• Chapter 6 – One good deed

    Lilly woke the next morning as she looked around. Something felt out of place but she had no idea what it was. As she got up slowly she headed into the bathroom and began to run the bath. She had no work as she'd switched her days and after the night she'd had she figured that a relaxing bath to unwind was the best way to go. Why do I get the feeling that I'm missing something or something has been taken. The nagging feeling stayed in her head all the time while she'd been soaking in the bath to let the ache leave her body, she was just a little upset that it wouldn't take the aching inside her chest.

    After she'd spent long enough relaxing trying to figure out her next step she went down to get some breakfast. It was that moment that she'd realised what was wrong with the picture. It was too quiet. Despite living on her own, there was always some type of noise. The people in apartments above her banging around or arguing with their kids to get them off to school, the cars outside beeping in anger at each other. There was none of it.

    Without a second thought she ran over to the window to look out. There was no one outside. What time is it? Have I slept that late that most of the day has gone? Glancing over at her clock it stated it was 9am. She then quickly glanced at the calendar that showed that today was the day road works were starting. That explains a lot why there's no cars or no arguments as the kids would have gone to school early so that they hadn't ran into the road works. Walking back to the kitchen she carried on with her breakfast but there was still a small nagging in her head that nothing was right.

    After doing everything that was needed to be done, she sat down and watched TV. Before she'd even turned it on she'd heard a funny noise. Keeping quiet she crept around the apartment trying to find where the noise was coming from. But it wasn't inside her apartment it was coming from the corridor outside. Without any second thoughts she grabbed her keys and unlocked the door and stood outside the door looking around. It wasn't until she glanced to the left that she saw a young man who was injuried who had been making the noise.

    Lilly jogged down to him and knelt down to him level looking over him trying to figure out what had happened and also how badly he was hurt.

    “Can you walk?” She asked quietly as she looked him over seeing it was nothing too bad.

    The young man who didn't look in the best shape looked up at Lilly as if she was a guardian angel coming to save him. Slowly he lifted himself off the floor and lent against the wall holding his side. As Lilly saw this she wasn't sure if he'd hurt his side or if his arm was broken and it was the only comfortable place for him to rest his arm.

    Lilly sighed a little and moved to the side of him as she put her arm around him. Gently she pulled him closer to her so that she could support him a little.

    The young man hissed a little but let her help him without any issues. Slowly the pair walked back to her apartment. Lilly let him walk at his own pace not wanting to rush him in anyway as she didn't want him to hurt himself any more.

    Once inside Lilly got him sat down and rushed into the bathroom to get the small first aid kit she kept for emergencies and for when she actually messed up cooking which was often when she ended up cutting herself or burning herself.

    Returning quickly she set about first cleaning his face with the blood that was on his face along with the sweat that was now forming. As she wiped the blood away she began to see an amazing face underneath all the blood.

    “So how did you end up in this state?” She asked quietly feeling the need to talk with him to find out what had gone on and how he'd came to end up in a mess in the hallway.

    She started cleaning his cheek first as that was the area that was full of blood the most. As the blood began to wipe away underneath she found that he had a bronzed skin colour.

    “I don't actually remember what I'm doing here or how I got like this.” The man answered in a guff voice. He sounded like his throat was hurting from lack of water.

    “Well your safe here for now. I'll have to phone the police and maybe have a talk with the local gangs to see if they know what's happened. Usually they know everything.” She informed him. Her hands were steady. She'd finished cleaning the blood away and was beginning to try and clean his lip up that had been cut badly. “Your lip might swell. I'll get some ice on it to try and take it down a little.” As she was working she kept a focus on the area and trying not to focus on his face. She noticed as she cleaned his lip up that his lips were a dark red in colour. She wasn't sure if it was his natural colour or if it was just the colour because of the swelling. She could tell that he had no dry skin on his lips which meant he possibly had a car so that there was no need to travel out in the cold weather.

    “Thank you.” He murmured as if he was about to pass out in the chair.

    “Your lucky that I was in. Most people on this floor are at work. I should have been.” She laughed gently as she finished cleaning up his lip and got to work cleaning the cut on his head that seemed to have started bleeding again. “I guess luck is on your side today.” She smiled tenderly to him once again. “I'm going to have to apply a little pressure on your head and it will be tender I image, but I need to know how deep the cut is.”

    The man laughed softly as he opened his emerald green eyes and looked at her. He kept focused on Lilly's face as she worked on his head. His noticed how she worked quickly on him, but seemed very professional in her manner of how she worked and also kept her touch light to him.

    “Are you a nurse as you seem very cool and collective in the way your dealing with it all.” He asked curiously. He winced a little as her fingers touched part of his skin. “I think there maybe a bruise coming up there as it seems really painful.”

    Lilly laughed softly as she worked much lighter on his head thinking for a moment how much to tell the stranger.

    “No, I'm a waitress. I'm first aid trained as well which is why I'm good with this sort of stuff. I've lost count of how many time I've had to deal with injuries working in a place with a bar.”

    The man laughed quietly as he closed his eyes relaxing a little under her touch once again.

    After ten minutes of silence Lilly pulled away and began to pack up the first aid kit and went into the bathroom. She knew he was fine as he'd been awake and speaking with her without any problems and he knew what was going on.

    “May I ask your name?” Came the soft voice of the man as he stood in the door way.

    Lilly turned and looked at him with a smile. His skin was a bronzed colour as if he'd spent a lot of time in the sun. She guessed he wasn't a local and lived away somewhere and was visiting. She was already familiar with his emerald green eyes. Now they seemed more alert and more conscious of what was going on. Her eyes darted to the patch on his head that had butterfly stitches behind it. She lowered her eyes for a moment and then looked at him again noticing the way the light shone on his brown hair to reveal flecks of golden blonde in it.

    “Lilly.” She said quietly with a smile. “Can I ask what your name is?” She'd turned back to the cupboard on the wall and put the box back. When she'd done, she gave her hands a quick wash as her hands felt powdery from the gloves she'd worked in.

    “Ry.” He answered with a smile. “I don't think I can ever thank you for what you've done for me.”He ran his hand through his hair. It was at the moment that Lilly realised how short his hair was and with all the sweat that was in his hair it spiked up.

    Blushing Lilly turned away a little as she stole a quick glance at him.

    “It's nothing really.” She said timidly. She went back into the living room and sat down. She'd done all the tidying up so that was one less thing to worry about. Ry followed behind her and sat in the chair that he'd been put into first.

    “So is Ry short for Ryan?” She asked a little curious not really sure where the curiosity had came from. Usually she kept herself to herself which was the best thing.

    “Yeah, it's short for Ryku. Strange name I know.” He chuckled lightly as he looked around. “Can I ask a question now?”His gaze was back on Lilly.

    “Where are my parents?” She guessed with a small smile. Ry could see the sadness that was plain in her face.

    “I never knew my father. He left my mother when I was younger. If someone walks out on a little child, then they don't deserve the title of being a parent.” She explained quietly as she shifted her body so she had her elbows on her knee with her hands cupped between her legs. “My mother died in a car crash.” She said lowering her gaze. “I don't have any brothers or sisters and she didn't either so I have no Aunties or Uncles. So I've lived here. The people of the other apartments check in on me and have helped me out a lot. Even my boss has been good to me. So yeah, the story of my life.” She lifted her head and looked at Ry.

    “You seem to doing good for yourself so don't doubt yourself and you seem like a good person. For saying I haven't known you that long.” He laughed quietly.

    “Do you want something to eat or drink?” Lilly got up walking to the kitchen and began to look through the fridge for what there was.

    “Oh, no thank you. I should really get going as I don't want to cause any further bother to you.” His voice echoed through to the kitchen barely.

    Lilly walked back in and looked over him. He had only bruised his arm and bruised his ribs. The worse of him was his head, however it wasn't anything too deep so there was no need for hospital and she knew he didn't have any major head injuries which was a good sign.

    “Ok then, just keep yourself safe. My advice is get home and spend the rest of the day resting up. Sit back and watch trashy day time TV.” She chuckled as she walked over to him and offered a hand to help him up.

    Ry laughed also as he got himself up only just and nodded.

    “I'll do as you said.” He promised as he gave her a smile and a nod of thanks.

    The pair walked over to the door and Ry left after saying his goodbyes and thanks to her yet again.

    Lilly shut the door and lent her back against it. Confusion swept through her as to what had just happened and what she'd just done. Shaking her head she went back into the kitchen to make herself a drink. She'd decided the rest of the day was going to be spent lazing around and doing nothing. She'd didn't see the need to do anything else, as she figured she'd never see him again, the world was a big place and she had a feeling that bumping into him would be an impossible job.