A Person You've Never Met [slow]

04:NICK

There was a dog. It's paws slid on the truck bed, weight uneven as the wind tossed him back and forth. There was a gleam in its eye too, one that frightened Nick. Tarnished teeth barred themselves at him; a way of saying, "move and I'll bite".

Yet still, with all of its ferociousness, the dog seemed more of a nuisance than a real problem. This was only because two men sat behind it. Rags covered their faces leaving eyes the color of sand to stare back at Nick. One of the men held a chain with which he used to hold back the growling, brown dog.

Both were huge, glaring from inhumanly heights. The one holding the chain was skinny, cords of veins could be seen lacing up his arms and disappearing under his tattered shirt. The second, was less lean and more muscular. He had lost interest in their captives and instead chose to look out at the passing buildings beside the truck.

Behind this vehicle was another. It trailed after this one, the sound of its motor barely audible.

Nick's hair flew into his face as he struggled to contain his breathing. The bright sun shone down on him, burning his skin pink. The truck in which he sat in had been traveling for hours now. He didn't know where he was going, and had no intention of asking.

There was too much going on inside of his mind to care about the future. Amber was in trouble. She could be hurt. They could have gone back and slit her throat. Ideas of torture and mutilation crossed his mind in quick flashes, blinding him of any common sense. There were greater things to worry about, like where he was headed, what had happened to the café, who these people were.

Yet still, Nick found himself drawn back to her name.

It was like a breeze, going in one ear and coming out the other, transforming his whole thought process in the one single second it was said aloud. He whispered it in reality, somehow hoping she could hear it and somehow knowing that he was only doing it for comfort.

She'll be fine. She'll be fine.

Suddenly, a hand slipped into his. Nick twisted his head to the side, catching strands of white hair in his mouth as he did so, and found himself gazing into blue eyes. Tears slipped from them as the girl tightened her grip on his hand.

The skin that was pulled across her thin form was raw and scarred with burns. Scarlet blood sluiced its way from new cuts that had not been there a few hours ago. Nick remembered crying over her and reflexively gripped the girl's hand. It was wrinkly under his bruised fingers.

Her head was bald too, body only covered with the blanket their captors had tossed her. She sat with her head turned to Nick, legs crossed to the side and chest heaving slightly. Short gasps that caught in the wind was all he could hear from her.

Carefully, he wrapped his arm around her, allowing the girl's body to lean into his. She was so warm. Heating up, in fact.

Not caring what the soldiers in front of them would say, Nick decided to speak. It was the least he could do to help her fall away from the world peacefully. His voice was hushed as he bent his head to her ear.

"It's going to be alright. You'll be okay."

Her tears only fell harder.

"I'm Nick."

She was silent for a moment, eyes squeezing shut before saying, "I'm Izzy."