Taken

Chapter 7 (Part 1)

"Caw, caw, caw!"

I jerked awake at the obnoxious noise that pierced my ears and regretted it immediately. A pained croak left my lips as the vines surrounding my middle dug into the cuts at my side. I felt the wounds separate. Again.

I blinked my eyes against the daylight that greeted me, a slight grogginess remaining from whatever the men had used to knock me out. The sun seemed to have been out for a while now given the angle of the beams that made it through the red and orange leaves above. It had still been dark when I had shut my eyes for a moment of rest. With remains of the sedative still in my system, it was already exhausting enough to come to terms with my mental break that had me seeing and hearing things that weren't possible, including a creature that belonged in nightmares and now the vines that had attacked me, but adding in my failed attempts to free myself that only had the vines tightening, it had become impossible to remain awake.

At least I had woken up again. It meant I was still alive. Not dead like Calvin.

I shuddered at the thought of his glassy, lifeless eyes, wincing when it resulted in my restraints tightening further. It was why I had stopped trying to slip free of the thick green vines after my unsuccessful attempts left me barely able to breathe. Every small move had me getting one step closer to being crushed to death or suffocated. I barely had enough room to take strained and shallow breaths now. I probably would have already been dead by now if there was a vine wrapped around my neck.

It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the sudden brightness and focus on the source of the irritating cawing. And the weight and sharp pain I felt on my thigh. Sitting there, with its claws piercing through my jeans and into my skin, was a large bird. It had sleek black feathers that held hints of indigo and purple where the light hit it right and looked like a raven. Only, there were small details that distinguished it from the birds I had done an assignment on as a child. Notably, the longer tail and the sharpness of its curved beak.

Please don't pluck my eye out.

The bird cocked its head to the side, seeming to contemplate if it should. I flicked my fingers at it, trying to shoo it away without comprising my situation further. It only had it tilting its head in the other direction and staring down at my hand.

"Caw!"

"Ah! You little shit," I hissed when it pecked at the back of my hand. I clenched my teeth and flexed my hand while struggling to keep the rest of my body still at the sudden stab of pain. Curling my fingers close, we both watched as blood welled to the surface. As my eyes continued to follow my blood as it trailed down the side of my fist a soft and quiet laugh from below had me tensing.

My breath caught in my throat. They found me-

"You look like you could use some help."

The deep voice that spoke had me taking a confused breath. It didn't sound like any of the five men- well, four now.

I strained my neck to peer at the man who had spoken. My dull, dark eyes locked with vibrant green ones that were surrounded by bronze skin and wisps of brown hair. They had come free from the half that he had tied back of the wavy strands that went just past his shoulders and consisted of varying shades of brown. His lush, pink lips that were framed by a short beard were curled in amusement as he leaned his broad shoulders covered in a loose, black, linen shirt back against a tree. His hands were tucked into the pockets of his dark trousers while his feet covered in leather boots were crossed leisurely. His relaxed stance matched the expression his sharp features held. The thinly veiled mirth I found had my frown deepening.

Still, I couldn't pass on the opportunity that the enigmatic stranger provided.

My tongue darted out to wet my chapped and cracked lips, but dehydration had left my mouth just as dry. I opened my mouth to ask the man for help, but all that came out was a choked cough. It was followed by more as it turned into a fit that had my coughs turning into cries as the vines reacted to my jerked movements and tightened.