Realized Darkness

6 0 0
                                    

Warning: non consensual touching, angst and just general sliminess


She was sore and with every breath she breathed out, a small puff of white came from her lips. Sarah's head was achy and swimmy. Her eyes blurred as she tried to open her heavy lids. She could hear noises all around her. The sounds of an ax dropping through wood, the growing crackles of a fire far away, even the chattering of other women could be heard carrying on the wind just outside. Sarah blinked a few times fast and tried to focus on her surroundings. She lay in a makeshift nest of furs and pillows in the far corner of a large room. A fire had been lit in the nearby fireplace and its heat was slowly creeping to warm the big space up around her. Standard wooden chairs, a table, and a small wardrobe lined the wall nearby. A makeshift clothesline had been hung in the opposite corner of the room where she saw a red backed black vest and long sleeve white shirt hanging to dry. Dutch had obviously changed out of his usual clothes that had become wet with the snow and strown them out to dry. She then saw her own dress hanging just next to the white button up shirt and her eyes grew big. Sarah quickly shifted the fur up, coming fully awake now, to check her own body to see what exactly she was wearing under there.

Black silk was drawn around her and she could feel it against her skin,,,and nothing else. She felt the heat rise in her cheeks as she flushed wondering who the hell had changed her out of her clothes. "NO Pearson! I'll get the water from the inside pump. That one'll have to be flushed first before its suitable for drinkn" The door halfway crashed open as older but spry woman made her way into the room, bucket in hand. She wore a long worn but elegant dress and her long hair sat piled up in a loose updo as she walked with authority into the room. She marched purposely over to pump the water into the bucket not noticing that Sarah had woke until she was about three pumps in to gathering the liquid. She stopped mid press, "Oh my dear! You're awake!" Susan let go of the pump handle and stalked over to her, kneeling beside her makeshift bed. Sarah backed closer to the corner a bit afraid of what she was going to do.

Her features softened and her approach slowed as she saw the fear in Sarah's eyes

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.

Her features softened and her approach slowed as she saw the fear in Sarah's eyes. "Oh now there there dear. I'm not gonna hurtcha. I just wanna check see if that fever of yours has broken. You were quite out of it for a bit there." She reached a calloused but gentle hand towards Sarah's forehead and felt it for a moment or so then took it away. "Yesss now, much better. Here," she walked over and scooped a ladle of water from the bucket, "now, you drink this up. You have to be parched at this point." Sarah gingerly took the ladle and took generous swallows of the water not realizing just how thirsty she had been. "My clothes?" she croaked between gulps looking over at her hanging dress. Susan followed her line of sight and made a shooing motion. "Oh yes. Me and Miss Tilley changed you out of that, it was sopping wet it was. Now I know my gown may be a little fancy for the occasion but its dry and clean and it'll do for now. You just rest up in here ok, you've had quite the ordeal. Oh I'm Susan by the way." She patted Sarah's hand and relief washed over Sarah as she realized the women had changed her clothing not the man they called Dutch. Like a demon being summoned, her thoughts seemed to bring the big man forth as the wooden door began to open again. "Mrs. Grimshaw, we have the other cabin ready for you ladies and the heavy-duty tents have been put down for the other men outside. Do you need..." He trailed off as he saw she had woken and was staring over the finished ladle at him. "Anna.." he whispered and came rushing over to her side falling to his knees beside the bed.

Tattered PagesWhere stories live. Discover now