Chapter 13

Brook slowly regained consciousness, blinking into darkness, feeling the cold slide its icy fingers over her nakedness as she tried to remember where she was. With amazing clarity, everything flooded back. The days of captivity and abuse, her escape, the deer stepping into the path of the car she had stolen, and her headlong tumble into the ravine. Enormous relief washed through her at the realization that she had escaped, that she was still alive. Then the gravity of the situation sobered her.

She had no idea where she was and not a clue what to do next. Physical discomfort demanded her attention, and she slowly took note of her injuries, running her hands gently over her body. Cuts and scrapes covered her from head to toe. Her eyes were puffy, and one opened only a mere slit. Pain radiated from just behind her left ear. Carefully probing the spot, she found a tender lump, the skin unbroken. She ticked off the injuries in her mind and added a few more. Bruised or cracked ribs. Sore mouth. Abdomen that felt like she had just finished a hundred sit-ups, and the unrelenting torment between her legs. And to top off everything, she now had to endure the cold.

In an effort to calm her violent shivering, she hugged herself. Her naked skin felt like ice. She stood on trembling legs, slipped a little, caught herself, and peered into the surrounding darkness. At first, she saw nothing, but then she detected a glimmer of light below her. A house? Her heart beat rapidly against her chest. Help? Please let it be help. She started to call out but stopped herself. What if they're around? The thought silenced her.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Brook made her way down, toward the light. Sharp stones tore at the soles of her feet, eliciting small whimpers of pain. She moved cautiously, testing every step before putting down her full weight, unable to avoid the jagged edges of rock. As she drew nearer, the insistent beeping of an open vehicle door disturbed the quiet, and she realized the light she saw was from the dome light of a car. The car she had taken. The car she had leapt from before it crashed into this ravine. Her heart fell.

With nowhere else to go, Brook continued easing her way down the slope. At least the car would offer shelter from the night.

Arriving at the vehicle, she found it cocked to one side, leaning towards the passenger side, front end braced precariously against a small tree. She crawled up and into the car, thankful to have a place out of the cold, out of the dark and unknown. Her weight caused the car to shift ominously, but it held its position. Brook sighed in disappointment. She had hoped the interior would still be warm, but the cold had already insinuated itself and there was no comfort.

Cowering on the seat she turned the key, hoping to run the heater. The starter clicked and the motor remained silent. Damn it! I’m so cold, so cold! She rubbed her arms briskly, attempting to generate some heat but the chill was too intense.

Aware the car could topple at any second, she kept her motions deliberate and slow as she scoured the interior for anything useful. The vehicle settled slightly, and Brook held her breath for a long moment before resuming her search. She found a man’s long-sleeved shirt and slipped it on, thankful for the cover even though it stank of sweat and grease. Huddling into it, she sought any semblance of warmth she could find. She was disappointed to find nothing further of use. No shoes, no food, nothing but the shirt. Not even matches she could use to start a fire. She did, however, find her purse. She held it close; at least she had something that belonged to her. Lying on the floor was the dead phone. Brook leaned down carefully, picked it up, and placed it back in her bag. It may not work, but it’s mine.

Easing one of her painful and freezing feet into her lap, Brook examined the sole, horrified by the sight. Oh god! Oh god, my poor feet. How will I ever walk! Long moments passed as she fought the panic that threatened to overwhelm her.

I’ll stay with the car. If I’m careful not to move too much, it should be okay. Someone will see it come daylight and I’ll be safe. She sat very still for a couple of minutes. But what if it’s Jase and his men? Oh god, what should I do?

Eventually, Brook recognized the need to put distance between her and the vehicle. She crawled out and flinched when rocks again gouged her bare feet. I need something, something to put on my feet. Reaching into the car, she rummaged around under the seats and found nothing. She stood and stared into the interior. The seat covers. Maybe I can rip them up!

Climbing carefully back into the car, she dug in her bag and grabbed her tiny travel sewing kit. Removing the scissors, she plunged them into the seat and began cutting in earnest. Working frantically, she tuned out everything around her; she forgot where she was; she forgot the cold. Finally, she had enough material to cover one foot. But, it had taken a long time.

Pulling her foot up, she placed the strip against her sole and realized she had no way to hold it there. God, please help me! Please! Brook remained motionless, crying silent tears. Her thoughts cleared a little and she looked down at the shirt she was wearing. An idea came to her. She cut a couple of narrow strips from the shirt, pulled the upholstery over her foot and tied it on near her toes and around her ankle. It works!

She cut more strips from the shirt and then worked vigorously to obtain a second piece of upholstery. Halfway through, the tiny scissors broke with a snap. No, no, no! Brook sobbed in frustration, near defeat. But her will to survive was strong, and she remembered that she had a nail file in her purse. Fumbling through the bag with cold fingers, she found the file and began to saw at the fabric. It took even longer than the small scissors had, but she eventually had her second ‘shoe’. Batting stuck to her hand and she slapped it away before stopping abruptly. Batting! Stuffing! I can use this for cushioning. She quickly removed the first ‘shoe’, added batting, and then tied it on again, repeating the steps for her other foot. Brook was elated; at least one of her problems was solved. She was partly clothed and now had provided a couple of layers of insulation between her flesh and the cold ground. Thrusting a fist skyward in a gesture of triumph, she shouted, “Yes!” Immediately, she slapped her hand over her mouth, afraid her captors might be around to hear her.

The car rocked gently, and Brook froze until it settled once more. Staring out the windshield at the blackness, she wondered how she would find her way out of this predicament. The dome light flickered, drawing her attention to her vulnerability. She felt exposed and knew she couldn't afford the luxury of lingering. Her sense of self-preservation urged her to leave the car as soon as possible.

Climbing down from the vehicle, Brook winced as her feet touched the ground. Still, the ‘shoes’ were a vast improvement over walking barefoot. She gritted her teeth against the pain, anxious to get moving. It was imperative that she find help. She looked in all directions, trying to pierce the darkness. The surrounding peaks were black jagged shadows against the charcoal gray of the night sky, the moon hidden behind clouds. The road should be up, but so was the danger that Jase would find her. Knowing how easy it would be to get lost in the forest, she felt she had no choice but to make her way down the slope. She would hide until daylight and then climb to the road. Even then, she would have to be wary. They might come looking for her. But at least she knew the road led somewhere. All she had to do was survive one more night and then she could find help. But, it was so cold.

Finally, with reservations, she abandoned the car. Senses on high alert, she took in her surroundings. It was impossible to see much in the thick darkness, and she concentrated on listening. Subtle rustlings filled the night with furtive sound. Her ears also detected trickling water nearby, and she turned in that direction. Taking small steps and testing the ground before her, she gingerly descended. Using sound to guide her, Brook eventually found the stream. Careful as she was, she still scraped her bare legs on unseen branches and brambles and stubbed her toes on half-buried rocks. Reaching the bank, she fell to her knees and drank deeply from the icy water until her stomach rebelled. Twisting to the side, she vomited. Head hung, she remained on her hands and knees until her stomach quieted. Cautioning herself to take it slowly, she drank again, pausing for a few minutes after each swallow for her stomach to settle. Eventually, her thirst was sated, but her hands burned from the cold water. She clasped her palms and stuck them between her legs, holding them there for a several minutes. When they had warmed slightly, she probed the darkness, trying to choose her next course of action, but she couldn't see well enough to make an educated decision. She finally determined to follow the small rivulet as it babbled along. She'd put distance between the crash site and herself. She'd hide. Then, in the morning, she'd decide whether it was safe to return to the site and make her way to the road.

Cloud cover broke away from the moon’s face, granting her a weak illumination. She still relied heavily on the sound of the stream to guide her steps. Praying for help, she wandered away from the road and deeper into the forest.

Time stretched; moments became surreal and dreamlike. The wind had died down, but the cold still nipped at her skin like an invisible wolf. Her legs felt heavy and Brook stumbled in weariness. She sat on a downed tree to retie one of her foot coverings, leaned forward, and almost fell on her face as dizziness overcame her. Cradling her head until the episode passed, she retied the strip around her foot. It broke in her hands and she sat holding the pieces, overwhelmed by misery. She just couldn’t bring herself to take one more step on her aching and swollen feet. To move one more inch with her sore and ravaged body.

Kneeling beside the fallen tree, she felt for a place that would provide some respite from the cold. Squeezing into a slight gap near the forest floor, she nestled under the tree and pulled leaves and twigs over her body. She left her wayward ‘shoe’ flopping from her foot and curled up around her bag, holding it close to her chest as shivers racked her body. Her teeth chattered so hard against each other that they ached. She wondered how long a body could endure these temperatures with next to no clothing. Tomorrow, I will find help. Repeating these words over and over, Brook’s thoughts drifted away, and finally, she slept. Sometime during the night, clouds rolled over the moon, thrusting the landscape into blackness. A light snow began to fall.