Chapter Four: Dead and Alone

Aubrey's POV 

I was dead!

And alone! My footsteps left a ripple upon every step I took, the child in me wanted to scream ‘Hello!’ but I needed no soothsayer to tell me that I was all alone.

‘Where am I?’ I couldn't help but wonder as I continued walking aimlessly.

The last thing I remembered before the light had slowly faded away from my view was myself lounging down into the water upon missing my footing.

Funny how my last thought was that I would make Aiden pay while I was floating around in the dark space…restless and alone.

I could hear a faint voice talk to me but it was inaudible and the more I strained to hear the more the voice became faint.

Was this one of Aiden's plans?

To kidnap me and place me here so he could mess up with my thinking and give me the punishment she sees fit?

Staying here seemed like an option as it was peaceful and maybe when my spirit was restless, I'd move over to the other side.

“It's not yet your time” I heard a voice echo all around the dark and empty place, causing fear to fill me up.

For some reason, the voice didn't only I still still fear in me but also hope and a weird sense of calmness filled me up.

“Why? I'm dead already” I found myself saying rather than asking who the weird ass lady speaking was.

“Their fate lies on you,” she said and suddenly a bright blinding light flashed at a distance, and before I could do anything it surrounded me, causing me to jerk up as my eyes opened.

“Wow! Take it easy there tiger, jerking up like that could cause you a concoction” I heard him say as my eyes traced the stranger calmly pushing me back to the bed.

My eyes trailed up and down the stranger's build, he didn't look so young but I was guessing he was in his late twenties.

The hot-looking brunette glanced down at me with those exotic green eyes and a handsome face as he checked my pulse and temperature. 

I was guessing he is 6’2 and has a lean build but with muscles in all the right places.

“Wh…” I tried asking but he immediately shushed me up, “We will exchange pleasantries when you have gotten enough rest”

Despite my earlier encounter with Aiden just a few hours ago, I just somehow felt safe in his arms but I wasn't taking any chances…not after everything.

“Stop, I…” Once again he stopped me short before smiling at me.

“Even when I had pulled you out of the water, you were rigid and was yet conscious whilst unconscious,” he said softly.

He didn't seem like one of us, it was so obvious that he was human and it made me skeptical about feeling relaxed.

What was a human doing in this part of town?

“Let me go!” I argued not allowing him to shut me off this time and he did only for me to lose my footing, into his arms I fell.

“I know you are unsure but relax and rest, when you wake up you'll feel better,” he said calmly, and rather than struggling against his hold, I let him carry me in his arms. 

I let out a tired yawn and he chuckled before saying softly, my car is still far from away from here so you may at least take that nap”

“By the time you wake up, it will all be okay” I heard him whisper while spotting a worried look.

Under his breath, I heard him whisper “You don't know how much of a miracle you are, I'm not going to let anything happen to you” and that was the last thing I heard before I lost consciousness again. 

With a slight jerk, I woke up with a throbbing headache and agonizing body pains that had me leaning back on the soft and comfy bed,

Where was I?

My mind flew back to the man from the woods that had saved me.

I wondered if by where he had left me here and went ok his way or was lingering around somewhere plotting…

“You look hilarious whilst in thought” I heard his familiar voice say, causing me to spring up from the bed in alarm and fright.

Who knew how long he had sat watching me? 

I whimpered as the antagonizing body pains hit me before forcing me back down.

How vulnerable I was now scared me and subconsciously I let out a whimper as the pain intensified.

“I did warn you about taking this easy tigress, we wouldn't want you having a concussion now…Would we?” He asked softly before handing me some painkillers and soup which surprisingly did a good job of easing my pain.

“More Water,” I said with a croaky voice, and as though he had expected me to ask for it, he handed me the bottle of water that was already on the bed stand 

He smiled at me and urged me to speak, “Now, it's safe to express whatever emotions you are feeling right now, and if by any chance you had jumped to your death then I'm not sorry for helping you”

“What?” I asked in alarm, causing him to burst into laughter before sporting an amused look.

“I am Hayden by the way and I must say I'm curious as to why you ended up where I found you,” he Introduced whilst adding that delicate topic, “I thought you were dead before you shocked me by jerking up which I just say must be something you love doing”

I held onto my body because as much as the pains had been subdued, I was still in pain.

“You could lie down back, maybe your body isn't ready to support you in any way” he cooed but I shrugged him away.

This man had sent me vulnerable quite several times and it was nothing to be proud of.

“I can't possibly ask you to trust me seeing as we have just met but if I did mean any harm, I would have possibly done it since” he cooed, staring at me with eyes that showed what seemed like care.

He did have a point that I was to be sincere, so reluctantly I laid down back. 

“you never introduced yourself through”

“Myself?” I found myself whispering surprisingly to his hearing.

“Yes yourself, like your name, any family, your address, and phone number so I could call and explain that you are safe”.

There is no way I was telling a human my history and telling him my name would make him demand an address.

I sniffed before adding, “I don't think I remember” before bursting into fake tears.

“I'm sorry” he whispered before handing me a towel.

He watched me shed crocodile tears before I began, “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…”

“It's no worries” he added, still maintaining that distance I appreciated, I wondered if I was doing this right.

The tears and sniffs.

While chewing my mouth I lied that I'm sorry I didn't remember what my name was.

To my greatest surprise, he added that it might have been a result of my fall.

“I'll get you food, you must be famished” he whispered and added, “In case you don't feel any comfortable here you are free to leave anytime”.

My heart ached as it hit me that I had nowhere and it was all his fault, the hate I had felt when I ran filled me up once more.