Remembering Hope Findlay

Chapter 17 - When Will I Be Safe?

I shivered, another chill coming down my spine.

I regained my momentum after gathering the energy to walk along. I reached the end of the wide tree that had been sheltering me, the source of the noise just through some tall overstanding shrubs and infant trees.

I took a deep breath, settling my nerves and reassuring myself that what lay before me was not going to be as bad as I thought.

I took one last limped step and reached the bushes, almost running into a small tree on my way. Okay, I swear that tree came out of nowhere...

I gained a position on my knees, taking a full view around behind me before taking the position. I wasn't turning my back now, not this close to possible help... or a possibility of danger. Either way, I wasn't giving up now.

My body, was suddenly feeling powered up, like I was a phone that had been fully charged.

I reached up one of my scarred hands and created a small hole that I could peep through, pushing my anxious feelings down.

Through the thick layer of bush leaves I could get a view of what lay ahead, but only a broken up one - leaves shattering the rest of the scene.

I gasped.

The sight gave me hope, but fear.

Lying across the tarmac, there was a car. Skid marks scarring the road like the black night. The marks ran down the road, but did a sharp one-eighty degree turn and was now face the opposite way.

The windows of the black car were tinted a dark grey, making it almost impossible for my vision to see if the SUV had any passengers.

A gust of wind came, making the trees sway and the leaves in the bush blocked my view even more. I backed up from the hedge.

I needed to get a better view that was consealed. I stood up and roamed along the line of greenery that separated the forest from the main road, almost running into hidden trees along the way.

This had to be the thickest part of the forest, the rest of it was just slightly spaced trees of large sizes, leaves, a few puddles, mud and a few small natural hedges, but this, this barrier, it was like someone had gotten a mile of the vegetation and pushed it in together to make one thick line.

After about ten minutes of trekking through the strong shrubs, I found a spot where I could get a better view.

I wanted to see more; see if someone that could help me was in the vehicle. It was a shady spot, sheltered by a layer of weeds and weak vines that formed some sort of a cave, but only made of plants. I crawled through a small hole in the climbing plants and planted my backside on the mud, awkwardly shuffling my legs so that the stick wouldn't cause more agony. The floor was mud and soaked my bum in the horrid brown stuff.

 This mud was more a green-brown colour, not the rich chocolate brown, or faded brown some mud was. The thick substance must be dyed that colour from so many rotting green leaves around here, I noticed there was many green leaves on the ground as I was walking along, the joins that connect the leaf to the stalk mustn't be very strong.

I poked my arm through the bush, hoping that there wasn't any spiders awaiting to attack my almost bare arm.

I shuddered at the thought of spiders; their long, hairy legs that you could just feel when they crawled along your skin. Their small, but yet so strong bodies, not even touching your skin, their bite: first stinging, then itching, then the dizzy feeling-

I pulled out my arm before I could even continue that sentence.

Are you serious Hope? Really?

That voice came again in my head, sounding a bit like my old sport teacher...

I shook out my body in what little space I had, pulled my thin jackets ripped arm down over my hand, willing to cover as much skin as I could and pushed my arm through. Then did the same with my left, my hands in tight fists and slightly pulling apart the leaves.

I got a clearer view here - my judgement was right.

I could see the SUV, still in the same position - its windows as black as ever. There was nothing else around, just the SUV. It was suspicious, it was driving along then suddenly hairpinned right and there is remained stationary since...

I waited a few minutes more, waiting to see something, or perhaps someone. I removed my hands from the bushes, repositioning my leg so the stick lay flat. I was too tired now to move, that adrenaline had gone. Disappeared... poof.

I fiddled with my ragged fingernails, biting off the hooks that kept catching on my clothes, but unable to file them down. I also removed some of the clumps of mud that lay deep beneath the nail.

Once I had finished giving myself a mini manicure, I stretched out my legs, made myself as comfortable as I could and tried to ignore my dry mouth, trying to bring up as much spit as possible to soften my sore throat. I failed several times.

A sudden movement to my right, through the bushes, brought me to attention. I instantly pushed the leaves apart in the same space, gathering my legs under me. I must of looked like a two year old staring at a teddy bear in a toy store window, but this sight of movement gave me hope.

The shiny door was opened. A tall male stepping out.

From this distance of about a hundred metres I could see he had tanned skin, a big mop of blonde hair on his head, dark blue jeans covering his legs that seemed to go on forever and a plain white long-sleeved t-shirt over his well toned upper body which was then covered again by a thick and indulgent fur coat.

My body was shocked. I gasped and let tears well, but none fell.

It was Corey.