***
John pushed a branch out of my way, letting the bough swing back to place after I passed. “Bodey, you and Kelly need to stay close. I’m not sure if town is safe yet.”
The moon hid behind clouds, making travel slower than by day. John refused to allow flashlights so we made our way as carefully as possible. I understood the no-lights rule. I also understood pain from tripping and falling.
He half-explained traveling at night would be the best in our situation. I got what he was saying, but I didn’t like it. Bodey didn’t either.
One thing I liked about Bodey though was his deep respect for his dad. He wouldn’t say he didn’t like something because he understood John wouldn’t make us walk all night for fun. Bodey walked forward, following his dad and me with no complaints.
Even when I tripped over a collection of rocks trying to assassinate me. Did I fall forward like a normal girl would? No, of course not, I had to over-correct myself, hyperextend my knee, and fall backwards, landing on Bodey and causing us both to fall to the trail.
He grunted when my elbow landed smack in the middle of his stomach, under his diaphragm.
I rolled off him as fast as I could, heat in my face. “I’m so sorry. Are you okay? I didn’t mean…” Of course I hadn’t meant to. He knew, right?
Bodey reached out, cradling my elbows in his warm hands. He steadied me, waiting until I calmed down and held still. A soft side smile reached the corners of his eyes. “You’re okay. Don’t worry about me. You’re not big enough to hurt me. Are you hurt?”
Hurt? What could be hurting while he touched me? “Me? I’m not sure.” Yep, I was a brilliant conversationalist. At that rate, he’d fall in love with me in about eighty years.
Oh, where was my mom to laugh about all the awkwardness with? I blinked. Crap, was I staring again?
My knee ached, but not so bad I couldn’t stand on the leg. “I think I’m fine.” I searched his face in the dark. “Thank you. Again, sorry.” How many times would I apologize for being a klutz? Who knew how many more forest things would attack me in the dark?
“Are you two okay? Let’s keep going.” John had picked up a long straight branch sometime back which he used as a walking stick.
I pushed away from Bodey against my better judgment and followed John. The twinge in my knee grew more prominent. I limped as we went up a slight rise, then down. Small tree trunks offered stable grips as I passed, using each as pieces to a modified railing. I didn’t want to fall again.
We hadn’t heard anyone behind us since we left the wood stack. As pain sharpened in my knee, I debated asking John if we could stop, but slowing us down or stopping wouldn’t help the group. I ground my teeth as each step increased my pain.
My limp turned to a hobble and I desperately wanted to switch Bodey places so he wouldn’t watch me turn handicapped before his eyes. Plus, part of me wanted to lie down and cry. I might not be able to lie down, but as long as he could see me, I certainly wouldn’t be able to cry either.
Bodey wrapped his arm around my waist, taking weight off my leg. “Dad, we need to stop.” The adorable boy had to be a mind reader. He helped me get to a bigger tree.
John paused, turning to look back at us. I leaned against the trunk, wanting to scream thank you to the heavens but careful to keep my mouth closed.
I wouldn’t complain. I wouldn’t complain. I wouldn’t complain.
Oh man, the break was very much needed.
Bodey passed me and stood close to John. They peeked back at me as they whispered to each other.
Could they be any more obvious? I closed my eyes so I wouldn’t see them discuss me. The pain in my knee overrode my desire to be easygoing.
They approached my place of refuge, rock crunching on rock warning me to open my eyes. I braced myself for sympathy. Since I didn’t know them well, I didn’t know what to expect, but they had been kind so far. They wouldn’t hurt me, but would they try to carry me? Just thinking about that sent a wave of embarrassed tingling from my toes to the back of my head.
“Kelly, Bodey says you’re limping. Can I look at your knee?” John bent down, waiting for me to push my injured leg toward him. He didn’t lift my pants, what would he see in the dark anyway, but he gently pressed around my kneecap and behind the bend.
I flinched when his thumb pressed into the soft tissue to the inside of my leg.
John stood. “Okay, I think you twisted your knee, which shouldn’t be permanent but could get worse, if we don’t let it rest. Let’s find a place to camp and we’ll do what we can.”
“Where? There’s not much here.” Bodey opened his arms wide and turned in a circle.
“Athol’s right through there.” John pointed past the next bend in the trees. “We’ll check and see if there’s a place we can hide out for a while. Bodey, grab her other side, will ya?”
They flanked me, each pulling my arm around their necks and half-carrying me as we walked. At least they didn’t completely immobilize me. I had to be able to carry some of my weight. If not, survival of the fittest didn’t apply to me at all.
The path wasn’t wide enough for all of us and Bodey or John would lurch forward in the weeds, tripping over hidden rocks and roots.
The last stagger brought us all down. I’m not sure who went first, but John landed on my leg and I cried out, reaching for the offended part.
“Alright, this isn’t working.” John scrambled off me, holding out his hand to Bodey. “Give me your pack, Kelly. Bodey, if you’ll grab her, I can lead. We’ll take turns until we find something.”
Bodey hefted me into his arms. I never realized how strong he was. I mean, muscles, yeah, but I never considered them as functional – just beautiful. When he had carried Mom, the thought never crossed my mind because she looked so slight.
He found a rhythm with his pace. I tried holding myself stiff with my head up and my back tight, but the rolling lumber of his steps sucked at me. I had been awake for too long and gone through too much. This time I wouldn’t fall asleep.
Finally in Bodey’s arms, no way was I going to miss a second of it.