To Walk

Who's There?

Ava Wood's POV

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          "Uggghhhh...Why does it have to be so Notch-darn COLD in the mornings!!" I shivered and wrapped my blanket around myself. Oily hair fell in front of my eyes and I scowled at the strand, "Yeah, yeah...gotta wash my hair too." I grabbed my crutch off the floor and positioned it under my arm and stood drowsily, "Might as well get the day started..."

          A yawn nearly split my face, it made me scrunch my eyes up and miss a step. I plowed into the dirt wall and grunted a word that would have made any mother's face turn white, "Ouch...great." I then remembered I had no food for breakfast, and muttered another lovely word. I stumbled my way up the stairs, deciding to use my wool blanket as a towel for my hair. I peered outside, the sun was just below the mountains and I could hear the mobs beating it back to the caves from which they came. I took a deep breath of the morning air, "Ahhh...that's better." I studied the forest, and, seeing no mobs, I shrugged and sauntered outside...well... I sauntered as best as anyone with a crutch could saunter...

          As soon as I had wrestled my crude door closed, my hair stood on end. Chills raced up my spine and I froze. There it was, that feeling again...

          The feeling of being watched.

         I pretended that nothing was wrong as I turned and made my way to the small river not far from my house, secretly checking my pocket for the small dagger I had there. I needed more poison for it...mushrooms, yes I could get mushrooms on my way back. I acted sleepy all the way to the river, but my glance darted sharply from the woods to my right to the trees of my left. The feeling stuck, but as usual, I didn't see a thing.

          I finally made it to a shallow, sandy part of the river. The deepest part here was only up to the scar on my lower back, but I still made sure I didn't enter the river during the Spring Floods. It was nearing the end of summer now, I was safe. I dipped my toe into the water, it was freezing, as I expected. My feet were wrapped in bandages. I had around two sets and changed them out every time I washed my clothes. The sturdy boots I had come to the valley with were now too heavy for my back to handle, and they were far too worn. I had no leather to fix them with and had resorted to bandages, which worked just fine. Later, as I developed callouses and blisters from my crutches, I tore up the boots and made four fingerless gloves. I lined one pair with wool and used them in winter. They protected my hands very well, though I still had very thick callouses.

          Due to the creepy feeling from earlier, I decided a full-on bath was out of the question. There was no WAY I was getting undressed with the possibility of some creep watching me. I stiffly knelt by the river, lay my blanket-turned-towel on my crutch, and proceeded to lean forward gingerly and begin washing my hair. I combed my fingers through several times, wrung the strands out, and wrapped my blanket around my head. By then, the sky was blue, the day had warmed and the sun was inching steadily Westward. Feeling tired and remembering I'd had no sleep the night before, I lay down on the sandy shore and decided to sleep for a bit, maybe fifteen minutes. As I drifted off, I realized too late, that I'd never be able to wake up in fifteen minutes.

          In seconds, I was out.

Unknown POV

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          She'd fallen asleep. I wondered why. I knew she had sensed me. Her heartbeat had quickened and her breathing changed. Her movements had been stiffer and her eyes were alert. Why was she so comfortable just falling asleep with the possibility of danger? Had she become lax? If she had, I would be sorely disappointed. She'd survived, battling impossible odds for so long, it would be a shame to see her killed in her sleep by some hungry wolf. I remember being very surprised to find her alive after dragging her here and leaving her for dead. I let the memory replay as I watched her sleeping form from behind an oak.