My fingertips trace the lines of the wooden table as I stare at the wall facing me. A day has passed since I woke in the bed, my leg throbbing intensely. My leg has pretty much healed apart from some small scabs, but the clear liquid Caspar once so often used has run dry, and I’m left to heal my last part of the process in natural time.
These past few days have been incredibly boring - dull and uneventful. We use the stock that I’ve made for winter until I am able to hunt again, which will not be for a while. I don’t do much during the day. I speak to Caspar on the occasion, but not often, as he is intensely focused on whatever he’s is building. It appears to be some sort of hacking device, a virus of some sort. I asked him about its specifics, but he only told me to wait in sweet time.
Samarius comes in with a small squirrel. I congratulate him.
“Well done.” I say amused. A large smile crosses his face as he swings it on to the table, along with his hunting gear.
“As your reward, you can take me down to the stream to bathe!” I finish sarcastically. His face forms in to a scowl and I smile brightly.
“That’s a long walk.” He says doubtfully. I raise my eyebrows and cross my arms over my chest, as he rolls his eyes and picks me up for the hundredth time in the past few days. It annoys me how useless I am - how I can’t move, which means I can’t hunt, cook, anything. I’ve been dreading going back to the stream ever since the incident the other day. Will that creature be in the stream? It wouldn’t be deep enough, surely. My mind wanders …
“You smell awful,” he mutters under his breath. I laugh and slap him play on his shoulder, though I know that it’s the truth. I feel gutted that I’ve allowed my personal hygiene to stoop so low in the past week. He carries me down the stream. It’s calm waters are lapping against its shore, much like the lake. I begin the panic as I remember what happened. I squirm around in Samarius’ arm, trying to escape.
“Shh …” He mumbles. I curl in to his chest even further and he tells me to stop acting so. I thrash at his arms like I’m insane. But he manages to calm me down. “You need to bathe, Jane.” He says firmly, placing me gently on the ground. I turn around to him warily.
“Samarius … What if it is in there …” I shout. He clasps his hand over my mouth and I falter. Words fail to escape my mouth as I try and scramble back from the water. Samarius grabs my arm and pulls me up in to his chest once again.
“It’s going to be fine, Jane. I’m here.” He murmurs. “Now …” He says, not sure how to do this. He looks awkward and I realize suddenly what I have to do.
“I’ll turn around.” He says spinning around to face the opposite direction. I stare down at the clothes before me, knowing I can barely move to escape their confining stitches. I pull my top over my head and throw on the floor, but stare down at my pants in disbelief. I honestly can’t believe I have to do this.
“Samarius?” I say, urging him to face me again. He turns around and look at me, squarely in the eyes.
“Yes?” He questions, trying not to look at my torso, although I’m covering my chest with my hands. Although my intimates remain on, the first time I was with Samarius like this was not as personal. There seems to be a more personal aspect to this than before. Perhaps it’s because of the incident the other day that has glued us together for the past few days.
“I need … my briefs-“
“Oh …” He says awkwardly walking towards me and wrapping his hands around my waist. Their warmth comforts me and my shoulders slump. I place my hand over me as soon as he takes off my briefs. The wind brushes past my legs and I shiver. The sun burns my skin and I long for the cool water now, still not trusting it. Its glassy surface welcomes me and I find myself contradicted on whether to enter or not. Not before long a thick muscular arm wraps around me and I’m being carried in to the water. A whimper escapes my lips as my heart beat escalates. The creature has nailed itself in to my mind.
Samarius lays me gently in to the water, careful so that my leg doesn’t touch any. His grip loosens under the water, but still remains. My hair swims around to meet my lips and nose, almost like a soft dance, but I push it back brutally so that when I’m taken out of the cool water it’s off my face. Moments later I’m thrust out of the water and back in to Samarius arms. A smile almost crosses my face.
“That’s not how you bathe, is it, Samarius?” I say curiously. A small smile hints at his lips and he shakes his head.
“I don’t really know how to do this …” He says.
“Neither do I.” I admit. I swish my leg around under water, quickly coming up with an idea.
“Put my leg under the water.” I demand.
“No. It’ll be too painful.”
“I have bruising; the scratches have been healed with that liquid Caspar uses. My bruises only hurt when their touched.” I say, trying to persuade Caspar to let my leg down. It’s begun to itch quite badly and I’ve become desperate to dunk it in. He thinks about it for a few moments, before looking in to my eyes and asking me,
“Are you sure?” I sigh lightly back and nod my head. I feel my leg carefully approach the water then sink in to its cool embrace. A shiver runs up my spine as I feel a numbing across my ankle. It feels odd, and yet at the same time relaxing. My mother told me when I was younger that water had healing properties. I trust in her words and hope for the best. I open my eyes under the water and see Samarius’ large hands across my thighs, gently holding me in the water. These past months I have lost so much weight, his hands almost wrap themselves around my knees. I’ve gained muscle, purely muscle, from hunting and our new diet. Caspar has remained the same weight, but Samarius has gained a tonne of muscle. His once slim and subtly carved chest is now bulging with muscle.
I’m stolen from my thoughts by something slimy drifting over my leg. My leg jerks back on reflex, and Samarius’ grip is taken down to my ankle where he squeezes it on instinct, his muscles reacting to my movement. I open my mouth in pain, and water floods in. I’m quickly gasping for air when I’m pulled out of the water.
“Jane? Jane are you alright?” A voice stresses, trying to get my attention. I nod in response and see Samarius’ features screwed up in worry. I breathe in the fresh air and peek down towards where something slimy touched my ankle, only seeing a piece of weed. I relax instantly as a rush of relief passes over me. I wrap my hand around Samarius’ shoulder, trying to get a better grip to make sure I don’t fall again. Both of my legs wrap themselves around his waist in an attempt to secure myself.
“Let’s not do that again.” I suggest as my body presses up against his chest. I feel his hands spread around my back and I savour the feeling. It’s nice to know someone’s there – looking out for you. I lean my head in to the crevice of his neck and sigh internally. His fingers begin to draw circles on my back.
“How long have we been here?” I ask him.
“Around five months.”
“That’s a long time.” I say, looking up to meet his eyes. “I never thought we’d make it that long.” I finish.
“You doubt me?” He says slightly offended. I shake my head.
“I doubt myself, now.” His hand traces upwards towards my neck, pushing my red locks to the side of my shoulder. I look at them and see how they’ve faded from the sun. What was once a chopped fiery red is now a long subtle ginger. It softens my fox-like face, and I kind of like it.
His eyes are still locked on mine when he lifts my chin with one hand, hesitating for only a moment. His eyes show such emotion, a passion indescribable in that instant. No one has ever looked at me that way.
“Jane …” He murmurs, before leaning his forehead down on to mine. A twinge of fear courses through my bones at the sight of him like this. When he smiles, though, when he smiles it all vanishes. I find myself urging this to happen. I bring my lips to his.
They were soft, melting in to mine. I wasn’t sure what to do, but his actions guided me precisely and I found myself enjoying it. His kiss was delicate, like a flower, but at the same time rough and bursting with passion. His hands no longer mingle with my face but rest firmly on my lower back. A small gasp escapes my lips and he delves in for more, a soft sigh rolling off his tongue.
“I’ve wanted to do that for so long.”
YOU ARE READING
A/04 - The Beginning
Genç Kurgu- Is there really any control, if even our thoughts are being monitored? Jane, among others, is stolen and tested by a team of scientists to study human behaviour for those who aren't of the race themselves. A story of those who survived the apocaly...
