3. Kaci

Images flicker in my head like a movie on repeat. The fire truck careening around the corner with thick tires and red sides, the man who stepped out to meet me, his rugged concerned look, the soot on his face and on his stained fireman's outfit that was unzipped at the waist. Funny how I noticed the muscles under his tight t-shirt and the shock of dark hair hanging jauntily over his brow and his ice blue eyes that looked out of place in his dirt-stained face.

His image beams clear in my mind. Then blank.

I must have passed out, because the next thing I remember is being cradled in his arms as he carried me into the fire truck.

The next memories are snapshots of a very short movie. Every time I regained consciousness a new snapshot, all of them containing the man. His arms around me as my body shakes and I cling to his warmth. His face staring down at me, the kindness in his eyes doing more to warm me up than the foil blanket draped over me. Being pressed to his chest and hearing his heartbeat. The steadiness of it giving me something to focus on.

To the steady beat of his heart, my pulse grew stronger. My heartbeat synched with his, slow and steady, keeping the panic at bay.

Every time I wake up, I listen to his heartbeat and look into his steady gaze and don't think about the rest, about the blackness at the corner of my mind.

I focus on the snapshots of memory I have. Walking out of the forest, the firetruck, and the man, Hunter. I remember his name is Hunter. I focus on Hunter's heartbeat and not on the blackness of anything that came before.

The truck lurches to a stop, and my eyes flutter open. Hunter is watching me, and he gives me a reassuring smile.

"We're at the medical center."

I try to sit up, and there's a sharp pain at the side of my head. I squeeze my eyes shut.

"My head hurts."

"Yeah," he says. "You've got a scratch; we'll get it checked out."

There are other people in the vehicle. A door opens up front, and I hear a male and female voice.

But I'm too scared to move in case it hurts again.

"We're gonna do this slow," Hunter says.

I'm so grateful he's here to tell me how to get out of this vehicle, because I don't think I can figure it out myself.

"I'll carry you out, and then we'll put you in a wheelchair so you don't have to try to walk, okay?"

I nod and immediately regret it as pain shoots through my head.

"Okay."

He speaks to one of the other people, and there's the squeaky sound of wheels being rolled around to the side of the truck.

"Put your arms around my neck," says Hunter.

I do as he says and get a faint whiff of musky soap under the smoke smell that coats his clothing.

I take a deep breath, setting my teeth against the pain as Hunter lifts me out of the back of the truck. He lifts me easily like I weigh nothing and carries me down the step of the fire truck.

He lowers me gently into the wheelchair, and I let go of his neck. He straightens up, and it's as if my life support has been severed. Since I've woken up, all I've known is his warm chest and steady heartbeat.

Panic rises in me, and I grip his shirt.

"Will you come in with me?"

I must look like a desperate woman, but everything else is a blank except for this man, and the thought of him driving off and leaving me here makes me want to be sick.

"Of course, angel. I'm not going anywhere."

I let go of his shirt even thought all I want to do is climb up his arm and bury myself in his chest. Instead I take a deep steadying breath as he wheels me into the medical center.

The first thing that hits me is the smell. Disinfectant, sterile and cold. There's the squeak of nurses' shoes on the linoleum floor, and it sends a shiver down my spine. Nausea roils inside my belly, and my hands grip the edges of the wheelchair.

"Are you okay?"

Hunter pauses by the reception desk and crouches in front of me, his cool eyes full of concern.

"No…I don't know? I don't like this place," I stammer, not sure why I suddenly feel a heavy weight of dread in my body.

His brow furrows, and he studies my features with an intensity that makes me wonder what's going on behind those cool assessing eyes.

"What's your name?"

I lick my lips, my dry parched lips as I search the darkness for my name.

"Umm…"

He's waiting for an answer, but I have none to give. No matter how hard I reach, there's nothing before waking up in the woods.

"I don't know."

Panic flares inside me. I don't know my name. I don't know who I am or what I was doing today in the woods.

Hunter takes both my hands. "Look at me," he commands.

I look into his cool steady eyes, and after a few deep breaths the panic subsides.

"Let's take it one step at a time. I'm taking you up to the doctor. They'll want to look at the wound on your head and probably run some tests. I'll be with you every step of the way until you tell me to leave, okay?"

I clutch his hands, wondering why this complete stranger is being so kind to me.

"Thank you."

My voice is raspy, and I need a drink. But I focus on Hunter. As long as he's here, that's all I need to focus on.