by Bec Botefuhr
“She will sniff that blood out and you can watch as she tears your sister up like a scrap of meat, then, I am going to let you watch Amy die while I slowly, slash your body and hang you up for the group of lions I have waiting. Happy days.”
“This will backfire on you.” I growl.
He lashes out and hits my eye, splitting it open. “Your mouth is too big for your own good, I am going to enjoy every little second watching you die.”
He walks over to his truck and I keep my eye on the lioness. She is scenting the air, her big head bobbing up and down and her nose sniffling about. She begins her decent towards Sandy and I panic, fast movement, distract her. I look over at BTK who is shuffling through his back and comes out with a gun. As he is standing, I throw the rock, hard and fast. It hits him in the side of the head and blood pours from his temple. He yells loudly enough to catch the lions attention and she turns.
“STAY STILL!” I order Sandy and Amy, “DON’T MOVE.”
“You stupid fucking girl, you will die for this.”
“No, you will. I said I would kill you, you son of a bitch and I will!” I snarl.
He shoots the gun, hitting me in the leg. I stifle a scream, I can’t scream and catch her attention. He aims to shoot again when the cat roars, he turns and she is slowly prowling towards him. He aims his gun and shoots, missing her but it is enough to piss her off. She leaps at him, going straight for his throat. He screams and blood spurts out in ways blood shouldn’t. I have minutes, minutes before she turns and heads towards us. Ignoring the bloody screams and crunching of bones, I run to the tree.
“Amy, come down, hurry.”
I get a good look at Amy as she flops down the branches. She is beautiful, with long blonde hair and honey brown eyes. She is covered in blood and bruises, and the shirt I put between her legs is soaked in blood. Sweet Jesus.
“Come on honey, come on.” I put her arm around me and drag her limp body towards Sandy.
I lay Amy on the ground and fiddle furiously with Sandy’s ropes, keeping an eye on the lioness who is tearing the killer apart in ways that will burn into my mind forever. We don’t have long, I can’t get back to the truck because the lion is too close. I lower Sandy and take her into my arms, kissing her hair and face.
“Can you walk?”
“I…yes.” She croaks.
I stand and lift Amy again, her legs are dragging and she has no strength left.
“Amy, on my back.”
She doesn’t argue, she lets her body fall onto my back and I grip her arms, keeping her there. She isn’t heavy but I am only tiny and the pain radiating through my leg is incredible. Sandy ties my gunshot wound as best she can, and presses a scrap of t-shirt to her deep gash.
“We need to get to the boundaries, we can’t go near the truck because the lioness will see. Slowly, very slowly walk towards that gate.”
We do so, taking small quiet steps. When we reach the gate, we follow the dirt path down a few miles, I am in intense pain, more pain than I have ever felt in my entire life but I have to get these girls to safety, I have to. When we make it to a main road, I lay Amy down and drag myself up to my feet and wave down a car, an old woman pulls over and rushes out, her eyes wide.
“My sweet lord, sweet lord.”
“Please, I am Maya and this is Sandy and Amy. We were with the Blonde Teen Killer and escaped, please, we need help.”
“Oh sweet lord, poor poor children. Come on, come on.”
She helps me put Amy and Sandy into the car and I fall into the front seat, she hands me a towel and I press it to my bloody head.
“Where do you need to go?”
“Hospital.”
“Can I call anyone?”
“Do you have a phone?” I whisper.
“Yes, of course.”
She hands me a phone and I shakily dial Ryder’s number.
“Hello? James?”
“R-R-Ryder.”
“Baby, Jesus, baby. Where are you?”
“I…we are going to the h-hospital.”
“Where are you, where is he?”
“W-w-wild life reserve. He was going to l-let the cats kill us. I…got him first and the c-c-at got him. Walked…to the road. Amy, Sandy alive, bad way. Going to hospital.”
“Jesus Christ, are you hurt, baby are you hurt?”
“Y-y-yes.”
“Which hospital, which one?”
I turn to the old woman. “Where is the c-closest hospital?”
She gives me a hospital and I tell Ryder.
“I am coming, I will be there, I swear I will be there.”
I click the phone off and my head slumps and darkness finally takes me.
“Jesus fucking Christ, Jesus.”
I hear the voice and feel my body being pulled from the car.
“Maya, baby, wake up.”
“She is in a bad way bud, get in now.”
“Pull the other two from the car James, Nate call the doctors out.”
“Maya, baby…”
I flutter my eyes open to look up into a set of aqua ones. Ryder looks awful, tears stream down his face and onto my cheeks.
“Oh Jesus.”
“R-R-Ryder?”
“It’s me, I got you, I won’t let you go again. Never again.”
I black back out, and into a state of ease, where I so desperately need to be.
CHAPTER 10
“The track, is six miles. She walked six miles with that girl on her back.”
I hear a voice, I am not sure who’s. I can’t open my eyes.
“She is tiny, she is so damned tiny and she was so badly injured, she is a miracle.”
That is Ryder’s voice.
“I don’t know how she did it either but by God, you are right about her being a miracle. She saved those girls.”
“Has the mess been cleaned?”
“Local rangers cleared off the cat, there wasn’t much left of him from what I hear, got his own he did.”
“Yeah, good riddance.”
I drift back out, and next time I come to, my eyes flutter open. I look up at the lights on the roof and know I am in hospital. I go to move but groan, I am connected to wires and tubes. My legs are bandaged and so is my ribs.
“Baby, hey, hey.”
I blink and see Ryder approach the bed, his hand reaches out to stroke my cheek.
“Hey there.”
“Ryder?”
“Yeah, it’s me.”
“S-S-Sandy?”
“She is doing real well.”
“Amy.”
“In ICU but stable, thanks to you.”
“And…and…”
“He is dead.”
I feel tears tumble down my cheeks, Ryder climbs gently in the bed and holds me close.
“Hey, shhh, you saved their lives you brave, brave girl.”
“It was awful.” I croak.
“I know.”
“I am sorry.”
He strokes my hair.
“I am not going to get up you now, but if you ever do something so stupid again…”
“I know, you will spank me.” I croak.
He laughs. “No, but I will throttle you.”
“I will let you, it was horrible.”
“I know baby, how are you feeling?”
“I…am not in pain.”
“Good, good.”
“It’s all over?”
“All over, he is gone and will never hurt another person again.”
“So I have to go home now?”
He holds me closer. “You know, there is an apartment up for sale just down from ours?”
“Oh?” I croak.
“I am thinking of buying it and renting it out.”
“Are you now?” I whisper.
“Hmmmm, what do you think?”
“I couldn’t afford rent in a place like that if I tried.”
“It wouldn’t be much.”
“Ryder, you would be losing money.”
“Maybe, but if it means you are close…”
“I will think about it, right now I can’t think about anything.”
“Do you need something?”
“Just you.” I whisper, nestling further into his chest.
“Now don’t go making a softie out of me.”
I give a hoarse laugh. “Too late.”
“You scared the life out of me, honestly, I got that message…”
“I had to go, I had to.”
“You could have told me and I could have taken him down before he even got out of that car.”
“She is my sister Ryder, I had to risk it.”
“You scared me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I have never been so fucking scared in my life.”
I don’t say anything, I just hold him close.
“You need to get some more rest.”
“Please don’t go Ryder, please.”
“I will be here as long as you need baby, as long as you need.”
“I love you,” I whisper. “I didn’t say it the other night, and I am sorry. I want you to know that, I love you.”
He hugs me close. “Yeah well right back at you.”
“Well look who’s up.”
I look up and see Nate walking in, I smile weakly and a tear slides down my cheek.
“Aw, now stop that crying.”
He slides into the other side of the bed and pulls me close, pressing my cheek to his chest now.
“How are you feeling?”
“Confused, hurt…”
“You did a real fine job out there Maya, real fine.”
“I am going to grab a coffee.” Ryder says, pressing a kiss to my hair.
“I will be here bud.”
Ryder slips out and Nate continues to hold onto me.
“Nate?”
“Hmmm?”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Being with me through all this, being my friend. I haven’t had a family in a long time and you…well you gave me one in your family and in you.”
“Aw, stop it.”
“I love you, truly.”
“Me too.”
“And I forgive you, but I do want to know why?”
“Janelle?”
“Hmmmm.”
“I don’t know. Ryder mostly. It was a few years back and I was young, and so mad about him. It was my way of getting near him, when he suggested it, I thought what the heck? Janelle was beautiful and I didn’t dislike women.”
I stiffen and he strokes my hair. “Don’t stiffen.”
“You thought she was beautiful?”
“Look, I am not going to sugar coat this for you sweetheart, I know you want me to but I won’t. Janelle is a beautiful woman, she and Ryder had certain tastes and they trusted me. I did it, it went on for a while and then Ryder stopped it.”
“Did you care for her Nate?”
“I cared about him more.”
“Is she the only woman you have been with?”
“No, I was with women when I was younger before I knew what I felt about men.”
“And…did you and Ryder?”
“No, we didn’t touch each other during.”
“Then how?”
“Can we not do details?”
“Please?”
“Janelle would suck, Ryder would fuck. That is as much as I am giving. Sometimes it was the other way around.”
“Oh.”
“See now you have tensed up again.”
“It’s ok. I just can’t imagine the two people I love most in the world, being with…her.”
“You know what though? We are with you now, I love you to death and so does Ryder. Maybe we don ‘t do the things they did but we have something better, we have a connection, a bond and it runs deep.”
“I guess you’re right.” I whisper.
“I know I’m right. I never loved Janelle, I love you.”
“You wouldn’t sleep with me though.”
“No, I wouldn’t because I respect you. I never had anything outside the bedroom with Janelle, with you I do. You are my best friend and a huge part of my life now, I would never risk that.”
I nod and snuggle closer, Ryder comes back with coffee and sets it down.
“You are going to have to pass over cuddle duty one day Nate, she is mine.”
Nate laughs and slides out of the bed, kissing my head. “Yeah, she is. I have a little part of her though.”
I smile at him. “More than a little.”
“I am going to see how the other two are going, ok?”
“Ok.”
The doctor comes in an hour later and goes over my injuries with me. Three broken ribs, three stitches in my face, a broken foot and a gunshot wound oh and apparently I nearly slit my own wrists getting the rope off. I didn’t care about my own injuries though, I only cared about Sandy and Amy. He told me how they are going and that they are both stable. It was more than a great relief.
“We got something special for you, doc can I take her now?” Ryder asks.
“Sure, go easy though.”
Ryder puts me in a wheel chair and pushes me down the hall. I guess right away we are going to see Sandy, makes sense. When we enter a large hospital room, my tears begin flowing rapidly down my cheeks. We aren’t in Sandy’s room, we are in Amy’s. Her family is gathered around and she is propped up in her bed. She has colour in her cheeks, and her eyes are brighter. I sob stupidly as Ryder pushes me over to the bed.
“Hi.” She croaks, tears forming in her own eyes.
“Amy.” I take her hand and press it to my cheek.
“I wanted to see you, to thank you. Without you Maya, I would be dead.”
I tremble and Ryder strokes my back.
“Thank you.” She whispers, taking my face and pressing her cheek to mine.
I pull back and swipe my tears, I see a woman and man walking over. By their stunning good looks, I guess they are Amy’s parents. The woman is sobbing, and kneels before me, gripping my hands.
“Thank you, I can’t express how grateful I am. You saved my daughter’s life, thank you.”
I start crying again. Dammit.
“I…”
“You are an angel, we are forever in your debt.” The man says.
“I…”
“She is grateful.” Ryder says for me, stroking my hair.
I turn back to Amy, giving her a weak smile. “How…how are you?”
“The doctors say I should make a full recovery. Thanks to you.”
“I did nothing.”
“You stopped the bleeding by tying your shirt to me. You carried me six miles and saved my life.”
“I…”
She hugs me again. When she pulls back, she is smiling.
“So, who’s the hotty?”
I snort a ragged laugh and look at Ryder.
“This is Ryder.”
“Ryder…hi Ryder.”
He grins. “Nice to meet you Amy.”
“Is he taken?”
He laughs and so do I.
“I am afraid he is,” I say meeting Ryder’s eyes. “He is mine.”
He grins and strokes my cheek. “Damn right.”
“Well damn, all the good ones are taken.”
Nate walks in then, smiling at us all and he is pushing Sandy in a wheel chair.
“OH!” I cry, as Ryder pushes me quickly forward.
I pull Sandy into my arms and begin sobbing once more. She cries just as much to me and clings to my body with desperation.
“I love you, I love you.” She wails.
“Oh my baby sister, let me look at you.”
I pull back and touch her, making sure she is ok.
“I am ok.” She whispers.
“Oh, God.”
“We should let Amy get some rest, come on.” Ryder says.
“Bye Amy, I am going to come back later.” I say, waving to her.
“Bye.”
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We leave and I spend a few hours with Sandy in her room, by the time I get back to mine I am exhausted. Ryder lifts me and puts me into bed, then sits next to me.
“Ryder?”
“Yeah baby.”
“Your…daughter, how old is she?”
“Nearly two.”
“When did you see Janelle last?”
“I kept in contact with Janelle in and out but didn’t hear from her for a year.”
“Oh, so you didn’t know.”
“No, the dates add up though.”
“Do you have a picture?”
He eyes mine.
“Ryder please?”
“Alright.”
He hands me the phone and I glance down at the screen, I want to gasp but I keep it under wraps. What the fuck? That child, that beautiful little girl is the dead ringer…oh no…oh no. I hand the phone back and force a smile.
“She is beautiful.”
“Yeah.”
“W-w-where does she get her beautiful eyes?”
“My mother had brown eyes, must have travelled down a generation.”
“You have your father’s eyes.”
“Yeah.”
I nod and swallow, how do I tell him? How do I break this? I need a minute.
“I am going to rest now, go home Ryder, get changed and have a rest.”
“Nah, I am ok.”
“Ryder, please? You look horrible.”
“Thanks baby.”
I smile. “I will be ok.”
“Alright but I won’t be long.”
“Ok.”
He kisses me long and soft before walking out. When he is gone, I get into my wheel chair with great difficulty and wheel down to Sandy’s room. When I get in she is glancing down at her phone, she looks over and beams.
“You are back already.”
“I have a problem.”
“Oh?”
I wheel over to her and hand her my phone, I had quickly forwarded the picture to my phone from Ryder’s before he left.
“Oh, who is that?”
“That is Ryder’s daughter.”
“That child looks…”
“Like Nate.”
She stares up at me. “Oh my God.”
“I know, and he can’t see it. Clearly Nate hasn’t seen the child or he would know, anyone should see that child is a spitting image of Nate. That’s why Janelle was sneaking Ryder away to see her, because she knew if anyone else saw they would know.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. I can’t be the one to tell him, it will break his heart.”