Barely Breathing Page 3

“That wasn’t the wind.” She looked around. “It sounded like an animal.”

  He remained quiet until he heard another sound, and saw something move in the woods—and it definitely wasn’t wind. He saw a pair of eyes watching them through the bushes, but didn’t let her know. He slowly lowered her to the ground. “Stay here.” He handed her the flashlight. He could see enough with every burst of the lightning.

  “John, what’s wrong?” She aimed the light at him.

  “Shh….” He dug into her gym bag, grabbed her gun, and slowly stepped forward, pointing the gun at the creature. He took deep breaths and moved slowly. When he walked up, a deer ran past him—almost knocking him over—and kept running. “It was only a deer,” he said, under his breath.

  “John…” Sophia’s voice sounded rattled as she called for him.

  He smiled as he turned. “It was just a de—” He couldn’t finish his sentence because there were two coyotes, growling, one on either side of her.

  “Sophia, don’t move.” He could tell she was nervous by the way her hands shook as she pointed the flashlight at him. The thunder rolled, making her jump, and the animals arched, preparing to attack.

  He removed the safety, cocked, and pointed the gun in the air and pulled the trigger. clearly annoying the coyotes, but he hadn’t accomplished what he wanted. They hadn’t backed away.

  John moved, making noises and waving his arms, and their attention turned to him. One of the animals ran toward him. It seemed like slow motion, and he hit it with the gun, not wanting to kill it if he didn’t have to. He lost track of the other one running toward him. When he saw it, he didn’t have time to defend himself or shoot. It was too late. The coyote attacked his arm and he dropped the gun. He began to struggle with the beast, but out of nowhere he heard a gunshot, and the animal fell to the ground.

  Sophia stood near him with the gun still pointing at the coyote. The one he’d clocked ran off.

  She rushed next to him and grabbed his arm. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, thanks to you.”

  “Your arm.” She looked at it with the light. “It doesn’t look too deep.”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  She released his hand. “Don’t lie to me, that’s a lot of blood.” From around her leg, she tore a piece of the ripped-up sleeve, and tied it around his arm to stop the bleeding. “I thought you told me there weren’t any wolves out here.”

  “Those weren’t wolves. They were coyotes.” He chuckled.

  “The same thing.” She moved back. “What were you thinking?” she asked, staring at him, and the light hit just right. Even soaked in rain and covered in mud, she was beautiful, standing there with her hand on her hip.

  “I was thinking…I would give myself to save her.” He grabbed the flashlight out of her hands.

  “Really?” She sounded surprised.

  “Yes, really Sophia.”

  “Why?” she asked softly.

  “Because that’s who I am.” He moved, lowering himself. “Jump on.”

  “But you’re hurt.”

  “Get on, Sophia!”

  She obeyed and climbed onto his back.

  He stood and pulled her legs around him to make sure he held her securely.

  “Thank you,” she whispered in his ear.

  They continued to hike up, but this time being more careful, observing their surroundings.

  Sophia talked his ear off about a whole lot of nothing, driving him crazy, even trying to tell corny jokes. She laughed at herself. He enjoyed this side of her. He knew she was trying to distract him, and it worked until sharp pain from his head, arm, and heart attacked him. Despite wanting to stay strong, he groaned.

  She immediately stopped talking.

  “Sophia, are you okay?” He slowed down.

  “Are we going to make it?” she whispered like she was asking a casual question. Reaching gingerly, she wiped the blood from his face with the loose neck of her T-shirt.

  “If I can help it.” He kept hiking, holding her legs as she grabbed on to his neck a little tighter. Her teeth were chattering next to his ear.

  “You could’ve left me.” She sighed. “At least one of us would’ve a better chance of surviving.”

  “We are both going to survive,” he said, inhaling the strawberry scent from her cotton shirt. “We already survived wild animals. I think we can survive anything.”

  They walked for another hour, it seemed.

  “I see something.” She pointed.

  He followed the beam of the flashlight and he could see what seemed to be an old cabin. He rushed closer. “Wait here.” He placed her down, and grabbed the gun.

  “Be careful,” she said as she sat on a rock.

  He moved slowly, making sure there weren’t any animals around. He opened the rusty door and went into the cabin. It was clean, no signs of wild animals. It seemed safe enough, but the roof had holes in it. Better than nothing.

  He walked back out to Sophia. “It’s shelter, but if the temperature doesn’t change or if we don’t get help soon…”

  She stood. “Go ahead, say it. We’re going to die.”

  He cupped her face. “Not if I can help it. It’s my fault you couldn’t get to your daughter.” He took her hand in his and entered the cabin.

  He placed the wet blanket down and sat in the far corner where it was dry. She sat next to him, and he wrapped his arms around her. “We’ll keep each other warm,” he said, shivering.

  She shook, and grabbed unto him tightly. “Okay.”

  He handed her the bag. She dug into it and took out a granola bar.

  He laughed. “I see your hunger is not affected.”

  “I’m happy you’re getting a laugh at my expense.” She opened the wrapper. “I may die of hypothermia, but not hunger.” They both chuckled.

  She took a bite and then placed the bar next to his mouth. “You know you want a piece. Don’t deny yourself your last meal.”

  He smiled, looking into her striking eyes that sparkled in the light from the flashlight.

  “Come on, you know you want to.” She teased him, touching his lips with the bar, and he took a big bite.

  She laughed. “Hey, stop that.” She smacked him.

  “You offered,” he said, chewing. “That’s really good.”

  She dug into the bag. “Here, have one.”

  They finished the bars and drank some juice boxes, all the while shivering in the cold.

  “Where were you going?” she asked.

  “I don’t know. I just needed to get away.”

  Sophia looked into his gorgeous, green eyes. “In this weather?”

  “Yes,” he answered. “Why were you driving in this weather?”

  “I needed to get to Cara, before…” What was wrong with her? She couldn’t tell him.

  “Before what?”

  She moved and wrapped her hands around her legs. “It doesn’t matter now.”

  He watched her from the corner of his eye. The temperature was dropping and they both could feel it. “I know something is wrong.”

  She didn’t say anything.

  “It does matter. Is that why you carry around a gun?” She didn’t answer. “Maybe I can help you.”

  “No one can.” She placed her head on her knees and started crying. “I’m all she has.”

  He got up and wrapped his arms around her, and rested his head on hers. “I promise, I’ll get you back to your daughter.”

  She snuggled into his embrace, getting colder by the minute. “He’ll hurt her.”

  “Who?”

  She thought for a second before answering and decided to finally clear her conscience. She needed to talk to someone…why not John? Her best friend trusted him, and the way things were looking, they weren’t going to survive the night. “From her father.” She finally looked into his eyes.

  “I’ve never heard you mention him before.”

  “Because he hates me.”

  “Why?” he aske
d, rubbing her shoulders.

  “Because I took her from him,” she said, her voice cracking. She started to shiver more violently. “I had to kidnap my daughter.”

  He didn’t say anything, just held her tighter.

  “I made a mistake getting involved with a man like him, but my baby shouldn’t have to pay for my mistake. I ended it, and he hated me for it. He tried to take her from me. I couldn’t let him hurt her anymore.”

  “What did he do?”

  “He tried to kill me.” She put her cold hands over his. “He didn’t know Cara was in the house when he lit it on fire.” She squeezed his hands. “I can still smell the gas, see the flames, and hear the screams.” She relived those awful moments. “I thought we were going to die.”

  His breath caught in his throat, he couldn’t believe what she’d been through.

  “We escaped, but he found me. I did what I needed to. I protected my baby.” She coughed.

  He felt for her. He would do the same thing, if it had been him. “She’s your daughter,” he whispered, holding her tight.

  “That’s not the way the law works…you know that. I sent the cops evidence of all of his illegal activities.”

  “Then he can’t hurt you.”

  “He’s about to get out of jail. I’m still wanted for kidnapping.” She tried to move away but he wouldn’t let her. “Don’t you think I’m a bad person?”

  He turned and cupped her face. “Why would I think that?”

  “Because I sent a man to jail so I could keep my daughter.” She answered not being able to look at him.

  His thumb caressed her cold cheek. “I completely understand why you did what you did. You were keeping her safe. That doesn’t make you a bad person. That makes you a great mom.” He placed his forehead against hers. “My mother always put us first.” He cleared his throat. “My early childhood was miserable. My father was an alcoholic and every time he drank he would beat my sisters and me. My mother got the worst part. She always intervened, and ended up taking what he said was meant for us.” He cleared his throat and smiled. “But God gave my mother strength to walk out on him. One late night she packed us up. She didn’t know where we were headed, five kids and no money. We lived in a homeless shelter for about a month, until my paternal grandmother came in and saved us. So, you see I understand. I was raised without much, but by the grace of God I made it. I owe so much to the strong women in my family.”

  “I always assumed you came from wealth.”

  “You assumed wrong.”

  “We’re learning so much about each other on this little adventure.” She gave him a half smile.

  “It’s a shame…”

  She gazed into his eyes. “Since I’m being honest, my real name is Ashley Sophia Delgado.”

  “Nice to meet you, Ashley,” he said between gritted teeth. “If we get out of this, I swear I’ll help you. You won’t have to run anymore.”

  She was silent, and that worried him.

  Chapter Four

  Sophia’s memories came back all at once. She could still smell the gas from the fire. She woke up coughing, feeling as though she were inhaling the dark smoke around her, as though her lungs were closing up. The smoke was dark, but she managed to get up, panicking for Cara. She was still sleeping next to her. She felt for her tiny pulse and found one. She needed to get her out the burning house. She picked her up and heard loud screaming from her guest bedroom. She couldn’t think what to do, but the baby in her hands made the decision for her. She needed to save Cara. Sophia did what she thought would save them all. She broke the window with her foot, and jumped out. She made it to the front yard, and made sure Cara was breathing. Her neighbors were outside, screaming, telling her they’d called 911. She handed the baby to her next-door neighbor, and ran back into the burning house.

  She made her way to her sister’s room, and found her trapped underneath wood and wallboard. Her intense workouts helped her lift the fallen materials off her. She yanked her shoulders up, with the urgency of fear was able to drag her away from the smoke, but once outside, she knew she was too late. Her sister was barely breathing. She put her down and tried giving her mouth-to-mouth, but it was too late. She took her last breath as Sophia clutched her in her arms.

  She remembered the last words out of her dying sister’s mouth. “Please…”

  John called her out of her memories; he could tell she was reliving the moment. The fear in her eyes shined off the light from the flashlight. All this time, he’d never known she’d been in so much turmoil and pain. His heart went out to her. “Sophia, look at me.”

  She looked at him with emptiness in her eyes.

  “He’s not here. He can’t hurt you or Cara. Cara’s okay.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “One thing I do know, Kay and Jason would protect her to the end. He’s still in jail, and I can make him stay there.”

  “He has dangerous people working for him.”

  “If those people haven’t found you by now, they won’t find you. I promise I will do everything in my power to help you. I have friends in high places—and low ones.”

  “Thank you for the offer, but I won’t get you involved in my problems.” She bowed her head.

  “The moment you told me he touched you and tried to kill you, I got involved.” She was silent and he got worried. “Sophia, don’t fall asleep.”

  “I’m awake.” She opened her eyes. “I’m not leaving you.”

  “I’m so sorry. I should’ve paid more attention to the road.”

  Sophia gently cupped his face in her small, cold hands. “John, it wasn’t your fault a deer decided to jump out in front of your car.”

  He placed his hands over hers. “If they don’t find us soon, we…”

  She tried to smile. “Right now, we’re still breathing and I’m so thankful you’re here with me.”

  “Me too.” He placed his hands over hers. “Our kids.”

  A tear escaped the corner of her eye. He took his thumb and wiped it away. “Wait right here. I’m going outside to see if I can find a signal.”

  “Please be careful.”

  “I will.” He stood and went outside the cabin, and began walking around in the rain, searching for a signal, praying that the coyote wouldn’t come back, and lightning wouldn’t strike him. He needed to get her back to her daughter. They’d been through too much to end like this.

  Why hadn’t he befriended her before? He could’ve helped her sooner.

  He waved his cell in the air, trying to find at least a bar. He couldn’t die like this. He needed to get back to his son and tell him how much he loved him, no matter what.

  He got one bar and tried to dial, but it didn’t work, so he decided to write a text to Jason and Kay. I was in an accident on route 66. in old cabin, send help. With Sophia, she’s freezing. He hit Send, and a message came back saying the system would send the message as soon as a signal was available. His head started throbbing as he walked back into the cabin.

  With a shine of the flashlight, he found her tired eyes.

  “Sophia, you can’t fall asleep.”

  She leaned up and stared at him. “I’m still awake.”

  He sat next to her and wrapped his arms around her again. “We need to keep each other awake. Let’s talk.”

  She tried to smile. “You.”

  “Me?”

  “Yes… I told you why I was headed home in this bad weather. Your turn.” She placed her head on his chest. “I trusted you with my dark secrets. I swear no one will ever find out.”

  He rubbed her arms. “Amy left me a letter saying she left to get help for her addiction.”

  “That’s good to hear. She needs it.”

  “Yeah, but she also mentioned she’d cheated on me more than once and recently had an abortion.” He gave a sarcastic chuckle. “I already knew she had an alcohol problem, but she claims she has more issues.”

  “John, I’m sorry.” She squeezed his han
d.

  “Johnny might not even be mine,” he whispered. “I don’t know what to feel anymore.”

  “Does it really matter if he is yours or not? Any fool can be a father or mother, but it takes a real man or woman to be a daddy or mommy.” She said each word with conviction. “You already love him, and he loves you. Isn’t that what really matters?”

  “I do love that little boy.”

  “See?” she said, shivering. “He’s yours.”

  “Love is so strange. Have you ever loved anyone?”

  She stared right into his eyes. He thought she could see into his soul. “Not the way you love Amy.”

  “But she didn’t love me.” His shivering was getting worse. “She just married me out of pity, and Johnny. She never wanted us.”

  “Don’t say that. Deep down she really does loves you.”

  He finally faced her. “How could she love me and do the things she did?”

  “She’s sick. It has…nothing to do with…you…” She got closer to him, wrapping her arms tightly around him. “I’m so cold.”

  He put one arm around her shoulder and the other around her waist. He laid his head on top of hers.

  She could feel the big knot on the side of his head. “John, that bump feels pretty bad.”

  “I’m okay. I just have a little headache.” He closed his eyes.

  “John, stay with me.” She snuggled closer.

  “I’m with you, but I wish I could do…something more.” He moved his hands in circular motion, landing one on her hip.

  “You are. You’re trying to keep me warm,” she said, shivering.

  “It’s not working.” He released her, stood, and began taking off his shirt. “We need to take our clothes off.”

  Sophia just stared at him.

  He had a spectacular body. His muscles weren’t too much. They were just right.

  “Our clothes are wet and we need body-to-body warmth.” He pulled down his pants and stood in just his boxers.

  She rose and pulled her shirt over her head, and a slight moan escaped him. He hadn’t touched a woman in months. His wife always had a headache or was too busy. He stared at her flat stomach—almost a six-pack. He hadn’t known she worked out. All this time, he’d thought she was thick, but he was wrong. She had a Coke-bottle figure. Then his vision stopped at her breasts. She had to be at least a C-cup. She began unbuttoning her jeans and he decided to look away.