Rebel Heart

Chapter 2 Who da Bad Boy who saved Me?

Michelle couldn't move. She couldn't even see clearly - her head was aching and her vision was blurred. But more than any of that, her left arm and somewhere on her waist hurt the most. With her right hand, she navigated to the spot on her waist where it hurt and felt something sharp. She gasped in pain.

"Help..." she cried feebly. She heard a rumble again - it was a car but it was much quieter than the cars from earlier. Michelle tried to move, wishing the car had stopped in an upright position. It was a vain hope, but she had to get out of there before those men found her.

She felt the pain shoot in her arm as she put pressure on it trying to push herself out of the broken window. A black car drove up and stopped and a man got out.

"No..." Michelle gasped. She could barely see who it was but she frantically struggled to get out. The man bent down beside her window and looked in.

"You'll only hurt yourself even more if you do that," a low voice said. Michelle blinked and tried to make out the face of the man - but the faint light from the stars behind him cast a shadow over his face and all she saw was a silhouette. From his voice, she thought he was young.

"Who...?" Michelle began, but gasped as the pain took her breath.

"I won't hurt you." was all the man said. The simplicity of his answer somehow calmed her and Michelle tried to breathe evenly. He reached in and felt her pulse in her neck. Then he unbuckled the seatbelt and slid one hand gently under her knees and the other supported her back.

"Hold your breath." He said softly. Michelle obeyed and he lifted her carefully out of the window, cradling her. She winced at the pain. Once she was out, he laid her on the ground, holding her head in his hand.

He touched the area above her waist. Michelle felt the pain sting under his fingers and tried to look down but her head spun and she moaned.

"Don't move." the man commanded, and suddenly she felt a sharp sting of pain before a fresh trickle of blood issued from her side. He held up a large shard of glass before flinging it away. He placed a cloth of some sort on her wound and told her to hold it there. He cradled her again and lifted her off the ground.

"Where... taking... me..." Michelle asked, her words slurring.

"Shh. You're safe with me. I won't let them get to you." His words were comforting despite the pain. Michelle forced her eyes to focus on her rescuer and finally, she saw his face - he was young, but not young enough to be in college. He had long hair that almost brushed his shoulders; she couldn't make out the color in the darkness. His features were chiseled and sharp and bore a grave expression. She tried to see his eyes as well but he was focused on getting her into his car and did not meet her gaze.

"My bag..." she whimpered. The man laughed quietly.

"You almost got killed and you're worried about your bag?"

"In the... back..." she moaned before slumping back on the seat.

"Fine." He said. Michelle heard his footsteps quieten before growing louder again. She heard a thump in the backseat and knew he had retrieved her bag. He then got into the driver's seat of his own car. He pulled the seatbelt on for her, careful to avoid her wound before driving off into the shadows. The low hum of his car was all Michelle remembered before letting her exhaustion override the pain.

It wasn't until Michelle felt the car descend sharply did her eyes flutter open. Thinking she was falling again, she gasped.

"Where am I? What's happening?" she asked, looking around. The man next to her glanced at her.

"You're safe." He said. Michelle looked forward and saw the car descending a road that tilted downwards like a ramp. In front of her was complete darkness except for the headlights.