Time May Change

Winter nights in Vermont are very unforgiving. I found a pack of birthday candles (I'm still trying to figure out why they were there) on the floor of my backseat but I had no matches, not that they would provide much warmth or light. What I did on the other two nights to keep warm was when I got so cold I couldn't possibly sleep, I would take a walk in the woods on the far side of the parking lot I was at that went down the other side of the mountain. The first night I only took one walk, at three thirty in the morning according to my cell phone. The second night I took two walks, one at one thirty and one at four fifteen. My cell phone died some time earlier today but judging by the stars, or what few stars I could see through the quickly oncoming storm clouds, it is actually now the fourth morning, about two in the morning actually, and I had already took three walks. This night has been especially cold.

I shiver as wind blows through the crack I keep in the window for air and I pull the sheet tighter around my body. No use, I'm going for another walk. I can't stand to be in this car another minute longer. I haven't bathed in four days and some odd hours, I am sick of brushing my teeth with my finger, I ran out of water earlier this morning and I am so hungry that I am going to start eating either my seat or the only thing resembling something edible in the woods that I could find which was a small patch of berries, frozen and poisonous!

Stepping out of the car I throw the sheet back in and grab my jacket. Great it just started snowing. I was hoping the storm would hold off until morning. Regardless, I usually like the snow. Rolling my eyes at my luck, usually the most expression you'll get out of me; I lean forward and walk into the now blinding snow.

Five minutes, nope, still can't sleep. Ten minutes, nope, still can't sleep. I stop suddenly. I think I saw something ahead, a light or something, just a flash for a moment. I can't really be sure though, it might have been nothing; however I never trust anything, so I walk forward regardless of this feeling in my gut telling me to stop. I always listened to my gut in the past, why didn't I this time? As I walk forward I see the light again, this time to left, just a flash, almost like a glowing orb. As I spin around I realize that I have no idea where I am. I don't know which way goes back to my car at all.

Crap! I usually have a great sense of direction, believe me, I've had to find my way out of so many places its not even funny. I strain my eyes, usually I have great night vision but with the snow there aren't any stars visible anymore and for some reason everything seems to just be getting darker ad darker. I begin to stumble around. I can't really tell where I am putting my feet and I am sure I would look very amusing to someone looking on. Of course, if there was anyone watching me and not offering their help right now I would seriously kill them, not that I would actually accept their help, or really kill hem. I've never killed anyone before, but I'm not afraid to do it.

The cold snow soaks through my tattered jeans as I fall to my knees. Reaching out towards nothing I manage to stand back up. I see a light again. No! I know what's happening; this must be from not eating anything and barely drinking anything all weekend. That must be it. Now I'm hearing things. I seriously thought I heard a growl. Not a bear, it can't be, I imagined it. A wolf? No! There is nothing there…suddenly a great big dog comes snapping at me from behind a tree. I don't stick around long enough to realize that it indeed is a wolf, or to realize that I was hallucinating. I quickly scramble as best as I can to the nearest tree with a sturdy branch low enough for me to grab.

It's just above my head but I jump and grab it anyways, using my upper-body strength to pull me up and I don't stop there. I keep climbing. As I reach the seventh branch though my hand slips in the slick layer of fresh snow and I miss the branch in my frantic scramble up the tree. As I fall backwards out of the tree I try desperately to grab another branch but my hands are so numb from being out in the cold so long that they can't react nearly fast enough. I fall and lend hard on my side, hitting my head of the frozen ground. My wrist and ankle are killing me. As I realize that there had been no wolf I felt myself slipping away. I would deal with this aching head later, if I ever woke up. And my world suddenly went dark.

Oh gods my head! Don't think, don't move, just wait for the pain to stop. I try taking deep breaths but my chest hurts so bad that I gasp in pain; I must have bruised a rib or two. It was then that my wrist became enflamed in fire again and my ankle throbbed with that dull ache when you just know its going to hurt like crazy to stand on. Ok, just give it a second or two, let the pain subside, or at least get used to it and then we'll try opening our eyes. Just lie here in the snow for e few seconds and let this blanket keep you warm while you can….wait a minute…blanket! My eyes snapped open so fast I think my eyelids got lost in the back of my head. Had my head not been hurting so bad, I probably would have jumped at what I saw.

Staring down at me was a pair of vacant, expressionless eyes. And with them was a man who I could tell by first sight that I shouldn't mess with. He had a hard face with stone eyes, tattoos on both of his cheeks and his messy hair had a few braids in it.

I take a sharp intake of breath, causing me to bite my lip in pain. But I wouldn't let this guy, whoever he was; who was sitting two feet away see me in pain. Determined, I try sitting up.

Instantly regretting putting weight on my wrist I fall back down, my eyes locked into place so as to not let tears out. If my life could get any worse, it would be me dying a painful death and going straight to hell right then and there. I bite my lip so hard it began to bleed. Great, more pain.

"Your wrist is broken; try not to put any weight on it for a while." I glare up at the man who just spoke who know held out a hand to help me up.

I recoil from his hand, hitting the tree in the process. "Don't touch me." I spit. I managed to sit up after a few more seconds of ignoring the pain.

The man sits back on his heels and stands, taking his blanket, no, cloak, with him. "I found you unconscious under this tree a few hours ago. It seemed that you needed some assistance." He puts his cloak back on and waits for me to make my next move.

"Thank you, but I would have been just fine and don't need your help." I lean against the tree heavily as I try to stand up. As soon as I straighten up and have weight on both of my feet my knees gave out and I fall forward. The man quickly sidesteps out of the way and lets me fall face first into the snow, unable to stop my self with my broken wrist. I roll onto my back and am met once again with unforgiving eyes. I know what he is thinking 'you said not to touch you.' I glare at him equally unforgiving as I try once again to stand.

After a minute or so, thanks to my stubbornness, I make it to a standing position leaning heavily against the tree where I collapse against the trunk coughing like there was no tomorrow. After a few minutes the coughing subsides but my chests hurts so much I swear I'm about to die. I hardly ever get sick but when I did, boy was I down. I couldn't believe my luck, sick, hurt, starving, lost and stuck with some guy who, if possible, looked more grimacing than me. And people thought I looked cold.

My world is starting to go in and out of focus again and by the time I realize that I am back on the ground the stranger is by my side helping me roll onto my back. This time his eyes do not seem so unfriendly, but perhaps I mine were begging for help, even though I have convinced myself over the years that I don't need anybody. I guess in truth my eyes held pain. I was completely strung out and this guy was witnessing it. I can tell that he knows something deeper about me, he is staring right at me but I feel like he is staring into my past. He knew I wasn't a normal girl and I could tell that he was different too. He wasn't like the others. And he was trying to help.

"You are injured. Let me assist you." I bow my head in shameful acceptance. It wasn't like I could do anything for myself in the middle of nowhere anyway. He lightly places a hand on my chest.

"What are you doing?" I try to move away but I start coughing again.

"Two bruised ribs on the right, nothing broken. Your ankle is merely strained." His eyes told me more, he knew I was half starved, freezing cold, desperately lost, scared, sick, tired…the list went on, but more importantly, he knew that regardless of what I said, I needed his help. I might not have been willing to admit it, but I did. And I was miserable for it when he bent down and gently picked me up and I didn't even protest.

He gave a short whistle and a grey horse, his I'm assuming, comes into the clearing from where she had been standing waiting patiently. I soon find myself seated before this man riding through the woods. I am actually very happy to be around something I am familiar with that I don't ask any questions.

Mere minutes later I begin to shiver. The chill air is cutting right through my clothes and my body is too tired to put up a fight. After a minute of me shaking in the saddle, the stranger's cloak finds its way back around my shoulders. Most would say thank you, but I just stare straight ahead. I start to think. Why was this guy wearing a cloak? That's not something one usually sees much these days. Come to think of it…

"You wear strange clothing." My eyes slide shut as I speak.

"I could say the same to you, your clothing is unfamiliar."

"What are you talking about; you're the one wearing ancient clothes, at least I have jeans on." I jerk awake as my head began to fall forward.

"I must admit I have no idea as to what you are talking about." I groan as my head bounces as he suddenly nudges his horse to a quick trot. I guess he is done speaking.

My head hurts so unbelievably much and I really need something to eat; a big bowl of ice cream and one of those sandwiches from Arby's with the cheese on it, what is it called, beef and cheddar, how stupid of me. And I can't forget a drink, a big glass of raspberry ice tea, gods, I would kill for something to eat and drink right now and aghh my head hurts and I am too tired to even attempt riding in a decent riding position… "Would you stop trotting him already, my head is going to crack open if you keep it up…" Just perfect. Another coughing fit. I somehow manage to sigh between coughs; the man did stop trotting, instead he picks up a canter, at least I can sit that without effort.

I watch the scenery go by in a blur as we make our way out of the woods and into an endless field. If I didn't feel like crap I would be enjoying this. I hate being sick. I seriously can't believe I got sick, last night I was fine…well sort of, go figure I am hurt too. Even if I weren't injured, I highly doubt I would be doing much walking. It's a good thing that…wait a minute; I never got his name… "Who are you?"

"Tristan."

Simple, just like me…I can understand why people find that unnerving. "Where are you going? Please don't be a murderer; I would hate to go out without a fight. No, he would have killed me already, wouldn't he have? I try shaking my head clear of these thoughts. Ow, it hurts.

"Hadrian's Wall." He turns his horse suddenly off the field and back into the woods.

"Hadrian's Wall?" The trees begin to blur together once again. Judging by what I have seen so far I can pretty much guess he isn't going to be saying anything else. So I start to think again. Hadrian's Wall; that was the wall in Britain long ago, I learned that in my British Literature class my freshmen year. That was also where the supposed legendary Arthur and his knights were stationed initially. Tristan… Hadrian's Wall… oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap! My head is starting to spin again, and my vision suddenly got fuzzy. I gasp for air trying to keep calm and as I exhale I fall forward into the horse's neck, and would have fallen on the ground had Tristan not caught me with his arm. I blink as the ground rushes below me and soon pass out.