Freedom [Complete, 18+]

CHAPTER 22: TRUST

"You shouldn't have done that, Sean." I groaned out as my newly released wrist caused me to plummet to the ground. 

"What? Ri, I had to get you down?" He said beside me on the floor following his attempt to hold me upright whilst injured. 

"No, Stuart's a cop you'll go to jail or not even make it there." I said wincing as a particularly sharp twig dug into one of the many open wounds on my back.

"How can you think like that, he was...attacking you? And hang on how do you know him."

Thinking about him made me turn my head to search him out not wanting for him to creep up on us whilst we were talking. Discovering him still out cold lying in an awkward position brought a small smile to my face. Eyes closing in exhaustion I decided that a nap sounded like a good idea when I was abruptly shaken by the shoulders. I wished my eyes to open but they seemed too heavy. 

"Ri, open your eyes. You need to open your eyes."

"Why?" I muttered softly forcing my eyes open. 

"You've lost a lot of blood I don't want you falling asleep on me, okay so just try and keep them open." After I nodded he continued, "I saw a small house a little way away hopefully they have some first aid or at least wipes." 

Getting up slowly using the hand proffered in support my head rushed as I grew steadily vertical. Steadying myself I then started walking towards the gap in the hedge giving the unconscious body a wide birth afraid that he would reach out and grab my ankles so that I couldn't escape. My hands started to shake and as I looked down I realised I was still very much naked though covered in leaves, blood and mud. 

"It's this way," Sean said gesturing.

"Wait! Sean do you have my cardigan or any spare clothing to cover me up it's really cold," trailing off as his eyes drifted from my own. "Sean!"

"Yes hold on one sec," as he began to take off his own bloodied t-shirt.

"No, Sean stop you'll get cold." I said motioning for him to keep it on but I was met with deaf ears and he just gave me it keeping his head turned away. Reaching for the sodden clothing I splipped my arms into it and pulled it over my head pulling it down. It covered the important parts but I might as well have not worn it as it stuck to me like a second skin. "Thanks." I said as I couldn't help but let my eyes drift below his eyes to his sculptured but not overly so chest.

"No problem Ri. Shall we go now?"

After a brief glance backwards, I followed but the further we got the more blurred my vision became and the more I stumbled. With every step I took my back ached as the movement pulled at the torn edges, so I tried to keep my back as still as possible but no matter what I did it still was agony. He frequently looked back, slowing his pace to meet my own, and each time I tried to smile to show him I was fine when I really wasn't.  As we changed direction though it became too much and I fell to my knees. I had even dragged my hand down a tree injuring myself further, not that I released at the time, in an attempt to keep myself upright. 

"Ri! Are you alright?" Sean said as he rushed back to my side, crouching down beside me. 

"I don't think I can make it there, you go I'll be fine." I said as I closed my eyes once more.

"No, Ri come on I'll carry you," he said whilst slipping his hands under my raw back.

Screaming at the rough sensation I recoiled from his touch rolling only managing to get the wounds even dirtier and more twigs prodding sharply into them making them even more painful.

"Why did you even come, I would have been happy to just died and you could have lived but now you're going to die as well."

"Ri, I came because I heard you were in pain and why would I die? Never mind you don't need to worry about me I can take care of myself."