Roadkill

Chapter 3 - Convince me

“I see you’ve come back, Miss. Thanks for getting me into your car and all.”

I said nothing in response and waved the stick as threateningly as I could in front of my face while I walked slowly towards my car. I motioned for it …him, to get down.

He did, but I’d immediately wished he didn’t. You see, when wolves transform or shift, whichever you prefer, they do it without their clothes on. So there we both were, on a highway on the outskirts of town, a tall, wounded, bloody naked man with a slow, mischievous smile on his face, his arms raised in mock surrender and a woman trying her hardest to look frightening and failing, stick waving haphazardly in the air, hair stuck up in different directions.

Under better circumstances, I would’ve called him good-looking. Parts of his skin were marked with scars, some old, some new. His body, though broken and battered looked fit, with muscled arms and toned abs, like he worked out all days of the week or drank protein shakes for fun. He was easily taller than me, over 6 foot 3 as far as I could tell, his features were definitely foreign, dark olive skin and short light brown curly hair that fell over his eyes. Beautiful eyes, there was something distinctly sharp and striking about them, like he was studying me, watching my every move. They were the perfect dark brown colour and almond shape framed by long eyelashes.

Every single one of his features was almost eerily perfect, from his hair to his arched brows and the way they were raised with mockery and curiosity. Perfect eyes, perfect aquiline nose, perfect full lips, perfect teeth. He looked like he modelled for macho men's magazines.

“I promise I don’t bite unless you like. It’s just that I’m injured and I need someone to drive me to a motel maybe, somewhere I can sit and rest. Get my bearings. That’s all I ask.”

His words were slow and sounded friendly. He was clearly trying not to make me even more afraid.

“I don’t give rides to… whatever it is you are. Step away from my car.” I said in a stern voice. I walked even closer towards the car door.

“Please. I’m not very familiar with this place and I really don’t look forward to walking all the way into town naked. I’ll pay you if you’d like, but you won’t be doing it for free. Once I get to a motel and get dressed I can get cash from a bank or something and give it to you. You have my word.”

It was too late, I'd already started to feel it. The same empathy and compassion that had consistently driven me from one unpleasant situation to another. I was already thinking about the extra pair of joggers I had in the trunk of the car that I could offer him, the ham sandwich in the glove compartment, and the antiseptic and gauze I had in the first aid box under the driver's seat. I knew I would eventually let this stranger convince me to drive him wherever, it was already settled the moment I

saw him.