The Pursuit

Twenty-Six

⬻Maggie⤖

My whole body ached as I was shaken with excessive force.

"Miss" the shaking continued and I pried my eyes open. The sunlight burned into me and I raised my arm to shield my eyes from the light's assault.

"Miss", I looked to a paramedic kneeling next to me. Her hand moved to my wrist and she took my pulse. I felt my stomach roar in discomfort and then the other pain came to me in a flash. My throat was sore, my hands were pulsing in pain and I had a blaring headache that rolled in with the loud thumping I heard earlier.

"Can you tell me what pain you are feeling right now? Is there any pain in your back or neck?", she asked me politely. I looked into her brown eyes and saw her concern.

I shook my head back and forth not knowing if my voice would work. "I'm going to lean you up". Her hands came behind my back and my arm. As she raised me I winced out in pain. My headache increased and I closed my eyes tightly.

"Where are you feeling pain?", she asked and I took a second to survey where I was. A few paces in front of me Benji was being moved to a spinal board with two other paramedics and a police officer.

My chest heaved and my lungs burnt. I breathed in a deeper breath and tried to calm myself down. I looked out to the water and didn't see Sam or anyone else.

I turned my body quickly and looked back to the house where chaos had ensued. There were flashing lights everywhere in the tree line. Two ambulances sat by Damien's jeep and police cars parked on the grass. There were men and women moving in their uniforms to and from the scene with urgency. I tried to see Haku but I couldn't.

There was Damien though. My body pulled itself to him like a magnetic force. My conscience told me to run to him. My body rose in an instant as I heard Damien's voice as he sat up talking to a police officer with a paramedic taking his vitals next to him. My chest soared with a fluttering and I knew I had to go to him. I stood up in a bolt of energy and stumbled back but righted myself.

"Miss, you can't take off, you need to be cleared!", the female paramedic yelled to me. I ignored her and ran towards Damien. He saw me coming and smiled brightly at me. I could see water in his eyes and then a oxygen tank laying next to him.

The police officer turned to look my way. My legs started to give out on me as I got closer. My head pounding the snare drum inside. My throat was so dry and I couldn't get my thoughts to focus clearly. His face contorted in front of me and I fell to the ground in front of him with tears fleeing my eyes.

He moved forward and embraced me in a cautious hug. He held my arms gently and looked at me carefully. I could see a flash of anger come across his face and then more concern. He gently touched my cheeks and I realized they were sore. Sam had held me so tightly he must have left bruises.

"I'm so sorry", he said to me quietly.

I didn't say anything back but instead kissed him with all the strength I had left in my body. I pushed myself closer to him and forced him to shift back. I let go of his lips and I looked him in the eyes, "I'm okay", I said with my raspy voice. He nodded and kissed me back and I felt the emotions he had for me in that instant. I knew he was holding back on me those first few days but now he wasn't. He was fully committing to me in that kiss and I replied to his touch with mine as delicately as I could.

I wasn't fully sure if I could give  him all of me  but I knew I wanted to try. I knew I could give him part of me, maybe not wholly quite yet. I trusted him completely and knew that whatever we had was new and frightening but it felt right.

"Folks," the police officer interrupted us. "Before this reunion goes any further we need to get a statement from the both of you and clear you out with medical". I looked at the older man and his white hair, his eyes hazel like the sun and skin tanned. I nod at him and begin to stand.