You're mine

Chapter 9

Two days later, Luka found a shirt, pants and a pair of boots that were only a few sizes too big for her, and Ashley dragged them over her still aching body, grateful to finally have some dignity once again. She had contemplated attempting to escape, but up until now Luka had not allowed her to be out of his sight for a single waking moment. She waited as patiently as she could, assuming that he would slip up eventually.

He did. He had been outside unloading some supplies from the truck, and he entered the kitchen carrying a very large and cumbersome-looking sack. He glanced to the side while he was carrying the item, and saw that Ashley was in the kitchen with him. Within an instant, they both realised who was closest to the open door.

She ran. Without a second's hesitation, she bolted for the door and was out of the house before Luka had time to lower the heavy sack to the floor. But he was fast, she knew that from past experience, and so she didn't have the time or the energy to think about what she was doing as she headed for the trees surrounding the building.

He was shouting at her to stop, which occurred to her as strange. Why would he possibly think she would listen when she had a chance at escape? Focusing only on the speed of her stride, she failed to notice the note of anxiety in Luka's voice as he called to her to stop. It wasn't until she finally noticed the warning marks on the trees that she stopped running, and stood absolutely still, scanning the forest floor in panic.

And there they were. No more than a foot away from where she stood, a piece of metal shone dully through the undergrowth, and Ashley finally recognised it as an anti-personnel landmine. She glanced around and counted at least two others within touching distance of her current position. She had missed them on her way in by pure dumb luck, but the chances of her missing them again on the way out seemed slim. If she put enough weight on one of them to activate the mine, it would jump several feet in the air and explode, showering fragments of metal across the ground as well as her own internal organs.

She heard Luka come to an abrupt standstill several feet behind her. On the edge of the minefield no doubt. But if he came any closer, he could set off one of the mines and kill them both.

"Don't move!" Ashley whispered, as if she was scared that the mines would hear her, and set themselves off. She shuffled on the spot so that she was facing Luka's direction to ensure that he was not moving.

Luka scowled. "I told you to stop running. As if I don't know where my own fucking landmines are. Now don't move!" He slowly picked his way between the mines, edging his way towards her at the speed of a tortoise. But at least he didn't manage to blow them both to pieces. When he finally reached Ashley, he lifted her into his arms and carried her back to the house, picking up the pace once they were clear of the danger again.

Ashley sank into a chair at the kitchen table as Luka went back to the truck and finished unloading the supplies. She was too shaken to run for it again. As he finished putting some canned food into a store cupboard, Ashley whispered in a puzzled voice: "You could have been killed, Luka. Why did you come after me?"

Luka looked at her, an unfamiliar expression on his face. He seemed to be troubled. "If I hadn't, you would be dead," he replied. This was probably true, but it did nothing to explain his actions. Nothing believable, anyway. Up until now, Ashley had been sure that Luka existed solely to enjoy causing other people pain. There was no way that he seemed capable of any depth of feeling. So why did it seem as if he was upset at the thought of her dying?

Ashley dragged her shaking body to her feet and stumbled towards Luka. She flung her arms around him and hugged for dear life. "Thank you," she whispered, the words muffled since her mouth was pressed into Luka's neck. He slid his arms around her in response, and rested his cheek on the top of her head, holding her until her shaking subsided once more.

Luka is also confused why he run after her. She's just here for his enjoyment but deep inside him something came alive as if life is worth now living.

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