Lost and Found

Taking It In

Katrina POV

It had been a very long time since I had come to in a comfortable bed. This fact alone was enough to make me suspicious of my current situation. I was careful to keep my eyes shut, and my breathing even. I wasn’t sure what I was dealing with yet, and I didn’t want to hint to the fact that I was awake.

I focused on my surroundings. I felt wires and tubes stuck to me in various places and heard faint beeping, a heart monitor judging by the rhythm. I was in a hospital, or some sort of medical setup, that much was clear, but why? Who had brought me here? Why would they be trying to keep me alive?

The last thing I remembered was running. I couldn’t take the pain anymore. I heard my heart rate start to shift and was quick to shut out the memories. Yes, I had ran. Like a coward.

I remembered losing strength and falling down in the snow. I remembered being cold, so very very cold. I remembered feeling at peace knowing I would never be found and that I could slip away into the warm darkness awaiting me.

But then I had woken up. That was something I had not expected. Had they found me? No, that couldn’t be true. If it was my family, I wouldn’t be allowed to feel any sense of comfort at all, especially after what I had done. Someone had found me and was taking care of me, but why?

After taking a few deep breathes I decided to risk opening my eyes just the slightest bit to take in my surroundings. Peering between my lashes I saw the room around me. As I had suspected I was hooked up to monitors and an IV drip, but I didn’t feel like I was in a hospital. I was expecting sterile white walls, but what I saw instead surprised me. I was in a small cozy room. The floor was carpeted and there was a leather arm chair next to a lit fireplace in the corner. To my left a small curtained window overlooked a frozen lake. This was nothing like the musty concrete rooms I had known for most of my life.

The walls around me were made of enormous logs stacked one on top of the other. I could tell that the building I was in was rather large as I could see a tall ceiling and a second floor with a banister out of the doorway. The architecture was beautiful. Where was I? Who could possibly live in a place like this?

I felt a small squeeze on my hand and looked down in shock to find a disheveled man passed out in a chair next to the bed, his head laying on my lap. What on earth was going on? This was dangerous. I knew from experience that men brought pain, but despite that knowledge, I couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of comfort in the weight of his body on my legs and my hand in his grasp.

He woke with a start, looking deep into my eyes. We both sat there, locked in each other’s gaze for what felt like an eternity, before he sat up and slowly reached for my face. I flinched hard. The look of pain in his eyes almost making me feel guilty, before I remembered my situation. I did not know this man. Despite how my body was reacting to the situation, I needed to keep my wits about me. He had given me no reason to distrust him yet, but I wasn’t going to let my guard down that easy.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you.” He waited nervously for me to speak. When I didn’t he started to quickly explain himself. “I really am sorry. I was just so worried about you that when I saw you were awake I wanted to make sure you were ok. I found you out in the snow. You were half dead. I didn’t know what I was going to do if I couldn’t get you breathing again. I’ve been waiting for you to wake up, I’ve been so worried.” He looked up at me with tears in his eyes. If this was an act, he was good. “Please, what’s your name?” He asked, holding my hand tightly. His touch made me feel warm. I couldn’t explain why, but I didn’t want to let go.

“Katrina” I whispered softly. My voice was hoarse. I hadn’t been allowed to speak in a long time.