Sink Into Me

19: The Unfortunate Truth

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"Evie! Evie, stop. I don't want you going in there."

His hand curled around my arm and yanked me away from the entrance of the path where there was now whimpering and crying.

I stared at him incredulously. "Why?"

He glared at me with his jaw clenched but he didn't answer. I pulled my arm out of his grasp and he willingly let go. "That's what I thought." I carried on walking and I heard his footsteps close behind.

Even though inside there was a lump lodged into my throat in pure fear and my hands were shaking, I was determined to find out what this thing was. 

And as soon as a man on the floor came into view my mind and body halted along with the rhythm of my heart. An ice cold feeling travelled up and down my spine and my face drained of all colour and feeling.

"...yes he was attacked!" A woman on the floor shrieked into the phone beside him. "Can you get someone to Deer Lake Park please! Fast! He's losing so much blood...!"

My ears drowned out all sound as I stared down at the horrible bite on his throat. A hand landing on mine made me jump back slightly. I glanced at Michael for a split second before letting go of his hand and bending beside the woman. She looked up at me with frightened eyes. 

And then she broke down. 

She practically jumped into my arms. I hushed her and told her someone would be here soon when in truth I wasn't sure how long it would take before someone found us.

I looked around highly aware of how the air was charged. They were still in there. I could feel them. I looked up at Michael and saw him looking around with clenched fists. He could feel it to...

Maybe even more than me.

"Do you know what did this?" I whispered.

She shook her head as she said, "My husband was lagging behind for a split second and then I turn around and he's on the floor."

I couldn't tear my gaze away from the unconscious man pouring out blood. I haven't seen such an amount all at once. I looked up at Michael to see what he was like. He looked highly uncomfrotable as he glanced toward the man. He was fiddling with the ring on his finger and staring into the forest as if trying to keep his mind busy. 

I stayed with the woman, Karen, until the paramedics came. She didn't let go of my hand once, from when I helped her from the ground right up to helping her into the back of the ambulance. Michael stuck to me like glue, wary of his surroundings only moving once to speak with the police. 

At times he'd skim his fingers across my arm or take my free hand in his like he was reminding me he was here. I appreciated it but then again there were things swimming around in my head and Michael was in the middle of it all. The way his features would sharpen if he got angry. How we both so happened to be not more than a few yards away from this attack...

The man's mumbling brought me out of my daydream. Karen pulled me up the steps of the ambulance and sat me down beside her. 

I tried to listen to his words over Karen's sobs...

"...His... Their..." He shook his head from left to right and the paramedics scolded him. But he didn't listen. "Their..."

I leaned forward to try and hear his words and suddenly his hand gripped the sleeve of my cardigan. He lifted his head and stared right into my eyes when he said, "Those black eyes... That smell... Your smell... Don't--" 

Before he could come out with the rest they put him under, probably giving him anaesthetic for the pain.

His hand dropped from my sleeve and I stared blankly at his face. I didn't need to know anymore information. 

I knew what I needed to do.

"Miss?"

I turned my attention to Karen. "Thank you so much. I wouldn't have made it without you. Thank you." She briefly hugged me.

I stepped numbly out of the ambulance and watched it drive away. Michael finished talking to the police and came over to me. I couldn't bring my gaze to him... Not yet. Not until I get everything straight.

While I was in the ambulance Michael had collected all of our stuff from the other side. 

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye before the parking lot emptied. He didn't attempt to speak or even touch me. I didn't blame him. Our wonderful day, our wonderful evening, had been ruined because of this. Like I said earlier; Michael made my mind go blank. I'd forgotten all about that stuff until I heard Karen's shriek.

But without tonight I wouldn't have come to some sort of realisation. A sort of epiphany.

"Take me home." I mumbled.