Bruised Innocence

Chapter 11

I walked over to the trunk of the tree and sat down with my back pressed against it.

The dug snuggling in with me. I sat there looking at the river, lost in the thoughts and sneezed.

With an urgent flush, I realised that I didn't have my clothes on. In the rush to help the bird, I had forgotten to dress myself. I looked around and spotted my clothes a little further away from me, next to another tree trunk.

The dog sniffed me and ran towards the clothes and brought them back to me. I was once again pleasantly surprised at it's perceptiveness.

I patted him again and wore my clothes. My shirt still had a few buttons missing but it was better than being naked.

I could see the bridge at a distance that could take me back to the school but I had to climb back up in the woods and reach the cabin again in order to go.

I gathered all my courage and started walking back into the woods with the dog scouting a few steps ahead of me.

I plucked a particularly long leaf and tied it around his neck.

"There it goes, now you are my friend and I would call you lacey. We need to get out of here?"I smiled at it and barked and started wagging its tail again.

He barked at me and started leading the way into the woods. I had no idea where it was taking me but I trusted its instincts so I followed it.

We kept walking for hours and It was morning now, almost the time for school.

After some time we reached the very spot I was dragged to. The clearing looked very unremarkable but there was no mistaking the foliage and the tree line.

I looked up at the forest canopy and felt myself swaying a bit. Yes, it was the place.

I hugged myself a bit, trying to suppress the upcoming panic.

I am safe. They aren't here. He isn't here. He can't hurt me at school. I consoled myself.

My feet felt rooted at the spot but then a glare of something shiny drew my attention to a tree nearby.

A mirror? No! It was my watch! I picked it up reverently and checked it for damage. It's back had a bit of mud struck on it but mostly it was fine.

What was it doing near the tree? Oh, this was the tree they held me up against when they dragged me from the cabin. The watch must have fallen due to my straggling.

A bit down on more tears threatening to escape my eyes at the memory. I focussed on my watch instead.

Dad bought it for me when I joined the new school. I remembered how happy and proud he looked that day.

I subconsciously tied it back on, feeling a bit more of myself falling back in place. I could do this.

Suddenly, I heard a car stop nearby and lacey started barking at it.

For some reasons, it made me very scared. I was afraid, so I picked up lacey in my arms and hid behind a particularly thick patch of bushes beside a big tree and signaled it to be quiet.

Unfortunately, I forgot that it wasn't an obedient child but a stray dog.

The moment, I heard footsteps coming in our direction, Lacey leapt from my arms and ran towards them barking.

*More of Lacey in this chapter. :) Updated on 9/08/20*