Mania

Chapter 8

After
Claire

If someone told me that I'd wake up in a stranger's room wearing only an oversized nightgown a year ago, I'd think it would be the craziest thing to ever happen. It's sad to say that I've seen weirder things like, oh, I don't know; your country being taken over by terrorists?
I look around the room and I notice a flat basketball in the corner of a closet and I'm guessing I'm in a guy's room. Like things couldn't get any weirder. My backpack is by a gas stove with it's contents are placed around, as well.
     I pause for a moment and I lift up my covers to discover- other than my grossly hairy legs -that my thigh is heavily wrapped. So, whoever saved at least has decent morals. Then I realized that he must've seen me naked. How else would he have put me in this gown?
     A conversation is taking place outside the room but it was too muffled to make clear of anything. The sound stops. I close my eyes. The door opens. Closes. I open my eyes up a sliver and I catch his backside. He has broad shoulders with long arms and impeccably long fingers. He was tall and he didn't seem like the type of person who'd murder a young girl.
He sits on a chair next to a desk littered with pictures and paper and I close my eyes again. He starts humming and I think he's spinning in the chair. I open my eyes and I'm in shock at who it is. Of all of the people in the world, it has to be Easton Rhodes who pulled me out of a frozen lake. I'm actually shocked that he's still alive. I haven't even had a second thought about my classmates.
We catch eye contact for an awkward moment and he says, "I'm glad you're feeling better."
"Thanks for saving me." I say and I push myself up into a sitting position. My leg was throbbing and it makes my head hurt.
"No problem," he says and drums his fingers against his leg. Tilts his head. Looks out the window. It has snowed since the last time I've been awake. "Where have you been ever since the... Take over?" He asks.
"For the first few months, we lived in town at our house until it was burnt down. Ever since that, I've been living in the wilderness." I reply choosing to be vague. I've never talked about what happened to my family. This is probably the longest conversation I've had in ages.
"Have you been to any cities?" He asks.
I shake my head. "Just me and the trees."
He nods and continues, "Why'd you come all of the way over here? That's nearly halfway across Montana."
      "I was trying to get to California because I knew I wouldn't survive the Winter here." I reply with a shrug. I furrow my brows and I ask, "Why did you leave?"
       His facade seems to fall for a minute and he keeps something back behind his teeth. "My parents knew that staying there would be dangerous so we went to more of a remote place." He says with the same smile that used to worm its way into extra servings during lunch.
Liar, liar.
My stomach makes notice of my hunger and he asks, "Do you need something to eat?" I nod and he gets up from the chair and explains, "I'll get something for you," He walks out of the room and I'm taken aback by how different he is now; before the Mania, the only time he ever acknowledged me was if he needed copy down an assignment. This is probably the longest time we've ever talked.
He walks back in with a sandwich and a chocolate bar and I almost cry when I take a bite into the sandwich. It's not fat fried and dripping with grease, but it beats jerky.
"Is it good?" He asks with a slight smile.
I give a muffled reply and I continue eating.
"When you're finished eating, there's a bath ready so tell me when you're ready," He says and walks out of his room. I pop a piece of chocolate in my mouth and I'm filled with delight as the sweet taste and my mouth reunite. "Easton?" I call out and I hear footsteps going up a flight of stairs.
He pokes his head through the door and asks, "You ready?" I nod and he picks me up carefully. I'm thankful that I'm not that heavy as he carries me past a closed door and to the bathroom. "How are we going to do this?" I ask as he closes the door.
"Do what?' He answers.
"Get me into the bathtub- I can't walk on my leg."
He sets me down on the counter next to a pile of clothes and he thinks.
"It's not like you've seen me naked before." I mumble and his cheeks turn bright pink. I almost laugh because I wouldn't think of Easton being the type of person who'd get shy around girls.
     "I... I closed my eyes." He admits and looks away. I start laughing and his blush deepens.
     "I'm okay with that," I assure but he still doesn't dare to meet my eyes. "You can just set me in there, I can do the rest." I say.
     "Are you sure?" He asks as he picks me up again. I nod and he places me in the tub. "I'll be outside if you need me." He says and walks out, leaving me alone in the bathroom.
     I slip the nightgown over my head and I maneuver myself out of my underwear. Falling into the lake made me somewhat clean, but it's been an eternity since I've actually washed my hair out rubbed my body. I can't believe that they actually have shampoo and conditioner or that they have warm water and it makes me wonder.
     Who is Easton Rhodes?