Serendipity

Avoidance

Large arms tightened around my body as I shivered violently, I was curled up in Zak's arms but despite his radiating heat, nothing was warming me up.

"Drink some of this." He whispered bringing a cup to my lips.  

I blew it cautiously before taking a little sip, almost hissing at the temperature.

"My leg." I complained feeling the familiar burn rising from it.

"It's just a scratch." Zak soothed, but I knew a lie when I saw one. Since coming back into the RV, he's done everything in his power to stop me from looking at it.

"It's bad.. isn't it?" I asked looking up to his face as he placed the cup down.

"It's very angry and sore, yes. It may need some stitches."

I grumbled and pushed my head into his chest as he comforted me some more. "Where did Billy go?"

His body stiffened before he sighed "I'm not going to lie to you, after everything we have been through.. But he knows sweetie."

I pulled away "What? How? Since when?"

"He saw me with you and well.. I guess he put two and two together."

"Is he okay about it?" I asked.

"He didn't seem to be too pleased. But it may have been shock."

I nodded weakly thinking about the words he said about Zak before I had even met him. Shock? I'm thinking perhaps he's disappointed in me..

"Hey?" Zak whispered making me look back to his face which seemed at ease with it all. "We know that this is right, don't we?" He questioned gesturing between us.

"Absolutely."

"Then let's not worry."

I nodded and brought up my leg enough to pull back the wet towel Zak had placed on it to keep it cool.

I winced and grumbled at the state of my calf, skin was torn and blood was definitely evident.

"I-"

"First aid box?" I asked looking around the RV. His arms left my sides as he rose up and went into the cupboard to retrieve it. Passing it over, I cracked it open and went to work.

"I didn't want to hurt you." He spoke making me smile gently.

"I'm made of tough stuff."

"I've hurt you before, I don't intend on ever doing it again." He replied honestly.

Together, we sat in the RV and cleaned up my leg. Zak being my legs as I passed him bloody gauzes to bin and used his hands to squeeze when I had to apply the antiseptic. After it was cleaned and wrapped, I felt a lot better and the warmth of the RV was just starting to get into my bones.

"Warm enough?" Zak asked rubbing his chest.

"Just right.. You're roasting aren't you?" I chuckled seeing him stood topless with rosy cheeks.

"It's really hot. But it's important that you are kept warm, I don't want you getting sick." He answered.

I was warm, my leg was patched up and I had ruined my favourite coat.. But one problem remained. Billy.

"I'll sort it, your main concern is getting better." Zak spoke as he picked up a piece of paper from the side. "Huh, this is what Jay was on about."

"What's that?" I asked absentmindedly.

"The family that built the manor? They had a daughter, she was killed before the father went batshit."

My blood ran cold instantly.

"Around 6 years old, blonde hair?" I guessed.

Zak lifted his head from the sheet "How did you know that?"

Oh god, it was an apparition! Not a child!

He moved across the RV towards me "How did you know?"

"That's why I was out there.. I thought she was real Zak, I really did. She seemed so.. So alive! I'm such an idiot!"

"Hey! Hey, no you're not. You're human Katy, I think I would have gone after her too if I thought she was real!"

"But she wasn't! I should have told you but I didn't! I left here and went on a wild goose chase after a little girl who had already passed, what the hell was I thinking?! I could have died out there!" I stressed as he looked at the piece of paper.

"Turns out she did.." He responded passing me the sheet.

My heart clenched in my chest as I looked at the picture of a little girl, her blonde hair was in ringlets as she stood in a family portrait beside the family dog.

Elizabeth, was her name, she was 5 years old and died in a shooting accident as her family held a hunt for rabbits. One bullet to her little chest, some speculated if it was an accident or if there was foul play due to the precision of the shot..

"Oh bless her." I whispered looking at her bright eyes.

"She's still here, she's still playing."

"She's still walking her dog." I added Zak's words as I wiped a tear away from my eye.

"Sometimes, this job is hard." Zak informed me. "People ask why I don't tell them to pass over. To move on from this world and onto the next, but what do you tell a 6 year old girl? I presume if she's walking her dog, she is happy here? How do I tell her to leave the dog behind?"

"You can't.. So she tricked me and may trick a few other people into chasing her into the woods. But she's not an angry spirit, she's just visiting a place she felt safe.." I replied.

He nodded and placed a kiss on my forehead. I smiled gently before pulling back "You should finish that lockdown."

He shook his head "No, I'm not leaving you.. It seems whenever I do you hurt yourself." He teased.

Zak swivelled around and got comfortable after pulling me close to his chest, placing my head over his heart, I decided to count the beats as he flicked through the channels to find a film for us to watch together whilst the crew packed away.

I would have kicked him out to help but that meant giving him his clothes back and I wasn't going to do that any time soon!

"Oh! Wizard of Oz!" He exclaimed throwing his legs onto the bed, settling for this film.

"You're a grown man.."

"And this grown man is going to watch the Wizard of Oz... Problem?" He asked in a serious tone.

I chuckled and shook my head "Nope, but you're the Scarecrow."

"IF I ONLY HAD A BRAAAIIINN!!" He sang loudly along with the television making me laugh.

I noticed his feet were going from side to side with the music. It seemed someone enjoyed this film a lot more than he was letting on. I knew I should be working out a way to explain to Billy that I wasn't intentionally lying to his face. Or that I was sleeping with Zak for my car or his money. But right now? Right at this moment? I couldn't care. You could call me the cowardly lion, but all I wanted to do was sit with Zak who was still singing his head off and be carefree until life kicks back in.

My Mr Dark-side has a light side too, even if it was in Kansas with Dorothy!