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Kaja
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IHAD NO DOUBT THATthis man was the same one I’d seen hiding in the woods. The blond hair and broad shoulders were identical. He was far taller than I’d anticipated—well over six feet—and he’d already proven his strength was far greater than mine.
I ran, staggering through the dark. My hands being tied behind my back wrecked my sense of balance, and I yanked at the bonds, trying to break them. Without my hands free, low-hanging branches whipped at my face, and I was unable to do anything to stop them. A gag around my mouth prevented me from screaming for help. It also made it harder for me to breathe as I ran, and I was forced to suck in air through my nostrils, and no matter how much I inhaled, I didn’t seem to get enough oxygen. My throat still hurt from him choking me, and I imagined the bruising would be bad, too. Not that any of that mattered. I was alive, and things like bruises would heal.
Since I’d been unconscious when he’d taken me from my home, I had no idea how far we were from it now. I also didn’t know what direction it would be in. I tried to glimpse the white glow of the moon to give me some idea of its position in relation to my home, but the thick coverage of branches overhead blocked out both the moon and the stars.
I knew these forests. I knew them as well as I did my bedroom. I’d grown up here and had survived here, and now I hoped they would serve me well. I didn’t need to find my way home just yet. All I needed was to lose the man who’d taken me enough that I could hide. He was a stranger here, one who was clearly unprepared for our damp, cold weather, by the way he was dressed, and I hoped to use that to my advantage.
Of course, I wasn’t exactly dressed for the situation either. All I had on was the pyjama bottoms and camisole top I’d worn to bed. The cold leached into my bare feet, and twigs and small stones cut at my soles. I ignored the pain, aware that far worse would be waiting for me if I was caught.
I’d expected the man to shout after me, but his lack of shouting unnerved me. Did that mean we weren’t yet far from the compound, and he didn’t want his shouts to be heard by my father or his men? He’d had a gun, but again, hadn’t fired it. Was that because he didn’t want to draw attention to himself? If that was the case, it might be something I could use to my advantage. If he wasn’t going to shoot me, I could afford to take risks.
His movements through the forest were louder than mine—the combination of his big feet and weight crushing twigs beneath his feet. Barefooted and smaller, I was quieter, but not having use of my arms made me clumsier.
I caught my shin on a fallen tree trunk and flew over the top. I hit the ground at a roll, jarring my shoulder and smacking my head. I groaned and got to my knees, trying to get my bearings. He was still coming.
Should I scoot up against a tree and keep quiet and hope he went past me? I was desperate to rest and catch my breath, but I worried my body’s need to recuperate would get me killed.
I forced myself to plant my feet on the ground. My legs trembled as I rose—a job that was considerably harder without the use of my hands. He was closer now; I could tell by the noise he was making. I didn’t have time to hide even if I wanted to.
I kept going. I could tell from the amount of moss growing on a particular side of a tree that it would be facing north—the least sunny part—but it was hard to see in the dark. Spiderwebs tended to be on the south side, but right now, all I was doing was running through them. Other methods of finding my way would need the sun, such as stabbing a stick into the earth and watching the movement of the shadow—something I clearly didn’t have time for even if it had been daylight. I was fairly sure my feet were bleeding, but I couldn’t stop to tend to them. There would be time for that later, if I survived.
Survival was something I was good at. I was physically strong from living this outdoors lifestyle. I knew how to make a fire, and chop wood, and forage. I could handle a rifle and could kill and skin an animal. I wished it was the lifestyle I wanted, but these things seemed basic to me. I wanted to learn how the rest of the world lived and to have the options of travel and education that other girls my age did.
I guessed I should be grateful it wasn’t winter. Dressed as I was, I’d probably have succumbed to the cold, and even if I hadn’t, the track I’d have been leaving in the snow would have made it easy for him to catch me. Perhaps it would be a kindness to die from the cold instead of being raped and murdered by a stranger?
From somewhere up ahead, beneath the gasps of my own breath, I heard the low rumble of a growl.
Oh,sitt.I used the Estonian word for shit. Bears could get nasty if they were hungry, and I was trussed up like a ready meal for one.
I froze, torn about what to do. The last thing I wanted was to have to go back to the man who’d snatched me, but there was little chance I’d be able to defend myself against a hungry bear with my hands tied behind my back. I could hide, but the bear’s sense of smell would seek me out, and I bet I reeked of fear and adrenaline and weakness. I was an injured creature, and the bear would sense that.
The man who’d taken me was armed, and I needed someone with a gun.
Kurat!I cursed.Fuck.
The growl came again, grumbling through the forest air. It sounded closer, though I still couldn’t see the beast. I wanted to believe it would leave me alone, but people had been killed out here by bears. I was fairly sure my father might have even used them as a way of getting rid of people he no longer found useful.
I couldn’t risk continuing. I had a vague hope that the bear might take down the bastard who was chasing me, but he was armed and stronger. I was bound to be the prey.
I heard him coming and I remained frozen until he drew to a halt close by. His gun was at his side. It was one thing I was relieved to see.
“Bear!” I shouted in English, but with my mouth gagged, it came out asburrrgh.
I think the last thing he’d been expecting was for me to run to him. It caught him off guard. “What the fuck?”
“Burrgh,” I tried again.
I positioned myself behind him. He was tall—six feet two or even three—and I was glad of the barrier between me and the bear.
“What the hell are you doing?”
I nudged him with my shoulder and jerked my chin in the direction I’d heard the growling come from. In the darkness, it was possible to make out the first few trees, but then blackness took over.
The growl came again, louder this time, and he whipped back around, aiming his gun. “Fuck.” He swung it round, poised for the giant creature to come lumbering out of the darkness towards us. He still hadn’t fired to frighten it off, and I realised my thoughts about him not wanting to draw attention to himself had been correct. But if we had to choose between being attacked by a bear or my father coming after us, I’d go for my father.
