Entwined

Chapter 3: Warmth

Chapter 3: Warmth

       At first I heard a range of howls and snarls from below. That wouldn’t do.

       I bit my lip and then proceeded to allow false tears and sobs to wrack through my body. Once the audience realized this, their aggressive warnings quieted instantaneously.

       Exhibiting a ‘dramatic entrance’ was an understatement for the way I acted. Tears poured heavily through my eyes, blurring my vision, and I allowed a broken sob to ripple through my throat every so often.

       Think hopeless, injured, frightened, innocent girl, I demanded myself continuously.

       After a few moments, I heard rustling from below and then a cautious, male voice rise through the treetops.

       “You, come down here!” He shouted forcefully.

       Nuh-uh.

       I tightened my grip on the trunk and cried louder, as I to curl up into a tiny unthreatening ball. It took him another moment to respond but when he did, I had to hide my growing delight.

       “Nobody is going to hurt you, I swear by it. Just come down, please.” His tone was gentler than I could’ve hoped for.

       What a sucker!

       Looking down with a doe-eyed gaze, I hesitantly began to descend the thick branches.

 

       Arg, I hated to move at such a slow ‘human’ pace.

       Nearing a low branch, my sneaker slipped in the darkness of the night and I slammed roughly into a jagged branch. My torso made contact with the surface first, effectively cutting off my airflow and thoughts. I had been so focused on acting human and not derailing from my plans, that I hadn’t had the time to catch myself.

       Gripping nothing but empty space after I struck the branch, I plummeted towards the ground backwards. Readying myself for the crippling impact, I wheezed, trying to pull air into my screaming lungs. Then, suddenly, something warm and soft caught my figure brusquely in mid-air. I couldn’t think, couldn’t move and especially couldn’t breathe.

       For once, my mind and body completely shut down. 

       I think it took me a total of ten seconds to snap back into life. Once I realized I hadn’t breathed since the fall, I suddenly knew that if I didn’t soon, then I’d surely faint.

        I struggled desperately in the strange warmth around me as I forced strangled wheezes through my lips. A second passed before I was swiftly placed back on my feet and the warmth left me for a moment, before being placed onto the middle of my shaking shoulder blades.

       I gripped my knees and hunched over rapidly to allow myself a moment to concentrate on each breath. I could suck in air and exhale, but it was extremely painful. Apart from being completely winded, my left side in particular spiked in pain with every breath I took.