Unthinkable (BWWM)

Chapter 6: Something New.

Naomi

A few days had passed since my return to the village and everyone have been showering me with excessive kindness. Walking around the village, they would slightly bow their heads acknowledging me, asking how I was doing if they seen me suddenly, offering me any support or help when I would be minding my own business, and so many more. Of course, I was grateful and I didn't mind it, however it started growing on me on how irritating it had gotten. They all felt obligated to pay their respect towards me especially since I would have been killed or taken for good. It's in our tribe to always cherish what we take for granted. I guess I had been taken for granted for a certain amount of time, because I was being killed by kindness. In all of this, I couldn't help my thoughts drifting towards the invader. I couldn't help to remember how we first met and how he abducted me to his village and then after my escape, he came after me. Was he following me? Or did he want to see our village on his own? Even at the worst moment and the danger he was putting himself in, he still managed to make his way to our village.

I should have struck him with the stone that I had. I should have ended it then and there, but his eyes told me otherwise. He was alone and harmless and for a second I imagined if his partner wasn't with him that day, he would have had those same eyes that I recently seen some nights ago. He would have let me go.

I hadn't noticed how frequently I was always thinking about him, but the worst thing was that I actually didn't know why. I closed my eyes and lifted my head to absorb the sun. How I wished its warmth would burn the memories of these past couple of weeks and with that, my feet began moving around. Through my random stroll, I realized that I was out of my village and in front of me was the Kustawi garden. I chuckled to myself because of how secretly I've yearned to come here. I didn't want to admit to why I came here, so I forced those feelings away and just enjoyed my walk through the garden.

Charles

I had been coming to this garden several times. I would come and close my eyes and remember every encounter I had with her. If any of the settlers knew I was doing this, they would think that I have been bewitched. Maybe I was, because I haven't been myself lately. My trip to this garden was becoming repetitive. I guess it would be the closest I could get to seeing her. Going to her village was risky enough, that night I didn't even expect to see her. I managed to spot her walking around near some of the village's huts and I began following her but keeping a fair distance in the bushes. Next thing I know, she came charging at me with a stone. Lovely. To my luck she didn't attack me with it and for a moment there I might have been scared for my life. Key word, Might. It astounded me how in her culture, they might be teaching women how to fight.

I felt a pinch between my calf and my ankle, my head shot down to my leg to see a snake digging its fangs in the bottom half of my leg. A squeal left my lips as I took the snake by its neck and threw it away from me as I fell to the ground clenching on my leg. Venom was now in my system and the pain grew as I began grasping the fact that, I just have been bitten by a snake. It was like my mind was allowing the pain to take over me. I tore part of my shirt off and tied it to my upper calf just inches from my knee to stop the venom from traveling upwards my body. I pulled myself up and attempted to start my way back to the tents, but it was about an hour away, I wouldn't make it. Also, no one knows I'm here anyway. Perfect. I slid back down on the ground next to a tree slowly and took a few breaths before realizing my consciousness leaving me.

A fresh minty smell woke me up from my subconscious world. It had a rich scent and a bit of an acidic smell to it. I sat up searching where I was until my eyes met hers. I might be missing her, but now my mind was creating her just so I could see her. I shook my head pressing my eyelids together to rid the illusion only when I opened it again, she was still there sitting on a big branch that was part of the tree we were both under that was across from me. She was actually here in the garden and looking right at me. I sat up more and realized I couldn't move my left leg, the same leg I was bitten earlier. I tried wiggling it, but felt nothing and it didn't move at my attempt.