The crow squawked again.
Maybe I misunderstood, but it made me feel uncomfortable. So, I said nothing. Just continued to stare into the fire. Digger didn’t speak again either until the food was done. He handed me a bowl, and I thanked him.
“It ain’t restaurant quality, but I reckon it’ll fill your tummy.” He had sat down on the log next to me with his own bowl. It was just meat cubes in soupy water, but I didn’t complain. Any food tasted good when you were starving. Even Digger’s pungent body odour couldn’t deter me.
I took a few bites before asking, “Do you have any family, Digger?” To try and ease the tension in my chest.
He shook his head, while swallowing, “Nah, never knew my daddy and mama passed away eight years back. Only child. And my wife left me a fewyears ago. Said I loved other women too much.” He laughed soundlessly, his belly shaking. “Can’t disagree with that!”
“Any children?”
“Just one son. But he left with his mama. Not speakin’ to me at the moment.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Oh, that’s all right.” He grunted, then waved his hand dismissively and continued with his dinner.
By the time we were finished eating, the sun was low and the shadows long. Digger took my bowl and placed it on the stump next to the fire that acted as a table.
“I’ll go wash those tomorrow,” he sighed as he placed more wood on the fire.
“Where will I sleep?” I hadn’t thought about it until now. The clouds were gathering thickly, ominous thunder cracking in the distance.
“You can share my tent,” he said as he sat back down next to me.
I eyed his tent. It was too small to fit both of us comfortably. “That’s generous of you, but I would prefer my own sleeping space. There’s an emergency tent in my hiking bag if you could help me set it up?”
“Nah, that won’t be necessary.”
My mind didn’t know how to process what he was saying, but my body shifted uncomfortably.
“Okay, I can put it up myself. It can’t be too hard.” I kept my tone polite and easy-going.
“Don’t bother, girly. Those emergency tents are so flimsy. It’ll be much cosier in my tent.” He placed his hand on my knee.
I stared at it, my body locked in place. What should I do? I wanted to tell him to fuck off, but what would he do if he got angry? I needed to stay calm. Keep the situation under control. I had to set firm boundaries without angering him. He was my only way out of these woods.
Pushing his hand off my knee, I tried again. “No, thank you. I will sleep in my own tent.”
He shook his head. “My camp, girly. My rules.” The way he looked at my body, made me go cold.
My stomach rolled. He wasn’t taking no for an answer. I wanted to scream up at the gods. Why the hell was this happening to me? What did I do to deserve this? Just when I thought I was free of the monsters, here was another one.
What exactly was he planning? I had to be sure. “And why can’t I have my own tent?”
He laughed, an evil sound. “Oh, you know why.” His smile looked more like a sneer. All his remaining teeth was a sickly yellow.
My bag was laid against a tree a few feet from me. I had to get to it. Should I take the gun out or just grab the bag and run? I didn’t even really know how to use the gun. It would be better just to run. He wouldn’t be able to catch me with his bad knee. I could outrun him.
I took a deep breath to steady myself. To prepare my body. With the adrenaline prickling through my limbs, I darted upright and away from Digger, but he must have known I would run. He was ready. He was alsoon his feet and grabbed hold of my shirt yanking me backwards. Screaming, I stumbled into him. I tried to turn to face him, to fight him off, but he had his arms wrapped around me, trapping my arms against my body. He cursed as a crow swooped down and attacked his head. My crow, I realised. But it did nothing to stop him.
Digger used his bodyweight to push me to the ground. I hit the earth hard with him on top of me. His heavy body pressed against my lungs, so I couldn’t take a good breath. I tried to fight, tried to get out from under him, but I was trapped. I screamed and screamed, knowing full well, no one could hear me.
“Stop fighting. You’ll like it, I swear.” Digger grunted with the effort of keeping me down. He tried to pull my pants down.
“No! Stop!” I cried breathlessly. There was blood, mixed with dirt, in my throat from the screaming. It tasted horrid, but I tried to concentrate on it, instead of what was happening.
He had managed to get my pants down over the curve of my buttocks and I could feel him struggling with his belt.
