With one sharp uppercut, the shadow fell on its face and a loud thud followed as it hit the soaked brick ground.
She screamed one more time and in an instant, she was inside her house, leaning against the back of her already locked door, clutching her hand on her chest while breathing erratically, nervously.
"What the hell was that?"
She repeatedly blinked her eyes and pinched her cheeks to see if she was still awake.
"Was it a ghost?"
She gathered herself and looked around. It was still dark inside her house and she couldn't fathom if what she saw was a ghost, a thief, or just a figment of her imagination due to the heavy rain.
"What if it was a thief?" She asked herself thinking if there's something in her house that is worth stealing.
Her money was hidden somewhere safe and restricted so that thought made her relax a bit. Her household furniture were all hand-me-downs and they were all worn out. Plus, Tobermory is known to have zero crime rate for the past decade. It couldn't be a thief.
That's impossible.
"What could it be, then?" She was in a crossroad between checking what she saw outside or locking herself up inside her bedroom and just wait until morning.
She waited. Five minutes. Ten minutes.
Ugh! The longer she waits, the more she's getting more curious and restless.
After calming and convincing herself a couple of times, she took all the courage she could muster, grabbed an umbrella from the rack beside the sofa and slowly opened the door.
The raging storm amplified her already wracking nerves.
The thunder and lightnings were almost never-ending.
"Who is it?"
She peeked from a small space she made on her door and searched for the shadow she saw earlier.
A weak soft moan coming from somewhere under didn't miss her sharp ears despite the loud and heavy downpour.
"Where are you?"
She opened her door widely and stepped forward.
The moan became louder.
She made another step and suddenly the ground underneath her moved.
"Earthquake? Now, it's earthquake?!" She held onto her umbrella and propped it on the shaking ground.
Then the ground moved again and the moan turned into a loud shriek.
"Oh God!" She jumped on her feet and stepped back. "What was that?" She used her umbrella to check what was on the ground she was stepping on.
"Argh!"
Sophie quickly grabbed her flashlight and turned it on.
Her foot was prodded over a hand.
She shrieked and stepped back again.
It was a man!
His face was lying against the ground.
She kicked him on the side lightly.
He didn't budge.
She moved closer. "Who are you?" She nudged him using the tip of her umbrella.
He groaned.
She grabbed his arm and rolled him back.
"It's you?!!"
...
Sophie gathered the soiled clothes and towels before she turned off the lamp inside her room. She gathered the basin of warm water she used earlier and headed outside.
"At least, his fever is going down now." She looked at the clock and saw it was already four AM.
She flipped the towels and hung them in the bathroom. She cleaned the living room, the kitchen, and mopped the floor.
The rain outside was still heavy and after a few hours since she arrived home, there were still no signs of it stopping anytime sooner.
She took a deep breath and looked at the clock again. It was half past four in the morning now.
She didn't get to sleep. Even a quick nap was elusive to her.
And the sole reason was her unexpected visitor sleeping soundly on her bed.
She was worried all night, for heaven's sake!
And it was all because of him!
This Alexander-dork guy who scared the hell out of her all night.
She thought he'll die.
He was having a dangerously high fever and he got a huge gash on his forehead.
She tried to wake him up but he was totally knocked out.
He was taller and heavier than her so it was impossible for her to carry him all by herself.
At first, she considered calling Mr. Finn or Mr. McGregor for help but then she hesitated.
Inconveniencing them was her last resort.
Since she was left with no other choices, she was forced to drag him inside.
Having him transferred from the doorstep to her bedroom was a feat she thought she'll never accomplished.
She looked at him with a satisfied smile. But then it was completely gone a second later. Her face turned sour and displeased.
His forehead was bleeding and there were a few scratches and bruises on his limbs. His right jaw was turning bluish and it was a little bit swollen too.
She pressed her lips tight.
"It was not my fault! You were so heavy to carry, all right!"
She rushed to get her medicine kit and get some clean shirts from the dresser.
Good thing she liked oversized shirts and polo. She never thought it would come handy anytime. Pulling out her largest shirt and pants, she climbed on the side of the bed and gazed upon her wretched unconscious patient.
"I'm still thinking if I should apologize for these, okay?" She talked to him as she wiped his bruises with a clean towel. After changing his damp clothes, which took her an entire hour since she was dilly-dallying if it would be okay to undress him or not, she then tended to his injuries and took care of his fever.
She returned to the room to get some new clothes but before she left, she checked on him and felt his forehead.
"Thank goodness!" She felt relieved. His fever was almost gone now.
She stared at his face a little longer.
He was indeed a looker.
If he did not act like a dork yesterday, she could have been nicer and more considerate to him.
After all, he owed his life to her. He could have been eaten by wild animals in the forest if she did not find him sooner that morning. He could have died due to severe blood loss too if she ignored and left him there.
His second life was all thanks to her. Yet instead of showing gratitude and appreciation, he arrogantly treated her like his personal cook.
How dare him?
She gently poked his nose and smiled.
"There. With your eyes closed, you look kind and nice. You better stay like that."
She took one last glance on him before she headed out.
"Time to stretch those bones again and hustle, Sophie!"