Butterfly Wings

Muddy Paths

                                                                      Day 6

Running, not my favorite activity, but I can run. Feeling the air rush past, I cannot help but wonder, how far we must go to actually be safe. Marcus seemed to slow down for me, he points to a trench and heads in that direction. We crawl down into the creek water to find a cave-like opening, we both rush directly into the shade of the cover and duck down to sit.

"Think it is safe?" I ask timidly with concern masking the fear I feel.

"No, I think we need to be prepared for anything." He states back confidently, not even a hint of fear coming through.

The wind blows around heavily, the cold winter air bites into our bare skin. I can feel my body shudder, shivering from the cold. Marcus must feel it too, he scoots closer, holding an arm up, not even bothering to even think twice, I move quickly into his warm embrace. We must have run for a good while, as we are both still panting slightly for air. I nudge closer as voices carry from the distance on the wind. It is them, but yet we cannot make out words. We both tense, the voices carry through the woods getting louder, closer, then just as quickly as they came, they disappear. We sit for several hours in our huddled embrace in complete silence.

To be honest I did not feel very confident in Marcus' plan yet somehow it has seemed to work so far. While we were discussing our escape, he had already started his work. He had managed to find a weak spot in the rope restraints and had been loosening them all day. Once he got one hand free after several hours of wiggling, he was out of the restraints within ten minutes. Then had me undone in five minutes. To say I was impressed and slightly turned on at seeing him standing there without a care about us both being naked with his look of determination, would be an understatement. Pretty sure I was tomato red, I could feel my body flush, now at this moment I am sure that all color has vanished with the cold temperature leaving me more pale and blue. I can feel my teeth start banging together as the shivers hit even harder. Marcus, who has been studying everything around us, suddenly looks at me with a look of concern and caring.

He squeezes my side bringing us closer together as he finally speaks, "I am sorry, I should have grabbed a blanket from that basement before we ran, I did not even think about it."

"Do not be sorry, you are the reason that we are both safe right now." I pause as I turn my body closer to him, we have locked eyes now, then I take a breath as I start to speak again. "I was worried I was going to die a virgin; guess I do not have to worry about that now."

Marcus takes a quick breath in, then he sighs his release as the tension in his shoulders gives way a little, a light chuckle passing his lips as he replies, "That is definitely not the right kind of experience to have before you die."

I chuckle back, my sarcasm getting the best of me, "you could show me a better experience, I am sure it would be much warmer than this cold air right now." I flush red again feeling the heat surround me as I think more on the idea, embarrassment hits hard as I bring my head down letting my hair swallow me away.

Marcus laughs loudly and reaches with his other hand up to push my hair behind my ear as his hand lingers, he rubs my cheek. "I am sorry, I do not want to make you uncomfortable." He goes to pull his hand back to his lap; I reach for him, stopping him as I speak again.

"Do not apologize for something that you are not doing, I ... I want it, I need to know that it will not always be like that, besides ... we do need to keep warm, right?" I stop feeling the desperation and the new found desire that has built up in me, I lift my head to look at him, meeting his eyes as my final shred of desperation hits, "Please, please." I whisper to him; I need to feel anything other than pain and fear. I want to enjoy it even just once in my life even if it is in this muddy creek bed with him, at least I feel safe.