Breathe

Chapter 2

Unedited

~~~

Something soft and firm touched my lips and forced air into my lungs. What was it...I've never felt anything like it. Whatever it was left before I could figure out what it was. Then I felt pressure on my chest that would recede and return in an unpleasant way. I felt the same presence on my lips before a burning sensation start in my lungs and made it's way up my windpipe. Liquid came spewing out of my nose and mouth. I was turned to my side as I coughed the salty substance up. My face met sand, it stuck to the water dripping off of me and tried to enter my opened mouth every time I took a deep breath. 

I felt the presence of someone sitting behind me. Rubbing my back as I hacked up a lung. My head was pounding and my throat burned. But I was alive. I had to be alive, death couldn't be this unpleasant.

My spasming lounges relaxed and I was able to take a normal breath. Who was with me? Was it father? Did he save my life? I rolled to my back and looked up. The first thing I saw was black, shaggy, and dripping wet hair framed my the darkening sky. Not my father's, his was light brown. I wanted to crawl away from this unknown person, but my muscles were to weak. I couldn't even lift my head. The man propped me up  and looked me in the eye. My attention was drawn to a deep ugly scar that ran the length of his right cheek. It started right under his eye and curved up to the top of his ear, disappearing in his midnight hair. I wanted to reach up and touch the scar and run my finger along it...I don't know why, but it was so out of place on his perfect skin.

"How're you feeling?" He asked me in a deep calm voice.

I cleared my throat and closed my eyes to the pain that shot through my temples. "It hurts." I whimpered in a raspy voice.

"What does?" Leaning in closer he brushed the hair from my face. 

"My head..." I said before I lost consciousness again.

I woke again to the sounds of birds chirping in the distance. Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes I sat up and took in my surroundings. I was in a soft bed with a green and blue checkered blanket. It smelled of fresh spring air. The bed was pushed up against a white wall. On the other side was a small wooden table with a glass of water on it. The only other thing in the room was a large oak wardrobe. I reached to the glass of water and took a sip. The liquid coated my throat and made me realize how thirsty I was and downed the rest.

I lifted the comforter off of me and swung my feet to the side of the bed. Only when I looked down I realized I wasn't wearing anything. Reaching over I snagged the white sheet from under the blanket and wrapped it around me. Standing up I went to the window on the far side of the small room. Outside was beautiful. Not far from what I assumed to be a cottage, small waves splashed up onto a sandy beach. I've never been to a beach before. I've only seen the woods surrounding my family's house.

There was a soft tap on the door beside the window. I looked to it before a woman with kind green eyes and long black hair stuck her head in. She had a scar on her left cheek just like the scar the boy had who pulled me out of the water. "Oh good your awake." She said and stepped the rest of the way into the room. "Nathaniel mentioned you wouldn't be awake for another few hours."  

Who's Nathaniel? I asked myself.

Seeing my confusion she added, "He's my son...And the person who pulled you out of the ocean...He was worried you wouldn't make it."

I nodded I would have to thank him for saving my life. "Where am I?" I wondered.

"You're in our home. Far away from your's by the looks of it." She answered.

"Thank you for taking me in." I thought I should show her my appreciation.

"It's no problem." She brushed off my thanks. She noticed my attire and asked, "Would you like something to wear?"