Savage Cinderella

Savage Cinderella- Chapter 2-Prisoner or Patient

Chapter 2

Prisoner or Patient?

When Justin regained consciousness, darkness surrounded him. Shadows of massive trees towered above, their canopy of branches against the cloud-covered night sky lending to the eeriness of the endless forest. The searing pain in his head and the throbbing ache deep in his bones discouraged even the smallest movement.

He felt himself being dragged over bumps and rocks which drove shards of pain into his ankle with every shift of his body. He clutched the sides of the makeshift litter that he lay on as he heard the grunt and growl of a large animal close by—very close by. Then he registered a soft humming sound from somewhere behind him.

Not sure which way was up or down, Justin lay still. He listened to the sounds of the black night and the haunting melody that filled the air, wondering how much time had passed and where the girl was taking him. Despite the darkness, he sensed her presence. Icy needles of rain stung his face, and the air was cold around him, his clothes soaked and clinging. He shivered, and pain shot through his head.

For one brief moment, before even the shadows disappeared, he wondered if this was what it felt like to die.

∞∞∞

When the world appeared once more, the aches and pains in his body let him know that he was indeed alive. The mattress beneath him lumped at his hip, a spring poked into his ribs, and he was covered in musty blankets. The smell of smoke and the crackling of a fire drew his attention as he peered around the dimly lit space. His head throbbed with the effort.

Soft firelight cast shadows around him. A blaze of lightning, followed by a crack of thunder, illuminated what appeared to be a one-room shack. A table and chairs were tucked into one corner, and a row of cabinets stood along the wall next to a sideboard with drawers. Hanging on wooden pegs were an ancient pair of snowshoes and a dark fur cloak. Stacks of books rose from floor to head height in every corner of the room as if the ramshackle cabin were a public library turned on its side. Across the room, a figure sat perched on an old sea trunk, bright eyes peering at him in the gloom, her knees drawn up under a worn woolen blanket.

"What happened? How did I get here?" Justin demanded, his dry throat catching painfully.

 He moved to touch the spot on his head that felt like it was on fire and flinched, unable to reach his target. His hands were tied to the bedposts, tight leather straps allowing for only a few inches of movement in any direction. His foot was splinted and wrapped in a sheet that was secured to the iron posts and fashioned as a sling, elevating the throbbing limb. Panicked by his confinement, he struggled, only to fall back in agonizing pain. A bolt of hot lightning seared in a line straight from his head to his right ankle.

 "What do you think you're doing? You can't tie me up like this! Who are you?" Fear and pain held him strung tight with anger. Nothing in his twenty-three years had prepared him for this.