Paperboy | Fillie

s e v e n t e e n

I woke up to someone shaking my knee.

My eyes shot open. The first thing I noticed was how cold I was. I could feel my entire body shaking and I could hear my teeth chattering. The next thing I noticed was where I was. The tree was still comfortable to sit in, but my body was aching from being folded up. It definitely wasn't meant for someone my height. The last thing I noticed was the man standing in front of me. I looked up and locked eyes with the last person I would have imagined to have been there.

Millie's dad.

"Why aren't you home?"

I shrugged but I don't think it was noticeable because I was shaking so much. He sighed and shined his flashlight on me a little more. It was still raining but not as hard as I remembered. I didn't really remember falling asleep though either.

"Come on, get out of the tree."

I moved quick. The guy scared me so I did as he said. He was in the same uniform I saw him in earlier, a reminder that he was the sheriff of the town.

My body wasn't quite cooperating as I tried to climb out and I fell to the ground rather hard, scraping the palms of my hands in the process. I let out a small cry in pain and then tried to lift myself up. I was freezing, my body feeling a little numb and my lips quivering.

An arm coming under my own and then across my back had me looking up in surprise at the man helping me up. I accepted the aid without a word and even let him practically lift me into the truck he was driving. He slammed the door shut and then walked around to the other side to climb into the driver's seat. He started the truck up and then reached for the heater, turning it on low.

"D-do y-you think you c-could turn it up h-higher?"

I cringed at how much I stuttered due to my shuddering lips. He shook his head at my question.

"You have to heat up slowly. If you go too fast you could go into shock."

We began to drive then. I noticed that the way he was taking me wasn't home but I didn't question it. He was the sheriff, he had to be harmless, right? We pulled up to the familiar little grey house and I sighed as he got out of the truck fast.

He opened my door, helping me get out. My legs just weren't cooperating. They felt numb, like they were in a bathtub full of icecubes. He sighed and picked me up bridal style. My cheeks automatically grew red but I didn't say anything as he carried me to the door with long strides. I was almost as tall as him so my long legs were dangling awkwardly to the side. We got inside, the house dark and silent.

He brought me to a small bathroom with a sink, toilet, and a shower. I was put on the very edge of the tub before he left the room quickly. I bit my still shaking lip and looked around awkwardly. Was I meant to shower or something? I heard some quiet talking before he was back in the bathroom. Only this time, he had a very cranky looking Noah with bedhair following behind him.

"You're going to shower. You have to go from warm to hot water slowly. Noah will show you how to change it. Every five minutes change it to a little warmer okay?"

I didn't say anything. I shivered in my spot and watched as he walked away, closing the door behind him. Noah got to work by starting the shower. He turned back to me with tired eyes.

"You can take it from here right?"

I slightly nodded.

"I'm right outside the door if you need anything. Turn the knob to the right to make it warmer."

He closed the door behind him as I tried to stand myself up wobbly. I managed to get up but my fingers weren't cooperating in grabbing my clothes to take them off. It's like I could barely even move them. I weighed my options and looked towards the door.