Saved (Natalie)

I wake up to find that I am in someone’s arms, at first I think that Ash has found me, but I can tell by his deodorant that, that’s not the case. My body aches all over; it feels like I have broken every bone in my body. But at least I feel secure in who ever these arms belong too. So I drift back to sleep trying to get rid of the throbbing headache that now plagues me.

When I wake up again, I am still in the stranger’s arms and he is still walking steadily, I feel slightly better this time. With only a small headache but my whole body is still on fire. And it flares up every time this guy takes a step. After what feels like an hour we arrive at a small clearing, in the clearing is a small tent, not much different from Ash’s and mine.

He must sense that I am awake because he starts talking to me.

“Hi, you’re lucky I found you, a few hours longer and

you would have died.” His voice is smooth and light it almost most makes me go back to sleep.

“You know, you could actually say thank you!” He says in a grumpy voice

“Sorry, I am just a bit confused, that’s all.” Whoops I still didn’t say thank you.

“Thank you.” I mumble.

I feel his chest rise and fall as he chuckles at my after thought comment. Finally we reach the tent and the stranger slowly lays me onto my back on the only bed in the tent.

“How do I know you are not going to kill me?” I ask suddenly afraid of being alone with this person.

“Because you will just have to trust me.” is his reply.

I still haven’t seen his face and I sort of keep expecting it to be all scarred, because he is a murder, but deep down inside I know that’s not true. As soon as my body is fully on the ground I groan in pain, geez my body is hurting all over. Quickly I role over so I am on my stomach, which helps the pain a little.

While I lay there my mind flashes over what had happened the night before. How the earth suddenly started moving and how I fell down the hill. Falling for a long time, and Ash calling out my name. As I think of Ash I listen in to my connection just making sure it continues to buzz steadily so I know he is all right and hopefully he has found the weapons or is looking for me. As I daydream about the night before I hear a small rustling noise near my head, so I am brought out of it and back to reality. I am suddenly aware of the stranger standing over me; I still don’t even know his name.

“Umm... May I ask, what is your name?” He laughs softly at the unsureness in my voice.

“The names Cooper, what’s yours?”

“Natalie.” I say as my checks flash red with embarrassment, for what reason I don’t even understand.

“Natalie...” he says softly, as if getting used to the feel of it on his tongue.

“That’s a nice name, not nice, lovely name, that’s more like it.” My cheeks go even brighter so I shove my face into the pillow and say

“Thank you, I like your name as well.” Which was probably ever rude of me to say considering I am struggling to even remember his name. Conner, Callum, oh wait I remember Cooper, that’s it. Cooper, I like it. I still haven’t looked at this stranger but I should probably wait until this blush subsides.

“Natalie?” he says softly, bringing me back from my thoughts

“Yes, sorry, I was just thinking.” I say randomly. He chuckles again, I role over and wince in pain, his face turns serious.

“We need to do something about your injures, are you comfortable enough with me to let me search and see what the problem is?” I don’t really trust him but I need to fix this problem, so I look up into his eyes and nod. Quickly I role over so he can check out my back and everything else, I let out a low moan as I do so.

Cooper starts with checking my toes and feet and then works his way up my body. I practically have bruises all over my body every time he touches me I wince in pain. I find out I have a sprained ankle, and I probably have a broken rib. As I role onto my back and I look straight up, I notice that Cooper is quite tall, and he is making the tent look really small.

“Cooper?” I ask.

“Yes?” he asks curiously

“What’s the time? And what time was it when you

found me?” He eyes me for a few seconds before answering “It is 1pm and I found you at 9am this morning and it took us three hours to get back to my camping spot.” My face pales with shock, I had been laying there unconscious for 12 hours before Cooper found me. Oh my Goodness, where is Ash? Is Ash okay? All these thoughts come through my mind so I don’t realise that Cooper has been talking to me.

“... Found you with a bow and quiver, so I guessed you were hunting but most people don’t hunt by themselves...” he trails off looking at me expectantly, waiting for me to fill in the gaps. As I stare at him blankly he asks

“Were you here with someone?” As the question goes through my mind, I think this may be my best opportunity to tell him about Ash.

“Yes I was up here with my friend, Ash.” He waits a minute then continues

“What were you doing up here?”

“I am out here hunting, but not the same things that you are hunting.”

“What are you hunting?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” I was expecting him to ask anyway, so when he doesn’t ask I am surprised.