The Art of the Corset (2017)

Chapter Six- What Lurks Unseen

Stepping further down the path, Marth collected a thick branch and pulled it behind him, allowing Evelyn safe passage. A small distance ahead, he then held her hand as she was forced to step over a large tree stump that had been ripped apart from its body due to a hectic storm. Placing her foot back onto the ground, the mud stole her shoe, forcing her to then tumble-before being caught by him. In this instance, his hand held perfectly on her back in a way that held her as if he was going to dip her in a dance. But alas, his eyes lingered on her for a mere second, before she was returned upright. Not looking back again until making it to a nearby stone bridge, he placed his back against the stones and fell onto the ground, obviously exhausted from their two day journey.

"What is it that we are here for?"

"For sleep." He spoke as her eyes came open wide.

"We will sleep here?"

"I do not exactly see an inn." He teased before using his jacket as a pillow and pulling down his long white shirt, until it covered him almost as a blanket. Looking at her dress, he motioned for her to do the same before she blushed.

"Forgive me, but is there no place...else?"

"This is the safest. We are withdrawn from storms or thieves."

"We have nothing for them to take." She laughed nervously before he smirked to himself.

"I would not say that....Anyhow...we should rest, we have quite a distance in the morning." Seeing her obvious lack of being impressed, he walked up towards her before standing over her.

"May I?' He asked as she saw him move onto one knee. Within a few motions, his hand lifted towards her clothing and pulled her pants from her body, allowing the long shirt to fall just above her ankles. Seeing this amount of skin, he shied away before turning and standing on his feet. "You can use your garter to tie it similar to a quilt, to keep you warm. The bottoms can be rolled like this." He pointed to his makeshift pillow before she copied his design, laying against the wall and finding it completely dreadful. She recalled being a child and being in similar circumstances with the elements pouring onto her as if they were targeting her specifically.

Before she realized it happened, she had fallen asleep and was surprisingly able to sleep the majority of the night until the early hours of the morning broke onto her face and alerting her of the upcoming day. Letting out a stretch, she looked around to see Marth to be vacant. A set of steps left in thick mud were nearby, and not caring of where they would lead, she followed them.

The path took her past several beautiful and unique objects in nature from a seemingly artistic placement of dark and gray stones to beautiful flowers that she slid her fingers against. When the steps ended, she could hear something ahead as if a waterfall was present. Pushing her way for the final steps, she was above a large lagoon with a thick and peaceful waterfall ahead. Within the water rested Marth, his body soaking in each one of the suns rays and making contact with his bare skin. Watching for longer than appropriate, her finger made its way between her lips as she gently bit down, becoming in a trance as she watched him cleanse.

A hand then wrapped its way around her mouth and pulled her from view as she was thrown onto the ground with a large cloth shoved into her mouth. Being unable to see the assailant's face, she could only feel the pressure of being trapped under a tremendous weight and her clothes being ripped from her body. The air hit her skin as she could feel a painful thrust enter her body.

She then found calming hands to wrap around her and her name being called in a type of echo. "Evelyn?" The easing voice asked as she then jolted awake and found it had all been a dream. Beginning as a beautiful dream and ending as a nightmare.