Fire

Chapter 3

Sunlight filters through my closed eyes. Rolling over on soft blankets my body screams in agony along with my pounding head. With a great deal of effort I reluctantly open my eyes, blinded by the sunlight. Fighting the urge to let sleep take over I wait patiently for my eyes to adjust.

Number one thing I've been taught since I was a small girl is observe your surroundings. I take in the small camp. One camo tent laid hidden in the branches of trees. Underneath me were several woolen blankets in the middle of the clearing next to a dying fire.

Between the sun's rays, the flickering fire, and layers of blankets I was burning up. To exhausted to actually do anything about it, I snuggle up against the fur and bask in the warmth as thoughts of the cold salt water surges back into my memory. Samuel's blue hair, green eyes, and white tooth grin filled my mind. Odds are Sammy did not make it through the night or however long I've been out. Sorrow threatens to encase my throat making it hard to swallow.

In the middle of my grieving a small movement catches my eyes. Fighting through the pain I furrow into my mound of blankets trying to slow my breathing in case whoever rescued me planned on torturing me when I woke up. The phrase curiosity killed the cat taunts me, one of these days being the metaphorical cat is going to kill me. Against the flight mode I peek through a ruffle in the blanket trying to get a view of whoever was near my presence.

The boy I had seen on the beach through the faint torch light before he extinguished it strolls into the clearing unaware of being watched by his prisoner. I can't help but to stare at his bare pale chest with an eight pack, tight muscles, leading all the way down to his khaki shorts and bare feet. Coming to my senses I ease further back into my blanket so whoever he was would not catch me staring.

Every nerve in my body stood on end as the stranger tugs off my blanket. The cold air hits my exposed skin and I shiver, I want my fortress of overly hot heat back. I glance down at an overly large T-shirt and loose fitting sweats covering my body. I peer up at the busy boy as he sets to work folding up the top layer of blankets. He would have had to change me.

"It was either new clothes or have you freeze to death." He replied simply, correctly guessing my concerns. Confused by his actions of removing my source of warmth on the unnaturally cold tropic Island I manage to army scoot off of the remaining bottom blankets that separated me from the sandy ground. "Don't move so much, your bodies still recovering from your fight with the ocean."

I struggle to sit up anyways as he folds all but the bottom blanket, gesturing me to get back on. Looking down at my sandy butt and inability to stand to wipe it off I shake my head in refusal. Rolling his eyes, neat freak vanished into his camo cased house and reappeared with cooking supplies.

Ignoring me he set to work skinning a fish with a scary amount of ease right in front of me which so did not help the whole I'm-pretty-sure-he's-a-psychopath thought. I gag, crawling back onto the blanket and wrapping it around my nose to try and muffle the scent of dead fish. Nothing I hated more than food who lives and breaths in the water.

"Do you have a name?" My voice muffled by the blankets. We had sat in silence for long enough as he proceeded to use the same knife he skinned the fish with to cut up vegetables. Quelling my fear of him I wanted to know answers like How the Hell am I still alive? Stopping mid-stir he pierces me with his cold icy blue eyes. The already cold temperature seemed to drop as I manage with a great deal of effort to break away from the strange current.

Wiggling my extremities to see if they were still there and not frost-bitten off, I catch a glimpse of concern edging Popsicle's face.

"It's David." He mumbles before rescuing his food before it caught fire in his tiny sauce pan.

"Mine's Marcy." I feel compelled to give my name even though he seems more interested in food then some chick that washed up on shore. How long has he been here on his own to have set up camp? Papa always said that saying your name was a sign of good faith and hospitality so that there might be a chance that your capture/rescue would sympathize. So why not befriend the stranger?

"I know." He mutters leaving the fire unattended long enough to bring out glass plates and metal silverware. I watch as he meticulously place each piece of food equally spaced on each plate. He has to have OCD or something. Equally placed, Equally portioned, clean and tidy, and somehow knows who I am. I choose to believe that he meant okay nice to know instead of I already know.

"Trout and vegetables. I know you don't like fish but currently it's all you got." For the first time he speaks long enough to catch a faint accent in his voice though I had no idea what it was. I take the food as a sign of respect, staring at the dead fish with nothing short of disgust. Seeing cooked fish was bad enough but eating it after seeing him skin and clean it was too much.

Rearranging his hard work of organized vegetables I scoot them as far from the meat as possible and pick at the carrots and potatoes. "You're going to choose to starve to death on the bases that you don't like fish?" He questions amused as I poke the dead flesh. My stomach grumbled in agreeance to what he was saying. Plugging my nose I swiftly swallow the fish with minimum chewing. Swallowing a gag I manage to keep it down.

My neck tingles at the feeling of being watched and I glance up to see David trying not to laugh at my animalistic manners due to avoiding the food from touching my tongue. Previous ideas of him being a perfectionist go out the window if he get a kick out of my strange style of eating. Wiping my hand on the sweats I try not to gag as he grabs the plate with a smile and vanishes back into the blue camo tent.

"That wasn't so bad was it?" Biting down the smile edging his face as he watches me trying to compose myself, but I couldn't lie to him.

"That was pretty awful."

"Yeah, I'd figure you'd have that reaction." His smile casually turned to a frown as he glares up at the sapphire sky. Scanning the area around our camping area carefully he went on full alert. I heard nothing, saw nothing. Maybe he was a paranoid conspiracist who moved to an Island to avoid mind control and they were watching him and now he's worried that I brought the government to him.

Ridiculous, maybe he was the government. Maybe that's why he knew me. Waiting for him to abandon his search of the shaded woods I decide to jump him with questions.

"Are you part of the government's?" David froze, tensed, like he was trying not to flee. Note, skittish and afraid of my questions. I would piece together the identity of this stranger by his actions. "I'm stuck on the ground, I can't hurt you so why do you look freaked?" For emphasis I wince as I move an inch to the right.

"I...?" David blinks slowly leveling his eyes to mine on the ground. Tilting my head I stare back. The two cold spots on my back began to burn again. Fighting through the pain I reach up to touch one shoulder under David's watchful eyes. A feeling similar to frostbite attacks the nerve ending on my right hand. Yanking my arm away I glance up at David's placid face.

"I.... no, I'm not the government.... Does it hurt?" Concern tinges his voice as he takes a step closer.

"What is it?" Taking a deep breath I try and calm the pain. Whatever it was he seemed to know what it is but he ignored my question and instead began pacing around the borders of our small clearing. Whatever had caught his attention the first time was back. Who knows maybe he was schizophrenic and the voices were badger him or maybe something was really out there.

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Thank you so much for choosing to read Fire. I am keeping my authors note down here so that it stays out of the way :)

If you enjoy this story so far feel free to vote or comment or give your opinion on the twist you want the story to take.

This story will commence at my convince. If you want feel free to check out Bounty Hunter while you wait. For now, Chow <3