into where the bedroom is. “Are you sure?” Turning back to him you look down. He shakes his head up and down. “Thank you.” You start to walk towards the bedroom and her behind you, “Please stop saying that.” Under his breath.
“I mean it! Thank you.” Looking over your shoulder you see him nod his head at you wish a slight smirk on his face.
Stepping into the room you sit on the edge of the bed pulling your knees up into your body. What do I do now? I have no way to run from Bobby. He’s going to find me for sure. I have to figure something out….and fast!