Chapter 3

Jason

Family is very important to me, I don't joke with them, so that's why I didn't make a single

complain or argue when my mom told me to take a few days off from work so we could have

family bonding time. Not like she would even take no for an answer.

I took four days off from work as I drove my family to our cabin in the woods, we quickly set up

everything we would be needing, my mom strictly warned us about taking any work related calls

because we would be in deep shit, and we know better than to disobey her, that woman can

become an erupting volcano when she is angry, I wouldn't want that on my head.

I don't know where it came from but my little sister decided that we prepare a trap, because she

believed that in this woods, we could find unicorns. I told her that she had been reading too

many fantasy novels, but she wouldn't let me be, so I had to do what she wanted for my own

peace of mind. The first day we set the trap, early next morning we went to check for any sign of

a unicorn but we found nothing, but my sister wouldn't give up.

My family and I were sitting outside chatting and laughing when we thought we heard a scream,

we didn't take it too serious as we continued our chat, but my mind was no longer there as I was

convinced I heard someone scream. It didn't take long I heard a scream again and this was

more pronounced than the other, as my dad, mom and little sister also turned to the direction

the screaming came from.

We all stood up at the same time, making our way into the woods, we knew people comearound here sometimes, but we've never heard screaming before, not when it sounded like this person was scared to dead, "hello, anybody there?" my mom called but we heard no response,

hope this isn't something serious, like a murder where the police would come flooding this place.

After turning round and round with my family, it finally dawn on me to check the trap we had set,

so I told my family and we made our way to where it was located. In no time we got there, and

just like I suspected, someone was caught in the net in an odd way, to say I was shocked was

an understatement, I turned to look at my parents as they both had the same shocked

expression on their faces.

We made our way further towards the trap when we heard a voice, it was a female voice and

mind you it was the most beautiful voice I've heard, even in her scared state....she started

blabbing about how she doesn't taste sweet or how the gods won't accept her flesh, the most

funny one was her sayings no one will buy her organs as they won't work without her, she

thought we were carnivores, she must have really been scared, my parents and sister fell into a

fit of laughter but I just managed a smile, the soul must have been scared and I was the one

who put her in this condition, so it not nice that I laugh about it.

When she was done talking and we figured she must have calmed down my father turned to me

as if asking me if we could cut the rope now, but I signaled for him to go cut it so I could hold her

from falling badly when he cuts it. Just like I predicted, as he cut the rope, the net came down

with full force and if I wasn't down here to catch the fall she would have had some injuries.

When I caught her, we both stumble and fell with her wrapped in my arms. I had to detach

myself from her, I felt really bad for putting her through this.

When I released her she just stayed on the ground, not moving, it scared me a little, but when I

looked at her chest, she was breathing heavily that alone gave me relief. I went towards her,

together with my family to check on her, she would be fine, but she was going into

unconsciousness. I looked down at her face which happens to be contorted in pain, before I

picked her up in my arms, making my way to the cabin.

We got there in no time as I lay her down on the bed checking for any injuries, after examining

her body thoroughly, I found just a few scrap and blisters, when she wakes up I'll ask for any

internal discomfort, I then left her for my mother to clean, because am sure she must have had

one hell of a day with those ropes and wouldn't want to sleep in the same clothes...so I left them

to go get her one of my clean shirt, why I want to give her my shirt when she could have my

mom's, I don't really know why I want to give her mine, maybe because of guilty, I feel

responsible for her condition, so it the right thing I take care of her.

After my mom was done with her, I went to check up on her, when I really looked at her face, I

noticed that I really didn't see what she looked like when I was bringing her to the cabin, but now

looking at her up close made my heart skip a beat, she was beautiful, that is unarguable, pure

and true beauty, I wonder what the color of her eyes would be, maybe brown, green, I know any

color on such a face would be beautiful.

I heard someone cleared their throat as I reluctantly removed my eyes from the beauty I was

admiring, turning to look at who it was, I saw my dad with a raised brow looking amused, why, I

didn't know.

"She's doing fine right?" he asked with concern clearly written on his face. "Yes she is okay, just

a few scratch and blisters but they won't take time to heal," I told him, turning to glance at the

said person, she moved in her sleep but didn't wake up. My dad gave me a tap on the shoulder

indicating that he was leaving as he exited the room, I should leave her to rest...I thought quietly

to myself before exiting the room so I too could get some sleep.

I went to the sitting area and lay on the couch, I just couldn't erase the fact that something worst

could have happened to her stuck in that net, am at least grateful that we found her and she

was doing okay.

I was the first to wake up the next morning, I had to make breakfast before every other person

wakes up, so with that in mind, I settled for making pancakes, then coffee, I also make orange

juice for anyone interested in taking it. Soon enough they began to wake up, one by one, first

my mom, then my dad, followed by my little sister, I was sure my cooking woke them up,

because my sister practically woke up with her eyes half closed and her nose raised sniffing the

air. The person I wanted to really see wasn't awake yet.

I served them their breakfast as we all began to eat, half way through the meal I heard light foot

steps, I think my heart started dancing, what was wrong with me? perhaps it the excitement that

she was up and okay that had my heart in such way, before I could turn around, I heard that

angelic voice say "I don't mean to intrude, but please where am I?" I was about to answer her

but my sister Charlotte beat me to it...." First you are not in heaven, which means you are in our

family cabin, secondly you are not intruding, you can join us for breakfast, we don't bite."

"Come on honey, come join us, it pancakes, my son made them I promise you'll like it" she said

as she beckoned with her my hand to come sit beside her, she was hesitant at first but she

slowly made her way towards the chair my mom pointed for her to sit. I heard her mumble a

thank you and good morning before she finally sat down.

My family was making this awkward, how come everybody has said one thing or the other to her

but I was here sitting like an antelope caught in the head light. I finally grew some balls as I

turned to her " hey, how are you feeling now?" I asked her. "Fine" came her reply as she

chewed silently on her pancake.

After breakfast, she seemed to loosen up as she came to the conclusion that we were not

planning on eating her. "My name is Odessa Dawson, nice to meet you all, I hope am not

intruding on your family time, I wouldn't like to bother," she said as she looked at us all.

"Nonsense, honey you are bothering no one because you see my dear, my son has some

explaining to do." My mother said as everyone turned their attention to me, even my sister, what

a betrayal.