1 Chapter 1

August /16/2047

SNOQUALMIE WASHINGTON

USA

Cold.

That's the first thing I remember. Cold, I was so cold. Things came in waves of realization. First cold, then air. Oxygen. I remembered the word like my life depended on it. It was my lifeline. I pulled my head up and gulped in a long deep gasp. Then I let it out. Breathing, that's what this was called, breathing. I liked breathing. But sitting up fast, no, my body did not like that, not one bit. A sharp, searing, shooting pain echoed through my leg and my side, but I would figure that out later. But then I realized my burgundy hoodie was actually white, so my priorities became very clear. First, I needed to get out of the river. I pushed back but instantly regretted it. There was a rock right by my hip. I hit it, and it sent a jolt of pain rushing through my leg. Sprain? Maybe if I was lucky. But I'm never lucky. Fuck Broken. Yep, it was broken for sure. It made sense the river was moving extremely fast and was filled with snags the size of motorcycles. I was lucky to just have a broken leg, much less have survived. Maybe I was lucky after all. I was stuck up against a tree 5 times my torso. But I would die, die if I didn't get out. I don't want to die, so it was painful. I gutted it out to a tree. I was standing, but barely. There was a small dock. I needed to get there. 15 minutes later, I was on it, but in pain. Then I saw it, a med-pack. Someone must have just been there. That meant they would probably come back for it. It was nice and their trail was recently tracked, the grass was still bent from feet, I didn't know how I knew that but I did. I leaned over to look at myself in the water, I was beautiful if I didn't have a gash from my right temple to my collar bone, three cuts across my cheek. I decided to look at my side and good thing I did. A had a gash on the right maybe 2-3 inches deep that went from my right ribs then ended 2 inches to the right of my navel. Meanwhile on my left a long deep slice from my armpit to the bottom of my ribs. Not too deep but I think they were infected. These were too clean and precise to be from a tree, they were knife cuts. I did not get in the river on a dare and this wasn't suicide. No this was the better option. Holy someone really wanted me dead. Hopefully, they thought I was. Because if they didn't, I couldn't do anything to stop them now. And I needed to get away far far away and fast, they might come looking.

Then I heard the footfalls.

Someone was running.

And fast, really fast.

Straight. at. me.

"What the fuck! What. The. Actual. Fuck!" said the boy who came off the trail "What hell happened to you? No, wait better question who the hell did this?" he asked

"Honestly? no clue," I replied

"What do you mean?" he said

"I don't remember."

"You mean what happened to you? and who did this right?"

"No there's nothing just blank," I say shrugging

"ANYTHING at all"

"NADA"

"Not even your name?"

"NoPE,"

"You have to have a name,"

"Well if I do I sure as hell don't remember it, but let's figure that out later, first let's get out of here!"

"Good idea!"

"I can't walk through,"

"Wait, what why,"

"My leg it's broken"

"OH MY GOD! WE NEED TO GET YOU TO A HOSPITAL LIKE NOW!" he dropped onto the dock

"NO! No hospitals!"

"But your leg"

"I don't know WHO did this or WHAT they can access, and I can handle a little pain"

"No, you need help,"

"No hospitals." I had to put my foot down, I just woke up in a river beaten to shit with no memory and this dude just comes out of nowhere.

"Fine I know somewhere you can get fixed up," the boy replied

"Okay, how do we get out of here?"

"Here I'll carry you,"

"NO!" he started to pick me up "STOP! PUT ME DOWN NOW!"

"Not gonna happen."

"Let me walk! I can walk fine!" I had doubts if that was true though. I tried to crawl out of his surprisingly strong arms when I noticed how delicately he held me cradling me like I was a child. Being careful to avoid my injuries. It was nice. not that I'd ever tell him.

"Hey, stop trying to crawl away!"

I grumbled all the way to his car.

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