I will go to the cottage and wait it out.
I continued with a fast walk. I was now at a cross road and I took the left track. I hadn’t gone this way since that first time with Jules. Forgetting how rugged the track was, I became increasingly fearful of losing my footing. I slowed down my pace, not wanting to deal with any injuries. The rain started pounding even faster, if that was at all possible. While still jogging I looked back over my shoulder out of paranoia.
Huh? I could have sworn I saw a silhouette of someone…
It stopped me in my tracks.
“Who’s there?” I shouted as I started walking backward, frightened that something was about to creep up on me. I felt sick in the stomach. The echo of the wind and the pounding of the rain was deafening, but not enough to drown out the sound of my heart racing. I decided to turn and run as fast as I could, praying that I wouldn’t fall. The faster I ran, the more terrified I became. I could now hear branches snapping and loud thumping against the ground behind me. The vibrations shook my body. I wanted to scream, but nothing would come out. I could see the cottage up ahead, but it didn’t matter. Exhausted and overcome, I felt my body wanting to stop. With no control or force in my legs, I stumbled to the ground, landing on rocks and other debris.
“Stop!” I screamed. The sting of pain was unbearable.
I closed my eyes and screamed in terror, no longer able to run away.
“Catherine, what in God’s name…?”
I looked up and it was Richard, running towards me from the cottage. My body started to shake as I tried to stand, but I couldn’t. Still afraid of what was behind me, and despite the pain in my hands and knees, I attempted to crawl. I struggled to keep my eyes open. Richard lunged to the ground and lifted me up. I could see his lips moving but I couldn’t hear him. The distressed look on his face pleased me. It gave me hope that he knew that there was danger nearby, and would be vigilant. Everything around me seemed in slow motion, no sounds could be heard anymore. The rain seemed to fall but couldn’t be felt on my skin. My ears felt blocked; the way they did when I dove into the pool as a child. I didn’t want to speak. I was too drained.
Moments later, I was lying down on the lounge in the cottage in front of the lit fireplace. I could feel the warmth. I looked to see Richard on his mobile. He appeared upset but I didn’t know why. I smiled at him, but he didn’t smile back. He slammed his mobile on the table and came towards me. Grabbing his forehead, he started talking again. I couldn’t understand why he was so angry. I decided to close my eyes. I figured I had earned the rest. But Richard didn’t let me. He shook me and yelled at me, which made my ears pop. The sound of the rain on the roof could now be clearly heard.
“Catherine, I need you to stay awake. I need to go and get help. There is no service on my phone,” he said.
I shook my head from side to side. “No… you can’t leave me here! No… please don’t leave me!” I pleaded.
“You’re hurt, Catherine.”
I couldn’t understand what he meant other than being tired. I felt no pain. I looked down at myself to see that my leg was cut open and there was blood all over me.
“Oh my God!”
I closed my eyes and turned my head away.
“Please, don’t be frightened… I will fix it for you. It’s nothing. I think there is a first-aid kit somewhere around here,” I heard him mumble to himself.
With my eyes still shut, I could hear the racket of cupboards and drawers being opened and slammed shut.
“Here we are,” Richard said as he returned. “Catherine, I apologise, this could hurt a little.”
I kept my eyes closed. I did not want to see my leg again. I screamed out in pain, the wound on my leg felt like it was burning.
“Stop, please stop!” I pleaded.
“No Catherine, keep your leg still. I have to stop the bleeding,” he snapped back at me.
I felt awful for what I had brought on myself. I loved James so much that I was willing to go head to head with something that was so terrifying and that I still didn’t understand.
I need to know what’s going on, but killing myself in the process isn’t going to bring James and I closer together. Oh, I can just imagine what Mr Kemp is going to say when he hears about this. And James. When he realises I’m not back and sees Jules. Oh, I can’t bear to think what I’m going to put him through. I wish I could take back today and start all over again. I would have turned back up those stairs and jumped back into bed with him.
“Right… Now that is the best I can do, considering,” Richard said, looking at his attempt at first-aid.
I opened my eyes guardedly and looked down at my wound, which was now bandaged and didn’t burn anymore.
I looked up at Richard, who for the first time seemed to be a gentle, caring person, not his usual arrogant self.
“Thank you… I…” I couldn’t speak, I just cried. I covered my face out of embarrassment and felt his hand gently hold my arm. I quickly stopped and wiped my eyes. I had to leave before James realised I went on my own.
”I have to go.”
“Go? You can’t go anywhere in this weather. When the rain stops we can walk to my car, it’s at the village a few minutes from here.
“It’s strange, I am not even sure why I came to the cottage today. I think it was fate that I was here for you,” Richard replied with a smile.
I didn’t reply, just smiled politely.
“I’m guessing you were going for a run and came here because of the rain, but I don’t understand why you looked so terrified. What happened?” he asked gently as he grabbed a chair and sat in front of me.
“It’s silly… I thought I heard someone chasing me,” I replied hesitantly.
“Chasing you?” he repeated, disturbed.
“I ran as fast as I could. I guess I worked myself up and fell, and I suppose that’s when I cut myself.”
“Did you see anyone?”
I then thought of the dark silhouette, the hard stomping on the ground and the trees breaking behind me. I got shivers down my spine.
“No… No I didn’t, I know, I’m so stupid. Look what I have done to myself and not to mention dragging you into this. I really am so sorry.”
“Not at all. Now, I need to get you out of these wet clothes.”
“I guess you’re right.”
As Richard left the room, I shook my head at the mess I had gotten myself into.
How will I ever be able to face Mr Kemp and James after this?
Anxious to get back to the college, I attempted to get off the lounge. My assessment of the damage indicated the pain to be bearable. I limped towards the window. The rain had stopped. I was pleased about that.
“Be careful! I wouldn’t be moving around so much just yet, Catherine,” Richard said as he entered the room, holding up an old over-sized navy jacket.
“Is that for me?”
“Unfortunately, yes. But I have every confidence that you will manage to look beautiful in it.”
Embarrassed, I limped to him and took the jacket.
“Thank you, I won’t be a second,” I stated, and headed to the bedroom. Once inside, I was faced with the problem of changing. My tights were a nuisance to take off. Being wet, they were stuck to my body, and being unable to freely move my leg around made a simple task irritating and time-consuming. The jacket was unbelievably ugly, but it was warm and dry. I picked my wet clothes up from the floor, thinking I might be able to dry them in front of the fireplace. To my shock, James was standing in the middle of the room. Richard was beside the table. I tried to contain myself and act the way I would if I wasn’t incredibly in love with this man.