Authors: Alicia Wild
She didn’t stop running, not even after she heard the many pantings fall back and disappear, not even after she wondered if the wolves actually disappeared.
When her boots landed on wooden planks she threw herself against the door and began to pound her fists against the hard surface.
“Help!” Melissa cried, voice pushing into hysteria. “Please, please help!”
The door suddenly pushed open, Melissa fell to her knees with a groan. When she looked up it was to a surprised expression and parted lips. “P-please,” she begged, nearly whimpering as the warmth within the cabin caressed her skin and sunk into her vibrating bones.
“P-please help me…”
“How did you find this place?” The voice was low and gruff, and when she blinked she took in details.
A chiseled jaw, narrow eyes, a broad nose and short hair cut into a buzz. This man’s body was sturdy and wide, muscles bulged behind a shirt, coat ruffled in thick cotton. Dog tags hung under his neck and Melissa vaguely wondered if he was military.
“I r-r-ran,” she trembled, teeth chattering with fear, the cold, and exhaustion.
“I ran aw-w-way. Wolves. W-wolves behind m-me…Please. P-please, you have to help me.”
The man glared down at her, jaw working before he turned that narrow stare into the dark behind her.
His pupils flashed back and forth, seeking. Finally he was kneeling, gathering her arms into his palms and helping her stumble back up.
“Come in,” he sighed. “Before you catch your death.”
Melissa stuttered out a small ‘thank you’ nearly collapsing into his hold and dropping her head against his shoulder. The door slid closed with a creak and a thud.
She was too tired to take in her surroundings, the relief nearly throwing her into a river of sleep.
They settled down, her body falling into cushions and a warm blanket. Her fingers soaked within warmth, dipping into the blanket and clinging to life as the rest of her fought and shook the chills away.
“Breathe,” the man’s voice commanded her, gentle and even a bit concerned.
Melissa did as she was told, sniffling back tears and a runny nose. Her face felt numb, her eyes tight with salt and the desire to rest.
“I’ll be right back,” she heard the man say.
Her hand shot out and gripped him around the wrist; he turned toward her, eyes wild as they met the wildness in hers.
“Don’t leave,” she pleaded, studying his face for any sign of treachery.
“Calm down,” he muttered, and his face relaxed.
“I’m going to get you something warm to drink. That’s all, alright? What’s your name?”
Melissa nodded, swallowing thickly before speaking, “M-Melissa…”
“Okay, Melissa,” he said.
“Just relax, I’ll be back.”
Her fingers released him as soon as she felt him move, hesitating over the heat of his skin. She watched his body leave, watched the strength of his legs carry him away into a room.
Gray eyes turned away when he finally disappeared, and she took in the sight of this small haven.
She was in the living room. Sitting on a wide couch that hugged the wall behind her and faced a comfortable fireplace. A large rug took the space on the wooden floor, approaching the hearth before stopping short at the rocks that held the burning logs.
Even at the distance, Melissa could feel the heat of the fire against her chilled skin, feeling its stare like a burning touch.
Around the fireplace were a myriad of weapons hanging securely. Serrated knives decorated a majority of the space as well as several handguns. Several shotguns were secured in casings and she even spotted a few machetes. The make and the types of guns and weapons fell from her knowing, only vaguely recognizing the marks of some and the style of others.
Camouflage designs hugged the covers of the weapons, and some silver blades shone bright beneath the flickering light of the fire. By the weapons, Melissa noted a few plaques.
She recognized some of the stars on them, knowing them to belong to the Army.
No doubt now, this guy is military.
Her mind flashed to when she saw the dog tags around his neck and Melissa wriggled further into the cushions and into her blanket.
The chills were slowly leaving her body, dragging her limbs into a languid heat that drooped her eyelids and made her breathing slow.
Her eyes opened once, glancing over to the threshold where her savior had disappeared into and she caught a hint of an electric light source—a cool white contrasting the vibrant glow of flames.
Melissa leaned her head back, feeling her body throb and ache, yet there was relief and contentedness in her heart.
She had escaped… she was safe. And she had found protection.
Knowing these three things, Melissa soon drifted off, her head lolling to the side as she succumbed to the warmth and the fruits of her survival.
Chapter 2
There was a warm light over her face when Melissa stirred from her sleep. When she blinked, she was nearly blinded by the light of day, cascading over her face through a crack in the window behind the couch.
It was a fairly small window, but blinds that swayed and moved quietly by an unfelt breeze covered it. Melissa let out a soft groan, feeling something against her face that wasn’t there before.
She touched her cheek gingerly, fingertips tracing over a wide band-aid. Beneath it, she could feel her skin ache—a cut.
The branch…
Pushing herself up, Melissa took in her surroundings once more.
There was a warm smell, like breakfast, in the air that felt faded. Judging by the strength of the sunlight, it must be mid-morning…
Melissa took in another breath, registering new smells with some welcome curiosity. There was a peculiar musk; masculine, strong, but not unpleasant.
It hugged the spaces between the blanket and the cushion of the couch, making Melissa feel somewhat strange since she was not in a familiar space.
It took some time but eventually, she pulled her legs out of the blanket. Her boots were missing as well as her socks.
The flames of the fireplace were gone now, and the smell of burnt firewood was sharp prick in her nose. She sneezed, feeling her head throb with the following motion.
Her body felt tired, fatigued beyond belief.
Melissa rested her back against the couch for a moment, registering all these new sensations and sights with slow composure. Her nose felt stuffy, her throat burned and ached, and her body felt heavy.
Great…
Another sneeze built behind her nostrils and Melissa ducked her head into a sleeve. The blow was powerful and made her headache intensify.
She felt horrible… and hungry.
Eventually, the need to check her surroundings overcame her desire to stay in the warm couch. She stood, dragging the blanket (which she noticed was knitted and had very curious designs over it) over her body to keep her safe from the cold. As she maneuvered around, her eyes beheld more.
This house didn’t feel like a home… it felt more like a post.
There was nothing personal on the walls, no pictures, or anything confirming she was in a place with another human being. The rug was soft beneath her toes and as she moved, Melissa couldn’t help but feel a bit wary about exploring.
Still, it’s not like it would hurt to find out a bit more… right?
With that in mind, the young brunette moved through the threshold and into a hallway. To her right, Melissa could see the end and the soft light of a small kitchen. To her left, there was another small window, high up near the ceiling and a couple of doors.
More curious about the promise of food and maybe something to drink, Melissa followed the direction of the kitchen.
The light was pale but bright enough to show her more of what was in. There was a fridge, a gas stove, a sink, and a counter with a single chair in front of it. A window was settled over the sink, covered in thin blinds that hardly did the job in blocking the sunlight from entering the area.
Still, it was fairly dim, if not for the kitchen light. Over the stove was a single pan, covered with a lid and a note.
This made Melissa intrigued and she limped ahead. The smell of food reached her nose easier now that she wasn’t separated by walls of wood and weapons. Mouth watering, she gathered the note in one hand and the lid of the pan in another.
She flipped the note open just as she exposed the meal waiting for her. Eggs and two pieces of toast rimmed with orange wedges.
She grabbed an orange wedge and bit down. The citrus juice exploded into her taste buds, making her let out a soft moan of gratitude.
The liquid ran down her throat, making her throat feel somewhat refreshed.
Her eyes landed back on the note, tongue working on the pulp of the orange as she read.
Melissa.
Here’s some food. There’s water in the fridge. Eat and then leave.
The writing made her pause over her meal. Eat and then leave? A dark foreboding filled her stomach, made her shiver beneath the blanket.
And go where?
She had nowhere to go, no other safe place to stay. She couldn’t just leave…
But, even so… she didn’t know who this man was. He didn’t even leave a name on the letter. She wanted to at least thank him for housing her and caring for her wounds…
With a sigh, Melissa placed the note down and flicked on the stove to a low heat. Her mind struggled to formulate a plan while she waited for her meal to warm back up.
The orange wedges suddenly tasted bitter in her mouth, filling her with an abrupt sadness.
Chapter 3
Several hours of waiting had passed and Melissa had scoured the space of the small cabin. It was cozy and only had one bedroom, yet the door of the bedroom was locked and Melissa didn’t want to push her luck trying to break in.
She searched throughout the cabin for something to do and when she found only a few books with nothing of interest to her, she settled on the only thing she could do to pass the time.
She cleaned.
Years of being told to clean and keep a good house made her hands work even while her mind drifted. Dishes and plates were washed and dried, the furniture was then cleaned with a moist rag…
She even cleaned out the fireplace—overburdened with ash and broken wood. The very least she could do was make this small place clean after her abrupt appearance. It would be the only way she could thank her savior.
If and when he showed up, Melissa felt concerned she wouldn’t be able to convince her to let her stay. He didn’t seem like the kind of person to be swayed judging by the brusqueness in the note.
Still…
Melissa didn’t have anywhere else to go and she wasn’t sure she wanted to try her luck in the forest, even if she did want to escape from
that man’s
grip.
She had one thing up her sleeve, and when her savior returned, Melissa was just going to have to hope that he listened.
--
He showed up in the late afternoon. At that point, Melissa had fallen into a light sleep after she had cooked up a light stew to keep her steady. Her body had definitely caved to a cold, and a fever made her skin feel hot and freezing all at once.
The door of the cabin slid open without warning, yanking Melissa from her nap into a state of alarm.
When she saw the figure over the door, she slowly relaxed. Her heart pounded against her chest and the fear of being caught by her step-father nearly choked her, yet the burly and thick figure of the person ahead didn’t belong to that man.
She almost felt relieved until she saw his eyes fall on her before narrowing into a glare.
“I thought I told you to leave.” He said.
“Hello to you too,” Melissa huffed back, her voice scratching roughly against her swollen throat.
He let out a slow sigh before taking steps into the house.
The fireplace was alive with flames again, thanks to her efforts (and countless minutes of trying to figure out how to stoke a fire) and when he walked in she was able to take in his appearance with more clarity.
He was dressed in black and camo. Thick combat pants hugged over his legs before hiding within black combat boots.
A black and form-fitting sweater hugged his torso, the strap of a weapon clinging to the muscles of his chest. His hair was slightly damp, sticking up in moist spikes.
Sweat or rain, Melissa couldn’t tell, because she was suddenly meeting his eyes. They were dark, a deep azure that felt piercing in the fading daylight.
“I made stew…” She said after a particularly tense silence.
His stare flattened, lips twitching in an unamused frown.
“You should’ve left.”
“I have nowhere to go.” Melissa replied, her voice somber even as walked deeper into the living room.
He turned away from her, pulling out the weapon from behind his back over his head. He let out scoff as he hung the cover over a hook on the wall.
He began to busy himself with returning weapons over the wall. Daggers, thick serrated knives and even a small machete from a pocket against his leg.
“That’s not my problem,” he continued, fingers working expertly over the weapons.
“I helped you survive the night. I have no problem giving you provisions and even a map out of here, but you cannot stay. Go home.”
“Please,” Melissa begged, pushing herself to her feet and standing to face him.
“You don’t understand, I cannot go back. I would rather die.”
He faced her, looking dubious, “Is that why you were out in the woods in the middle of the night?”
Melissa shrunk back, her hand reaching up to fiddle with her mother’s ring.
“Please… there is a man… he wants to hurt me. He’s a selfish bastard who drove my mother to death. I cannot go back.”
“Then go somewhere else.”
Melissa felt anxiety dig its teeth into her throat. She lifted her eyes to meet his again, wild and frightened.
“He’ll
find
me! He’s always been able to find me. Even if I try to run into another city, it would only be a matter of time. I have better luck here, within the forest, than I do out there.”
The man let out a thin sigh, pressing his hands against the bulk of his hips.
“Look, I’ve got contacts. People that can help you go into hiding, if that’s what you want. But you can’t stay here.”
Melissa took several steps close.
“You don’t know
him
like I do. He is ruthless. He’s always had connections, always finds a way… please!”
“What makes you think he won’t look for you here?” He countered, meeting her gaze with a cold one.
“You honestly think that a bit of wood is going to keep you safe, especially after what you said?”
Melissa shook her head, blinking back tears, “People always go missing in the forest and never appear…”
“You’re seriously counting on that?”
“I have nothing else!”
He finally took a step forward, encroaching in her space and making her nearly gasp as she took a step away.
“Listen to me, Melissa. You cannot stay here. At all. I will talk to someone, make sure you are safe before you are relocated somewhere else. You can even have a fake name, fake identity, whatever. But that’s something you’re going to have to deal with.”
Melissa felt her hope begin to flutter, uncertainty dwindle dark against her throbbing eyes.
“How long would it take?” She asked finally.
“A few days,” he said, sounding a bit calmer now that she seemed to agree.
“I can help you check in at a motel somewhere far from her—”
“—No!” Melissa denied swiftly.
“No… I can’t risk that. I just can’t.”
She meet his eyes again, her teeth sinking into her lip—the movement caught his eye and he blinked in surprise before looking back up—Melissa took a step close, nearly closing the space between their bodies.
“Let me stay here until then,” she said. “Please, I feel much safer here.”
Frustration bled into his blue eyes, “I said I can’t let you do that.”
“I won’t expose you!” Melissa pleaded.
“I’ll stay out of your way, I won’t even talk to you if you don’t want. I’ll cook and clean and leave you alone. I’ll do whatever you want, just please! Let me stay here until you’re sure I can go! Please!”
Melissa abruptly reached for him, her hands pushing out of the blanket draped around her shoulders to cling to his shirt. She could feel his muscles beneath her desperate touch, he flinched almost imperceivably, but something in his gaze widened—surprise or something else, she didn’t know.
“Please!” She supplicated, digging her desperation through her voice, her eyes.
“Please!”
“Alright—alright!”
He exclaimed, pulling away abruptly and pushing her hands away.
“Fine…” He sighed and Melissa watched him, stunned.
“You can stay.”
“Oh, thank you… thank you!”
“But only for a few days,” he intervened, glaring at her with furrowed brows.
“After that, you’re out of here and you won’t speak of me to anyone or mention of where you are to anyone ever again, are we clear?”
Melissa nodded fervently, feeling her hope bubble through her chest and beam from her face.
“Thank you, thank you! You don’t understand how grateful I am!”
She moved to hug him, overcome with gratitude.
She froze when he recoiled brusquely, stepping away from her like she was covered in something foul.
“Don’t mention it,” he said coldly.
“Just do your part. You can cook, clean, whatever you want… but stay out of my way and I’ll stay out of yours, alright?”
Melissa gave him a silent affirmation, feeling a bit reproachful as he walked passed her and toward the kitchen. The young woman pulled back toward the couch, her limbs shaking again with sickness and exhaustion.
Even while she felt physically miserable, there was lightness in her heart.
She had hope… she would be free.
Even if she wasn’t sure she could trust how well this man’s contacts worked, she had a small ray of light in this storm that rampaged through most of her life.
Tired and wanting to steady herself, Melissa wrapped herself up tightly before laying back on the couch, her eyes watching the fire and dozed off again.
It wasn’t until sleep reclaimed her that she realized that she hadn’t even gotten the name of her savior yet.