Not A Single Word

Chapter 5

"Bella, come! ... Here girl... Come here Bella!" Sam called out to his dog. When the furry sweet creature finally complied Sam rewarded her by scratching her behind the ear "Good girl, who's a good girl?" he encouraged the obviously happy dog wagging her tail and straining her head towards her master.

"Here Bella, catch!" He said throwing her a ball to chase like he did every morning since he got here.

This usually went on until the dog tired, then they would go back home for the day. He didn't get the chance to play with his dog for a time now. He had been working non-stop for years, 3 to be exact, taking sometimes double shifts. But now he had tired of this lifestyle. He wanted to breathe and relax. Have some time to himself. Bella... he got her at a shelter. At the time he was looking for something to fill the void in his life and help him forget his loneliness. But he realized later on that he had bought her because he wanted someone to love.

His parent's death had affected him greatly and changed his life. They had been his everything for a long time and suddenly they had disappeared. Pouf... into thin air. In just a blink of an eye he had lost everything that mattered to him. It's been 3 years now, and it took him this long to realize that killing himself at work wasn't going to dull that nagging ache in his chest.

He decided that taking some time out to think things through and reevaluate his goals in life might be better. Five days have now come and gone but it doesn't seem to be working.

One more day wouldn't hurt, he thought as he reflexively retrieved the stick from the dog's mouth and threw it further away towards the path that lead to the river. One more day wouldn't matter he reasoned with himself, but whatever he does he can't stay on this path that leads to destruction.

Suddenly Sam was jerked back to reality by the barking of his dog. She wasn't visible to him but she was close, and her screams of distress jolted him to run and relieve her. He ran across the narrow footpath that leads closer to the river where he had unthinkingly thrown the ball. Perhaps she had fallen into the river and the strong currents were dragging her. He doubled his speed but suddenly jerked to a halt when he saw the reason Bella was barking.

Thank god she was okay, she had blood on her nose. Not her blood, but the blood of a mangled body lying on the river bank. The cadaver was adorned with a bloodied bright yellow coat, or what was left of one. This sight didn't surprise him in the least. He was used to the sight of blood in his line of work. He even suspected that this person, whoever it is, had fallen into the river and their death was due to the trauma of hitting the rocks.

"Oh my God!" He whispered as he halted in front of the mutilated figure. He could now see that it was a girl. She was lying on the stomach. The dog was still probing the body with her nose and howling. Sam just moved her away and scratched her behind the ear so she might calm down but to no avail.

He was however traumatized when what he thought was a cadaver before checking, raised her head, wheezed in a sudden breath opened her eyes then lost consciousness again. He saw in disbelief her head roll back on the dirt.

His training kicked in now. He couldn't move her in that state. She might have a broken spine or back or both or a number of other injuries. He ran back to the cabin, he needed something to use as board to place under her. He had to lift her up on his own. He also needed something to use as a collar. It was easy to find a collar. Any large towel would do. As for the board, he had to think quick. Finally he got an idea. With a single mighty shove he unhinged a cabinet door and ran back to the patient.

Sam placed the board by her side and rolled her onto it making sure that the back and head at least with part of the thighs were on it. He carefully encircled her neck with the towel. The sight he saw when he took a moment to breathe was horrifying. The ugliness of her crumpled figure from the back was nothing compared to the front side of her body. She was soaked in her own blood to say the least