Left Behind – Episode 7

Left Behind – Episode 7
 
© Happy William
 
#Amazon
 
.
 
Harriet’s POV
 
.
 
Jean and I walked into the room where Ewan was kept. When we got to the door, Juliantes was just coming out. He stopped me with a hand on my shoulder.
 
“Harriet, do you know what happened?” he asked.
 
I shook my head. “But I don’t understand. Why was he that way?”
 
Juliantes said, “It’s something Ewan wouldn’t want anyone to know. He’ll tell you if he wants to.”
 
What was so serious that Juliantes couldn’t tell me?
 
“OK,” I replied with a small smile. “Jean and I wanna see him.”
 
He motioned us in,side with a wave of his hand towards the room.
 
Zoe was sitting beside his bed, holding his hand in hers. Her chin was resting on her knuckles as she looked at Ewan’s sleeping face with so much…. devotion. I’m sure there’s something going on between those two.
 
Jean’s movement forward alerted zoe of our presence, and she wore a scowl when she saw me.
 
“What are you doing here? Come to complicate things?” she accused me. Me, not Jean.
 
Does she have something against me?
 
“I came to see how he’s doing,” I said and went closer to the bed.
 
Zoe got up and stood in front of me, blocking my movement forward.
 
“You’ve done enough. Just get out of here!”
 
I frowned. “Look, I’m here to see how Ewan is. I didn’t do anything to him, but I’m concerned. Stop acting like some overprotective bitc—” I caught myself before I could utter a vile word. “Zoe, move aside. Please.”
 
She folded her hands and maintained her stance.
 
Jean hurried over.
 
“Zoe she’s sorry, okay? She just wants to see him.”
 
“What for?” Zoe replied, not taking her eyes off me.
 
I scoffed and rolled my eyes. I really didn’t know why she was acting like this.
 
A small gro-n not from us made us all turn our attention to Ewan on the bed, just in time to see him opening his eyes. He blinked thrice as if trying to get used to the environment, and then his eyes focused on me.
 
I stared back.
 
Zoe, unaware of this, hurried to his side and gripped his hand.
 
“Ewan, are you OK?” she asked.
 
He didn’t answer, just kept on looking at me.
 
I shifted my weight to the other foot, starting to get uncomfortable with the stares, and lowered my eyes to the ground.
 
“Zoe….” he began. I lifted my head up again to see and hear what he wanted to say. His eyes were still on me.
 
“Could you and Jean excuse us? I need to talk to Harriet,” he completed.
 
Jean had that I-told-you look that meant ‘OMG Harriet!’ in this case, and a dopey grin on her l-ips.
 
Zoe on the other hand looked like she thought Ewan was going bonkers, and at the same time she would love very much to strangle me.
 
But she just nodded and walked out quietly, with an excited Jean trailing behind her.
 
Jean took extra care to close the door.
 
Crazy.
 
Awkward. Ewan still had his eyes on me. Maybe I should start apologizing.
 
“Um…Ewan. I’m really sorry about that—-”
 
“About what?” he cut in coldly.
 
I swallowed and moved closer to him. But he stopped me with a raised palm.
 
“I don’t know who you are,” he began as he made an effort to stand up. He almost slumped back as his feet were still wobbly, but he pushed my offer to help to the side.
 
What mess is this now?
 
“And I don’t know where you come from or why you came.”
 
As he said this he walked closer to me, until we were few inches apart. I could see the stubble marks on his chin, the hazel of his eyes. And it took maximum amount of effort for my eyes not to go lower.
 
My heartbeat increased greatly, it was threatening to jump out of my chest. And I’m pretty much sure he could hear it.
 
What kind of effect was he having on me?
 
I cleared my throat to diminish the awkwardness of our stance, and opened my mouth to say something, only for his eyes to go to my l-ips.
 
 
I quickly folded my l-ips and took a step back.
 
He took a step forward and lifted my chin to meet his gaze.
 
And he said two words: “Get out.”
 
He left my chin, walked around me, opened the door, and walked out.
 
I’ll admit it, that hurt.
 
I blew air through my mouth.
 
I hate the way Zoe and Ewan were behaving towards me. They were strangely ñíçê to Jean.
 
Why not me?
 
I used a piece of thread to tie up my now dried hair, I hate leaving it down, and walked out of the room too.
 
.
 
Thank goodness I easily found the front door, and without event too.
 
I decided to take a walk around the environ, even though I had no idea where I was going. I didn’t inform anyone because what’s the point? They wouldn’t care.
 
Outside, I took the time to admire Juliantes’s house. It was less like a house and more like a mansion, painted in grey and small touches of white. The flowers surrounding the foot of the building contrasted with the grey dullness of the house, making it a strange piece.
 
There was the stony walkway, flanked by bright green fields on either sides. It looked like a very modern house. So what was with all the stories about ghosts and monsters invading, and strange creatures residing in Amazon?
 
I shook my head and walked farther down.
 
This area seemed quiet, but due to the house-on-a-hill nature of Juliantes house, I could see other buildings below. I was walking on the walkway so that I’ll be able to trace my way back, but I wondered if I’ll meet anyone along.
 
Then my mind went back to Ewan and Zoe.
 
It’s understandable that Zoe might be mean to me because she’s jealous— something she shouldn’t be— but I didn’t know for Ewan. As far as I knew I haven’t done anything to offend him.
 
And he was such a handsome guy.
 
I shook my head to clear such thoughts. But was I really childish to think—and I thought— that he was going to k-ss me back there?
 
“Ugh Harriet, you are one piece of work!” I muttered to myself and pressed my knuckles into my eyeballs.
 
“Is everything OK?”
 
I scre-med and jumped up at the sudden sound that startled me, and looked for where it came from.
 
The first thought that came to my mind was ‘Holy Hotness, Amazon must be the breeding ground for handsome males.’
 
The source of the sound happened to be a veeeeerrry handsome guy. Tall, well built, dark hair, dark eyes, a very white skin and those l-ips (he’s not Snow white though)!
 
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to scarce you,” he apologize.
 
Ah….there was a guy with beauty AND manners.
 
I smiled. “It’s nothing,” I replied. “I can be crazy sometimes. I mean, who covers their eyes to walk on the road!?” I shook my head, and he laughed.
 
“You, obviously. I’m Rex by the way,” he said, holding out his hand.
 
“Harriet,” I replied and took it, expecting a handshake. But he took the back of my hand to his l-ips and placed a small k-ss on it.
 
Wow.
 
“Pleased to make your acquaintance, Harriet,” he said with a lovely smile.
 
Aww…
 
“Um…same here?” I replied, more like asked, because I was unsure of what else to say.
 
“I can tell you’re not from around here,” Rex said, as we walked along.
 
“Good guess. I’m not. I missed my way, and ended up being stuck here yesterday.”
 
“The earthquake?” he asked.
 
I nodded, and I missed a glint in his dark eyes.
 
“Well that’s unfortunate. But fortunate as well.”
 
Huh? “Why?”
 
“Because I would not have met you then.”
 
I smiled. Typical charmer.
 
“If I was stuck up in the house, you wouldn’t have met me either,” I pointed out.
 
He c*cked his head to one side and said, “True. But I don’t doubt the power of fate.”
 
I had to laugh at this.
 
“So you’re living with Juliantes?”
 
“Yeah.”
 
“And you’ve met Ewan and Zoe?”
 
“Yeah. Annoying bunch, those two.”
 
We seemed to have walked further, and I didn’t see the walkway anymore.
 
“Well Rex, I have to go now. I’m with a friend, and I don’t want to leave her alone.”
 
“Alright. I’ll walk you back.”
 
Minutes later, we reached the mansion. I turned to him.
 
“Thanks.”
 
“It was a pleasure. So, I’ll see you around?”
 
I nodded, waved, and walked in.
 
Only to bump into Ewan.
 
Ewan’s POV
 
.
 
Harriet seemed so happy walking and talking with Rex. I don’t know why, but I had a weird feeling about them together.
 
Mind you, not jealous.
 
I’m behaving like a jerk towards her. And the reason is quite simple: I don’t like her.
 
And her hanging out with Rex added another point to my list of ‘Why I Don’t Like Harriet.’
 
I scowled at her, and she gave me a similar look.
 
“Mind getting out of my way?” she asked politely. But even I could see she was forcing the politeness.
 
“You had a wonderful walk with Rex, I presume.”
 
“Yeah, and it’s non of your dammed business. Do you mind getting out of my way? I’m hungry, and I haven’t had breakfast because I lost my way to the dinning!” she snapped.
 
I stood there speechless.
 
If she lost her way to the dinning, that means she was the one who put that voice in my head.
 
I narrowed my eyes at her.
 
“You spoke into my head.”
 
She looked  taken aback and a bit guilty.
 
“No, I spoke in mine. How did you get to hear it?”
 
I wasn’t ready to answer that because I didn’t know either.
 
I brushed pass her and went out.
 
I didn’t see her again for the rest of the day.
 
To be continued
 
⬅️ PREVIOUS episode

NEXT episode ➡️