The Silent Observer

Bethan had no time to react. It was so sudden, she fell backwards. Dave's shove had power and had she been at the edge as he had been moments before, she would have plummeted.

As it was, she was knocked down and terrified. She was lucky not to have hit her head as the ground was littered with small rocks, some sharp, piercing the air like tiny pyramids in a gravel bed.

But she had no time to recover as Dave was coming at her and on his face was a fury, a determination, a madness that she never knew was contained within him.

She tried to scramble away, to her feet but he was on her, and his weight and his hands on her throat were so real and so constricting that she almost lost her strength to fight. But she bucked and grabbed at his hands, using her nails to penetrate his flesh. Her breath...it was hard...to get air...to fight...

His face in hers, teeth gritted, savage.

Bethan was losing consciousness, shrinking, slowly, away. Gagging...

Just before she blacked out, she saw a darting figure, heard a crack, followed by an "Oof" of expelled air before a heavy weight engulfed her, crushing her, the realisation that her windpipe was no longer constricted not yet realised by her brain.

*

When Bethan came to, she was unhindered. Her throat burned and her eyes smarted but she was alive.

She went to sit up and someone said, "You shouldn't move yet. Just stay still."

Bethan did as she was told, still bewildered by her situation, the pain, the violence. The figure came over to her and took off their coat and placed it over Bethan.

"Are you okay?" they asked.

Bethan tried to speak but it was raw. How could your voice be bruised?

"Don't speak. Nod if you can."

Bethan managed to move her head, her mind racing. Dave tried to kill her! Shit! Someone saved her! Who? She thought of Boo Radley.

Thank goodness! Tears spilled from her, her relief palpable. She trembled, shock making itself known.

But who was her rescuer? It hurt to talk but need was stronger:

"Who are you?"

***

366 words

This is dedicated to Caroline Craven. "Oof!"

Dave shows his colours. No great surprise there. Any guesses as to who it is?

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