Runner

Chapter 5

I help him up, he is taller than i expected, his body slim but fit, a Runners body. His calloused hands showed years climbing fences, holding a gun. I take his gun off him before he could even stand, but he did'nt waver, and it was something that made me trust him a little. "How far?" He groaned after a while of running quietly through the street. This was extremely risky, but we were close to the boat shed now. To his credit, he had'nt complained at all. He knew how to handle pain. "Close, maybe 100 metres, we're getting closer to the town so walk, be silent." I say, and he complies, naturally. We move like hunters through the industrial buildings, and we reach the small shed, and he eyes me curiously."Copy me." I command, twisting my way in.

I unpack my bag getting out the first aid items I have accumlated over the years, very aware of the hit runner before me. "i'm going to have to clean the wound before i bandage it." he nods, clearly aware that it will hurt. I clean, now seeing the bullet just grazed his shoulder, and he takes the pain easily. It doesnt seem to affect him, or his attempt to question me. "Thank you, by the way, for helping me." He says, "But i can't help but wonder why.."

"It's obvious isn't it? You were hit, needed help. End of story." I say, suddenly feeling defensive of my motives.

"Yes i see that, but you of all people know not to trust anyone, so that begs the question, why me?" He questions me.

"Well its not like you could do much in your condition, anyway."

"ha-ha. But seriously, thats like the one thing you should'nt do easily, trust me, i mean."

'Who says i do?" i say, continuing to clean his wound.  He looks at me, and then down to my hands, a smirk on his face. True, why would i trust him? I smile and say, "Okay, Okay. Honestly, i could'nt leave you there in pain, no matter who you were. Of course you could have recognized me, but it has been a while, and it was dark." I say," And, i have your gun." I tag on.

"You've got everything sorted out don't you?" He says, "But i see why you helped me, you care too much."

I flinch, how did this boy already guess my one big weakness? "I do not." I say, defensive.

He raises his eyebrows. "Hey, im not complaining, free healthcare for me" He teases, "But its not a bad thing, a rarity really. But i don't understand how your surviving like this." He says, "On your own, i mean. I could have been anyone, i could have recognized you, and ran off to get you a sentence to the lake. So, how?"

I chuckle once at his logic, "I have a brother, but he was'nt so... fond, of my helping you." I say, then begin to unroll the bandage.

"Oh, he looks after you."

"No, i'm perfectly okay by myself" I reataliate.

"I know, but where is he?" He asks.

"He'll be back soon, i hope. Just trying to prove to me that he's in charge." I say, then shut my mouth quickly, how have i been telling a stranger so much about my life? I don't even know his name, i realise.

"Well, either way, i'm happy it was me you chose to trust, but I hope your brother..."

"Alex."

"...Alex, comes around then." He smiles, and thanks me for the top notch first aid.

I give him a bag of dried apples to eat, but he turns it down and reaches into his pack for food. It is quiet as we eat, and rest. But not uncomfortable, every time I look up at him, he averts his eyes to the hem of his shirt, a piece of string suddenly interesting to him. I smile, and lay down on the rough ground, staring up at the ceiling, but I can still feel his eyes on me, waiting to ask me more.