WILD

Chapter 2 "Vulnerable"

I wander around for a while, supposedly "looking for rabbits" butthat's the last thing on my mind right now. I'm actually currentlythinking that I must've looked like a massive twat when I wasstabbing that tree. I am just getting sick of this shit. I didn'twant to kill a beautiful animal so to make up for it, I have to killa few more. Brilliant. I roll my eyes so far back that they might'veactually reached the back of my head. I'm just wandering aimlessly atthis point. Waiting for my feelings and anger to dissipate. I kind ofimagine this is what heaven looks like. The never-ending snow is theclouds. Beautiful wildlife spread all around. It's peaceful, tranquiland picture perfect. It's mad the amount of shit I can chat in my ownhead, I'm impressing myself here. The benefit of the only person youtalk to being a giant dickhead that would have no idea what I waseven talking about. He's like a fucking Neanderthal. "Me kill, mestab, me eat." fucking idiot, incapable of thinking or feelinganything remotely complex. I catch a figure out of the corner of myeye that immediately drags me out of my thoughts. I turn and look inthe direction of the figure, it's hunched over and recoilsimmediately behind the snow covered pine tree as I face its generaldirection. I'm immediately alert but intrigued at the same time. Iproceed to take small, slow steps towards the tree with the figurebehind it. I take the rifle off my back as I begin to encroach on thefigure, I crunch through the snow with my heart beating faster witheach crunch of snow. I'm directly at the tree now, my hands tremblingout of fear. I don't want to shoot someone but I also don't want todie. Why didn't I just run away? My inquisitive nature got the bestof me but whatever it is behind this tree is clearly scared, I meanit immediately hid behind this tree as soon as I looked in thisdirection. Fuck it, here we go. I might die for this but is therethat much to live for anyway? Not really. I brace myself as I goaround towards the backside of the tree. Hands trembling, I can feelmy knees going too. This is it. I begin to turn to my right to theback of the tree with my rifle bolted back, aimed and ready to shoot.I count myself down in my head 3...2...1... I sort of half jump outfrom the tree and I instantly freeze in pure shock. My hands andknees stop trembling as I gaze down on a girl holding a knife up andpointing it in my direction. She's scared but more importantly, she'shurt pretty badly. The last thing I'd ever want to do is hurt her soI throw away my gun to the side. I don't know what compelled me to dothat because now I'm just as vulnerable as her. "I...I'm not hereto hurt you. That's the last thing I would ever do. I'm not akiller." I confess in a soft voice trying to portray my innocencefurther. She doesn't say anything in response but she begins to lowerher blade which gives some relief of tension. She tries to propherself upright against the base of the tree but she very noticeablywinces as she tries to move. "Are you hurt? Let me help you, I havebandages and water in my satchel for you." I offer, trying to earnher trust. She nods and shows me her leg while exposing her wound."Ouch, that's a pretty nasty cut." I remark as I reach into mysatchel to pull out some water and bandages. "This might sting orhurt a little. Tell me to stop if it gets too much." I explain as Ibegin to drizzle water on the cut to try and clean it a little. ThenI apply pressure to the wound before bandaging it up to stop thebleeding.

"How rude of me, I didn't even introduce myself. I'm Jack, what isyour name?" I ask her to try and keep her mind off of the cut. Shebegins to shy away from saying anything in response before finallyreplying. "I'm Juliette, nice to meet you." she says in thesoftest and most pure voice I've ever heard. "Nice to meet youJuliette. That's a very pretty name." I reply as I finish wrappingthe bandage around her leg. She goes slightly red and begins blushingas a smile forms on her face. "Thank you, I'm flattered." shesays while brushing some of her wonderfully straight blonde hair outof her face. "You're welcome. So tell me Juliette, how did you getthat nasty cut?" I question her. "I was out gathering someberries to eat when a lone wolf approached me. It was snarling andleaped at me, I dodged out of the way but it caught me a littlebefore I put my knife in it's neck. Then along you came and savedme." she responds with a little giggle towards the end. "I'm likeyour knight in shining armour then huh?" I joke. As I finishtalking our eyes meet for only a second, her ice blue eyes feel likethey pierce right through me as I get an explosion of butterflies inmy stomach. For a moment I get shy myself while awaiting herresponse. "I guess you are. I'm lucky that someone as nice as youfound me. You're...different to everyone else." She says as shesmiles at me. Damn, that smile is mesmerising but I don't want tokeep complimenting her and come across as a creep. "Thanks...Ithink. I'm just going to take it as a compliment." I chuckle. "Itwas definitely meant to be a compliment, why would you want to belike everyone else?" She says with an innocent smile. "You make avery good point. I'm getting the sense that you're different toowhich is also a good thing." I reply with a smile of my own.