He stank and needed deodorant. She smelled booze on top of it, mixed with the disgusting stench of chewing tobacco too. She held her breath as much as she could while he wrapped something made from a rough cloth on her other wrist. He yanked it tight. He moved back finally and the horrible smell withdrew.
Bill stared at her, nodded, and then turned his back to walk into the tent. Trisha looked up at her restrained arms. He had two mismatching bandanas securing her wrists to the thin branches. She pulled on them but they only moved slightly, proving there was no way she could pull free. She softly cursed and tugged at the bandanas, trying to see if he’d left her enough wiggle room to slide her hand out. He’d tied them too tight.
Bill exited the tent carrying a sleeping bag and pillow with him. He darted a glance at her before throwing the bedding down about four feet from where Trisha stood.
She’d thought he was at least decent since he’d offered her a drink and food but that was before he’d tied her, scarecrow-like, to a tree. After a while her legs were going to grow really tired.
He stretched out on his back on top of the sleeping bag, facing her, and settled his gun across his chest. She spotted a hunting knife peeking out from a boot as he crossed his legs. He shoved the pillow behind his head and closed his eyes.
Trisha shifted. Her legs ached and her arms felt as though they were going to fall off. She lifted on tiptoe to level her arms with her shoulders. It sent some blood back into her upper limbs but then her toes would hurt until she’d have to ease back down onto her feet. She rolled her head every once in a while. She tried to sleep but every time she drifted off her legs would start to collapse, causing pain to shoot up her arms from her weight pulling against them. Time crawled by.
Something made a slight noise from the woods. Bill jerked awake instantly, rolled onto his stomach, and leveled his gun in the direction the sound had originated from.
71
Shocked, Trisha stared at him. A bird flew from a tree in that direction. The man on his stomach sighed and rolled back over and glared at her.
“I’m a light sleeper. Quit sighing. I’m getting sick of it.” He closed his eyes again and rested the gun back across his chest.
The sound the bird had made had been so slight she’d barely heard it but the man at her feet jerked as though something had charged at him. He’d even pointed his weapon toward the right direction. If he faked sleeping then he knew about any sound she made. Her glimmering hope of escape dwindled. She would have been better off if they’d left Tom with her. A man gawking at her breasts seemed an improvement over having been tied so uncomfortably to a tree.
* * * * *
Pain jerked her awake and she groaned. Her body sagged, all her weight on her wrists, and it hurt. Trisha fought tears. She put all her weight onto her feet and rose to her toes. It eased all tension from her wrists and the blood flowed back into her arms while she studied the sky. She’d been tied to the tree most of the day. The sun had lowered in the sky. She looked at the man on the ground to find him staring back at her.
She couldn’t tell for sure but she thought his attention fixed on her stomach.
“You’re awake,” she noted softly. “Can I sit down now? Please?”
He sat up and watched her face, frowning until he lowered the gun to the ground next to the sleeping bag and rose to his feet. He walked away from her to the tent.
Trisha lifted her chin up to stare at the sky.
“Bill here,” he spoke. “Base?”
“Hey, Bill,” a male answered through the small speaker. “Report.”
“We haven’t found them yet.” Bill watched Trisha and he put his finger to his mouth motioning her to be quiet. “We’re in section twenty-two. Anyone else have any luck?”
“Not so far,” the voice was static-ridden. “You are way out there.”
“Aren’t there other guys this way?”
“Nope. You’re it. How come Tom isn’t calling in?”
“He’s taking a crap. The kid is green. We’ll call back and report in the morning.
Over and out.” He turned the walkie-talkie off.
“They haven’t found your animal friend yet.” He dropped the walkie-talkie onto the pillow. “I’m rested now and ready for action. I wanted to make sure no one else was in the area and now I’m sure it’s just us.”
72
Trisha’s stomach churned as she swallowed. She didn’t feel at ease with the way he’d said that or the way his gaze roamed her body. His lecherous look slowly rose until he met her fearful expression.
“You’re a good-looking woman. You’re one of those bleeding-heart, animal-rights bitches, aren’t you? You love animals, little girl?” He reached down and unfastened his belt, his gaze locked with hers. “I didn’t want Tom staying with you because the kid doesn’t know what to do with a woman.”
“Oh God,” Trisha moaned, watching him pull his belt free of his pants loops as he fisted the buckle in his hand. Her gaze flew to his. “Whatever you are thinking about, please don’t do it.”
