My Life is a Working Title

What happened to all my powers of description? I seemed perfectly capable of using them last time I checked. Then again, the last time I checked was before I slid down the side of a ravine and into an abyss of nothingness. By the way… WHAT THE FUCK?! What in the blue hell was THAT? HOW did I end up in the woods? I don’t even recall… wait… what is it that I don’t recall again? I don’t know. It hurts to think. Where the hell am I? My body feels like it’s been dragged over rocks by wild animals. Which it was. Minus the wild animals. What was I even running from? Where was I trying to go?


All of these are very pertinent questions which I can’t answer in my bruised and bloodied state. But I do have the ability to open my eyes. I could do that.
OW. Opening eyes was a bad idea. The light beyond them is unbearably bright, and I roll over to get away from it, letting out a soft groaning whimper. There’s a blanket tucked around my body, and I lift it over my head, curling my sore limbs up to my stomach and making myself comfortable in the fetal position, my free hand rubbing my watering eyes. I must have been asleep for quite a while if the light burns my eyes this much. Suddenly, there’s a masculine voice sounding from behind me.


“Well well, looks like little Sleeping Beauty finally decided to join the world of the living again.”


I’m frightened enough that my only reaction is to fling myself off of the bed and press my back into the corner of the room, looking around for any available weapons, seeing only an empty glass bottle on the nightstand beside my bed. Reaching up, I break it on the edge of the table, keeping it tightly in my grasp, watching what I think is the man. I really can’t tell right now. Everything is so blurry. I must have really been out for quite a long time. I’m surprised I was able to grab the bottle. But no matter now, watch the dark blur in the corner. Or not. Shit, where did he go?! The broken bottle is taken from my grasp, my arms gripped at the wrist in one big hand as the hulk creature in black before me sets the broken bottle back on the nightstand, carefully brushing the shards of glass off of my nightgown, picking up the larger chunks and setting them with the bottle. “Hey, hey now… no need for violence. You’re safe here, take it easy. You know, you move pretty fast for an invalid.”
My sense of dignity flares up at the word ‘invalid.’ I may not know where I am or even who I am right now, but I am far from being an ‘invalid.’ This… man… is about to learn that the hard way. I glare up at him, my jaw clenched hard, my brow furrowed as my right leg tightens and kicks him hard in the upper thigh, causing him to howl in agony and shock, off balance enough for me to push him over and break free of his hold, ripping my wrists from his hand and springing away from him, making towards an open doorway as quick as my injured body will allow. Then I’m through the door and down the hall, looking for an escape, my heart about to break through my chest. My legs refuse to move faster than a jog at this point, the muscles cramping and aching and telling me that this is not kosher. Well, too bad, I have to get out of here. I hear boot steps behind me and sit myself on the banister of a stairwell, sliding down it. I leap free before I crash into the wall just opposite, panting heavily as I stumble and nearly fall, forcing myself up again. What the hell am I even doing? I don’t know anymore. But I have to run. Can’t trust anyone. It’s not safe. I leap over a coffee table and make towards the kitchen, spotting a door and dashing as fast as I can towards it. Just as I’m about to pull the handle and escape, the door is forced shut again by a hand the size of a small ham attached to the arm of a blacksmith. I grab a knife off the counter and turn quickly, swiping violently at the giant’s midsection, forcing him to jump back, my free hand on the doorknob, turning it again, but the giant is quicker than I expected. The knife goes flying across the kitchen, and I’m crushed against his body, struggling hard, working to knee the man in the groin. He deserves it.


Suddenly I’m spun around, the world moving too fast for my eyes to keep up. “Jesus chickie, would you just calm down for two seconds? It’s safe here, I promise. No one here’s gonna try ‘n hurt ya. Easy now, easy. Deep breath now. In, out.”


He’s talking to me like I’m some kind of wild animal. This riles me beyond all belief, causing part of me to see red, but simultaneously calming me. This is some kind of weird, I have to tell you. I’ve never been angry and calm at the same time before. Is that even possible? Why am I asking myself this question NOW? Perhaps it would be best if I just shut the idiot part of my brain down when I’m in compromising situations. Right. Like that’s going to happen. I drag my focus back to the issue at hand; getting out of the giant’s grip. My chest is heaving from forcing my beaten body into action after such an evidently long period of inaction, my lungs crying out for desperately needed oxygen. I’m still scanning the room for any way out, looking for escape routes, weapons, anything I can use to protect myself. Something in me is begging me to break free of the giant and just flee as far and as fast as possible even as another part of me is slowing my heart rate and my breathing to an acceptable level. Door is still an option… or so I think. Even as I’m considering it, the giant reaches out and locks it. There’s a good four or five locks on it. Overkill much? I want to snap at him, but he could break my jaw with one hand, so I refrain. The giant loosens his grip ever so slightly. “If I let you go will you promise to behave and not attempt to beat the shit out of me?” I’m distracted by the slight drawl in his voice. It’s not very noticeable right now. But a moment ago, it was thick enough to cut with a knife. Interesting… a giant from the country. I find the image strangely amusing, and I can feel the smallest of smirks tilting my lips up at the corners as I nod slowly, letting go of the breath I wasn’t aware I’d been holding as the giant releases me from his iron grip. Turning to face him, I notice he’s eying me as much as I’m eying him. We size each other up warily, watching carefully for any sudden movements, like duelers in a gunfight. The man before me truly is a bear of a man. I’m surprised he could fit through the doorway to chase me. He’s got to be about six foot four or so, with shoulders big enough to fill the doorway. His clothes are tight enough to reveal major definition in his arms and legs, and from the feel of him his abs were much the same. It was like being held against a brick wall. Not that it’s necessarily a bad thing he’s a slab of solid muscle, but in my current situation I’d much rather have gone up against a skinny nerd with glasses. Even for a girl I’m not that tall, and there’s no way I could take down someone who has demonstrated how easy it is for him to pin me like a rag doll. I probably weigh a third of what he does. Basically, I’m disgustingly outclassed. Not even my speed can help me here; bastard’s fucking fast. The giant smirks as he sizes me up, throwing back his tawny head and laughing, a big, booming thunderclap of a laugh that suits him heartily. I only glare back, hiding my confusion behind a scowl, my eyes shooting daggers right through him. When he finally stops laughing, he crosses his arms over his chest and leans his hip against the kitchen counter, cocking his head to the side slightly and sizing me up. “So… a little hellcat like you got a name?”


I quirk my brow at this, giving him an impassive look. “Maybe, but you first: Who are you, and where am I?” I shoot back as a chill shivers up my spine. I look down, realizing that all I’m wearing is the tattered shift I had been running through the woods in that night. Well, that just won’t do. I cross my arms over my breasts, hiding the effects of the chill.


The giant laughs his belly laugh again. “It’s Gabe for you sweetheart, but folks ‘round these parts know me as Thor.”


Well that’s ironic. I smirk. “Interesting. So… Gabe… answer my other question; where am I?”


Gabe’s smile fades just a little, his eyes taking on a hard glint. “You’re in no man’s land, darlin’. You’d do better not to ask questions here, the neighbors have ears and eyes and no problem selling you out to the highest bidder.”


The chill tone shakes me, even though I still have no idea where I am. I’m guessing that he’s telling me in a roundabout way that I’m not in good company, leading me to believe I’m in a land filled with thieves and murderers. I give Gabe another once-over, thinking that might not be so far off the mark. “So tell me now, what am I supposed to call a redheaded fireball like you?” he asks.


I bite my lip, thinking. What is my name? I have one, of that I’m quite sure. I just don’t know what it is. Does it start with an A? No, that doesn’t sound right. S? No, still not right. I shrug, looking at anything but him. “I… don’t know.”

*~*

The chickie standing before him seemed to deflate; intriguing. He had been waiting for another sharp slice of her quick tongue, but the question appeared to have left her lost. “You don’t know? How do you mean?” he asked, subtly scooting forward just a fraction of an inch. The half-grown girl child before him stepped back, away from the door. Good. If he could just get her to sit down, maybe she wouldn’t faint on him. How the hell she’d even made it down the stairs moving that fast was a mystery to him; she was in a right state when he’d fished her out of the river three days ago, and lost so much blood that it was a miracle she was even alive. He could see the fine tremors starting to break out on her skin, and he slowly uncrossed his arms, readying himself to catch her when she did fall, which would be soon by the looks of it.


“Just what I said! I don’t know what my name is! I don’t even…” Poor thing, she was starting to shake violently, and not just from fatigue. She looked so lost.


“Here, sit down before you fall down, please,” he asked, his heart going out to her. He gestured towards a chair at the small table situated in the room, gently pressing her into it. She didn’t even put up a fight, just let herself be guided down, grabbing the table as she slumped over it.


“No, no… how do I know you won’t…” she trailed off again, unable to even finish her thought. He was losing her to unconsciousness yet again.


“Trust me sweetheart, I’m not that kinda guy. I’m a little rough around the edges, but I like my women willing. And awake,” he teased, earning a semi-glare, her green eyes glinting in a way even he would find intimidating if she weren’t about to pass out at his kitchen table.


“Good to know you won’t be trying to take advantage of me until I’m fully functional,” she bit out, her eyes drooping. With that she was out again, and he lifted her up from the chair, carrying her as if she weighed nothing at all back up to her room, laying her carefully on the bed and covering her again. She’d be a pretty little thing, if she weren’t a half-starved demon’s get straight out of Hades. He locked the window before letting himself out of the room and locking the door as well, moving quietly down the stairs to settle himself in the den. His boys were due back any minute.

*~*

Twenty minutes later the front door opened, allowing three men to enter silently, all wearing the same outfit of black t-shirt, black cargo pants, and black combat boots with Kevlar vests covering their chests, military issue M-4s slung over their backs. They moved to the room Gabe was occupying, setting their weapons beside them as they sat around their leader, making themselves comfortable. “Any news boys?” Gabe asked, watching the three solemn faces before him.


“Nothing new, boss,” a slender man with cheekbones that could cut glass responded, shaking his head. “It’s like the door was never there. Just a solid sheet of rock now.”


“They’ve got some seriously fucked up game out here though, sir. They got these mutant rabbit beasts that open their jaws like some kinda insect. Fuckin’ spooky. Good eating though. We brought some back.” Another man, this one pale with black hair and frighteningly dark eyes, spoke up, running his fingers absently through his decidedly shaggy hair. It looked as though it could have been buzzed before, but no longer; time had done its job.


“Well, at least we can eat tonight then.” Gabe answered, a half-smile curling his mouth.


“What about that girl, sir? Any change?” The third man asked, already at work cleaning his weapon. He was the only other man of the four that could possibly compare in size to Gabe.


“She was up and about for about ten minutes, did a good job tiring herself out trying to slice me open and spill my guts all over the kitchen floor,” he responded, laughing.


The men stared. “Quit fucking with us Sarge, that tiny thing couldn’t lift a brick,” one said in awe, his eyes wide.


“Oh I’m not fucking with you boys. She nearly kicked my ass and she’s been out pretty much cold for the last three days.”


“Who the hell is she?” the black-haired one asked, leaning forward, elbows on knees.


Gabe just shrugged. “Don’t know Katz, said she didn’t remember her name. We’ll find out soon enough though. For now, let’s eat.” The men nodded, grabbing their weapons and filing out, going about their tasks.



A/N: Okay, so I know my chapters are painfully short right now, but fear not, they WILL get longer. Being a college girl and all... it's fun, but also means I don't have as much time to update as I'd like. Hope you enjoy the next chapter. Thanks for the reviews!!!!