I take aim at the poor rabbit that will be my dinner with my bow and arrow.
I hope his rabbit family won't miss him too much.
My range of motion is stilted from the approximately 12 layers I have to wear to fight off the biter cold of my surroundings. I keep my gloves on even though bare handed would be better for my grip on the string of the bow.
The tension in my bow is becoming painful but I want this shot to count. The last time I had to hunt for food I didn't kill the animal in one hit and felt horrible hunting them down and finishing it.
"End of the line for you buddy" I mumble as I loose the arrow. It pierces the rabbits head killing it instantly. I close my eyes and let out a steadying breath. Why I decided to live in the frozen tundra of the Alps I'll never know. I like the isolation. I was close enough to a small village that I could walk to for supplies and food but the previous nights snow storm had blocked the paths and getting lost in below zero temperatures could end in death.
Thus I was forced to hunt. Blegh.
I wasn't overly fond of what followed. The skinning. The gutting. The cooking wasn't so bad because then it didn't look like a cute little rabbit anymore. I shudder at the cold and my task. I go to step out of the tree line and bramble where I was concealed but stop when I hear a loud crash and see a plume of snow disperse in the distance. I crouch back down and listen for more movement but when none happens I exit the trees and head to the crash site.
As I near the area I knock an arrow and silently approach the mound of snow. I can't see anything yet. I'm about 10 feet away when I realize it's a person.
Holy shit.
I lower my bow and step closer. I look up. I can't tell where this person fell from but it must have been a long tumble with the noise I heard. They can't possibly be alive. I'm about 5 feet away when I can finally make out the rough outline of a person lying on their side. It's a man as far as I can tell. Poor bastard. He couldn't possibly be alive I return my bow to my back and put my arrow back in my quiver. I'm pretty sure the dead guy can't hurt me. I pick up a nearby stick to investigate. Not gonna touch a dead body with my hands even if they are gloved.
I reach out the stick towards the body when the man takes a massive inhale. I scream and fall back on my ass. He's alive. Sweet lord.
I quickly right myself and rush over to help him. I kneel next to his body and get a good look at him. He's gorgeous. Dark hair. Sharp jaw. Cropped hair. Military maybe? He inhales again with much less vigor.
"Hey hey" I say putting my hands on his shoulder "It's ok. I've got you" I mentally kick myself at my poor attempt at consoling this man. I see a chain around his neck and reach gently into his coat to yank out the end. Dog tags. Score. I flip them around and read the name. James B. Barnes.
"James?" I say gently probing his head trying to assess if he's got any head trauma.
Yeah probably he fell from somewhere in the sky.
No visible damage to his head and I can't feel any wound. That's when I realize the blood coming from underneath him. Shit.
I search his body for the wound. I reach my hand over his right shoulder to his other side. The side he fell on. I touch something wet and still my hand when he lets out a soft groan. I gently pull his shoulder to lay him flat and find what my hand hit. His left arm is mostly gone. I attempt not to retch at the sight.
Oh god oh god. I quickly rip up the end of my jacket and attempt to tie off the wound around his shoulder.
"It's ok James" I say as I struggle to wrap his wound fast enough "I won't let you die" I say with more confidence than I have. He mumbles something.
"What?" I say looking back at his face finding piercing blue eyes looking back at me.
"It's Bucky" he says softly. His eyes flutter closed and I sit there in astonishment that he's able to talk. I let out a nervous laugh.
"Ok Bucky. Don't die on me ok?"
YOU ARE READING
Taking Chances
General FictionWhat if when Bucky fell off the train someone else found him? Our protagonist is thrust into the story mid plot and has to roll with the bunches as she navigates her budding relationship with Sergeant Barnes. But will outside forces threaten to sepa...