Chapter 2: Wake Up
(Blue's PoV)
I quietly tucked her into the hard rock mattress that was a sorry excuse to be called a bed. Her chest rose and fell softly with wisps of her breath circling the small space. The dog Ellen had brought over earlier this morning had pranced in behind my heels now rested on a small pet bed at the end of hers. As I closed the semi rotted door, I felt a small twinge of regret in the pit of my stomach. Here, this new farmer starts with a beaten, hand-me-down house where numerous other farmers had failed and neglected to keep regular upkeep while I live in a large farm house, living the simple relaxed life of tending to barn animals and an already large house kept up by Hank, my father.
'Stop that' I mentally growled, shaking my head back and forth under the cap. 'She is fine on her own. Leave her be and do not get involved.'
(Jinx's PoV)
I could feel the sun's pull setting throughout every vein in my body, allowing it to awaken from its slumber.
"Good morning Avery." I mumbled sleepily, rubbing one eye with the back of my hand. Avery yelped happily, jumping up to give a good sliming of kisses. After I pushed the spontaneous pup off, I made us some dinner of...
"The mayor forgot to mention the lack of food." I growled to myself, slamming the empty, cobwebbed filled fridge closed. "Looks like we have to go find something in the wild to eat babe." Avery whined, wondering why his dinner dish is not filled with food. I dug in my knapsack, remembering there was a remainder of my sandwich from earlier in the day hanging idly in a brown paper bag. Avery gulped it up in a second, barking happily about his now full stomach.
'Now what do I do?' I sighed, feeling the hungering need gurgle to the surface of my stomach. As if an angel answered my prayers, a slight rapping came from the door that hung on its rusted hinges. We really need a new one...
"Coming!" I shouted, racing over to the door. As I swung it open faster than a cheetah hunting its prey, a dark silhouette was instantly lit by the small house light. Joe held his hand slightly up as if to knock again, a smile plastered on his always smiling face. The cool spring air ran past me, allowing the faint smell of pine and salt water float into my nose.
"Good evening Joe. What are you doing here?" I asked, content with the cool night air washing over my face. Joe shifted back and forth on his feet, staring at them as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. He sucked in a large breath of air, staring dead on into my eyes.
"I was wondering if you wanted to join Kurt, Woody, and I for dinner." I smiled at his boldness, tapping his shoulder lightly.
"That would be great actually." I rubbed the back of my head nervously, a faint blush creeping onto my face. "The mayor failed to mention the lack of food in the fridge." Joe's eyes turned enormous, making him almost look like a cat begging for attention. His hand enveloped mine easily, encasing it into a warmth.
"Lets go eat then! You must be starved out of your mind!" We ran right into the wooden house across the road, Joe slamming the door to make his presence known. His hand fell and I felt a little sad that the warmth was now dissipating by the cold air gushing from outside. There were various work benches scattered around the front with unfinished tools and rusted tools. A main desk faced the door in between the two rows of benches followed by two arches to the left and right of it. Noise filtered through the wooden beamed house, floating through the floor boards and staircase.
As my feet silently asended the stairs, two voices argued, growing louder with each step.
"Oh suck it up Kurt! She is joining us whether you like it or not!" Joe's voiced hissed with venom.
"Do you not get it? This will only bring us bad luck!" Kurt bellowed at his younger brother. "Besides, who would want to be the reject's friend? I heard from the mayor she is nothing but bad luck according to her files!" I froze, my hand stilled on the railing. Thoughts of the past raced through my head. All the mistakes, all the misfortunes, and then was that. That little secret that lingers in the recesses of my mind, plaguing my thoughts as if wanting to escape.
"I do not care what past she came from! She needs friends more than ever if that is the case!" I had heard enough. Tears threatened to spill, but I held them back, running full fledged down the stairs nearly knocking Woody over. I mumbled a silent apology, throwing the door open and fleeing into the night. The ground crunched easily against my working boots. Critters scurried everywhere, avoiding any contact with the dark figure lurking in their land. Suddenly, the scene changed. Blood followed each step, imbedding a foot print filled to the brim with blood that dragged on for miles behind me. The cold wind felt even colder as if my clothes had been torn. I glanced at my hands, stifling a shriek as blood had coated them a deep crimson color of the dead.
'It is just an illusion.' I mentally chanted, desperately trying to wipe the fake blood from my palms. Warmth and sticky wetness continued to coat each hand as it had in the past.
"Please go away!" I cried aloud, trying to get rid of the stains as if others could see it. My body bumped into a figure, throwing it onto the ground with a strangled cry. The shadow person stared an all familiar stare that he had done. Out of reflex I whimpered, crawling backwards until I came in contact with a large, jagged rock.
"Please," I raised the blooded hands in front of my face as protection. "Don't hurt me."
"Why would I hurt you?" The voice responded calmly. It sounded feminine, like an angel almost the voice was so light. The figure walked closer, but I continued to whimper, knowing voices cannot determine a person. They crouched down, tracing a hand lightly down my face.
"Dear you're trembling. There is nothing to be afraid of. Please sweetie don't cry." I had not noticed tears began to fall until they wiped away a piece of moisture from my face. The world collapsed around me, surrounding everything with darkness.
Darkness. Just darkness. How long was I out for? What day was it? Was someone taking care of my baby Avery? The darkness began to dissipate into a bright white light. I smiled at the light, welcoming it with open arms.
'Maybe now I can find the peace I was looking for.' I thought as the light encased me. It was not the light I had originally thought. It was a rectangular ceiling light on a white tiled ceiling. A faint beeping noise hummed in the background with the machinery, blending into one annoying symphony.
"Turn off the noise," I growled, attempting to pull the sheet over my head. Something tugged at my arm, disallowing any movement of my left arm. An IV ran up from it, filled with a clear liquid hanging from a pouch on a hook. The scent of extreme sanitation entered my nose and I nearly gagged at how disgusting five million cleaners and bleaches smelled together.
"I am afraid we cannot do so Miss Jinx. We have to monitor your vitals to make sure you are in stable condition." The doctor looking person walked out from behind a curtain, writing profusely on his little clipboard. His hair, although not as tidy as his hospital, fluttered in little shadow wisps down to his neck. Pure black eyes stared back at me, installing a calming feeling into my senses. The doctor walked over to the bedside and began preforming the normal doctoral routines such as pulse, blood pressure, and so on.
"My name is Doctor Alex, but most folks around here just call me Alex." Alex paused for a second, looking deeply into my eyes. "You gave us quite a scare there when Liz brought you in last night. There were various little cuts from branches, but you had to have stitches in your left leg. It was surprising that you are able to wake up now in fact." Scenes from last night flooded my memory. Kurt knowing about my past. Running out of the Carpenter's house. The blood. The person offering kind words. Then blackness.
"How long was I out for?" Rough dryness filtered into the words from all the running last night.
"Only a day. You were brought in last night." I nodded, watching carefully how he did each examination, his expression, some of the scribbled notes which he constantly hid into his chest.
"Everything seems in order, but we would like to keep you over night just in case something happens. With your permission of course."
"Could I go home and feed my dog? He hasn't been fed since last night." Alex nodded, calling a girl by the name of Gina down. Her bright sky blue stripped trimmed dress was the first thing I saw as she descended the staircase. Gina looked generally tan with beautiful hazel eyes behind big rimmed glasses that did her beauty injustice. Her long bright blue hair was braided to the side into two pony tails held together by black ribbon.
"What is it Alex?" Her voice sounded like light wind chimes.
"Could you go to Jinx's house and feed her dog for her? She is in no condition to go home yet she insists on injuring herself further." Gina glanced my way, giving a worried smile then headed out to preform Alex's quest.
"Now," He spun towards me, making himself comfortable at the side of my bed. "You should really rest. Are you craving any food? I know it might not seem like it but I am a half way decent chef." I giggled, rolling my eyes at the attempt of conversation.
"Surprise me. Mr. Tummy will be happily grateful regardless of what it gets fed." Alex cocked a perfectly arched eyebrow.
"Mr. Tummy?" I patted my stomach under the thin white sheet.
"Mr. Tummy demands food." The voice did not come out as deep, almost sounding like a girly guy. We both laughed, exchanging some conversation before he ventured off for food. Despite the smell of the cleaners and the annoying beeping, the hospital was a nice place. It had that home feeling to it filled with warmth and love, something at home I had never felt. The walls were sadly painted white like everything else, however, some of the curtains were painted a deep royal blue which was a nice change from the seizure bringing white walls. The front door of the Clinic opened with a chime of a bell. Alex ran from the kitchen to see who it was in case it was an emergency.
"Oh Kurt, is everything alright?" My skin pricked at his name, the hairs standing on edge in fear. My heart beat erratically against my ribcage, making the beeping increase speed with it. The guy who had looked at my file proclaiming I was a disease, a plague, someone worth nothing but hatred was here to visit.
"Is..." He seemed strained with his words, often shuffling back and forth. "Is a girl by the name of Jinx here?"
"Why do you wish to know?" Alex must have heard the increased heart monitor.
'Thank you Alex! You are my hero!' I mentally cheered.
"I...Oh to hell with this! I know she is here! Let me speak with her! Joe said I could not come home until I apologized!" 'Oh...so he was only doing this so Joe could get off his back...'
"Just let him in Alex." I mumbled loud enough for both boys to hear. Alex's gaze felt disproving, but he nodded his head, retreating back into the kitchen. Kurt stood awkwardly at the end of my bed, looking anywhere except my face.
"Just get it over with Kurt and leave. I can tell Joe you gave some type of apology..."
"It is not just that." He cut in, looking directly into his eyes. Guilt swam in the chocolate pools of his eyes, wanting to say something, but the words could not form.
" I just..." He blew a frustrated sigh, running his hands through his hair. "God why is this so hard?" A minute passed silently with his curses floating into the air.
"I wanted to say I am sorry. It was not right for me to call you out when you had done nothing wrong. I just..." He swallowed a boulder in his throat, breaking eye contact. "I have trust issues with newcomers."
"Come here for a second." Kurt looked utterly confused, but slowly walked to my outstretched hand, which did not go far because of the stupid IV.
"Now bend down." He obligated. My hand seemed so pale against his semi dark skin as it rested nicely onto his cheek. My thumb gently brushed in small circles around his cheek, never once breaking contact with the skin.
"It is okay Kurt. I do not expect everyone to like me, but I do not wish to be judged without being known first." Water seemed to swim at the edge of his vision, but like all men, he had held it in.
"Why..." he mumbled, backing away from my touch. "Why are you so..." Glass broke behind him from the nightstand, and Kurt fled, leaving feelings of confusion behind him.
"Jinx? Are you alright?" Alex ran in, examining the broken vase on the floor.
"I...I am fine..." I casted him a worried glance. "Has Kurt ever had a bad relationship with someone?" Alex's eyes softened, breaking the short contact to pick up some of the larger chunks of glass.
"I believe that is a story for him to tell another day. Although, I will give you this. Kurt has...a horrible past to say the least and no role model to build up like. He just wants to find out who he is so to say."
'That is true.' I thought mentally, watching the large pieces of glass shimmer in the window light.
'It took me awhile before I could trust anyone again after a certain incident, but that was a long time ago.'
It should not bother me this much, yet to see him like this, to see the reflecting pain of my own past made it much harder to resist the urge to help him. If only he would accept my help.