Freefalling

11

Fear was coursing through his veins. This was his first encounter with a hobo. The man started to approach him. He scooted back with each of the man's steps.

"Those were ma' beans, boy." The man spoke with a deep, grisly voice.

He was scared as hell now. With an uncertain voice he mumbled, "Sorry, s-sir. I wasn't watching my step. Promise it won't happen again."

"Ya' damned right it won't." The dirty guy discreetly revealed a rusty kitchen knife and held it out of his sight. "Say, kid, let me help you up."

He grabbed the hand the man offered. He dusted off his jeans and turned his attention to the trees. The silence was freaking him out. To prepare himself for a conversation, he took a deep breath and opened his mouth.

Nothing was said. He was stabbed before he could speak. The site was throbbing, pumping out blood with each heartbeat. The bearded stabber was nowhere to be seen.

She gleefully turned around to see where he was. Her whole body stopped; he was nowhere in sight. It was unusual, seeing as the area was flat. She called his cell phone. There were three rings until he answered.

With a distressed and groggy voice he said, "Help me. In the forest." He hung up.

She panicked. Her instinct was to run back to find him, but she didn't know what forest he was talking about. Finally, she decided on jogging back the way she came until she found a wooded area.

There was a scruffy man sitting on a bench. The man appeared to be without a shower for a while and had a red streak on dirty pants. Maybe the disgusting guy knows where the forest is.

She slowed to a walk and saw the man was chowing down on a dingy can of beans. This man looked suspicious with shifty eyes and slow movements. "Hello, sir. Do you, by any chance, know if there is some sort of forest 'round here? I'm going to a picnic and I can't seem to find it."

The stinky man eyed her with suspicion before nodding and pointing West. She thanked him and continued her jog.

She was well into the forest and she heard groaning. With enthusiasm of finally finding him, she ran in the direction of the sound.

Her feet stopped and her face showed disgust when she saw the noises were from a couple getting their love on. She turned around and kept jogging.

She came across a puddle of blood. She turned to her left; nothing. A glance to her right; nothing. A double take to the right; there he was perched up against a tree.

His hand was covering his stomach and it was covered in blood. He told her to call the paramedics and she did.

While they waited, she helped him up and made sure he stayed awake. It was difficult because his eyelids were droopy and begging to close. She managed to keep them slightly open.

They heard the sirens. Soon enough a gurney was being wheeled toward them. The muscular men lifted him onto the stretcher and ran back toward the ambulance. She was right behind them.

The paramedics loaded him into the back and hopped in. She put her foot on the back, but was stopped. "Whoa, miss. You can't come along."

"Oh yes I can. I fucking love him."