Chapter 11
I felt like I had been grounded to my room. Locked away for having an attitude with my guardian. I could hear the crackle of the fire but could not see its flames through the brush covered walls. It was well insulated and I felt quite comfortable despite the complete darkness.
The bed added enough cushion that my hips were finally able to relax a little and I settled into the bed. The air was filled with mildew and bark, a hint of smoke from the fire drifted in, but I was otherwise able to fall asleep rather quickly.
I was unbothered the entire night. Grayson hadn’t come into the hut and when I woke the following morning, I found myself slightly missing the heat of his skin against mine.
Opening my eyes, I searched for signs of him. Everything was just as I had left it in the small space.
I stretched out and sighed. In my dreams, I had been running through the woods. I couldn’t tell where I was going or who I was running from, but the dream caused enough tossing and turning for a very restless night.
I wondered if I would ever have a full night’s rest again. Ever since the day I turned eighteen, I hadn’t been able to relax like I used to. I bet my hair would turn gray and worry lines would stretch across my face before my twenty first birthday.
The pain in my ribs had lessened to a dull soreness but was still very present. I grabbed my bad foot and pulled it towards my chest, rubbing it gently. Having my ribs and ankle hurt was the worst, if only one of them could have been injured rather than both, I would be much happier.
I pulled myself into a sitting position and went to move the door from where it sat. Daylight leaked through the branches and leaves along the wall and I could barely see through them. The door was completely blacked out and as I pushed it, I found it unmovable.
Confused, I gripped the foliage to push and pull at the door only to be disappointed by how stuck it was. My thoughts went to a boulder or log that Grayson placed over the doorway to keep me trapped inside. Now angry, I leaned back and used my good foot to kick at the door.
It slightly budged and I got three good kicks in before the fourth hit air. The sun blinded me and a hand wrapped around my raised foot, yanking me from the hut.
"Stop that." Grayson demanded in his sleepy British accent. I stared up at him while my eyes adjusted to the light. Had he been the mass blocking the doorway? I wondered if he had guarded the hut all night while I slept relaxed in my safe space.
I wanted to feel bad for him sleeping outside again but the grimace on his face only made me sneer at him for the rude way he pulled me from the hut. He probably enjoyed it anyways, like a dog off his leash, plus he was the one who locked me in there.
Now awake, he rubbed at his face. The stubble around his previously shaven face was coming in dark and thick. A twinge of attraction hit me as I realized I quite liked seeing him with a little facial hair.
I pushed the thought aside and rolled over onto my hands and knees. The pain was bearable enough this morning and I used the hut to try and steady myself as I rose to my one good foot.
I smiled at my upright position, it was the first I had been able to stand since arriving here and I liked the feeling. Walking was another challenge but for now I stood leaning against the hut and enjoyed the view.
Grayson washed the grogginess from his face in the creek, stretched and trotted off down his, now worn in, forest trail without a glance my way. Shaking my head I attempted a few limps towards the creek. Letting go of the hut, I found my balance and hopped even further.
Happy with my ability, I continued to the edge of the water. I fell forward onto my hands first, my ribs screaming out with pain.
I twisted onto my butt and cupped the water into my hands. It was so cool and refreshing, I decided to pull my whole body into the water.
Stretching out in the water, I let the creek waves wash away the sweat and dirt that had accumulated on my skin. My pants grew heavy and I stripped them off. I threw them on the bank and pulled my shirt off with it.
Being in only my underwear, I sat up and washed my hands over my skin as though I held a bar of soap. It wasn’t the same as the amenities I was used to but the cold water felt very good on the bruises that covered most of my body.
I inspected my skin, looking over every imperfection. I had never seen myself like this and it made me sad to look. Sighing, I lowered my head back into the water, scrubbing at my scalp with my fingers.
The water was only a few inches deep, sitting just above my waist line. I turned over and flipped my wet hair back when a movement caught my eye. My hands attempted to cover my breasts and stomach from Graysons view.
This was more skin than anyone besides my mother had seen and I hadn’t thought about if he would return early from his morning hunt. He was watching me from the shadows of the forest again and I reached for my clothes frantically.
Grabbing my shirt first, I held it against my chest and looked back towards Grayson to see if he was still watching.
I gasped as eyes so dark they were almost black stared back at me. He was the same size, same dark hair, same stubble. There was no shirt across his chest and I could see twists of black ink around muscles bulkier than Graysons.
His expression was one of curiosity, not animalistic like the glare I was used to. His skin was more sun touched and his jaw thicker. From a distance, it was easy to mistake him for Grayson but as we stood perfectly still watching each other, I realized Grayson had been right.
We were not alone on this island.