Breaking the Silence

Eight

The rocking was so soothing I could have stayed like that forever. My head was resting comfortably on something, my knees bent and hanging over something else. My eyes were closed and I felt . . . safe. But that couldn't be right. I hadn't felt safe like this in who knows how long. This had to be a dream.

"I'm taking her to the Pack Doctor," someone said, but I was hearing it deeper than what could be right. A rumble through a wall my ear was pressed against. "She needs fluids," the voice said again, "she looks so dehydrated I'm not sure how she was standing on two feet at all!" The person seemed upset. I hoped they weren't upset with me, I couldn't take much more anger.

"And her size!" The voice continued. What do you mean my size? I lazy snapped back in my head; I still wasn't fully aware of what was going on. "I can feel every bone in her body. It's like she hasn't eaten anything in who knows how long." The voice was definitely angry, but I didn't feel like it was at me. It seemed protective. That can't be, no one has ever tried to protect me.

"Poor thing." A new voice joined, this one was higher in pitch, and one I recognized. Jaycee. Jaycee?! That meant Jaycee's friend was carrying me. Carrying me somewhere I wasn't going to be familiar with. Somewhere . . . somewhere Jack can't find you. The thought crept in without my permission. No. He'll find me, and then there will only be hell to pay afterward. I reasoned with myself. I had to get away. I didn't care if school had barely started that day. I could hang out at a park on the way home or the woods until I was supposed to go inside. I just couldn't let them take me with them. It just wasn't a good idea.

"And her face." Jaycee said, "that can't be a result of clumsiness." The chest my head was laying on vibrated in a low rumbling sound. A growl. Oh my goodness, I suddenly knew who was carrying me: That guy with changing eyes!

My heart sped up, and I think he noticed because his step faltered. "Is she waking up?" Jaycee whispered. I didn't catch the response.

I peeled my eyes open and they were met with blinding light. Sunlight. We were outside? No! That couldn't be good. I wouldn't know where I was, we could be too far for me to figure out how to get home.

The trees above me shook as my head bounced in the rhythm he walked. "Eirenae," he rumbled and  — ignoring the shivers that went down my spine — I panicked again. Gasping in air, I lifted my head up and flailed out my limbs, causing him to nearly drop me.

"Hey, hey!" He exclaimed, "calm down, I got you." Yeah, that's the problem! This time I kicked hard enough that he actually did drop me. I flipped around in a painful maneuver so I could land on my feet before he had a chance to catch me. Jaycee reached out to me and I visibly flinched, jerking four steps backwards away from them.

Leave me alone! I wanted to scream at them. They didn't know me. They weren't my friends — I couldn't have friends! Why did they care so much? Why did they feel the need to carry me off school grounds and take me . . . to the woods?

Looking around I realized we were surrounded by trees. The ground beneath us was pressed into a well-walked path but it wasn't paved and didn't seem to lead anywhere in particular. Oh my goodness they brought me here to kill me. That was the only explanation: they were mythical creatures with glowing eyes and thought I would make a nice snack. I'm going insane!

The guy who brought me out here lifted up a hand, and again, I visibly recoiled. His eyes stayed their deep green color — thank goodness — but I still didn't want him to touch me again.

"Eirenae, what happened to your face?" Jaycee slapped a hand over her mouth, "oh Goddess, that sounded so rude, I'm so sorry!" She took a breath. "I just meant that your bruises can't have come from tripping or something. They look too deep for that; what happened?" She stepped towards me and I shot my hand up, shaking my head. "We just want to help you."

I glance at our scenery. Help? They brought me to the middle of the freaking forest! The September air made it eerier than it needed to be.

"We're just taking you to the doctor." I shifted my eyes to the guy. His voice was reassuring, and for whatever reason my body craved more. I didn't like that.

I shook my head again. I needed to get away. My eyes dart past them, where we seem to have come from. If I go that way, I'll eventually find my way out of here. If I don't make it back to the school, that wouldn't be the worst thing ever. Not returning home could be a blessing; but I couldn't continue with these two. I didn't know them, I couldn't trust them. Bad things tended to happen when I trusted people.

"Don't you want a doctor to look you over? They can give you some pain medication; you look like even walking would hurt you." That's not the point! I screamed inside my head.

I kept my eyes focused on the two of them and started to skirt around on the path. I tried not to step any closer than I already was.

"Eirenae," the guy started, but I took the chance and darted past them, breaking into a run. With lightning-quick reflexes, he grabbed my arm. Not hard, but enough to pull me back. He turned me to face him, opening his mouth as if to speak.

But nothing comes out. Or maybe my body's panic mode tuned the world out. His face got blurry and I tried to blink the tears away, not wanting to cry in front of them. Maybe it was my imagination, or the way his face was swimming dramatically, but I could have sworn his features softened. After a moment, he let go.

I took a few steps away from them, drying my eyes with the back of my hand. When neither of them made a move to stop me, I spun on my heel and took off. I didn't catch what he said to Jaycee. I just ran, probably a little off balanced and klutzy but I didn't care. I was getting away.

I followed the dirt path, not slowing down despite the amount of pain I was in, until the trees thinned and I found myself standing on school property. Confused, I circled around to look at the woods again. The path I came off of was mostly hidden in the foliage — not yet autumn turned — barely visible from even ten feet away. Where in the world were they taking me?

They claimed it was to the doctor. But what doctor could you get to by walking through the woods on a beaten path? Specifically a hidden path that started on the high school grounds? I wasn't close to the building or anything, in fact I was on the opposite side of the football and track field as the building.

A shiver from the fear of the unknown went through me as I walked away from the path. A different day, maybe I would explore the path and see where it leads. But not now. Not when I had other things to worry about: going home.