Chapter 4 A fucking cult

I tried to calm down as I cleaned my wound and replaced the bandages with some gauze I found in the bathroom cabinet. But the more I tried to be rational the more nothing made sense. I started hyperventilating and having clear signs of a panic attack. So I followed my own advice - for once- and decided to take a walk to clear my mind.

I walked out the door not even noticing I didn't have shoes on. I followed the hall my room was in, it led to a sitting area, I saw countless other halls until I finally found the grand stairs. My pain was nowhere to be seen and my body was on overdrive. I knew I needed to get out or this house would crush me. I had no idea where I was or if anyone saw me, I didn't care, I just ran down the stairs and out of the main entrance.

I didn't feel any pain anymore, not from my wounds or my naked feet. I just walked. The house seemed to be located in a clearing and there were other houses surrounding it. All of the houses were extremely big and beautiful perfectly blending with their environment. Most were fancy big chalets and had similar infrastructure. All but the mansion I just exited. I realized now what it was. It was gigantic, almost as tall as a building but broader and prettier. I stopped focusing on it and started walking in the opposite direction.

I had no idea where I was going, which I admit, wasn't very smart. But there were too many thoughts racing through my head. A bite? All of the wounds on my body looked like they were made by a wild animal. But how can a wild animal undress a person? And why would it? I knew the answer to that, difficult as it was to accept it. I was raped and left for dead, probably drugged as well. The wild animals saw easy prey and took advantage of the situation. This was the only logical conclusion, even though some bits still didn't make any sense. I had treated rape victims before, I had seen all the repercussions of this act, the pain, and suffering that lasts for years. Then my amnesia was a defense mechanism my brain employed as it was unable to deal with this at the moment. I had dissociative amnesia. And even though I knew all of this, I didn't know how it made me feel. So I kept walking.

I kept walking and walking until my legs gave out. I didn't know how to react. Everything was happening all at once. I placed my hand on a tree for support. But the pain hit me out of nowhere like my wounds were on fire. The world started spinning and when I came to, I was in his arms.

____

First I heard someone breathing. Then, as I noticed the strong and steady grip this person had on me I opened my eyes. I was being carried.

"Finally," a deep voice said, I turned to look at him with surprise. My head was laying on his shoulder. The world was still spinning. Was this a dream?

"Who are you?" I sheepishly said.

"A guy that's stuck with you" His grip on me was strong, I could feel his arms around my back and legs. They were robust. Even his neck seemed muscular.

"Who are you?" I asked again, slightly irritated this man I had never seen before was being so rude. What did he mean stuck with me? It's not like I can see his face but from his voice alone I'm pretty sure I had never met this man before.

"Why do you care?" he said rudely and I officially had enough of him.

"What is wrong with you? Put me down, please," I said annoyed.

He said nothing as he kept walking.

"I said put me down please," I repeated myself, convinced he must not have heard me.

He sighed "I heard you the first time," I separated my head from his shoulder so I could take a look at his face. "I just chose to ignore you."

I started squirming and that must have been the last straw for him because he simply dropped me to the floor. "Ow!" I said, my legs were still sore from the attack and now my ass was killing me. "What the hell--"

"You asked me to put you down, I did" the man responded, not even offering me a hand to help me stand up before he kept walking. "Get up, you're tough enough to venture out in the woods by yourself, you don't need my help getting up." He said, reading my mind.

I got up so fast my whole body protested, but I managed to saunter over to him and finally look him in the eye... What was I going to say again? "You..."

The brown and gold of his eyes seemed to completely distract me. Why did those eyes seem so familiar? There was a certain command in those eyes, a silent order to stand down that had me taking a step back. I managed to rip my gaze off of his eyes and almost down once I looked at his face. I had never seen a more handsome man.

The dark brown of his short hair made his eyes stand out more, and his face was perfectly symmetrical. His skin was ever so slightly tanned as if he spent his time working outside. White people in Canada never get tanned, so it was like encountering a rare specimen.

"What?" he said, sounding slightly irritated. Towering over me with his ridiculous height.

It took me a second, but when I snapped out of it I simply snorted at him. "What is wrong with you?"

He just rolled his eyes in response and kept walking.

"Would you at least have the decency to answer me?" this guy was getting on my nerves. Because think about it, you pass out and when you wake up you are in somebody's arms. A very handsome guy, yes, but a very rude one as well. I just want some context, what'd miss?

He, again, said nothing. And I discovered I just about had it with him "You have to be the rudest person I have ever met!"

He snorted right back "Really? What a coincidence, I have never met someone more stupid than you," he said with a cheeky smile.

I felt so flabbergasted by audibly gasping. How could I ever think this man was in any way attractive? He was an absolute prick. "Excuse me?" I said almost immediately.

"One would have thought that once one attacked in the forest one would learn not to wander off again." he said rolling his eyes "That's twice I've saved your ass."

Saved my ass? Who the hell is this man? "What do you mean, I've never seen you before in my life."

He rolled his eyes, acting like he was annoyed he had to explain himself. "My brother and I found you in the forest last night" He crossed his arms "And I found you once you passed out from exhaustion after acting like a goddamned child and running off without telling anyone."

"I didn't realize I needed anyone's permission to leave." I snapped at him as I looked him dead in the eye.

"Believe me, nobody wants you gone more than me" He took a step forward "You don't belong here," I had no idea why that hurt as much as it did Was this a race thing?

As if seeing the question in my eyes he simply said "You are not part of the pack"

"Of the what now?" I said even more confused.

"Nothing" Selene suddenly said, as she magically appeared. She startled the hell out of me. I should have heard her coming, the ground is covered with dry leaves and sticks. Does she fly? How come she didn't make a sound?

"Sel," the man said as a form of greeting.

."Else, I'm so glad you are okay" She looked like she was going to give me a hug, which I really want. But instead, she just gave me a sweet smile. I felt as though she understood me without even having to say a word. It was weird feeling such a strong connection with this girl.

"I'm sorry if I worried you" and I was. I felt extremely grateful to this woman. She had been more than kind. She, her husband, and I guess even that man, literally saved my life.

"It's fine" she looked at the annoying man" I see you've met Kelvin, my brother-in-law". So that was his name... Ugh, even his name is pretty. He rolled his eyes and started walking.

"You should warn her" was all he said. Selene took a deep breath and started walking as well.

"Warn me about what?" I said.

"Well... You shouldn't go out alone in a forest you only know, there are a lot of wild animals in the area" She looked worried"You are hurt, Elsa, you shouldn't even be walking, your body needs rest to heal" She was right of course, but for some reason, I had a feeling there was something she wasn't telling me.

"I am really confused," I started " I don't remember why I got here or anything at all... I need answers."

"What is the last thing you remember?" she said carefully. And I couldn't believe I didn't think to start there. What was the last thing I remembered?

I tried my best to think back, but all that caused was a terrible headache and provided no answers. "The last thing I remember was I was getting ready to leave work, in Vancouver." It was obviously frustrating. This was the first time my brain was failing me so drastically.

Perhaps noticing my stress, Selene decided to change the topic to "What do you do for work?"

"I'm a doctor, more specifically a psychiatrist," Kelvin scoffed from ahead of us and Selene just rolled her eyes.

"Ignore him," she said with a smile.

"Gladly" I added, but I couldn't contain my curiosity "What do you do for a living?" I asked back. I had seen the luxury these people lived with, so I couldn't help but ask.

Selene, however, seemed a bit thrown off by that question and gave me a simple "We run a company." Which I found strange considering how remote this area seemed.

"I know you have been nothing but kind to me, and I am probably asking too much but, would you mind taking me into town?" my mind returned to the answers I was seeking "Maybe the people there have some answers."

"I wouldn't mind, but although Miracle Village is what is closest, it is still very far away from our community" she replied. "At least two hours away."

"Community? Are you a religious organization?" That's just what I needed, a fucking cult.

"Oh no, we are a family," she said nervously"Our ancestors gave us these lands and we cherish them. I understand why you find this strange, we are far away from civilization after all, but we like it up here".

Ancestors? The houses I had seen were extremely modern and quite expensive and luxurious. And hers, it was big enough to be a goddamn castle. I would have assumed they were natives but the three people I've seen were white.

I surveyed her and noticed something I hadn't seen before, "I love your hair" The ends of her long braided hair were white.

"Oh, thank you" She turned around and gave me a small smile. She was beautiful, which was clear to me before, but I saw in her a light that made me feel safe and loved. She was calming and graceful. Strong but adorable. She reminded me a lot of my mother.

"I'm sorry," Selene said softly. I looked at her with confusion as I was sure I hadn't said a word.

"About what?" I questioned.

"About your mother," she said and I stopped dead in my tracks. How did she know? I sure as hell never talked about her, about my family in general. I was about to open my mouth when a terrorized scream erupted from the clearing.