die.  She hopes one comes soon.  Even if that means this new lion kills her.  She doesn't want to remember.

 

Ch. 2

       She wakes up the next morning to Cole bringing in another antelope.  Em is starting to really wonder why he hides his left side.  She's just scared to ask.  As he comes up to her, she struggles to stand up.  She pushes up with her front legs.  They're wobbly, but she holds up fine.  As she starts to stand though, she almost collapses.  She realizes Cole's holding her up.

      "Thanks.  I've never been one for staying down long."

      "No problem.  You okay?"

       "Yeah.  I just need to get back on my feet."  Em starts to eat.  After eating, she sits down.  She feels a lot better.  It's amazing what only two meals could do for you when you're starved.  Em looks around.  She suddenly notices how dark it is in this cave.  She shakily stands up.  She can stand okay, but when she takes a step, she's caught by Cole.

        "You want to go outside?" he asks her.

       "Yeah.  I need to get outside.  I can't stand staying still when I know I'm not going to die."  Em smiles a little bit.  Her first smile in a long time even though it's small.

        Cole helps her outside, looking away from her when they get outmatter?  I won't let you kill yourself.  I've watched you on that hill for days.  Then when the storm came and I felt the coming lightning strike, I knew I wasn't going to let you die."

         "I don't deserve to live."

          "Why?" he asks.  He's not pushing, he's curious Emethyst notices. 

         "I don't want to talk about it," she answers.  "It hurts too much."

         "Ok.  I'm not going to push you.  It's not my business."  He turns around to leave, always keeping his left side away from her.  "By the way, Emethyst is a beautiful name.  'Mind if I call you Em?"

         "No, I don't mind.  You can call me Em."  With that she lays her head down and goes to sleep.  He could kill her right now for all she cared.  But, she knew if he was going to hurt her, he would have already. 

         Em doesn't care if she lives or dies, but this lion, Cole, intrigues her.  Why does he hide his left side?  Does he want to help her, or does he just want her for a purpose?  Em doesn't care.  Her heart is gone.  She'll take any abuse without sound.  Something just came back alive in her heart.  The knowledge that someone cares.  Even if it's just a tiny bit, someone cares and it helps her realize, her life's not over yet.

        Em goes to sleep that night, crying for the first time since Jay died.  She doesn't want to live to remember, but something inside her does.  She doesn't understand it.  A feeling that he hasn't left her yet keeps her from giving up. 

        She knows it's just the hope in the absence of her heart.  The hope that will never leave.  She just wants to either forget, or die.  She hopes one comes soon.  Even if that means this new lion kills her.  She doesn't want to remember.

 

Ch. 2

       She wakes up the next morning to Cole bringing in another antelope.  Em is starting to really wonder why he hides his left side.  She's just scared to ask.  As he comes up to her, she struggles to stand up.  She pushes up with her front legs.  They're wobbly, but she holds up fine.  As she starts to stand though, she almost collapses.  She realizes Cole's holding her up.

      "Thanks.  I've never been one for staying down long."

      "No problem.  You okay?"

       "Yeah.  I just need to get back on my feet."  Em starts to eat.  After eating, she sits down.  She feels a lot better.  It's amazing what only two meals could do for you when you're starved.  Em looks around.  She suddenly notices how dark it is in this cave.  She shakily stands up.  She can stand okay, but when she takes a step, she's caught by Cole.

        "You want to go outside?" he asks her.

into the light.  The light makes him feel uncomfortable when he's around a girl.  They can see him clearly.  He doesn't like that.

         Em notices him draw back a little.  "Thanks for bringing me out here.  It looks like it makes you uncomfortable."  Em hesitates before asking, "Why do you hide your left side from me?"

         Cole looks away.  He lets Em lay down and walks up a few steps.  "I'm like you.  I don't want to talk about it." 

          Em doesn't want to push it, but she tries again.  "I don't want to make you show me, but I'm going to see you eventually.  I'll tell you what's wrong with me."  Em feels encouraged when he glances back at her.  His head is down and he looks a lot different than he did a few moments ago.  Instead of looking big and strong, he looks nervous and vulnerable.

          Cole turns to her.  "I know.  I just don't want anyone to see.  That's why I live by myself."

          "I don't want to pressure you," Em says not wanting to sound inconsiderate toward his privacy.

           "No.  It's okay."  With that he turns around.  He closes his eyes as if to block his heart from her hurting words that are sure to come.  He turns his head away.

           Em looks at him.  She studies him.  He has claw marks all along his neck and back.  Then, he has a triple scar on his eye.  She wonders of the story behind the scars, but she doesn't ask.  He's trusted her enough for one day.  Em takes all of this in stride.  She doesn't react.  Cole is confused by this.

           "I don't see anything wrong with you."

           "Then you must be blind," he mumbles.  He doesn't look at her.

           "So you have a few battle scars.  So what.  That doesn't change who you are.  Which, I don't know yet but I will find out."

           "Yeah, well, I've gotta go.  Don't worry.  I'll be in distance.  If you need me, just yell."  With that he walks into a section of trees.  Em lets him go.  She knows he feels self-conscious.  She knows she needs to respect that.

           Em goes to bed later that night after making it back into the cave.  She faintly notices Cole coming in later.

           

           Ch. 3

 

          Em wakes up early the next morning.  She stands up and stretches her muscles, sore from being still for so long, and goes to the top of the cave.  There's a clear path so it's easy to get up.  Cole must come up here.  Probably to do what she's doing.  To watch the sunrise.

         Em watches the sun rise into the sky.  This is her only happiness without Jay.  She watches the colors change from dark blue to purple, then red, then pink.  Then she hears Cole behind her.  "Beautiful sunrise isn't it."

        The phrase startles her.  Before she can stop it, her mind flashes back to that morning when she first slept with Drew.  Tces him draw back a little.  "Thanks for bringing me out here.  It looks like it makes you uncomfortable."  Em hesitates before asking, "Why do you hide your left side from me?"

         Cole looks away.  He lets Em lay down and walks up a few steps.  "I'm like you.  I don't want to talk about it." 

          Em doesn't want to push it, but she tries again.  "I don't want to make you show me, but I'm going to see you eventually.  I'll tell you what's wrong with me."  Em feels encouraged when he glances back at her.  His head is down and he looks a lot different than he did a few moments ago.  Instead of looking big and strong, he looks nervous and vulnerable.

          Cole turns to her.  "I know.  I just don't want anyone to see.  That's why I live by myself."

          "I don't want to pressure you,"

Previous Page

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Next page