Four
String him up by his entrails
There are times when a man has to walk away from a fight and there are times when he should make a stand. Walking away before he beat the shit out of that sonofabitch Zimmer was one of those times. Max knew he couldn’t stop that bastard from shutting down his town if he were behind bars for assault, so he’d let him go with a warning. Regrettably for Zimmer, that thought process was short-lived when he heard Mia’s sultry voice shout, “Let go of my arm you’re hurting me.”
Max whipped around at the sound of her frightened voice and saw Mia’s wrist held in Zimmer’s firm grip. Again, unfortunately for Zimmer, the anger he’d tried to bury to avoid killing the bastard broke loose like a bull in the ring. He took off like a shot when he saw Mia’s face pinch in pain, ignoring his mother as she called out to stop him. As he charged up the hill Mia slapped Zimmer and then stumbled back, turned, and fell to her knees.
His anger had reached a boiling point when Mia hit the ground, so when he reached Zimmer, he grabbed his shoulder, turned the man punching him with the force of a sledgehammer. Dazed and confused, blood shot from Zimmer’s mouth as he went down, grabbing his head as he fell.
“You keep your fuckin’ hands off of her, do you hear me?” Max growled standing over Zimmer in a rage. Zimmer, not a stupid man, nodded once and made no move to get back up. Max turned to Mia then and lifted her arm, looking at her wrist, and saw bruises had already formed on her wrist.
“He marked you,” Max bit out feeling his control slipping by the second.
His mother called out “Max!” so he turned his head and saw the fear in her eyes. Closing his own, he willed himself to calm down. When he opened them and saw the bruises on Mia’s petite wrist, he knew if he didn’t leave now he’d make an already fucked up situation worse.
Taking a deep breath, he did the only thing he could to defuse his anger. He stepped back from Mia, and without another word turned and stalked away.
“Whoa, Mad Max,” Lucy mumbled as he left.
Then, in her sultry tones, Max heard Mia respond out of breath “Mad Max indeed . . .” And he smiled.
Rocky peaks passed by as we headed towards Grizzly Pointe. The stark difference in the greens of the trees and the lighter browns and grays of the rocky ridges were somehow calming. I could almost smell the green of the trees the colors were so vibrant.
When I considered how I’d been nervous about camping in the mountains, I was surprised how in tune with my surroundings I felt. Growing up I’d been surrounded by mountains in Washington State. I was used to seeing them from a distance but had never spent any real time in them. Now that I was in the heart of the mountains, a pleasant, calm seemed to encircle me. It was peaceful out here, even peaceful in the town of Trails End. It was nothing like the hustle and bustle of the city I loved. I could see the appeal now, minus the bugs, and could well imagine if I felt this way after two days in Trails End, those who called her home would fight Donald tooth and nail to preserve their way of life.
After discussing at length what Donald was up to with Frank and Lucy, we’d all agreed that the board at SIOZ were oblivious to what he was doing. Good relationships with the communities where we conducted our research, in addition to finding ways for nature and man to coexist, were of key importance to SIOZ and the cornerstone of their mission statement.
Now Donald was undermining that fragile balance.
The regret I had for my brief relationship with Donald had now turned into a sour pit in my stomach. God, I was an idiot. I knew he was single-minded, but this was off the charts. You can’t protect a species at the cost of a community. SIOZ’s stance when a species is in danger of extinction is to work with the community, educate them to ensure the species survival, not destroy the lives of its people.
He’d turned into a zealot, the worst kind of activist.
I’m a pacifist myself so I don’t condone violence, but I understood Max’s anger towards Donald and was secretly glad he’d punched the jerk.
When I’d heard Maxine shout Max’s name, then turned just in time to see his fist connect with Donald’s face, I won’t lie, it was hot, beyond hot, seeing all that male testosterone in action. And when he looked at my wrist, his jaw tightening in anger, pissed off on my behalf, let’s just say I’d wanted to climb up his body and have his children. The whole thing was very caveman-esque. In fact, just thinking about it now makes my heart beat a little faster. Never in my life had I met a man who acted, well, like a man. Apparently, I’ve been surrounded by she-men all this time and the whole experience was rather eye opening, if not a little life altering if I was honest.
Where do men like that come from and where have they been hiding all my life?
The Jeep came to a stop, breaking me from my thoughts of muscled cavemen. Looking around, I saw a rushing river to the west that butted-up to the mountain range. The waters in the river were churning as white foam floated across its surface, passing over rocks and fallen trees. Farther up the river, I could see where Hunter Logging had gigantic logs stored in a shallow cove to keep them moist to avoid cracking and splitting. The forest was quiet since all the loggers were still in town at the Founder’s Day celebration. Though I doubted there would be much celebrating, now that Donald had revealed his plan.
I could still see in my mind’s eye Max’s face when he’d listened to Donald talk about shutting down his father’s company. The anger and hatred his eyes had held. He’d transformed from the flirting man near the lake to a man who looked like he could kill, and I had no doubt others were feeling the same.
When one of the doors opened and slammed shut, I got out and proceeded to help unload the equipment for the hike up to base camp. Looking up the incline, I said a silent prayer for agility. Either I’d make it to the top or I wouldn’t. Only time would tell. However, I wouldn’t hold my breath. The way my trip had gone thus far, I figured I was toast.
“We could kill him,” Curly Potter, the towns bush pilot shouted.
Max closed his eyes, praying to God for deliverance as tempers boiled over much like his own had when he heard the news. In the time it had taken him to calm down, Mayor Madison had called an emergency meeting with the town council to discuss Zimmer pushing to have Grizzly Pointe area reclassified as a national forest
“That can be plan B,” Martha Tallchief, the town’s postmaster and head gossip, shouted. But a part of him thought she meant it.
Martha was in her sixties and had lived in Trails End her whole life like everyone else sitting in the room. Mayor Madison, a descendant of Guy Madison, the first Mayor of Trails End, was leading the discussion in the only diner the town had. It was empty except for the town council because everyone else was at the Founder’s Day celebration.
Word had spread fast about Zimmer’s oath to have Hunter Logging shut down and the mood of the town shifted from levity to one of gravity quickly. Madison, who’d been standing silently while Max tried to intimidate Zimmer, had followed Max after he left with his mother. When he’d punched Zimmer, Madison had lectured him about cool heads in a time of crisis. Madison may have been right, but Max wasn’t the type of man to stand by and watch a woman manhandled, especially a woman like Mia who was clumsy and, in his opinion, needed a man to protect her.
When Ralph Potter, owner of Last Call Bar and Grill, seconded Curly’s motion to have Zimmer killed, Max stood up and barked, “No one’s killing that sonofabitch. He has one congressman on his side, we just have to make sure we have more. It takes years to get a bill pushed through so no one needs to fuckin’ panic just yet.”
“And if we don’t get the votes on our side?” Ralph asked Max.
“Then we string him up by his entrails,” Martha hollered.
The diner erupted in nervous laughter as Madison tried to bring order to the room. This was getting them nowhere, Max thought, so he turned to leave before he lost his temper again.
Maxine put her hand to Max’s arm when he turned to leave so he looked down and saw the concern on her face. Seeing that about killed him, his mother was as tough as nails and gave him a headache daily, but he’d do anything for that old woman who his father had adored.
Hunter logging was all they had left of his father, a big, strong man who’d swept her off her feet and told her he was gonna marry her. His mother, a transplant from Gunnison, Colorado, had laughed when he’d told her that. He’d been ten years her senior when they’d met one summer in Colorado, but she’d had it in her head he was too old for her. Not taking no for an answer, his father had won her over easily and he’d whisked her off to Alaska where she bore him one son.
Max cupped his mother’s face and watched as a single tear ran down her cheek. Leaning down, he placed a kiss to her forehead and swore a vow to his father that Hunter Logging would not die on his watch. “I’ll take care of this, Mom, don’t you worry. No one's taken Dad away from you.”
Ignoring the room and questioning eyes, Max turned and left the diner—he had a man to find.
“You’ll be here all night give me that,” Lucy stated as I struggled to get the one-man tent staked. I looked up, rolled my eyes, and handed her the hammer in disgust.
We were in a breathtaking meadow halfway up the ridge on Grizzly Pointe. I’d seen several deer during our climb, which scattered as we hiked up the side of the low-grade mountain. It had taken less time than I thought to get to the meadow where we’d set up base camp for our stay. Now Frank was out scouting for our bears after setting up his own tent and Lucy and I had stayed behind to finish our own and organize supplies. Of course, it was taking me longer than it should to figure out how to pitch this damn tent.
My thoughts were still back in Trails End and the havoc Donald was causing with the town, or more accurately, with one brawny resident with moss-green eyes.
“So, you and the boss man, huh?” Lucy asked.
Sighing, though I should have expected this, I popped my head over the top of the tent and pointed at her.
“If you learn anything from me during this trip, learn this, don’t shit where you live, that was the stupidest mistake of my life thus far.”
“Got ya, writing that down, though, for clarification purposes only, Trails End isn’t where we live. How about we amend that to read don’t shit where you live except when there are lumberjacks around?”
“Oh, my God, you did sleep with Jake.”
“Technically, there was no sleeping involved.”
“Really?”
“There may have been a nap.”
I looked around as if there were actually people listening, then leaned in and asked “And?”
“Are you asking me if it was good?” Lucy laughed.
“Of course, I am,” I agreed, “he’s a lumberjack for Christ sake. Women who read romance novels dream of men like that.”
“Wait, I thought you and Max—”
“I didn’t sleep with him,” I interrupted, “I barely remember last night. Apparently, I stripped in front of him and called him a grizzly bear.”
Lucy choked on a laugh.
“Don’t laugh,” I warned when she threw her hand over her mouth. “You‘ve seen him, he’s, he’s, well, he’s Thor in flannel,” I explained and then admitted “I’m awkward with men, Lucy, I always have been. There is no way I could relax enough around that man to sleep with him.”
“Then I need your purse.”
“My purse, why?”
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but are you standing there telling me you had that man in your room and you didn’t sleep with him. And furthermore, even if you could, you’d be too, insecure, embarrassed, is that what you’re saying?”
“Um, yeah, that’s what I’m saying.”
“Then hand me your purse.”
“I don’t get?”
“’I just appointed myself the president of the local charter for the sisterhood and I just voted to revoke your card.”
“Seriously, just for being uncomfortable around Max and not throwing myself at him?”
“Jesus, Mia, a man like Max, who looks like that . . . a two-year-old would vote you out.”
“Great, fine, I’m an idiot, but I plead drunk as my defense Madam President. Besides, I didn’t come here to get laid I came here to work,” I groused.
“Somethin’ tells me you should do a little more of the first and less of the last,” she mumbled.
“I’ve done the first,” I defended, “on occasion, but those were—”
“Spineless hippies who try to shut down towns?”
“Right, thanks for reminding me. Can we move on from my pathetic love life and get this tent up? The sooner we get started, the sooner we can leave the bugs behind.”
“Hey, if we get our work done early can we stay a few days and enjoy the locals?” Lucy asked, wiggling her eyebrow, looking hopeful as I moved to the opposite side of the tent.
“It’s not my call, but I’m pretty sure with the hornet’s nest Donald stirred up SIOZ will pull us out as soon as we’re done.”
“I bet you could get Dr. Zimmer to back down if you slept with him. Maybe if you showed him some of your "Joel" moves he'd reconsider."
“Hmm, tempting, but no.”
“If you sleep with me, I promise not to sign the petition,” Frank whispered in my ear.
“Jesus, Frank, make some noise when you walk up,” I snapped, “I’m not sleeping with anyone, least of all you, Mr. Happily Married.”
“Killjoy,” he sighed dramatically.
“Can we move on to a new topic? Tell me you found our bears.”
“Saw fresh signs so we should be good. What’s left on our to-do list? Food, lanterns?”
“SHIT . . . shit, shit, shit,” I shouted. “With everything that happened, I forgot the kerosene for the lanterns.”
“Ouch, unlucky break for you, Mia. First rule of camping: Whoever forgets it has to go back down and get it,” Frank explained tossing me the keys to the Jeep.
“You’d make a clumsy woman like me walk down that hill all alone?” I asked incredulously with just a hint of whine thrown in for good measure.
“Nice try, but I wouldn’t want you to lose your “sister card” for not proving you’re as capable as a man.”
“Shit, that whiny voice usually works,” I whined with emphasis. Dammit, I don’t want to run into Donald. “Fair warning,” I announced. “If I see Zimmer when I’m down below be ready to post my bail. If he touches me again, I’ll use the sharp end of an axe on his balls.”
Though the views this time of year were spectacular Donald, whose jaw was still aching, didn’t see autumn’s glorious color as stiff leaves fell gracefully to the ground. He was too busy gloating at the panic he’d caused.
After Hunter had punched him, a sucker punch in his opinion, he’d stood back and watched with great interest as the Mayor grabbed the whole town council and herded them to the local diner. While they’d had their “emergency” meeting, he’d had one of his own. One that would ensure his plan to close down Hunter would go off without a hitch. Then he’d hung around the Founders Day celebrations waiting to see what would happen next.
He’d heard the buzz in the crowd about his plan to close down Hunter Logging. Heard people conversing about what they would do or where they would go if jobs left Trails End. He knew he should have felt some sort of remorse for the people who lived here, but for the life of him, he just didn’t care. They should have thought more about the impact their logging had on the surrounding wildlife. Since they didn’t and the bears couldn’t defend themselves, he would.
By the time the impromptu meeting adjourned and he’d watched Hunter’s mother and others try to calm everyones fears, he had to admit, he felt a bit like a God holding their futures in his hand. He could crush these people and their butchering of the land with fifty thousand signatures, and the crowning achievement in all of this, watching that smug bastard Max Hunter brought to his knees.
Five years he’s watched Hunter pillage the forest, scaring his bears. He didn’t care if he planted fast growing trees to replace the ones he and his forefathers had stolen, their presence in the forest was upsetting the natural balance of the area—upsetting his bears.
Hunter was already coming unraveled, Donald thought. The way he’d charged him and manhandled him like some barbarian was all an added bonus to help him shut that bastard down. Now he had witnesses, in the form of Lucy Daniels and Frank Jessup, to the unreasonable behavior of the town’s golden boy, the King of Hunter Logging. All these years he’d watched that man (who was nothing but a criminal against nature in his eyes) treated like some sort of Prince. He pillaged the land, stripped trees off the mountain and they worship him for it. He couldn’t wait to bring Hunter to his knees, if not for the bears and the trees, then for touching Mia.
When he’d seen Hunter carry Mia into her room, it was all he could do to keep from breaking down the door. Mia was his, Donald thought. She just needed time to see that. But, Hunter, with his good looks and bulging biceps could put a snag in his plans to convince her to take another chance. He’d tricked Mia into coming on this trip so he could spend time with her. He needed her in an environment he could control so she couldn’t avoid him at every turn. Sleeping in close quarters, with the moon setting the mood each night, he figured by the end of the trip she’d change her tune and give him a second chance. However, with Hunter in the picture, and his overreaction to Donald detaining Mia suggested that he was, he’d have to work fast.
Pulling onto the access road that would take him up the mountain and to their base camp, he did a double take when he saw Mia pass by heading back into town. No one else seemed to be in the Jeep, so his jealousy spiked thinking she might be ignoring the bears for Hunter.
Making a U-turn, he headed back into town right behind her. When she pulled into the only gas station, the town had, he pulled in behind her and got out heading towards her Jeep. Ripping open her door, she looked surprised to see him, but that surprise didn’t last long as her face pinched in anger, a lovely shade of rage tinting her skin.
“Save it, I don’t want to hear a word you have to say,” Mia hissed as she climbed out of her vehicle and then headed to the back. Before she opened the back hatch, she wheeled around and pointed at Donald leaning in, “If you touch me again, I swear I’ll take an axe to your head.”
The gas station attendant had walked out during this exchange and was now listening, keeping an eye on the situation. So, he lowered his voice and bit out “Cut the crap Mia, I wouldn’t have hurt you if you hadn’t tried to pull away.”
“You cut the crap, Donald. I can’t believe you went behind SIOZ’s back,” she shouted back.
“One night with Hunter and you’re already forgetting your priorities. Did you or did you not sign on to protect the bears?”
She rolled her eyes as she opened the hatch, pulling out a gas can and moving towards a kerosene pump. When they reached it, she grabbed the nozzle, shoved it in the can, then turned on him and bit out, “Our priorities do not include putting people out of their homes. We work with the community and educate them to live in harmony with nature, not kill a town putting its people on the streets. Jesus, Donald, what were you thinking?” Mia yelled him.
“Calm down, I’ll explain everything when we get up the mountain.”
“Oh, no, if you’re going up the mountain, then I’m going home. Newsflash, Dickhead, not only am I opposed to what you’re doing, I’ll fight you tooth and nail to make sure you don’t succeed.”
“So, one night in bed with that mindless Neanderthal has you overlooking your commitment to the bears?” He snapped.
“God, you’re such a man, you think everything revolves around your dick.”
“Just admit you’re only having a fit because you slept with him.”
“I’m having a fit because you’re an asshole.”
“Admit you slept with him,” he roared and then took a step towards her.
Mia jerked back a step when he shouted, unease settling in her gut. However, she’d had enough of his power play, enough of his jealousy, and decided to go for the throat.
“I’ll admit that one night with that man would likely make any woman forget her life’s calling, get the picture?”
Seething, feeling sick to his stomach hearing her confirm she’d slept with Hunter. He took some comfort in knowing her outburst served a higher purpose other than crushing his hopes of a reconciliation. Now he had another witness, the gas station attendant, to confirm she would do anything for Hunter. If she caused him trouble, and he knew she would, he had an ace in the hole to use against her with the board. However, right this minute, he had other problems to deal with.
Hunter had pulled into the adjacent parking lot and was currently making his way towards them while they argued. He’d had to push Mia to get her to answer before Hunter reached them and the way her voice carried, he’d heard it all and was bearing down on them unbeknownst to her. He may have lost her to this overgrown caveman, but he wasn’t walking away without slinging some mud of his own.
“Well done, Hunter. You managed to get in her pants in one night when it took me three. Tell me, did she make that little mewling sound when she came?”
Closing my eyes as Donald spoke I knew without looking what I’d find behind me. I should have punched Donald myself for his childish behavior, but I was too busy thinking about hopping the next flight out of Trails End to care. How long had he been there? How much had he heard?
“You slept with this ass-wipe?” Max clipped in my ear.
Panicked about what he might have heard and praying to God the next flight left in five minutes, I whipped around to explain but caught my toe on the concrete. Then, because God hated me, I slammed into his chest as I stumbled forward. Max had caught me before I slid to the ground so I opened my mouth and babbled like an idiot.
“I plead insanity to whatever you just heard. In fact, just forget all about it and I’ll be on my way. Does Curly work on Saturdays?”
“He has dreadlocks for Christ sake,” Max growled ignoring me. I thought that was an odd reply so I defended my stupid actions.
“What does his hairstyle matter? You wear flannel; you don’t see me judging you for wearing flannel.”
“He looks like a hippie.”
“And you look like a lumberjack what’s your point?”
Max’s brows shot up and he looked at me as if I’d lost my mind. Then he bit out, “Jesus, please tell me you don’t sit up on that mountain smokin’ pot and singing Kumbaya.”
“How should I know, I’ve never camped before in my life. If they do, they won’t pass their drug test at work.”
His jaw tightened for an instant, then he sighed in exasperation, what he did not do was let go of me much to my relief and horror.
“Did I hear you say you’d go to bat for this town?”
“Of course, I don’t agree with what he’s doing,” I answered as I tried to back out of his arms, but he tightened his hold when I pushed back.
I couldn’t believe my luck. All I wanted to do was get in and out of town unnoticed, but, no, hell no, I managed to find both objects of my fantasies. One I fantasized about killing and the other, for lack of a better visual, I fantasized about licking from head to toe.
“I thought SIOZ was behind this?” Max inquired breaking me from my thoughts of Wet Max and dripping water.
“NO! SIOZ would never support a position that shuts down a town to save a species. Why would you think that?”
“They may not agree, but that won’t stop me from doing what needs to be done, you can count on that, Hunter,” Donald interrupted.
On that threat, Max let go, moving me to his side and slightly behind him, putting his large frame between Donald and me.
“You know when a man throws around threats in my home, he’s no longer welcome. I suggest you take your agenda to close down this town and get the fuck outta here. You’ve worn out your welcome.”
“Are you gonna beat me into leaving?” Donald bit out.
“Nope, not unless you lay another hand on Mia.”
“I didn’t “lay” a hand on her in the first place, she overreacted.”
Overreacted? I don’t think so.
Pissed off, I tried to move around Max but he stopped me with his large arm, pushing me further behind him.
“I got a dozen witnesses who say otherwise. In this town, we don’t tolerate women bein’ manhandled. If you don’t leave, I’ll call Chester and have him remove you by way of jail.”
“You’re bluffing.”
“Learn this quickly, I don’t bluff. You get your ass out of my town by tomorrow or Mia will be filing a report,” Max growled.
“I’m here to collect research on public land. You can’t stop me from doing my job,” Donald answered arrogantly.
“Not anymore, leave or go to jail, your choice.”
Then the battle of wills began for about a nanosecond. One was large and very, very pissed and the other was a piss-ant who recognized quickly he needed to leave, so he left.
God, I can’t believe I slept with that piss-ant.
“I’ve decided I’m being punished for some past-life transgression,” I mumbled as I watched Donald drive away.
“Past what—you know what, never mind. I’ve lived around my mother long enough to know better. You gonna be all right with that asshole till he leaves?”
“You should be asking him that, not me. I’m so pissed right now I could kill him for you.”
Max chuckled as a crooked grin tugged at his mouth. Then he reached up and tugged my ponytail as the grin spread to a dazzling smile. Caught off guard by the somewhat flirty move and blinding smile, I lost myself in his eyes as he stared back at me.
“You want this tank in the back of your Jeep,” Max finally asked.
“Please,” was all I croaked out since my center of gravity seemed unsteady. When he took the Kerosene to my Jeep, I watched him as I tried to gain my bearings. But the visual of him in those Wranglers wasn’t helping.
Gah, that man had an ass.
After I had paid for my purchase, Max helped me into my Jeep, then leaned against the door as I started my engine.
“Thanks for defending me, Max. That’s twice today, you’ve come to my rescue.”
“Least I could do since I made you forget your life’s calling.”
“Shit, you heard that?” I whined.
“Uptown girl, half the town heard that, your voice carries,” Max grinned.
“Of course, they did,” I sighed, “could you point me to the nearest mountain so I can throw myself off?”
“Which part?” he asked oddly.
“Which part?”
“Which part of last night was life changing?”
“I remember your boots.”
Grinning, he leaned in closer and asked, “You don’t remember kissin’ me?”
Whispering now, I replied, “I didn’t kiss you.”
“You sure about that?”
“No.”
“You get tired of hangin’ out with bears and singin’ around a campfire, come down I’ll buy you drink. Maybe then, you’ll remember kissin’ me.”
I dipped my head for a moment because he unnerved me, made my heart race, and generally made me an idiot in his presence. When I didn’t answer, his grin grew wider at my discomfort so, of course, color rose in my cheeks. Then he winked, tugged my ponytail, and headed back towards his truck. Shit, definitely time to employ operation “Evade and Hide” . . . right after I watch his retreating backside.
Dressed in a blue and black flannel shirt with tight Wranglers and work boots, I decided right then and there that I loved flannel. In fact, I would never look at flannel the same way again, or Wranglers. I’d definitely been missing out on Wrangler clad asses.
The drive back took no time and I cursed up a storm when I saw Donald’s vehicle parked at the entrance. He’d better keep his distance when I got back or I’d feed him to the bears. The climb up the ridge was much slower with the heavy kerosene. I was in shape, thanks to my home gym, but dead weight was dead weight, I had to stop every few minutes and rest. It was darker on the path this time around, the sun was lower and the shadows felt darker more ominous.
When I was halfway up, I had to pee, so I looked for a bush to hide behind. As I scanned the forest, my eyes caught on what looked like someone lying on the path further up. Squinting, I moved closer as the shapes of arms and legs became clearer. Assuming someone was hurt, I ran the rest of the way up until I recognized it was Donald.
“Are you hurt?” I shouted, but the blood on the ground had my heart racing in fear. When he didn’t answer, I kneeled down beside him and with a shaking hand, rolled him face up. Nothing in my life had prepared me for that moment. You think in the face of something as horrific as a violent death that you’ll shut down, become immobile. The truth is, you become hyper-alert.
“Oh, God, oh, God, HELP ME!” I shrieked when I saw his face.
In the center of his forehead was a large gaping wound that penetrated into his brain. His eyes were open with a blankness to them, his mouth relaxed, his lips blue. “Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit,” I chanted searching the forest for help. Then cold fear weaved its way up my spine, shutting down all my senses but one, my hearing. When a twig snapped behind me, my breath caught and I listened. The faint sound of deep breaths being pulled quietly into lungs told me I wasn’t alone. Afraid to turn and face the killer my fight or flight instinct kicked in. Without thinking, I bolted west off the path as the sound of someone in pursuit froze my blood. Panicked, I hadn’t paid attention to my surroundings as I ducked limbs and pushed through foliage so thick it cut my arms. Then the hair on my neck rose suddenly and I knew the killer was a whispered breath away. So, I flew under a limb and broke through some bushes into the bright sun from the forest darkness, screaming for my life. Fear kept my legs moving when I should have stopped, but I kept running into the blinding light, kept right on running off the edge—to the rushing river below.