the scrape

 The water trickled slowly.  Eve held her scratched and bleeding hands under the worn rusty sprocket.  Wincing at the pain the cool water brought.  She looked down at her knees that were now caked with mud and blood.  She was hurt,  but it  appeared to be only flesh wounds.  Wounds that would need to be cleaned and bandaged but that would hopefully not require any more medical attention.   She splashed the cool water first on one knee and then on the next.  Watching as the water, blood and mud trailed down each leg.   The sting increasing with each handful of water she brought to her  scraped knees.  Tears blurred her vision as she looked around the farm. Not to far off in the distance she noticed an old ranch house. Eve knew she needed help and she would have to somehow get herself to the house.

Slowly she rose to a standing position. Instantly a dizziness filled her aching head causing her to teeter backwards. Just as she began to feel herself slowly slip  to the ground she felt two very strong hands grab her shoulders to catch her. Then just as swiftly two strong arms lift her off the ground. She let herself surrender as she heard a deep soft voice in  a slight western drawl  say  "I have you  honey you will be fine". She laid her head against his welcomed chest,  listening to  his steady heart beat, as she watched the ranch house get  closer.  Very gently he carried her through the wooden screen door. She glanced around the rustic inside. It was neat with simple  wood furnishings, a definite mans home. He laid her carefully down on a wood framed over  sized couch. she looked up into his face as he leaned over her to adjust pillows under her hurting  head, which she now realized was also bleeding. His eyes stopped as they met hers. He smiled   as they locked gazes  momentarily, and asked if she was comfortable. His handsome face almost taking her breath away.   She just nodded yes while she felt her eyes fill again with tears and fatigue rip through her. As he rose  he told her softly to rest and that he would be right back with some soap, water and bandages.

The bright afternoon sun poured in through the large windows that were in front of her.  Eve tried to raise her head to take another look around but a sharp dull pain prevented her efforts. She collapsed back to the softness of the pillows and with in minutes her handsome hero was walking back to were she laid, carrying a tray of first-aide supplies.

He knelt down next to where she laid. She watched as he dipped a white finger towel into a bowl of sudsy water.  He carefully dabbed at her forehead,  his expression full of concern and kindness. "I am Cody". He told her as he dabbed at her head. Softly he apologized for the pain that his efforts caused.  Her eyes followed him silently as she watched him ring blood mixed with water from the cloth. 'Whats your name?" He asked while he worked at cleaning her wounds.  A hoarse whisper hardly sounding like herself at all, escaped from her parched lips.  "Eve." She answered.  "I am sorry" He offered again. "You are thirsty. Let me get you some cool water". She watched him head again  towards the same doorway and return shortly with a few water bottles. Without hesitation he opened a bottle and held it up to her dry chapped lips  while gently placing his other hand under her neck to help raise her head slightly.  Her eyes stayed fast on him with each movement.

The water glided down her throat with out much effort.  She had half the bottle finished before he spoke again. "I think we should get you some medical attention." He suggested as he  looked back at the wound on her head and then at her knees.  Watching her face closely he waited for a response.  "How bad is it?" She asked gesturing to her head and wondering when he was going to ask what happened.  "Well I am no doctor but, I am afraid it is going to need some stitching" he said.  Her face showed the sorrow his words gave her.  Almost immediately he responded with "honey don't worry, it is  a small slice, but it looks deep.  You will still be beautiful even with a slight alteration".    In spite of her pain she felt a slight smile cross her face.  This handsome stranger was flirting with her.