Circle of Fire

Ch. 8 The Stream

My eyes opened slowly and I blinked as the sun streamed down upon my face. Something wasn’t as it should be, but what? I thought for a moment, and then a relieved smile came to my face. Sally wasn’t in bed with me. She must already be up.

I automatically looked over at the fire, which had grown cold because of my inattention. Sally was no where to be seen. Where in the hell was she? I stood up quickly and donned my pants, not looking as I buttoned them up. “When I find the little i***t, I’m going to tie her to a tree.”

I continued to mutter as I moved barefoot through the thicket of trees, hoping to find her at the stream. As I walked into the clearing where the water rushed happily, I saw her. She was in the middle of the stream, washing her body. I watched as water sluiced off her in rivulets of delicious coldness. I shuddered, but not in cold. Then I frowned. Ever since I met the woman all I could think of was my f*****g d**k.

Shit!

I’d never get anywhere with her along because I would be too busy slaking my desire of her. Dammit, and I really liked her too. But it was no good, the first town we came across I would set her up in a hotel.

I quietly stepped out of my pants, and hung them on a nearby branch. With a bracing breath, I dove cleanly into the water. I came up sputtering as the cold hit me with magnificent force. Nothing like a cold swim to halt amorous thoughts in their tracks!

At the noise of my dive, Sally had pivoted on her heel, and I watched laughing as she lost her balance on the slippery bottom and went under the water. She came back up, coughing and she screamed, “Carver, I can’t swim!” I watched in horrified fascination as she began to be carried away by the current, her little head going under once more.

I struck out in strong crawl, praying that I would reach her before she took in too much water. I was glad I had the current to work with instead of against as I slowly gained on her. I saw her head come up once more and she was coughing and still trying to scream my name. I didn’t bother to yell at her that I was coming because I knew she wouldn’t hear me anyway.

Closer, and closer I got and I was about a yard away when I saw the log. It was heading straight in Sally’s direction I thought, panicked. I swam harder, trying to reach her in time, but it was no use. The log hit her in the side of the head and she slipped under the water again. This time she didn’t resurface.

I tried to stand, but the water was too deep in this area, so I dove under the water searching desperately for some sign of Sally’s prone figure. I thought I saw a flash of something, and I went to look. Sure enough, Sally was there, eyes closed, and her body caught in some sort of underwater growth.

I freed her with a mighty tug, and began to swim to the surface. She was like a limp rag doll in my arms. I pulled her up the bank and layed her in the sweet smelling grass. Smoothing the tangles of her hair away from her face and watching to see if she breathed. When she didn’t, I straddled her and began to push on her stomach trying to get her to vomit up the water she had swallowed.

For a minute or more, nothing happened. I moved back to her head, and gently tilted her head back. I went to give her a breath when I felt a shudder rack her body. I watched, amazed, as she turned her head and began to vomit up water-all over me. I held her in my arms as she continued to shake and whispered over and over, “It’s alright Sally, Carver has you baby. You’re safe.” She began to cry and it was all I could do not to cry in relief too.

I knew she was in shock, so when I had calmed her down a little, I told her to undress. I took her clothes and hung them over another branch and went to get my shirt for her to put on before realizing we weren't even close to our campsite. I looked around, not recognising where we were. How far had we gone?

I started to walk back alone, changed my mind, and tugged Sally to her feet. She began to weakly protest but I just lifted her into my arms bridal style, and began to walk back, both of us naked as the day we were born. She tried to tell me to grab her clothes, but I ignored her. It was more important we find her some warm clothes than the cold, wet ones she had previously been wearing.

When we got back to where my clothes were, I set her down and went to get my shirt. I slipped it over her head and told her to sit there. Then I picked her up again, despite her protests that she could walk, and carried her back to camp.

I set her in our bed which looked like it was going to be permenent at this point, and went to rebuild the fire. She watched silently, the occasional shudder running through her. “Carver..” she whispered brokenly. I looked up when she said my name.

I watched as tears filled her eyes and with a tiny sob, they spilled down her creamy cheeks in torrents. Gathering her into my arms, I held her and let her cry it all out. I knew the shock was wearing off. All she could do was wrap her arms around my neck and hang on for dear life as she continued to cry. I softly rubbed her back and held her secure, whispering little words of encouragement as she cried on.

Finally, with a little hiccough, she looked up at me, spiky lashes lifting to reveal tormented eyes. “I was going to die, wasn’t I Carver?” I looked down at her, transfixed. “No, I would never have let you get away that easily.” Then I kissed her gently.

“Go to sleep, it will all be better when you wake up.” I promised huskily.

“Carver?” I turned to look at her. “Will you hold me until I sleep?” she asked tentatively. I smiled at her and gently held her in my arms as her breathing relaxed and she fell asleep.

I found myself wide awake and thinking about how when I woke up I had promised myself to get rid of her because she was a distraction. And now, I knew I had to get rid of her because it was too dangerous for her out here and I was maybe beginning to care with my heart and not just my genitals...