#WritcoStoryChallenge
I blinked as I regained consciousness. I had hit my head hard, or had someone hit me? Then I realised I was holding a bloody knife in my hand. Fear gripped me, my heart skipping hard. I looked around me and observed I was in the middle of a dark forest, I could only see this as the moon was shining brightly. I couldn't recall what had happened to me, my memory blurred with vision of a man covered in blood, gushing from an opening in his abdomen and from his head. I screamed out in horror as the picture became realistic, I moved back with shaking legs until I was stopped by a wall. Thinking it was a tree, I quickly turned myself in its direction and to my horror, there stood the man I thought I had killed. I cried out again and started running in a direction I had no idea about. Hot tears streamed down my cheeks, fresh energy and determination seeped through me I thought of my life, my parents and my siblings. " I can't die now", I kept reminating this in my mind as my weak legs carried me to a destination I couldn't decipher.
I kept on running and running until my legs ran out of energy, I dropped to the dirty forestland and wept bitterly.
" How had I gotten myself into this". I looked around me abruptly as I heard something or someone moved. I tried to get back on my feet, but my legs gave up, whooping down to the dirty grasses, the heavy movement got nearer and my chest heaved in and out in utmost fear. I was scared of dying, I was too young to die. I just didn't want to accept this fate.
" Maybe, this is my fate", I thought as I tried to crawl back, but was too late as a hot slap landed on me from behind, I cried out in pain and looked in his direction. There stood my nightmare, the man who had destroyed every bit of happiness God has allocated to me, the man who shattered my dreams and ambitions, the man who made me vision less. Anger surped through me, I was angry at him for ruining my life, I was angry at myself for being so weak, I hated this weakness. I was still having these thoughts, when I felt myself being dragged by my hair, along the rough surface of the forestland, I felt pain but I didn't cry. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me in that state. As if observing my reactions, he stopped and kicked me in my stomach, I bit my lip in pain and anger as tears forced out of my eyes, he chuckled as he saw my tears.
" what do you want?!!, haven't you had enough of me?!!, what exactly have I done to deserve this from you?!!" I shouted back at him. He looked suprised by my words but within the span of a minute, a frown replaced the suprise, right there and then, I knew I was doomed. My heart and mind became alert as I saw his facial expression, it was too familiar. I tried to run, but I couldn't, I sighed out and resigned to fate. I knew exactly what will happen and prepared myself for the worst. My clothes were shredded to pieces and my pride was taken all over again, I wept, screamed and shouted in agony but no one was of reach. Tired of everything, my eyes silently gave in to darkness as I heard the man shouted out an abusive word before being pushed off me.
Everything was black, my eyes remained closed no matter how many times I tried opening them, I couldn't move my hands and legs but I could hear people talking and chatting. " Am I dead" I thought. Before I could ascertain my situation, I felt two warm hands engulf mine, owning to past experiences, I flinched and the person quickly removed his or her hands. " She should come around very soon "another voice replied. I didn't know where I was but something in me wished I was safe.." well. have I ever been safe" I sighed out. I guess, I'm not so dead if I can actually sigh. I tried forcing my eyes open again, and this time, they responded. I opened my eyes and shifted uncomfortably on the bed. At first, everything looked blur but my eyes strarted to get erect vision back, I realized I was on a hospital bed. I was still trying to get a grasp of what had happened at the forest before two pairs of beautiful brown eyes landed on me. I was enchanted, I had never saw such beautiful eyes before, I couldn't talk but just kept looking into those beautiful eyes.
"hmmm" he cleared his throat and looked at me again. "Are you feeling better now" he asked. I felt weak at my knees as I heard him speak in so soft a voice. I took the opportunity to look at his facial appearance and was stunned to see that a man can be that handsome, fair coloured skin, beautiful pointed nose, full lips, brown eyes. I closed my eyes and opened them almost immediately, I blinked and a smile reached my lips as I saw a confused look on his face. He looked at me and smiled heartily back, my heart skipped a beat as I saw him smiled. " If you can actually smile right now, I'd assume you are doing fine " he said again. My thoughts were jumbled,I wanted to reach out and touch his face, I wanted to wipe away the worry laced in his voice and I wanted to kiss his lips.. "Did I just thought that", I mentally reprimended myself and shook my head in laughter. Well,did I just laugh out. I stopped laughing when I realized it wasn't actually funny and the man with me couldn't understand my reactions to his statement. He sat down on the chair beside me as I tried to calm myself down. After I got the embrasssing moment sorted, he spoke again " I know this might be inappropriate to ask since you don't know me and we are practically strangers, but could you tell me your name". I looked at him and saw sincerity in his face, tearing my eyes away from his so I could think straight, I silently replied, " My name is Marian"
" Marian?", I closed my eyes as the pleasure of hearing my name from his voice seeped through me. " That's a beautiful name" he spoke up again and smiled. I just kept looking at him like he isn't human. " You've been unconscious for 4 days now, so I believe you must be hungry by now. Let me get you something to eat". My head jerked up at the mention of 4 days and I quickly processed what could have happened at the forest, I rolled into a ball almost immediately and moved to the farther edge of the bed, he made an attempt to touch me but I screamed and he quickly withdrew his hands using his hands as gesture for me to calm down. I was breathing hard and I knew I was going to have an anxiety attack again, I tried calming down but I couldn't. I looked up as tears roll down cheek, holding my chest very tightly due to shortened breath. From the corner of my eyes, I saw him quickly rush to my side of the bed, put out his hands carefully and finally pulled my curled body into a warm embrace, I immediately calm down, I felt a strange feeling of security and love in that simple gesture. My heart swelled in content and I almost burst out in tears again as I couldn't control the tears. He kept whispering comforting words to my hearing until I felt myself went lump in a peaceful slumber.
I woke up to the sound of a phone ringing, I felt so much better. I made an attempt to stand up from the bed but hit something or someone at the edge of the bed, I sat right and noticed it was the same man from that night. He got up from the bed, looked around before resting his eyes on me, he moved closer quietly and gently, trying to check my reactions to his advance. I kept on looking at him from the bed without uttering any word. After few minutes of awkward silence, I finally spoke up.
" Who are you?, What's your name? and why am I here?, I asked. He looked suprised I could speak well and stood right before me.
" well, let me answer the questions one after the other" he looked up at me again and continued..
' My name is Mike and you are here because I brought you here. This is a hospital", he looked up toward me again and I gave him a response by shaking my head positive. The look in his face informed me he is kind of contented I was responding positively to his advances. Just few minutes later, a doctor came into the hospital room and Mike stood up almost immediately and stood securely at one edge of the bed, seeing him beside made me felt the strong feeling of security again, I had confidence that he wouldn't allow harm to ever come my way again. I smiled inwardly at my stupidity "unbelievable!!, how could I trust a stranger?!, after every pain and hurt I have went through!!!".
"Good morning, how are you feeling now" the doctor said. "I'm better" I gave him a befitting reply. He smiled at me and moved closer to check my vitals, I was surprised I didn't freak out. At the corner of my eyes,I could see Mike looking curiously at me. I wondered what he is curious of, my life hadn't been a bed of roses for him to be so interested. The doctor left the room and Mike came out from beside and sat on the hospital with the same curious eyes. I sighed and made an attempt to stand but my legs gave in, I had thought I would land on the floor but was suprised as two strong hands caught me before I could hit my butt on the floor. I looked up and was drawn by the beautiful brown eyes that kept me enchanted. " Careful" I heard him say in a soft voice. He held my shoulders and helped me sit back on the bed. He removed his hands and I immediately felt emptiness, I had wanted him to hug me since I saw him yesterday.
" I don't know if this will sound soothing you, the man you were with at the forest died. He hit his head on a rock and died almost immediately, I called the emergency number but he died before the ambulance could get there" He said. it was then that I realized that the man who had terrorize me for all my life, the man who made my life a living hell is finally dead. I couldn't feel any remorse, I was contented he died that way. " I hope his corpse was left where animals can feed on his reamains, May he never have peace in heaven" I spilled out spitefully. Mike looked up at me and I control my fast beating heart as I reached out and pushed him into my embrace. I'm a nutcase but at that moment, I needed comfort and had no one else to give it. He tensed, before finally relaxing into my embrace. I released him after realizing what I had just done, I quickly pushed myself back to the bed, looking down in embarrassment.
"I'm sorry" I said timidly
"it's fine, it was nice being in someone's embrace" he replied. I smiled at that and we fell back to silence.
"Aren't you hungry" he asked few minutes later.
'Let me go get something to eat, Would you like anything in particular?!' he asked again looking at me. I shook my head negative and he left immediately. I sighed out a sigh of relief. I started thinking about my life, my parents will be so worried about me and wouldn't know about the horrible things that happened to their loving daughter.
" I have to go back home" I thought. The door opened and Mike came in holding two nylon containers in his hands, he grabbed the patient's eating table and placed it in front of me, my mouth watered at the sight of the food.
I ate to my heart content and looked shyly again.
"Are you not eating" I asked and he replied by shaking his head negative. I nodded in return and returned to the food. After eating, I sat right ad spoke.
" My name is Marian and I really do appreciate the help you've rendered to me, there is no way I can ever repay that. Thanks so much, sir. but I need you to do me one last favour, I want to call my parents" I said hoping I wasn't asking for too much.
" Yeah, your parents has been informed and will be here any moment" he replied looking at me again. I tried evading his eyes that kept searching for answers to his unanswered questions but I couldn't.
" Why are you looking at me like that" I asked
"You're beautiful, and every man will be tempted to look at you twice" he replied. I snapped my back at him almost immediately as anger filled me but when I caught his eyes, I couldn't get angry. My heart felt so content seeing him sit there and I felt really safe just being where he was, the reason for feeling such for stranger whose character and attitude I know nothing of baffled me and I couldn't stop thinking of getting to know more about him. Without doing much or rendering much, with just some simple gestures he had made me realized there are good people in the world apart from one's family.
" let's play a game" I said after much deliberation. without waiting for a response, I quietly said again " I'm going to ask you a personal question of which you'll answer and you'll ask me another in return"
" Okay, let's start" he replied cheerfully.
For almost an hour, we asked each other different questions and I got to know his favourite colour was blue, he loved playing footbal and travelling, and he happened to be an accountant. I discovered other funny things about him and I felt contented about it. Before I could ask another question, the door opened and I looked to see my parents came in, I stood up from the bed and I was pulled into a warm embrace in the blink of an eye. I cried into my mum's shoulder comfortingly. I looked up from my position and saw Mike leaving, I quickly let go of my mum and rushed after him.
" wait, don't go!!! I really can't appreciate you enough for the efforts you made to save me but I want you to know I really do appreciate. So,can we be friends. I really like you" I said looking at him in the eyes.
"Yeah, of course, this is my contact number. We sure can hang up to some times. Take good care of yourself dear" He replied as he passed me a sheet of paper with his contact number. I smiled back at him and turned back to the direction of the hospital with a big smile on my face.
And that was how my love life started, I was showed love is selfless, love is attention and care. Today is my wedding day to Mike Charles, the love of my life, the man who made me what I had become today.

I look back as the door opened to reveal the most handsome groom on Earth today. I smile at him as he walks up to me, he places his hands on my cheek and whispered into my hearing.
"You're so beautiful, my bride. I will love you forever, dear".
I smile again and give him a reply.
"I love you too,dear".

"Do not sink in the Ocean of your past, drive carefully the vehicle of your present and build your future to your heart's content"