Understanding Me

Understanding me(3)

Chapter 3

"Is she ok? An unfamiliar voice rang out in the ill lighted darkness of the alcove. A shiver ran through my spin. Before I could freeze from fear I remembered that Payson was here and that I had to take care of her, no one was taking her away from me. I spun around as fast as humanly possible and was about to give the stranger my right hook, when my hand was caught at the wrist, I tried to pull free from the strangers grasp. I wasn't really experienced with hand to hand combat, I had never even tried to punch anyone before.  Momentarily stunned I tried to pull my hand back again with little success, the stranger wasn't holding my wrist roughly,  firmly was a better word. But what was that feeling just now? It felt almost like a spark when we touched.

"Now, I'll give you your hand back, as long as you promise you won't try to punch me again." The words seemed foreign to me when spoken, but I came to my senses and realized what was being said. The word were so peaceful and somehow playful, that I almost complied with the request, but I remembered that things often aren't what they seem.

"I can't promise you anything." I answered with more confidence then I had. Who is he? Why is he here?

"Why are you here?" he said asking me the same question I wanted to ask him. judging by his voice, he sounded like he was young, probably 18 of 19 at the most, but it was dark in the alcove and I couldn't see anything, If only I could reach the flashlight attached to my key chain. "If you aren't going to talk, I am not letting go of your wrist." The words weren't spoken in a mean tone, but the same playful tone he had used before. "Hey! Is she gonna make it?" Before he could say anymore, I turned to Payson who was now lying limp on the ground. I rushed toward her and my wrist was instantly released. I knelt down and pulled her up onto my lap, I noticed a warm liquid that spilled form her mouth into a small pool by where her head had been laying. Now I was frozen with fear. She started to twitch in my arms and I pulled her closer. The worst was over, but it seemed like every time this happened it got worse and worse and she bleed more and more. I need to get her to a doctor soon, this can't keep happening. "Can I help?" Anger boiled up inside me.

"No, you can't do anything! Don't come near us!" I immediately knew that I shouldn't have yelled him, but I could have gotten to her faster if he hadn't distracted me.

"Sorry" Now I felt guilty, he had only been trying to help me this whole time. Yeah maybe it was shady that he was in this dark alcove in the first place, but so were we, and sure we had our reasons, but maybe he did to. So far all I had done was try to punch him, and yell at him, now he was apologizing... what was with this guy? Was he always this nice to strangers?

"My names Lena, and this Is Payson" I said first gesturing toward myself, then to the small crumpled body in my lap. I left out our last name, I didn't think he worked for the feds, but you could never be too careful.

"My names' Seere" I definitely wasn't expecting that. I tried to think, but I couldn't think of a single person with the name Seere. Maybe it's a foreign name, He sounds American, maybe his parents are immigrants. "Family name" he explained, like he got that awkward silence a lot.

"I like it, it's...interesting" I don't know why I said that. I mean I did like his name. I felt like I owed him a complement after how nice he had been to us.  Enough pointless small talk, time to ask important questions. "Well, not wanting to sound rude or anything, but why are you here?"

"That's a good question"....That was it. No elaboration, nothing. What was that even supposed to mean!?

"Well, not wanting to sound rude either, but what are you doing here? He said in a mocking tone, almost trying to egg me on. I wasn't going to risk telling him the truth, and I wasn't going to let him make a fool of me.

"That is a good question..." I answered in a tone that was defiantly mocking.

"Well as long as were on the same page." He responded. Even thought it was dark in the burrow, I could tell he was rolling his eyes. What a strange guy.

"Well, as the saying goes, "finders keepers"- I silently added "Lozers weepers" in my head- " so I guess we will find somewhere else to sleep for the night." I hated not knowing where we were gonna sleep tonight, but he was here first. Me and Payson would manage somehow. I stood up with payson and turned toward the mouth of the cave.

"Wait!" I heard a desperate voice calling after me.