him.
After an icy- silence standoff, he eventually mutters, "Thank you," then turns and walks away.
I am so pissed right now I can hardly breathe. I watch him stomp away from me then scream a stream of curses in my head before following him. As he approaches the bathroom, my eyes narrow.
Invisible Woman.
An empowering smile brushes over my lips as Dale flings back the bathroom door and I jump in behind him. Without saying a word, I watch him dump his bag then listen to him unzipping his fly as he steps up to the urinal.
I give him a second to get started, then walk up behind him and clear my throat.
His shoulder jerks then he huffs. "Are you watching me pee right now?"
"No. I'm s taring at the back of your dumb-ass head!"
I can't be sure, but I think he just laughed, one of those short ones that kind of punches out of the chest. Zipping his fly, Dale flushes the urinal and heads to the hand basin. I think he assumes I'm still standing behind him, because he looks in the mirror as he's washing his hands. I gaze at the side of his face.
"You know, you should be nicer to me. I'm the only one willing to help you."
"You're the only one capable."
He jumps to the side and turns towards the sound of my voice. Shaking the droplets from his hands, he grabs a paper towel.
"And anyone else in my position would have run for their life." He wipes his hands dry and turns towards me. "But I stopped and listened."
"Oh, my hero," I can't keep the mockery from my voice, "the guy who tells me to shut my face. I'm so incredibly happy it’s you who can hear me."
"You know what..."
I gasp.
"What's wrong?" Dale steps towards me.
"The walls are moving."
"What?"
"My head!" I grab at it and crumple to the floor as the tiles go blurry and start rushing towards me.
"Nicole?" Dale reaches out for me.
"I t hurts. I'm going back. I can't. It hurts."
"Nicole, stay calm, it's going to be okay."
"What if I don't come back?"
His face takes on a look of fear before fading into darkness. I hear one last Nicole shouted from the bathroom before I open my eyes to the forest around me.
Chapter Nine
I slow my breathing. Dale told me to stay calm. I can do that. With very slow movements, I look around me. Pain pulses from my head to my toes and I have to stop in order to ward off the stars in my vision. I want to get back to Dale, but I also need to assess the situation.
Taking my time, I gently re-examine my injuries. My head has stopped bleeding and I now just feel dry crusts in my hair. So gross! With a wince, I try to look at my elbow, but it hurts to turn my head and my hair catches on a twig. I move to free it, which only causes more pain.
Breathing in through my nose, I force my mind to tick off the list Dale gave me.
Jacket. I need to put my jacket over me.
Trying not to move my head, I scan the area and notice my bag just inches from my fingertips. I stretch towards it. Pain slice through me. I start breathing like a pregnant woman in labor and thrust my right hand towards the strap. I miss. Squeezing my eyes shut, I mutter a curse then try again. It hurts like hell, but this time I manage to wrap my fingers around the leather.
A triumphant smile flutters over my lips as I drag the bag towards me, but it soon disappears. The bag jerks to a stop and refuses to come any closer. I raise my head to get a better look and see it's caught on a low lying branch.
NO!
My head drops back with a thud and fresh stars scatter in front of me.
I breathe in again — a long, slow one, hold it for a moment and let it out.
Forcing myself to remain calm, I grab the bag again. It's fully stuck. I yank at it and watch it jiggle against the branch. The leaves rustle beneath it as if they are laughing.
I tug and wrench the strap. "Come here, you stubborn, piece of—"
I scream.
As the bag breaks free it brings a pile of leaves and bracken towards me. I cover my face with my good arm and shift my body away. This just makes everything
After an icy- silence standoff, he eventually mutters, "Thank you," then turns and walks away.
I am so pissed right now I can hardly breathe. I watch him stomp away from me then scream a stream of curses in my head before following him. As he approaches the bathroom, my eyes narrow.
Invisible Woman.
An empowering smile brushes over my lips as Dale flings back the bathroom door and I jump in behind him. Without saying a word, I watch him dump his bag then listen to him unzipping his fly as he steps up to the urinal.
I give him a second to get started, then walk up behind him and clear my throat.
His shoulder jerks then he huffs. "Are you watching me pee right now?"
"No. I'm s taring at the back of your dumb-ass head!"
I can't be sure, but I think he just laughed, one of those short ones that kind of punches out of the chest. Zipping his fly, Dale flushes the urinal and heads to the hand basin. I think he assumes I'm still standing behind him, because he looks in the mirror as he's washing his hands. I gaze at the side of his face.
"You know, you should be nicer to me. I'm the only one willing to help you."
"You're the only one capable."
He jumps to the side and turns towards the sound of my voice. Shaking the droplets from his hands, he grabs a paper towel.
"And anyone else in my position would have run for their life." He wipes his hands dry and turns towards me. "But I stopped and listened."
"Oh, my hero," I can't keep the mockery from my voice, "the guy who tells me to shut my face. I'm so incredibly happy it’s you who can hear me."
"You know what..."
I gasp.
"What's wrong?" Dale steps towards me.
"The walls are moving."
"What?"
"My head!" I grab at it and crumple to the floor as the tiles go blurry and start rushing towards me.
"Nicole?" Dale reaches out for me.
"I t hurts. I'm going back. I can't. It hurts."
"Nicole, stay calm, it's going to be okay."
"What if I don't come back?"
His face takes on a look of fear before fading into darkness. I hear one last Nicole shouted from the bathroom before I open my eyes to the forest around me.
Chapter Nine
I slow my breathing. Dale told me to stay calm. I can do that. With very slow movements, I look around me. Pain pulses from my head to my toes and I have to stop in order to ward off the stars in my vision. I want to get back to Dale, but I also need to assess the situation.
Taking my time, I gently re-examine my injuries. My head has stopped bleeding and I now just feel dry crusts in my hair. So gross! With a wince, I try to look at my elbow, but it hurts to turn my head and my hair catches on a twig. I move to free it, which only causes more pain.
Breathing in through my nose, I force my mind to tick off the list Dale gave me.
Jacket. I need to put my jacket over me.
Trying not to move my head, I scan the area and notice my bag just inches from my fingertips. I stretch towards it. Pain slice through me. I start breathing like a pregnant woman in labor and thrust my right hand towards the strap. I miss. Squeezing my eyes shut, I mutter a curse then try again. It hurts like hell, but this time I manage to wrap my fingers around the leather.
A triumphant smile flutters over my lips as I drag the bag towards me, but it soon disappears. The bag jerks to a stop and refuses to come any closer. I raise my head to get a better look and see it's caught on a low lying branch.
NO!
My head drops back with a thud and fresh stars scatter in front of me.
I breathe in again — a long, slow one, hold it for a moment and let it out.
Forcing myself to remain calm, I grab the bag again. It's fully stuck. I yank at it and watch it jiggle against the branch. The leaves rustle beneath it as if they are laughing.
I tug and wrench the strap. "Come here, you stubborn, piece of—"
I scream.
As the bag breaks free it brings a pile of leaves and bracken towards me. I cover my face with my good arm and shift my body away. This just makes everything
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