A Little Piece of Heaven - {Synyster Gates - Book 1} -

Chapter 17

Katie's POV

I had no idea where to look first. Yes, I had been assuring Zacky that we would find Brian but now that I was alone I felt the insecurity coming back to me. I mean I had never been to this park before and I had no idea what Brian was wearing let alone if he was in a condition to answer me when I called for him. I felt like giving up before I had even started to really look for him.

I ran my hand through my hair and decided to search the grove. Maybe he fell into some bushes and wasn't able to come out again. That would be a bad joke though. He was a grown man, why wouldn't he be able to free himself from those evil bushes? Besides why would he fall into a bush anyway? The trees weren't really high but wide and full of leaves. The undergrowth was thick and a mess at some places.

'This place could use a gardener.' I thought growling. Not in seven hells was I to go in there! Just imagine the bugs and spiders and ... eeeewww!!! The very thought sent cold shivers down my back. I wasn't particularly afraid of insects, I just found them beyond disgusting. Sighing I moved on, looking behind every tree and hedge. Nothing.

"God, Brian, where are you?" I whispered to myself and looked to the sky. It was supposed to be a peaceful morning, a relaxed day, and now this. I felt guilty for letting him alone after what happened at Zacky's. Although he hadn't told me what was wrong exactly I sensed it must have been something from his or the guys' past. A small voice in the back of my mind told me to dig a little deeper, that Brian and I could save each other from our past. It scared the shit out of me, of course. Not just because I only knew him for nearly a month but because I could picture myself being with him. I had never experienced something like this before. Whatever is was that made me feel like that, it definitely wasn't normal. Ok, letting yourself beat to a pulp several times wasn't normal either. God, this whole situation was so weird and complicated but most of all confusing. The very thought of Brian let me live through so many emotions at once. It was a miracle that I was still able to make reasonable decisions. Although sometimes I doubted even that.

Deep in thoughts I had been walking along the grove and the pond for a while. I didn't notice anything about my surroundings until I nearly ran into a tree. Well it was a fallen tree. Nevertheless a tree. I turned around to take another route when I heard the ruffling of leaves and light groaning. My first thought as that there was someone having a very intimate moment but when I heard the groaning again it sounded more painful than pleasurable. My stomach turned into knots. What if the person lying there was hurt? My last first aid course was years ago. So I fished for my phone in my bag to call Zacky when realization hit me. It was dead, no battery whatsoever.

"Damn it ... shit, shit, shit." Whisper yelling I hit it against my forehead, "Oww..."

I rubbed the sore spot on my forehead when I heard the groaning again. Although I wanted to just turn around and leave this place I had to check if it was Brian. As soon as I realized that this could possibly be Brian I carefully climbed over the trunk of the tree and made my way through the undergrowth behind a huge hedge.

I gasped in shock as I saw Brian lying in the dirt. His hair was a mess, leaves sticking out of it and his face was smudged with dirt and what looked like dried tears. All in all it was fair to say that he looked like shit. He surely even felt that way. He groaned again rolling onto his stomach.

"Shit!" I rushed over to him and turned him around. It took me some strength to actually do it. When he rolled onto his back he groaned again.

"Come on, big boy, wake up." I lightly patted his cheeks. Groaning he coughed and then he opened his eyes only to shut them quickly again. I guess the light was too painful for his eyes.

"Hey ..." I smiled softly and brushed his dirty hair out of his face. Brian slowly lifted his arm and placed a hand over mine holding it against his cheek.