"Cold Blood" by Laura DeGrave
Cold Blood
by Laura DeGrave
Dampness set in. My skin prickled.
Where am I?
A slick, cold carpet gave little comfort against lapping breaths of frost. My calves quivered uncontrollably. I gnashed my teeth in agony. A soft glow brought a panoramic view to the surrounding scenery, an open field.
I rolled onto my back, peering upon the fringed face of the moon. My left hand raised to swipe away the curled wisps of clouds on its own accord. As if, a mere mortal could obtain the heart of the firmament. My right hand shot upward and pulled the left hand away from tarnishing Heaven's pure light. A tacky, rust-colored substance coated me like fresh laid paint. I touched the tip of my tongue on the right thumb knuckle.
Blood!
Shock erupted me to stand erect. Turning my hands for answers, I discovered a 5 carat diamond ring, pink with gore. Through my fingers came more blood dressing bare skin where clothing should be. Tremors ransacked my innards and shook me physically. Hot bile melted nose hairs, pooled inside ulcers, and discarded steaming puddles of reddish goop. Tears burned trails over coagulated debris.
Why am I like this? Where am I?
“Or-Ormond?” My voice scratched out the only name it loved. “Ormond!” Please! Is this his blood?
Shadows drifted before the moon, darkening the empty field, along with my heart. I hugged my stomach in a vain attempt to bolster hope. The chilled breeze ate away any resolve. Once again, I cried out, “Ormond!”
Nothing could be heard over the pounding in my ears. I needed to find him. My foot slid in lukewarm vomit, forcing me down to one knee. Sobs scorched my vocal cords. This was supposed to be a romantic weekend together. A cozy rental by the lake: invigorated skinny-dippings, lulled canoe paddles, charcuterie bathes with merlot, and Kama Sutra toasted in fireside bliss.
What happened?
My fingers dug deep into the earth, ripping roots, tearing clumps of grass up in a fit of rage. “Why? Why? Why?” I chanted to the few listening stars above.
Crackling branches stilled my rant. My head twisted toward a curious white-tailed buck. It snorted and galloped across the field in leaping bounds. Its white tail marked the path, clearer than a will-o'-the-wisp ever could.
I pressed my hands down hard on top of the cold earth, working my way back upright. A gust blew past my nether regions. It woke the possibility of death. Out of fear, I trekked the same direction the buck had taken. He might be headed for the lake. All the cabins encircled the embankment.
Ormond! I'm coming!
Numb appendages felt pressure and moisture, as the terrain battled flesh. Coarse, white tufts snagged on broken vegetation signaled my progress. Jagged rocks like sharks teeth protruded
in-between a myriad of dense tree roots. I tried balancing on the larger roots. Unrelenting muscles caused chaos after the third step. My toes shortened in the extension, scraping downward, biting the rocks. I stumbled, splitting a hand length's gash over an ankle. It bled profusely.
Damn!
A whiff of smoke shifted my mindset toward civilization. The small blaze could be seen beyond the treeline.
“Help! Help me!” I hollered from a parched tongue while crashing around brush and brambles.
Two, young, bewildered boys froze as their marshmallows went ablaze. They dropped their sticks and ran. The boys’ actions left me dumbfounded. My ankle throbbed. Then it dawned on me. Poor kids probably thought I was their worst nightmare summoned out of the woods. I ambled into the lake's frigid waters. My fingers searched for a rough stone cradled within the silt below. When the perfect candidate had been chosen, I scrubbed the blood away the best I could and returned to the campfire. I hunkered down close to the flames. Puffs of breath crystallized as a lace veil. Nerves fired electric shocks, stunning deep tissues. “Soon, Ormond, soon.” I muttered behind chattering teeth.
The boys returned with the calvary, their parents. A concerned mother quickly wrapped me inside a heavy quilt. Her wide-eyed children examined me like a newly discovered insect. The husband drilled me incessantly. “Are you from around here? Can we get you some help? What happened?” His demeanor spoke loudly of his dislike from my appearance. “I swam too far out and lost my bearings in the dark. If it's not too much trouble, could you drive me back to the rental, 2C?”
“Across the lake?” He sputtered.
“Of course, he can.” The wife interrupted and rubbed my arms.
I sighed heavily. “Thank you, ever so much. I can't tell you how scared I've been.” “No trouble. Right, Quinn?” She waited expectantly for his reply.
“Uh, right.” Quinn nodded and motioned for me to follow the family.
The wife donated her new set of bed flannels to dress me. As for my ankle, she doctored it with what she had in hand. Her boys kept asking how far across the lake was, while debating who could swim it the fastest. Quinn hurried me out the door.
Once we were buckled inside their minivan, he asked, “2C, correct?”
“Yes.”
He grunted and cranked the engine. We didn't speak during the entire ride over the dirt, winded road. Quinn pulled onto 2C's gravel drive. Seeing that all the cabin's lights were on, he told me to get out. No doubt, he sensed trouble. I politely thanked him and he sped off into the night. My ankle had swelled, causing my movement to drag a line in the river stones. Ormond's wife welcomed me at the door. “Took you long enough.”
“Did you really have to leave me without a stitch?”
She pointed at my ankle. “Looks like you'll have more than your share.”
I tucked her platinum blonde strands behind her ears, and then clasped two handfuls, pressing her velvet lips against mine.
“And… Cut!” The director shouted. “Way to sell it, girls! Stanky Rich will top the charts! Same time, next week, everyone!”