All of a sudden, a few things happened all at once. It took a while to figure out what happened first, middle and last and still not sure the proper order. First off, a loud pounding sound was heard on Marie's door, then a high pitch scream was heard. Someone yelled for help and then a very loud crash was heard. Last Josh and I heard another person yell, "Stop him! Please someone, he has Marie."
Sam and Josh both glanced at each other and then Josh went out the window and Sam headed out the door and into the hall.
"Where is the guy?" Sam yelled, "Someone please tell me where the guy is or where you last saw him. Come on someone answer me already!!!"
A distant voice was heard, "Sam come out here. He is at the road, and he is dragging her behind him, HURRY!"
Sam paused only for a moment before he took off towards the front door. He knocked over two little girls in the process and that made him feel a touch guilty, but he did not stop or let him slow down at all. In his mind the only goal he had was to protect Marie and never let her down again. Glancing around he caught Josh waving his hand and behind him was a guy he had never seen before that had Marie being dragged on the ground behind him.
Josh turned around and took off as fast as he could towards Marie. If he was going to be her bodyguard, he should do the best he can and save her before she is hurt anymore. He thought to himself, "I already failed by not following her to the chapel, I will not let her get off this property. She means too much to me to let her get away from me."
At that moment, shock kicked in for Josh. Marie meant something extremely dear to him and he didn't realize it until just this moment. Did this change things? It was currently unknown, but he did know he would have to look closer at how he felt and figure out what he felt and what they might mean for everyone in the future.
Sam caught up to Josh who had slowed a touch in his shock. "Hey Josh, what is going on with you? You are one of the fastest in the village and I caught up to you."
"Sam, I wanted to focus on what is going on around us and also I needed to let you catch up to me. I could do this alone, but you still need to smooth things over with Marie. So, we should both teach this man a lesson couple style." Josh replied back.
"Oh, dear me, couple style we haven't done that in years. I kind of pity the guy now. Well not really he will get what he deserves." Sam said with a breathy evil laugh.
That laugh made the guy dragging Marie stop and turn around. His eyes went big, and he tried to turn around, but that delay cost him his only distance from Sam and Josh. Marie also woke up and started to struggle violently. He raised his hand to knock out Marie again and was met with two feet to the face in perfect timing. As he flew back that guy's world went black.
"Well, that was no fun. He was knocked out in the first hit." Sam said with breathy gasps.
Josh bent over and offered his hand to Marie. Saying in a formal and overly sarcastic tone of voice. "My lady, I offer you my hand to help you up. We really need to stop meeting like this. It would seem that I will have my hands full keeping other men away. Though none of them are even slightly as good looking and dashing as us. We understand why we keep having to fight them off though. You are QUITE the catch."
Marie sat there a sec looking at his hand and then couldn't help but giggle. The way he was acting was like a noble gentleman knight rescuing a princess or royal from peasants trying to steal her away. It was so far out of character for Josh to say that it broke through her shock and brought her back to herself. She took his hand and he pulled her up to her feet.
Sam caught her when she started to stumble a bit. "Whoa there slow down a bit. Did they give you anything as they were trying to take you away? You seem unsteady on your feet. Let me carry you back home."
"I don't have a home silly. Just you two and that guy. Where did that guy go? He knew where I would have a home and was going to take me there." I said slurring my words a bit while looking around confused.
"Sam, I think your answer is a huge yes. Whatever that stuff was she is extremely compliant and easy to manipulate right now. This is a very dangerous state for her to be in right now. Let's not take her back right now. We can go to my current home with her, and we can wait out the drug and there she will be safe and secure." Josh said with concern.
Sam glanced back and saw a bunch of kids standing outside looking at them. No one dared to go more than 5 steps away from the building, but they were still watching them closely.
"We can go to your place but let me tell The Father that the confession will have to wait. Marie is going to be quite upset that she didn't get her confessional yet again. So, I should at least try to do this much for her." Sam said. "You have her until I get back right?"
Josh just nodded and put his hands on Marie's waist to steady her as Sam walked away and headed back into the orphanage. All the while he was being torn up inside. This is the first time he has felt anything for a woman, and it happens to be his lover's best friend. This isn't going to go well, and he knew it was going to cause issues in the future if he didn't sort out all of his emotions and soon.
"Marie, are you ok? Please talk to me a bit. I am worried about you." Josh said to me with complete concern on his face and in his voice.
I thought the fact he was so worried and could not hide it meant more than he was giving on. I was beyond touched and that there started to break through my dazed state.
"Josh, you asked me how I was doing and all of the sudden now I can start to think again. Why am I talking this way and why are you holding me? I thought Sam liked me but now it seems you like me." I said still slurring my words horribly.
Josh jumped away from me so fast that I stumbled and went down on my knees. A jolt of pain shot up my legs and back and I cried out a bit in pain. Oddly the fog and numbness I was feeling cleared up quite a bit from the pain. So, I proceeded to slide my legs alone the ground and the rocks dug in a bit further and again the pain helped, and I was feeling more myself then I have been for a while.
Clearing my throat, a bit, "JOSH!!! What the hell!!! Why did you jump away from me so fast? You were holding me up remember. Geeze, I try to tease you a bit and you freak out... Wait a second... Do YOU actually have feelings for me?"
"Of course, I have feelings for you Marie, you are Sam's best friend. Now if you are thinking that its more than that then you are seriously kidding yourself. You know I love you like a little sister and a close friend. In fact, I think you are the closest female friend I have. Wow isn't that shameful. I need to make more woman friends." Josh said back to me.
Rolling my eyes, I held out my hand. He quickly put his hand out and helped me up, but he lingered a bit before letting go of my hand. I don't know why I felt that was odd, but it made me wonder what was going through his head right now. Maybe I am just being hyper aware right now or something.
All of a sudden, I heard a yell, "What the hell Josh!!! I gave you one task and that was to keep Marie steady and safe, and you couldn't even do that. Look at her legs, she is bleeding all over right now. We should hurry to your place and get her cleaned up. It is getting late."
Turning my head, I saw Sam jogging at a slightly fast rate then his usual. It made me raise my eyebrows again wishing that I again could raise only one. A howl was heard in the air, and it sent terror through my body. That was a wolf, and it was very close to the orphanage. I could hear a scream and then shutters slamming closed. Someone was locking down all the windows and that meant only one thing. The animals were on the hunt again. Wow, I am stupid. I am out later in the day with cuts on my legs and worse I am out in the open. Might as well be ringing the dinner bell and yelling come and get the fresh live meat.
"Run you idiots to your place Josh. Get Marie to your place NOW!!! Why are you just standing there? Move people right NOW!!!" Sam yelled as another howl was heard in the distance. This time it came from the other side of town and then shortly after that an answering howl came from another side of town and then another. There were sounds coming from all sides but at least they were still in the distance.
I thought to myself, 'Crap, they have already encircled the town. We need to hurry.' I took off towards the bakery as fast as I could, but I felt my steps still being a bit uneven. I don't know if that was because of the medicine, blood loss or just flat-out fear though. I felt Sam and Josh each grab and arm and for a bit I thought I was flying. They were pulling me so fast that my feet were barely touching the ground. That also told me that I was not as clear headed as I thought I was.