Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Sheila ran until her saliva became as cold as ice water left on a windowsill in Russia. The bear had not been slowed down by its size or her speed, it was catching up to Sheila, and it was determined. It felt challenged buy Sheila’s act of bravery.

As Sheila came near the waterfall, the noise nearly defending her, she turned just in time to see another creature attack the beast. She kept her speed and ran off. The new predator had bought her time. She hadn’t seen the new predator but it had been huge and with the way it had joined the fight, it was agile and fast. She didn’t have any strength left in her legs and she was hyperventilating. If the new creature happened to win the battle and decided to give her a chase, she might not be able to hold out as she had done to the bear. Despite being extremely fatigued, Sheila pushed herself onward. She couldn’t afford to die, not now that she was ready to have fun. Not now that she has decided to move on. Not now that she was beginning to heal. Not now that she was ready to leave the past to the past and focus on what the future holds for her. She ran on till her lungs seemed to be on the brink of collapsing. She rested her back on a tree and tried to catch her breath. She should be out of the danger area – she thought. She had been running for a long while without stopping- she gauged. In an actual sense though, she had only been running for a while but her fatigue must have caused her to overestimate the distance.

She decided to rest for a while, since she was out of danger she thought.

She looked behind seeing a log of wood laying close to a tree that had formed a canopy behind her so she decided to sit there. She heaved a sigh, thinking on how to continue her endless journey. She was weak and fainting, her feet was frozen. She was so cold.

Few minutes after, she began to hear an awkward sound from the tree that formed a canopy above her. she looked up but didn’t see anything.

Fear gripped her as the sound intensified. She jerked up on her feet to run away. But unfortunately, she couldn’t as she passed out.

Some moments after, she regained consciousness. Only to open her eyes to see a wolf standing before her and blocking her path she causes herself for not considering that possibility.

She gently shifted back fixing her gaze at the wolf. She somehow managed to stand on her feet trying to attack the wolf. She almost does it but then, she falls on the ground with a large thud. The wolf moved closer to her and staring at her with a strange emotion in its eyes as it blinks it eyes at her. she closed her eyes. The wolf would definitely harm her she thought.

She had tried her best to survive and stay alive. She was tired of running and had decided to give up. After all, she had no friend anywhere that would miss her when she eventually dies saved for Camelia and probably, Eva.

She closed her eyes, breathing her last breath. The wolf would definitely not spare her. she thought, waiting to be devoured by it.

Then she hears the sound of something crunching. She thinks it’s her own bones but she doesn’t feel any pain at all. still at that, she refused to open her eyes. She was terrified knowing fully well that she had no energy left to run. So she laid there terrified in surrender.

Finally, she opens her eyes and instead of a wolf, she sees a naked man staring down at her.

Sheila is so confused at this transformation and development. She stares at the man and the man too stares back at her. she had never seen a naked man in her entire life before. Then he pulls out a pair of jeans from somewhere and pulls it on and he extends a hand to Sheila, helping her up.

She hesitantly lifted her hand, accepting his offer of help.

“I’m so sorry for scaring you. It wasn’t intentional,” he apologized, slightly grinning.

“My name is Garrett Everson.” He smiled, introducing himself to her. But Sheila seems to be lost as her gaze was fixed on him. She admired everything about him. Garrett, who is 6.2 feet tall with a dark hair and dark eyes. He is handsome and has an athletic build.

She couldn’t stop herself from admiring him. Garrett’s smile was so cute, captivating and charming.

“Why are you naked in the woods?” Sheila quizzed, when she finally found her voice.

“I was looking for something when I found you.” He cheerfully replied and grinned. Licking his lower lips and making them look more attractive.

Sheila kept staring at him. She couldn’t help it.

“Common Sheila, you are safe with me!” he blurted. Blinking his right eye.

“What! You know my name? how is that possible?” Sheila asked. “left for me, I don’t know you. I’ve never seen you anywhere before. So how did you know my name?” Sheila quizzed, expecting to get a response from him.

Garrett chuckles, seeing the fear in her expression because of his words he assured her that he won’t hurt her or let anyone hurt her. He also didn’t want to overwhelm her with so much information so he decided to say no more. Somehow, she feels intoxicated by him and she is confused by the feeling. He moves closer to her gently and he tells her that she is freezing and there is somewhere warm they can go and talk.

Sheila is taken aback by the request and he smells good so she closes her eyes and takes in his scent of pine and almond. She obliged to go with him and is very surprised when they end up in her apartment.

“How did you know where I stay?” she quizzed looking surprised and patiently waiting for an answer. Garrett seems to amaze her. she knew not what more surprise he has in store for her. The guy called Garrett is strange she thought.

“I just know.” He chuckled.

“Common, don’t be scared you’re safe with me.” he confidently asserted in assurance to Sheila.

It was quite glaring that Sheila was feeling uneasy. He could see the fear in her eyes.

She thinks he is going to harm her, so she then decided to be at alert. But then, she reasons that if he wanted to do something like that, it would have been quite easier in the woods and not in her apartment.

She sighed. A lot have happened and still happening. She thought. She reminisced on the moment she had spent in the woods earlier that day. The, flowers, the waterfall, the trees and then, her encounter with the beast.

She also recalled seeing Garrett naked in the woods. She laughed at ass out remembering and imagining him naked.

“Sheila, why are you laughing?” he quizzed, as they walked towards her apartment.

“Nothing.” She replied, covering her mouth with her right palm, trying not to laugh any louder.

She couldn’t recall the last day she had a good laugh. She hasn’t laughed in a long while. The last laugh she had was when her mother was alive.

That day, she had played hide and seek with her mom and it was quite fun.

She smiled, stealing a glance at Garrett.

She serves him coffee when they got into her apartment and they started talking.

“How about your family?” he asked, taking a sip of the hot coffee Sheila had made for him.

“I don’t have a family!” she bluntly replied. Expecting him to sympathize with her or feel sorry for her like every other person does.

“But unfortunately, he felt no remorse towards her. he acted like he doesn’t know what it means to be an orphan without siblings or any family member. He didn’t feel sorry for her.

He took a sip of his coffee again.

“Did you hear me? I said I don’t have a family!” she reiterated. Expecting him to sympathize with her.

“I heard you the first time. Sheila.” He replied. Nodding his head.

What kind of a human being is this that has no remorse or feeling? Sheila thought.

No one ever heard that Sheila was an orphan without sympathizing with her or giving her a pity look.

She stared at Garrett looking surprised and then decided to reserve the rest of her comment.

She heaved a sigh, looking away from him.

“So, what is keeping you in this small town Montana?” he inquired.

“Money. I don’t have enough money to move away from Montana.” She spilled out in a low tune.

“Would you move away, if the said money isn’t an issue?” he asked, gingerly looking into Sheila’s eyes as she takes her eyes off him.

“I don’t know yet,” she whispered.

“Okay!” He nodded.

Suddenly, she notices something. She sees him wearing only a Jeans without a shirt and is surprised that he isn’t feeling the cold.

“You’re not putting on a shirt. Aren’t you cold?” she asked.

“No. I’m not!” was his response to her.

“Why if I may ask?” Sheila quizzed, slightly squeezing her face.

Garrett chuckled. “Do you really want to know why?”

“Of course yes!” she anxiously retorted.

“Okay, I’m not feeling cold because of the hot coffee you made for me.” he blurted. Laughing hysterically.

“You are making a fool out of me aren’t you?” Sheila asked, nodding her head and looking a bit upset.

She folded her arms turning away from Garrett.

“Common Sheila, I’m so sorry okay? I didn’t mean to get you upset.” He apologized.

Sheila heaved a heavy sigh rolling her eyes and unfolding her arms.

Suddenly, she notices that she wasn’t having her ring anymore. “Oh my God!” she exclaimed. Looking at her fingers and searching for her ring in all the pockets in the jean trouser she was wearing.

She got confused. “Where the hell is my ring?” she quizzed almost yelling to no one else but herself.

“Relax Sheila, you are yelling.” Garrett said.

“I don’t care if I am yelling. That ring means so much to me and as a matter of fact, I have never taken it out of my finger since my mother passed away. The ring was given to me by my mother before she died!” she explained. Flipping her hair back as it was covering her face.

She was restless and felt like going back to the woods in search of the ring.

The ring had always been on her finger. She wondered exactly where it could have gone to.

She turned towards the window. Staring at the woods. She felt the urge to go back there in search of her precious ring.

“Listen, I’m going back to the woods to get back my ring…” she blurted. Turning her back, only to see Garrett standing behind her with his right palm opened. On it, was her ring.

“What? How did you……..how did you find that?” she stuttered. picking the ring from his palm, she looked at it closely. It was her ring. She slightly inserted the ring into her index finger. That’s the finger she always loves to wear her ring in.

She was surprised and super excited.

She couldn’t hide the way she felt. She had a thousand and one questions in mind to ask.

“You must have lots of questions in mind to ask. Right?” he soliloquized.

Sheila who was found speechless slightly nodded.

Garrett chortled.

Sheila stared at Garrett straight into his eyes and asked, “Garrett, please tell me, who exactly are you?”

Garrett smiled, burying his face on his palms “You really want to know who I am. Right?” he queried, kissing his tongue. And looking up to her.