Eve was barely clinging to life. She was too weak to even look at her savior, but the sensation of breathing again brought a renewed desire to live. The touch, the smell, the feeling of life and everything around her came racing back.
The tingle of mud felt like sunshine on her skin. Her sense of self was slowly returning and she realized she was lying on her back on the shore. The cool wind brushed against her face then suddenly she was hoisted into the air. Someone was carrying her in their firm grip and she’d never felt safer in her life.
“It’s okay…I got you,” a man’s voice said clearly.
Eve relaxed and tried to calm her erratic breathing. Ahead of her there was a beaming light and slowly her surroundings became materialized. She’d left the river behind and was now on a narrow street that ran parallel to the bridge.
The man put her down on the road and looked at the wound in her stomach. The glare from the light obscured his face, but his touch was gentle and caring.
“You’ve lost a lot of blood,” he said calmly. “This doesn’t look good.”
“Worst pickup line ever,” Eve replied in a semi-delirious tone.
Her face was pale, her skin icy to the touch. Her hands shook like baby rattles and her lips were slightly blue. If she hadn’t been talking, she could’ve been mistaken for already dead.
“At least your little swim slowed your heart rate down. You’re not bleeding so much,” the man said as he stood up and took off his shirt. He pressed it to her wound and she grimaced.
“Sorry,” he mumbled.
“Am I gonna die?” Eve asked, unaware of how childish she sounded.
“I don’t know.” He turned his head and looked down the road. “My car is up on the bridge. You need a hospital now. There’s a ladder…I can carry you up.”
Eve nodded and the man hoisted her into his arms again. Her face was pressed to his bare skin. Through his muscled chest she could hear the hammering of a heart that refused to die. It was comforting and she giggled and rubbed her fingers across his chin.
“That’s loud,” she slurred.
She blinked and tried to focus her eyes, straining to see the blurry image of her savior. The man’s hardened face could’ve been made of stone. His jaw was angled and firm, his skin weathered but somehow youthful. Eve thought he was some kind of handsome warrior angel come to take her home.
He was older, probably in his fifties. He had gray hair with streaks of brown left in it. He was tall and lean and looked as though the years hadn’t robbed him of any of his strength. His dark, brown eyes were deep and mysterious like they held a vault of secrets and wisdom. Across his cheek was a jagged scar, but it didn’t detract from his looks.
“Who are you?” Eve asked as he carried her off effortlessly.
The man stopped walking and looked down, measuring her with his eyes that hid a million secrets. With a stoic face and a deep voice, he answered, “My name is Daniel…Daniel Montague.”
~THE END~
Finish the series with
Blind Justice
The Vengeance Trilogy Book Three
COMING SOON
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About the Author
The date was October 31, 1979. The air was cool and a light fog blew in from the gulf, cloaking the Tampa area in an ominous, tight-fitting tunic. The annual Halloween festivities had just begun and a night of mischievous tomfoolery was afoot.
Scandalous and nefarious characters took flight. Doorbells were rung and ill-boding tricks were played regardless of the treats given. This was the dark reality of the bustling Florida metropolitan.
To the north, Grateful Dead crooned the night's theme music at the Nassau Coliseum. Within earshot of the concert, witnesses stated a UFO hovered over the grounds for thirty minutes before vanishing.
At the same time the Cromarty's were busy hosting their notorious Halloween party at 112 Ocean Ave., better known as the Amityville Horror House. Screams and cries for help were reported throughout the night, punctuated with the disappearance of the family next door. They were never heard from again.
Unknowingly altering the course of history, Kurt Vonnegut released "Jailbird" the same week KISS gained infamy on The Tomorrow Show. The aftermath of this collision would not be felt for decades until the emergence of Justin Bieber.
After a night filled with mayhem and destruction and the deaths of several prominent entertainers, politicians and a notorious bank robber, the Federal government was forced to loan $1.5 billion dollars to Chrysler. This spurred a series of violent protests, resulting in the Brunah Agate oil spill. Over 10.7 million gallons of oil were dumped into the Galveston Bay. This became the worst oil spill disaster in U.S. history.
A few hours later on November 1, 1979, Rashad Freeman was born. Feel free to draw your own conclusions.
"I'm a writer, I right things."
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