Trapped

"Put this on."

Joe handed Briana a long-sleeved flannel shirt and long denim pants. He had gone through the wardrobe yesterday, and found the clothes there. They would be traveling through the forest. By wearing these, at least Briana's skin would be protected from thorny bushes and whatnot.

"How about you?" asked Briana. She ventured to look at Joe, but only briefly. After that her face immediately turned away.

"I found some clothes that I can still wear," Joe replied casually. "You'd better take a shower first, then hurry up and change."

Briana entered the tiny bathroom in the cottage. She almost hit her head on the door which was not much taller than her height. She chose not to pay much attention to it. As Joe said, she had to hurry so that they could leave this place as soon as possible and return to civilization.

"I caught some fish in the river. We can have them for breakfast." Joe walked into the hut carrying some very fresh looking fish.

His eyes scanned Briana's fully clothed body. Although covered, Joe could see every inch of Briana's body parts that were sensitive to his touch. He quickly dismissed the thought. He would not let Briana's influence control him.

"Can I help you?" Briana volunteered. Over the past few days Joe had treated her well. Maybe now she could return the favor.

Joe just shook his head. His hands were busy cleaning the fish. He gave Briana a quick glance, then focused his attention back on the fish.

"You can sit and wait while I cook this. It won't take me long."

Briana's face changed instantly, cloaked in a cloudy and slightly dark cloud. Following Joe's orders, she finally sat down in the dining room. Her fingers tapped on the table as there was nothing she could do.

"If you don't mind, prepare two glasses of drinking water," Joe said as he shouted from the direction of the kitchen.

Briana rose to her feet. She walked quickly, taking two glasses from the cupboard. Her body accidentally nudged the back of Joe's body, making his chest throb and ache. Only for a moment. Briana tried to be as casual as possible, then fetched some water from the reservoir at the back of the house.

"We'll have breakfast now. After that we have to leave this hut as soon as possible," Joe said, then took two grilled fish that smelled good.

"Yes ...." Briana replied shortly. She followed what Joe had done, taking two grilled fish.

They were silent for a while. Joe picked up his empty plate and washed it thoroughly. He looked at Briana who was daydreaming, and left her one fish intact without her touching it at all.

"Don't you want to eat it?"

Briana's eyes immediately blinked when she heard Joe's reprimand. She shook her head quickly. She immediately ate her food in a hurry.

---

"Keep this under your shirt." Joe threw a knife at Briana.

Briana caught it. However, she was a little confused when she received the small sharp object. Surely she wouldn't kill people with this knife would she?

"You can use it as a precaution." Joe said as he tucked a gun into the cradle he had tucked into his trouser belt. "We don't know what we will meet on the way."

Briana kept the knife at Joe's command. She chose silence, and waited for Joe's next command. Now she was forced to depend on him for her life, and she really hated that fact.

"We're leaving now," said Joe then. He motioned for Briana to walk first.

"Do you know the way?" asked Briana carefully after they had walked a few steps. She looked back briefly, then she immediately turned her head because Joe told her to keep looking forward.

"I don't know for sure," Joe snapped. "You'd better follow that path. When we reach the end, we stop for a moment."

Yesterday Joe had walked through this path to the end there. Then he saw nothing but thickets and wilderness. It turned out that they had gone so far that they did not understand the way home.

Briana didn't ask again. She chose to continue walking even though she felt the aches in her legs. It felt like she had walked enough, but she didn't dare stop to rest. Joe would have scolded her for sure.

"We'll rest here for a while," Joe said, handing Briana a water bottle.

Briana accepted it, and immediately took a few sips of water. Her throat didn't feel so dry anymore. She then handed the bottle back to Joe.

"That's enough rest. We must continue our journey." Joe took Briana's hand, lifting her to her feet.

"Are you sure we can get out of this place?" Briana asked cautiously.

"I'm pretty sure of it," Joe replied firmly. "Now Antonio and the others must be looking for us."

Since yesterday Joe had heard the sound of a helicopter flying low over the cottage. Without looking, he could confirm that the helicopter was his and was being driven by Antonio who was looking for him. Unfortunately the cottage was located in a place covered by very large trees, so Antonio had no idea of its existence.

"Hopefully he'll be able to find us soon" Briana said as she chanted silently. Briana stood up, and waited for Joe's instructions.

"Let's walk back," Joe said. He patted his pants which were a little dirty with dry leaves. "Watch your step," Joe ordered firmly.

Briana did not respond. She continued to walk in front of Joe while looking carefully at the surrounding area. She might encounter snakes, or other dangerous animals. She had to stay alert.

Then something happened that was out of Briana's control. It turned out that she didn't have time to see something dangerous waiting in front of her because it was covered by leaves. Briana stepped on a trap, then one of her legs was tied with a rope, and her body was lifted up.

"Help ...." Briana pleaded frantically while shaking her body.

Now Briana's body was hanging above with a long rope tied to a tree. Her head was facing downwards. She was terrified of being up here in this position.

"Calm down .... I'll get you down soon," Joe said soothingly.

Joe had only taken two steps towards the tree where the rope was tied when he heard a loud burst of applause and laughter. He stopped immediately. His body immediately spun around, then his eyes met with two men and women who looked dirty and disgusting.

"We've got a different catch today, darling," exclaimed the man with the bushy moustache and beard.

"It's very nice. We were able to get more than usual," replied the woman with a grinning smile.

Joe was stunned. He watched as the two men walked toward him with contemptuous glances. They both had long-barreled rifles pointed at him and Briana. He could hear Briana screaming in fear, but he ignored her. Their lives were on the line. That was more important.