WhiteScratch

For Each Other

I wake up groggily. I can't clearly see whats in front of me and I feel dizzy. I sit up and put my hand to my head. I close my eyes and shake my head a few times to clear up my vision and try to relieve the pain. As I do this, I hear crying and then I feel 2 arms around my neck, squeezing me tightly. 
"Ow." I say and I feel whatever that is, back up. Just suddenly I remember Rachel. I open my eyes and look around urgently. 
"Rachel! Rachel!" I say frantically. She cups my face in her hands and makes me look her directly in the eye.
"I'm right here, Jake. I'm fine." I calm down a little to her voice and wrap her in my arms, holding her as close and as tightly as I can. She does the same to me and I ask her what happened. She explains that after I hit my head and passed out, the stranger came up to her, did and said some weird things, and then left. When she told me he called her princess, I was immediately filled with rage for a reason that is oblivious to me but knowing that he was gone now, helped with that. 
"I'm so scared and confused Jake. Who was he? How was he doing all the things he did? What does he want with us? So many questions that might never be answered and to think, when I came out here I thought it would be a nice, friendly quest to save our planet. Oh how I was sorely mistaken." She started to cry again and I held her closer, trying to comfort her. 
"You've been through so much in so little time. I don't know whats going on but I do know that I'll stay with you until I can't anymore and I'll help you in any way I can."
"I know you will but it doesn't seem fair for you to have to go through all this."
"I see it as a privilege and I'm glad that I can be here with you to protect you. I wouldn't trust anyone else do this. On a different note, how does your neck feel?" She seems happy for the subject change and says with a compassionate smile, "It actually feels better. Doesn't hurt as much anymore."
"Do you want me to remove the bandage then?"
"Yes. It'll do it good to get some air anyway." With that, I carefully remove the bandage. When its off, the wound looks great. It looks more healed and it seems like the blood has finally clot. I sit back and look at it. Its a bit different to look at her with a gaping hole in her neck but she's still as beautiful as she was when she left home. Wait...did I really just think that? "Shut up, Jake." I tell myself. She's your best friend for heavens sake. 
"It looks a lot better." I tell her.
"Does it really? I can't really try to look at it without it hurting."
"Yes, it really does." I sigh and gaze at her. She smiles and says, "I told you that I would be ok."
"I should probably listen to you more often." I laugh softly and take out my water bottle. I sip it slowly and look around for any more threats. None appear at the moment but you can never be too careful out here.

I start to think about that stranger again and all the things he was doing to Rachel. 
"Rachel, what all did he do to you?"
"Huh? OH well, he only gave me horrendous headache. That's all." She then looked at the ground like she was trying not to look at me. I went over to her and lifted her head up to look me in the eye.
"What else?" I asked her, knowing he did something more. 
"I don't know. It was like he was draining all my life and energy from me. He would intensify my headache and when he finally relieved it, I had no strength. I couldn't move. I still feel weak as of now." I sit back and think about this. It seems like a lot of people or things want her. I knew there was something special about her but never that it would become something it seemed everyone wanted. This makes everything so much harder and more difficult. There is no doubt that she will be in more danger than ever now and its up to me to protect her. I will with all my power and strength. I won't ever stop. 
I forget that we were having a conversation and her voice draws me out of my own mind.
"Are you ok? You seemed worried."
"I am. How could I not? You're in so much danger and I'm worried I won't be able to protect you."
"Don't be worried. I know you'll take care of me. I have complete confidence and trust in you Jake." That is all I need to hear for my own confidence to come back to me. Suddenly I feel like I can take on the whole world as long as I know Rachel trusts me to protect her. That is the most important thing to me right now. I take a deep breathe and say, "We just gotta take on what else is out there. I promise, next time that guy shows up, I'll be more prepared for him but you'll need to be strong for me."
"I'm always trying to."
"You do a phenomenal job." She blushes and looks down as she smiles. I smile too and hug her again. 
"Its nice having some time where nothing bad happens." I tell her.
"I totally agree. We should probably get moving again though. I don't know where we're heading but I feel like we're going the right way."
"Alright, I trust you. Lets go!" I pick my bag up and help her up. She stands there for a minute, staring into the distance. I look at her and she grabs my hand. I squeeze hers and ask, "You ready?"
"Yeah. I just have a bad feeling about whats waiting ahead." At this point, I know that its not a good sign when one of us feels this way so as we begin walking again, I prepare myself for the worst.