Dani's Harem [Reverse Harem]

Nathan - Stupid people should avoid my woods

Why are there human tracks in my woods? This is private property! I put up signs for fuck sake! What the hell? Maybe I do need to put up fences after all this is my land, my home! I sigh and look up at the sky trying to build patience and calm down. Do I call the police to come hunt the guy down and get him off my property or do I just find him myself and kick him the hell off my land? I rub the muscles in my neck and come to a decision. I don't want even more people up here wandering my woods and chasing their tails because they got 'lost'. Gah! I set off following the human tracks, they are fresh and moving fast. I see branches laying a few feet away from their counterparts. This person has been careless but I do notice that the guy has stopped every now and then, from the look of the footprints he turns in a circle on the spot. Weird. I pick up the pace, I want him gone now! He is damaging so much of my home that I consider beating his ass in warning to never return!

Just as I pass one of the branches I catch sight of the girl and barely hold is my surprise. I was not expecting anyone remotely like her - maybe a drugged up hippy or something. She looks so young and frail. Her clothes are hanging off her tiny frame and she is smeared with dirt with some small grazes on her face and arms. Even hidden as I am I can see her body trembling and her hair is flat and damp, tangled and twisted like a bird's nest. Her clothes are ripped and stained. Standing here I now don't know what to do, I stand here watching her silently while she scans the woods, after observing her I can see she is clearly scared.

Maybe she will leave on her own, I should just watch her and make sure she finds her way out without contact from me so even though I am hidden I take a step back, not wanting to spook her and the branch underfoot breaks echoing loudly because that is my life. The child freezes for a bare second and twists her body in the opposite direction and is instantly swallowed by my forest. I follow behind her, taking in the broken tracks she is leaving and come to find her collapsing some meters from where I found her just minutes ago.

Looking at the kid, I can see that she is skin and bone. Even passed out on the ground she trembles. Looking around I try to see what had her so spooked in the first place before I came upon her. A person doesn't run like that from nothing, I've seen a lot of horrific things in my life and her body was screaming with terror. Knowing I can't just leave her here to whatever fate the wild would bring her I sling today's hunting rabbits over my left shoulder, bend down and sling her over my right. I note she weighs almost nothing, which is expected with how slight she is but worrying, once again I scan the area with my eyes and seeing nothing I start heading home. 

This was why I moved out here, to avoid having to be around people. I have witnessed enough violence and death to last me several lifetimes. Pretending to be normal after everything I have seen was too much and at first, I just needed peace and quiet. I know I have PTSD, I know that I am paranoid and not everyone is out to get me. I know despite this logic that if I have an attack I could hurt somebody innocent. I know I am not safe to be around, and I know that I am lonely for real company.

Every now and then I stop and listen, scanning the area. It is quiet, too quiet in the forest. It's an empty sound and yet it shouts like everything has stopped and held its breath. I pick up the pace seeking the safety and comfort of my own four walls. Coming into the small clearing I once again scan the area, paying close attention to my small stone cottage. I can't see any movement but I wait another few minutes scanning. I know these woods like the back of my hand and never have they been this silent, waiting and watching. Once satisfied for the moment, I enter my home and take the kid to the bed. My black and white male Huskie looks up from the bottom of my double bed huffs at me and turns his back on me. Obviously still not happy with me about his latest flea collar that I see shredded by the bin. I lay her down and then remember how dirty she is.

"Damn it" I mutter under my breath, I'm going to have to wash the bedding again. Just the dog alone forces me to wash everything once a week. That dog's hair has been found in a number of places I would rather it didn't. Itches like crazy, stupid malting bear! I close my eyes breathe in long and slow and release asking the universe for patience to deal with the continuing unknowns. I look at the girl and sigh in annoyance. I am going to have to wash it all again and take some of my clothes in a number of inches. She will disappear in them but she can figure out what to do about that afterward seeing as the clothes she is wearing are way past saving.

I check the girl's pulse which is calm if a bit slow and I head outside to the rain well. I stand by the door holding it open while eyeing Jocks turned back.

"Well come on then!" I grumble to the dog. He looks at me again and slowly uncurls himself, stretches and wanders passed me to go do his business like he has all the time in the world. I look at the girl once more and go collect a bucket of water from the well. She might not even wake up again today but I could use a cuppa and I can safely heat the water over the fireplace and clean her face and hands. Looking her over again I catalog her long dark hair, pale skin with broken skin on her lips and how drawn in her skin is. Very sunken eyes, she looks so small and fragile. She has a yellowing bruise on her jaw, hands are scraped and bloody. What in the world has happened to her I wonder as I begin to skin the rabbits ready for cooking.

After testing the water from the fire I grab a clean rag and start cleaning up her face and hands. Jock pushes the door open and comes trotting back in and takes his throne on the bed once again without even looking at me.

"I should just let you catch fleas and then you would pay me more respect you overgrown bear," I tell him. He gives me the eye and snorts at me. The girl lets out a whimper and turns her face away and it hits me in the gut like a sucker punch! There are fingerprint bruises on her throat, someone has really abused this child! Jock crawls closer to her and nudges her hand which she then proceeds to claim half the hair on his head in her fist. He doesn't even complain. This just irritates me more, I try to pat him and I get the stink eye. She yanks his hair in a death grip and he doesn't even wince!

"Is there a reason I even keep you here?" in which he just huffs again and stays beside the kid.

I try to be gentle cleaning her up but she cries and whimpers in her sleep anyway. As I'm cleaning her face I realize she isn't as young as her small stature appears. I thought her about 15 but I think she's closer to 18 or 19.  Jock has since moved to lay right beside her and it seems to have helped settle her a little. I then realize that my hands are trembling and I am furious! Furious that someone has hurt this girl. It is no surprise she was running like a virgin out of a biker bar, I hadn't meant to scare her into thinking I was her attacker. It's not like I get any company out here in the middle of nowhere if at all and that's the way I like it, it's why I moved here. No doubt about it, this kid is going to turn my peaceful life upside down if her attackers are following her here. Fuck. I already feel protective. I have been alone for too long.

I finish cleaning her up and look round my cottage, I wonder how she will see my little home when she wakes up. I catch sight of my camping gear and start making plans if we need to make a quick getaway. I don't understand this insight into knowing I need to be prepared for something. My mother called it a gift to guide me along my path when I stumble or need a warning. Somewhere along the way, it became my curse which I had ignored and paid the price. I vowed never to ignore it again and I know in my gut that this child is important somehow and I want to protect her from the monster who harmed her. I get up and carry on sorting food, a storm is coming and I need to be ready for whatever it brings to my door and I may have to face it alone.