The girl in the attic

(6) The girl in the attic

The girl in the attic

Chapter 6

Preston's POV

I woke up every few minutes unable to get the girl's tortured face out of my mind. She looked so frail and scared that it almost broke my heart just thinking about her. She must have had a difficult life, I wish there was something I could do to help.

I got up much earlier then necessary and took a hot shower before changing into some jeans a t shirt and a thick jacket. The air was chilly and I'm sure it would still be freezing outside. I pulled a beanie over my head and made my way outside. I ran over to the barn as the sun started rising over the forest in the distance.

I pushed open the doors feeling nervous but hopeful at the same time. I wasn't sure what I should do if I saw her again but I knew she needed help and I wouldn't mind being the person to help her.

The medical kit was gone from where I left it last night giving me hope that she was still somewhere nearby. I let out a sigh of relief and started searching the barn again. I was about to give up when I heard a shuffling noise at the back of the barn and made my way back to see what it was. At first I didn't see anything strange but then I saw a crack in the wall that I didn't see last night. I quickly ran over to it and had a closer look. It was a door, hidden so well that I was lucky to have noticed it.

I pulled it open revealing the girl from last night. She was lying against the wall with her arms wrapped tightly against her legs and her eyes shut. The space was so small that I came to the conclusion that she must have been sitting in that position the entire night.

"Hey, are you ok?" I questioned not wanting to frighten her. She didn't answer. I noticed the medical kit on the floor squeezed in between her and the wall making me focus my attention on the cut on her leg. The blood had dried and a dark red mark was forming around it. She didn't clean it and it was definitely infected. She needed help very fast.

"You need to wake up," I told her a bit louder shaking her shoulder gently. Her eyes flickered open for a second but then rolled back in her head and closed again sending me into a complete panic. I pulled her out of the small space trying to be as careful as possible not wanting to hurt her anymore then she already was and laid her down on the floor. Her body was freezing cold and her skin pale white. I needed to get her to a hospital as soon as possible.

I scooped her up into my arms and was surprised at how light she was. She looked around my age but it felt like I was holding a little kid. I started walking towards the exit of the barn when she opened her eyes again and focused them on me.

"Leave me here, please," she whispered softly looking at me with pleading eyes.  

"I can't, you need to get to a hospital or you're going to die," I told her trying to make her understand how urgent the situation was.  

"No! No hospitals!" she yelled starting to struggle in my arms.  

"You don't have a choice," I told her sternly but I could already feel myself giving in to her. This girl had some serious power over me and I don't even know who she is. At that moment I realized that I would probably do anything she asked me to, my will to help her was overpowering.  

"Please," she whispered weakly before her eyes flickered close again.

Ok, so she doesn't want to go to the hospital but there was no way I was just going to leave her here in the barn I decided. I will take her up to my room, clean her wound and force her to eat something to regain her strength. It wasn't the best idea because I knew she really needed to see a doctor but it would have to do under the circumstances.

I wasn't quite sure what was going on but I figured it was best if nobody saw the girl until she could tell me what was going on so I entered through the back door and crept up the stairs making sure that nobody saw us.

I laid her down on my bed and covered her with a thick blanket. She was covered in dirt from spending the night it that filthy space in the barn but I didn't care, I'll get clean bedding later. I moved the blanket so that her wounded leg was exposed and went about cleaning it with some water and antiseptic, I've never cleaned a big wound like this before and was seriously hoping that I was doing it right and not hurting her.

I got the cut clean but wasn't quite sure what to do next. The cut was deep and obviously infected, she needed stitches. I put some antiseptic cream on the wound and wrapped it up tightly with a bandage hoping that it would somehow help. When I was done I covered her leg and placed my hand on her forehead, she was burning up with fever.

I took a step back and watched the girl carefully as the reality of the situation started to sink in. I had a very sick girl lying in my bed and I had no idea who she was or what had happened to her. It was obvious that she was scared and that she had nowhere to go.