Love Among The Ruins-Chapter 57

CAINE’S P.O.V

The first thing I realized when I woke up was that the spot next to me was cold. I sat up in a panic, my heart hammering in my chest as I realized that Nadine was gone.

I looked around in a hurry.

All her stuff was still here, but the weapons were gone. I had a sinking feeling about where she had gone to and it filled me with dread.

The sky was a beautiful shade of orange as the sun rose. It was a beautiful day, but I couldn’t bring myself to focus on it, not when she was missing. I had no idea how long she had been gone or if she was even alive and the thought fucking terrified me.

I pushed to my feet, ignoring the burning sensation in my leg and the throbbing pain. I grabbed onto the wall for support, dragging myself to the mouth of the cave as I did.

I was slow, I was wounded and in pain, and I knew the chances of me dying were grater than the chances of me finding her and yet, I had to go. I needed to search or I would never forgive myself.

There was no sign of Nadine, no rustling of leaves, nothing. I tried to take a step out of the cave but one wrong move had pain shooting up my leg. I couldn’t even climb out of the cave, how would I find her?

"Fuck!" I ran my hand through my hair, letting my body fall limp against the wall. "Where the fuck did you go, princess?"

I dragged myself over to the bags, hoping she left something- anything- that could tell me where she had gone but there was nothing save for the clothes she wore yesterday and wrapped up in it were some fruits.

I had a sinking suspicion as to where she went but there was no way to be sure, all I could do was wait.

While I waited for her, I redid the wrappings on my leg. I cleaned it with the last of the rubbing alcohol and wrapped it with the last of the bandages. I tried to ignore the angry red color of the wounds and the fact that it didn’t look like it was healing. I had bigger problems at hand.

I tried to leave the cave again, hoping I would find something outside but once again, I failed.

I had never felt frustration so deep before. She could be dead, in pain or dying and there was no way I would know. I couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep or breathe for the entire day. I stayed at the mouth of the cave hoping she would appear magically but she didn’t, not even when the sun went down.

The pessimistic side of me told me that she left me, that she decided that I was slowing her down and I wouldn’t have minded if she at least took the things. She would have a better chance of surviving without me, but I knew Nadine and I knew that she wouldn’t leave, not without saying goodbye, so I waited. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

I waited the entire day but she didn’t return.

I stayed up the entire night, listening out for her. Every few hours, I tried to get out of the cave again, but I failed each time.

By the next morning, I was panicking. She’d been gone for over twenty-four hours and there was still no sign of her.

By noon, I’d made the decision to either get out of the cave or die trying because there was no way I was going to sit here while she could be out there dying. I had no idea what direction she went in but if my suspicions were correct then she would’ve gone back to the town.

I shoved a sock in my mouth to smother the groans of pain as I pulled myself out of that cave. I dragged myself on my arms and knees, forcing my body up the gravel and onto dry land. My limbs throbbed from exertion, my leg felt like it was on fire but I forced myself to move, dragging my injured leg behind me.

I knew I was setting back my healing by weeks at least, but it was a better alternative than leaving her out there. Too much time had passed already.

I dragged myself through the gravel when rustling caught my attention. My head snapped up. I had no weapon, no way to defend myself against an intruder but that didn’t mean I was going to give up without a fight.

I saw a few trees rustle and I braced myself for battle when...

"What are you doing out?" Nadine asked, rushing over to me.

For a second, I just stood there, stunned and confused as I stared at her. I pinched myself wondering if I was imagining it, if my brain had conjured up an image of her just to make myself feel better but here she was, standing and staring at me.

Her hair was braided down her back, her cheeks flushed and her eyes tired but firm. She had two bags slung over her shoulder and I didn’t need to ask, I knew they were filled with resources. She risked her own life to go back to town and get things for us.

I wasn’t sure if I was impressed or pissed.

She rushed over to me. "Your leg."

"Why the fuck would you leave without telling me?" I hissed out. She waved off my anger, placed one of my arms over her shoulder and nudged me towards the cave. "Nadine."

"We can talk about this when we aren’t standing outside. Move, Rowan."

I was shocked by the sheer order in her voice. I didn’t dare refuse.

I let her lead me back into the gloomy cave and watched as she placed her bags down. Inside were medical supplies and food. She even managed to swipe a few new clothes and shoes because the ones we had on were suffering from wear and tear.

She glanced over at the fruits I left abandoned where she had dropped them and frowned. I expected her to berate me for it but she didn’t, instead, she grabbed a can of beans from her bag and tossed it to me.

"Eat," she instructed. "You haven’t eaten in over a day."

"What about you?"

"I ate."

"Nadine," I groaned. "Why the fuck did you leave?"

"Because we would have died if I didn’t." She ran her hands down her face. "I went out at night to check on the traps but I didn’t catch anything. I wanted to come back but I thought it would be more prudent if I went back to town so I started walking."

"At night?"

She shrugged. "I tore bits of my shirt and tied it around branches to lead me back. Walking at night also helped me cover some more ground."

"Have you slept?"

She shook her head. "I needed to get back before you did something stupid like try to come find me."

She shot me a pointed look but I didn’t care.

"You could have died."

"But I didn’t. It’s about time you start trusting me, Rowan. I know what I’m doing."

"It wasn’t safe."

"I know," she sighed. "I was terrified the entire time. You can berate me all you want, but I haven’t slept since I left this cave. I feel like I’m going to fall over."

I pursed my lips, debating whether or not to say some more but the longer I looked at her, the more I realized just how stupid I was being. She risked her life for me, I should be thanking her and not interrogating her.

"Thank you," I told her.

She smiled softly. "You’d do the same for me."

I gestured for her to come closer and she didn’t waste any time before curling up by my side. All it took was a few seconds before her eyes drifted closed.