Wrapped Up In You

Concussion

EARLY MORNING IN BIG BEAR

Vix woke startled in a strange bed. It took her a minute to remember where she was and who she was with. The day before had been crazy and she was sure she had dreamed it. But here she was sleeping in 1/16 of the large bed under a huge down comforter that Zacky had brought her to keep her warm. She tossed the covers back expecting to a chill in the air but the room was warm and pleasant. She looked at the fire place to find the dying embers of a small log. Zacky had lit the fire while she was sleeping. It was enough to make her smile to herself.

She climbed out of the bed and made her way to the window. Slowly she lifted the curtain and what she saw made her gasp. The scene outside the window was breathtaking. The ground was covered in a fresh blanket of snow which reflected the light of the rising sun. Vix could have stood there for hours but the cold got to her and pulled her away. She could probably just crawl back into bed but she wasn't really sleepy anymore so she decided to go downstairs and make some coffee. There was a throw on the back of the chair by the window and she grabbed for it, wrapping it around her body.

She made her way down the stairs carefully, keeping a firm hold of the banister. There was some light in living room but she still managed to bump her leg on the coffee table. "Son of a bitch," she growled as soft as she could trying not to wake Zacky if he was still sleeping. She hopped up and down for a few seconds before rubbing her shin and limped the rest of the way to the kitchen.

She spotted Zacky's hoodie lying on the couch and pulled it over her head. It was long on her petite frame but it was warm. It also smelled heavenly...just like him. Her stomach did flip flops as she inhaled. Pulling herself together, she found the coffee and began to rinse the pot. Once down, she proceeded to make the coffee and waited to it patiently. After pouring herself a fresh mug, she stood at the kitchen window looking out. It was really so beautiful here. Though she'd never admit to anyone in a million years, she could see herself staying somewhere like this for a little while. Sure, she thought, she was in a textbook description of a horror movie...alone in an isolated cabin with a stranger who picked her up on the side of the road. Oh hell this was the point in the movie when the horror started. Yikes, maybe she should wake Zacky up.

Briefly she wondered what he wore to bed. She pondered that thought when she heard a scraping sound outside of the door. She listened intently and then her fight or flight impulse kicked in. Muffled by the snow, she could hear footsteps.

Oh God...was it a serial killer? A mass murderer? Michael Myers himself? Had he come from the Halloween movie to murder them in their bed? Unlikely but her heart still raced. She wanted to yell for Zacky but was too scared. She didn't want the murder to know that she was right there, on the other side of the door.

She looked around the kitchen for a weapon and picked up a saucepan. It was small but it was an old cast iron type and pretty heavy. She gripped it tight, like she might grab a baseball bat and very slowly, very quietly began to creep in the direction of the door leading to the hallway. She kept her eyes on the back door.

To her horror, she realized the door was unlocked. Goddamn it Zacky. If she survived this, she was going to kill him.

She took step closer to the door to attempt to lock it before anyone walked in. At that exact moment, it swung open. Acting completely on instinct, Vix swung the saucepan down on the head of the intruder. He crumbled to the ground, swearing and grunting. 

"Fucking shit, Vix...what the hell?" Zacky's voice cried.

At the sound of his voice from the floor, she froze, the saucepan in mid air.

"Zacky?" she gasped in shock looking down at him lying on the floor.

"Who did you think it was? Santa Claus?" he asked bringing his hand to the spot on his head where she had whacked him. "Fuck," he hissed.