Chapter 12

They moved up ahead of us now. And I dragged him under the roots with me. I pressed my hand to his side where the shot was. I didn't call out his name in fear of one of them hearing. But he wasn't breathing and there was just so much blood.

“F-fred,” I whispered slapping his cheek a bit. Oh God what do I do.”Fred? Fred can you hear me? Please don't leave me.” I was struggling so hard not to cry, “Please, please wake up,” I couldn't even put him flat to try CPR. It was maddening. But I have to try something. OK. I eased him down a bit and rested his head on my leg as the ground was way too icky and muddy. I lifted my blouse over my head and tore it in two; putting one piece on his wound and the other beneath his head so he could lay flat. I leaned over and wiped the speck of blood from the corner of his mouth and pinched his nose. I tilted his head back, pressed my lips to his and blew. Then I reached up and pumped his chest. I kept doing this for a while. I was hyperventilating now. Please please please come on. And as if God suddenly favored me on about the 9^th one, he choked awake.

“Oh my God, Fred, Fred.” I cradled him against my chest and kissed his forehead. He screwed his face up a bit and then looked up at me. He smiled a crooked smile and cupped my right cheek. Tears streamed down again.

“You saved us,” he said softly and I chuckle-sobbed.

“You save me, I save you,” I whispered. He eased himself up and groaned, holding his side. Then he looked up at me and his expression changed.

“I never thought when I see you shirt-less it would be under the roots of a tree,” I flushed and we both chuckled, I forgot I was only in my bar up top. We heard a small sound in the distance, a crack like feet stepping on twigs or on branches. He sighed, serious now.

“You have to go Kay-lee,” he said softly, “you need to go and get out of here. Run and don't stop until you're somewhere safe.” I pulled my brows together.

“W-what? I cant leave you are you insane. No I cant. I wont, I-”

“Kay-lee, Kay-lee,” he cupped my face, “calm down. It'll be fine. You go get help and come back for me ok.”

“But I don't want to leave you. Please. I don't want to loose you-”

“If we both stay here you will. Just go get help and come back for me ok. I wouldn't want to be away from you for a single second but if I come with you I'll hold you back and we'll both go down.”

And again I didn't protest, he was right and the thought mad me so sad and so angry at the same time. I reached forward and embraced him. There was the smell of blood and dried leaves in the air, my skin felt weird with the dirt on it, and I could feel him tremble against me. But somehow the moment felt a bit perfect. More tears fell as I thought of the possibility of never seeing him again for whatever reason. He pulled away and pressed his forehead against mine.

“OK,” I nodded my head, “I'll go. But you have to do one last thing for me.”

“Hmmm what's that?”

“Kiss me. Kiss me as if you really do love me and, as much as I hate to say this, as if its the last time you'll ever see me.” He looked at me, pain in his eyes, then he held the back of my neck and pressed his nose tip to mine. We breathed. He took a deep breath and moved in.

The moment his lips touched mine my heart fell, all the time and moments we had in that house came rushing back, including a kiss very similar to this just a couple hours ago. I entwined my fingers in his, holding, just holding on. And boy did he really kiss me as if it was the last. His lips worked mine, the tip of his tongue just merely touching my bottom lip. Butterfly, fireworks, a missed heart beat. And when he pulled away I defiantly did not want to leave him then.

“You take my breath away,” he whispered on my lips. I wanted to just melt away. “I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I never meant to hurt you Kay. I love you so much it burns. We will be together again I promise. I will hold you again and I will kiss you again. You're what gives me a reason to hold on and I will ok. I'll never let go, I'll never let go.”

“I love you so much,” I sobbed and he held me. We hugged, and I wished with all my might that it could continue forever. Everything was crashing down and I just wanted this one thing, this one person, him, to not be apart of that everything. I was just falling apart in my head and I wanted to continue holding him. In fear he'd go too. Like everything else had. But I knew the longer I stay was the more I was hurting myself and the more I was risking us. So I got up and ran into the darkness. But then I just stopped and looked back. He was watching me, a humorless smile on his lips. It seemed stupid, but I smiled back and waved. He waved back.

I did as he said and ran. I ran and ran and ran until my feet ached. I saw no one and no one jumped out of anywhere to attack me. They must be gone...one less thing to worry about. Cold air brushed my naked skin and tree branches scratched my arms, belly and face but I didn't stop. I couldn't. He needed me, as I had needed him; and so I had to do it. For us. Going forward and forward, I came to the edge of the forest and sighed with relief. A road. I couldn't tell which way was north and which was south. Neither could I decide which way to go because up was trees and down was more trees. I didn't have time to think though so I just went up. I ran and ran, up and up. And suddenly the sound of an engine came into ear-shot. It sounded old and rattly. I ran back into the forest and hid behind the nearest tree. When a van came into view, I saw that it was an old man. It was getting a bit lighter as sunrise was spilling in in the far east. I ran out in the road, put my hands over my head and signaled for him to stop. He screeched to the side and stopped. I ran up to him as he got out and took out a flashlight.

“Are you crazy what the hell - good heavens what happened to you?” he said as he shone the light over me and studied my bloody, dirty, inappropriate state. I opened my mouth and immediately closed it back. What do I say exactly. Surrogate dad and hired gang tired to kill me and nerd turned hottie, masked wearing abductor? I think not.

“Its my friend. He's been shot? We were camping and a couple muggers tried to rape me while I was taking a walk. He tried to rescue me but they shot him and ran off.” Good, nice job. Shot would explain the blood, rape would explain the dirt and no shirt. But, s**t, muggers in the forest, in the wee hours of the morning? Way to go, he'll never-

“Oh Jesus, wait here while I get my kit, then you show me where he is alright.”

“Alright. Thank you so much.” I smiled wide.

We rushed through the trees and I was glad he was the old-but-still-fast type. I'd memorize every tree, shrub and every weird shaped bush I could so that I could find my way back to him easily without getting lost. Within what I estimated to be about 6 minutes, half the time it took me to get out the forest and to the road, we reached the tree. But when we got there, I stopped dead in my tracks as the space beneath the roots was empty.

“Where is he?” the old man asked looking as confused as I was.

“I don't know, he was here.”

“What?”

“He was here!” I bellowed, “I had him right here in my arms. He was here I swear he was.”

I fell to my knees and cried my eyes out. He must have staggered away, I tried to tell myself. But why would he if he told me to go get help and come back. He wouldn't do that . Which only meant one thing. They weren't gone, and they took him. It was a horrid realization but it had to be the truth. I found myself trembling. He cant really be gone. He promised he'd hold on and that we'd see each other again. He promised.

I cried and cried.

Is this the end?

No it cant be.

No no no.

I dug my hands into the dirt where he had lain and just cried...