The Hunted

Autumn leaves

2:14 am

I turned over on my back and immediately felt pain burn through my entire body. I stiffened and moaned.

I felt a cold rag on my face "Hunter?" I tried getting up, panic swelling in my chest. "Where am I?" My head felt extremely heavy, makings me fall back on the mattress shivering. The room was dark but I felt a gentle touch run over my skin. "You were poisoned, Hunter. We're in my hide out, do you remember Hunter?" I shook my head.

I couldn't think past the pain in my veins. "Who are you?" I moaned out. She only bit her lip and got more water. I grabbed it and threw it over my head hoping my burning skin would cool. "Careful, we don't have much to splurge on" she mumbled. "My skin " I said as my back arched. I yelled out as sweat dripped down my face "it's burning " I grabbed at it in hopes I could pull it off.

I shivered again and felt my throat tighten. "The clans like to use drugs to make their victims easy to control, I found few scratches, they could have poisoned you that way, though your lucky you didn't get infected" she looked so calm talking. "I can't- it burns!" I pulled my shirt off and threw more water over me in hopes something would happen.

She looked wide eyed at first but quickly looked away from my naked chest. "Your fever is burning off the medicine I gave you. The drugs are fighting its way out, it should be over in another five hours" she spoke directly, effortlessly emotionless. I shook my head as I rocked myself, another wave of pain burning through my blood.

I screamed and began to sit up, she finally looked at me with a worried cock of her head. She placed her hand on my chest to keep me down. Her slim fingers that spread over my burning skin were cool.

I didn't want to move her hand or push her away in any way that could hurt her so I forced myself down but grabbed her hand on my chest. She put her other hand over mine and squeezed it, "Hunter, be strong. Don't let it control you. Deep breaths. Count with me, come on." I screamed again, trying not to hurt her hand in mine. She released one of her hands and stroked my face. She guided my eyes to hers and she began to whistle a sweet tune.

I closed my eyes when the pain became too much, but each time I opened them she smiled and whistled again. Finally after two hours of her whistling I drifted to sleep, refusing to release her hand from mine.

5:17 am

My eyes fluttered slowly open. I counted to three before I tried to move. My entire body felt stiff and my skin felt burned. I released the breath I was holding and flexed my fingers and toes. I felt her hand in mine and lifted my head slightly to look at her. She was sitting next to me on the floor with her head resting next to my hip.

I could hear her snore softly. I squeezed her hand gently and she mumbled something I couldn't understand. I reached over with my other hand and brushed her hair out of her face that was falling over. Her eyes opened then. She woke up and pulled her hand out of mine to rub her eyes.

She looked at me with sleepy eyes "Do you feel better?". She looked at my naked chest and quickly looked away with a forced blank expression. The army kept us in shape. So I knew my wide chest, toned arms, and muscular stomach intimidated her. "I don't feel like I'm dying if that's what you mean" I mumble stretching my arms.

They felt immediately tired. "Can you walk?" She stood up and held out her hands. I gripped them and pulled myself up, moaning in pain. I felt light headed as soon as she let me go. "I'm going to fall" I reached out for her. She put my arm around her shoulders and sat me on a chair. "Try stretching your legs" she helped me lift them up and extend them.

I gripped the armrest painfully. Her touch is soft on me as she pushes me to stretch as much as I could. She brings me back to the beat up mattress and walks toward her bag near the door. She brings me water and dried fruit and more medicine. "Sleep" I look at the food and to her worried "How much food do we have?" She looks at me and her shoulders relax a bit, she smiles gently "Don't worry about that. Eat. You'll feel better, I promise"