I Died When She Saved Me

Me

Io Atkinson

“Io, why do you keep rejecting me? Don’t you find me attractive, eh? I’m handsome, everyone adores me! Everyone wanted to be with me and you, always say shits on my face and always shoved me away! But tonight, I've had enough! I’ll make you f*****g mine only tonight!”

I felt his breath getting close to my face, then he suddenly tore my blouse away from my body making the buttons fly freely in the air.

I shut my eyes open in fear and sit up in bed to catch my breath. Beads of sweats are forming my forehead and my heart was beating so fast and so loud.

“Hey, are you okay? What’s wrong? Did you had a nightmare?”

I look back at Rylai who is sitting in a chair adjacent to the bed I’m laying down. She sits beside me and caressed my back.

I didn’t speak or move. I just kept my stare on her still thinking about my dream.

“Hey, you’re safe now. I’m not going to let someone hurt you again. I won’t let anyone lay their filthy hands on you. I promise you that.”

Rylai cupped my face and look directly at my hazel orbs for a few minutes. I felt awkward at her moves and words so I look down on my lap and fidgeted the hem of her sweatshirt that up until now I'm wearing. 

She removed her hands from my face and scratch the back of her head in embarrassment.

“Sorry about that. I just ah- carried away. I think.”

I give her a small smile, reassuring her that it's way okay even if it actually made me feel awkward. 

“It’s fine. Ahm. I forgot to thank you yesterday. Thank you so much for saving me twice already.”

Rylai pets me on my head and smile at me.

Petting my head seems like becoming a new habit of her.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Ahm. Where are we?”

I asked to shift the topic because I hate having awkward moments. I hate thanking people but I really need to thank her and her friend for saving my life. I’m sure if I didn’t bump on her again that night, I would waste the second life God has given to me.

 “Ah right. We’re in a vacation house owned by Hart’s parents. I didn’t wake you up when we arrive here because I don’t want to disturb your sleep so I just brought you here.”

“Ah, thank you so much for bringing me here and for this sweatshirt. Did you sleep there for the whole night?”

I asked pointing my hand to the chair she's sitting at earlier.

"Ah. Yeah. I just think that maybe if you wake up you'll be afraid if you remember what happened last night."

Oh.

"Thank you but you shouldn't worry about me anymore. I can take care of myself."

"Yeah. I know but I still did. I just want to make sure."

I find the situation between us awkward again and again but I don’t have any single idea on how to break the awkwardness.

“Aren’t you hungry now?”

Rylai asked and stood up from the bed.

“I’m fine. I'm still full.”

The moment I open my mouth to speak my stomach betrayed me and I blush in embarrassment.

“Stomachs don’t lie. Come on. Let’s go and grab something to eat.”

I did as what she said, following her unto the kitchen.

She is still wearing that black thin tank top of her last night which hugs her body very well and making her figure be seen.

She sure has a pretty sexy body. 

“Hey, Treant.”

Rylai yells at Treant who is standing and looking outside the window as we get outside of the room.

Treant looked back at us and yawn.

“Go to sleep now.”

Treant just nods and yawn again before he lost in our vision, entering into a room.

“Did he stay up all night?”

I asked, taking a seat at a kitchen stool.

“Yeah. He insisted that he will guard and observe the surroundings to ensure our safety.”

Rylai answered opening the refrigerator but only to find nothing inside of it.

This is only a vacation house after all.

“Good morning guys.”

Hart said still have her eyes barely open.

I just smiled at her and mumbled good morning in a low voice.

This situation is completely new to me. I barely socialize with other people in a normal state of life so I’m really lacking in communication skills. 

“Good morning Hart. Excuse us in opening the refrigerator. We’re just hoping to find something to eat.”

“No, I don't mind. But actually, we don’t have anything here because we rarely come here. I think we just had maybe a few canned goods.”

Hart said opening some cabinets and found three canned goods.

We checked the expiration and it still 3 months from now.

“Looks like we need to get some supplies for later.”

“But for now let’s bear with these canned goods.”

Rylai took a can opener and put the three canned goods in one bowl since those three are the same kinds.

We eat in silence, actually, I’m the only one who remained in silence. They are talking about something and me, I’m focusing on feeding myself with a small portion of this corned beef.

“Then I should go now.”

Rylai said and stood up after finishing her food.

‘”I-I’ll go with you.”

I said, not fully aware of what I just said.

Did I just say that I’ll tag along?

Rylai didn't expect me to say that I actually didn't expect myself too to say that.  

“I insist Io, just stay here. It’s not safe outside.”

“But I don’t have anything to do here so I’ll just help you to the best of my abilities.”

Rylai paused, considering my proposal.

I’m really not sure why do I want to tag along. But I think it’s the only thing that I can do to return their help to me.

“Okay then if you really want then let’s go.”

--

“Always stick with me okay? Don’t just go on your own somewhere.”

I nods and gulped secretly in nervousness but still, Rylai notices that so she took my hand.

“Don’t worry, I promise you right? That no matter what happens I’ll keep you safe.”

Rylai said looking directly at my eyes.

I don’t know why she is so persistent to save me. We barely knew each other. We only know each other just for 3 days, I think? But she is acting like we know each other for years. I don't know how or why she is always making me feel that I’m safe with her. She is always convincing me that she’s willing to risk her life just for my safety. Which is I find it odd.

Rylai opens the door in the driver seat and so I did. We arrived at a convenience store beside a gas station, only a 10-minute drive from the vacation house. 

No one’s around here, even the store was left open, looks like the store owner left it. It's either he left it for safety or he lost her mind too because of that Neurons. 

“I’ll just full the tank of the car.”

Rylai opens the hood and pushes some buttons on the machine then approaches me.

“Come on.”

Rylai offered her hand for me to take it.

A bit hesitant but still take it and we walked, holding hands.

This is just for safety, nothing more Io. And for helping me to calm my nerves from freaking out.

As we step inside the store, I pulled my hand from her and we search the place in case someone here but luckily no one’s here.

We took some food and other necessary things like a flashlight, emergency kits, and more. We also found some clean clothes we can use.

I also found a good amount of Neurons bottles.

How come it still has many stocks?

"Io let's go now."

I nod at Rylai and secretly took one bottle of Neurons. 

Our hands are pretty full when we come back to the car. We’re about to enter the car and left the place after putting all the stuff we took in the convenience store into the backseat when Rylai suddenly shout whispered to me.

“Duck down! Someone’s coming.”

Rylai motioned for me to walk near her in slow and almost crawling matter ducking outside of the car.

Rylai takes a peek in the direction of where she said someone was coming.

I slightly stretched my neck too to take a peek too.

It’s a girl and she’s walking like she was in a drunken state then suddenly fell to the ground.

“Do you think she’s under the influence of Neurons too?”

I asked Rylai and look back at her.

“What do you mean?”

Forgetting that she has no idea that the reason why people are being crazy is because of that energy drink.   

“Ahm. I’ll explain it to you later.”

“Okay then, do you want me to help her?”

I just nod at her and then stood up, tracing her slow and small steps towards the girl's direction. 

The girl is still lying on the ground. She looks like she’s not breathing anymore and there are scratches all over her body. 

When we reached where the girl was lying I suddenly felt a pang of pain in my heart. I don’t know why but seeing the girl in that state was almost enough for me to cry.

Rylai pushes the body so we can see her face. Her face was covered by her hair and her clothes are all stained.

"She's still alive, look like she only passed out."

Rylai whispered after checking the girl's pulse.

I push the hair out of her face and I froze in an instant that I saw who she is. The tears that were lingering in my eyes suddenly fell down all the way to my chin. I fell on my knees and held her face with my trembling hands, more like inspecting her scratches.

“S-Savy.”

I called in a trembling voice.

Savy slightly opens her eyes as she heard my voice then smiled at me. 

“Io. Glad you’re safe.”

Savy said before she loses her consciousness again.

--

It’s been 5 hours since we came home and Savy is still unconscious. And since that, I never leave her side. She’s the only I have and I can’t bear to lose her too. I don’t know what exactly happened to her, why her clothes were stained, why she has scratches all over her body and why she looks so pale. But I’m certain that something bad happens to her. And I'm dying to know what is it. 

I held Savy's right hand and prayed to God for her to wake up soon.

I heard knocks coming from behind the door and it was soon followed by the sound of an opening door.

“Io, you’ve been here for 5 hours. You missed lunch. Aren’t you hungry now? Do you want me to bring you food here?”

Rylai said and take a sit on the bed to look at my face.

“I’m okay.”

“No, I know you’re not. Come on, eat first. I’m sure if she regains her consciousness and found out that you’re skipping meals because of her, she won’t like it.”

Rylai reached for my hands to pull me but I pulled it away from her. It sure shocks her but pretended that it was not.

“I told you I’m okay. I won’t eat until she regained her consciousness.”

“Io-”

“Rylai, why don’t you just leave us alone for a moment? I told you already that I won’t eat until she regained her consciousness and I mean it. She’s the only person that I have. I can’t bear to lose her too. She’s so important to me. Even more important than my own life.”

Hurt crossed on Rylai’s eyes. She looked down on her own hands.

“Then how about me?”

Rylai looks directly at me. Not even bothering if a hurtful expression was visible on the face.

“How about me Io? Didn’t I promise you that I will protect you? Didn’t I promise you that I’ll make sure that no one gets their filthy hands on you? Didn’t I promise you that I will save you always even if it costs my whole life? What about me? What about us? You still have us. You still have me. She’s not the only one you have. I’m still here. I never leave your side and will never leave your side. I will always be with you. Please remember that.”

“If she wakes up, go down together to eat.”

Rylai added and stood up from the bed. Not even looking at me and not even waiting for an answer from me.

It’s not like I have an answer to everything she said. I don’t know what to reply to that. There’s never a right answer for everything.