Hannah Ashford stepped onto the green grass of the forest, the wetness of the dew slick against her bare feet. A sound to her left, something like a crashing, caught her attention. Her heart pounded and she rushed over to the nearest tree, placing her hands against the rough bark. She listened carefully.
How the hell did I get here? She tilted her head in the direction of the noise.
After a minute or two, her breathing slowed and she removed her hands from the bark. She looked up, craning her neck to see the top of the tree, backing up as she did so. The tree was a great, ancient redwood, the canopy of leaves so high that it, along with the other trees around her, blocked out nearly all of the sunlight. The only hint that it was, in fact, day time was the dappling of sunlight about thirty feet away creeping through the thick foliage. The forest was quiet now.
Turning her attention to her immediate surroundings, she looked around. The air of the forest was still, so still that it struck Hannah as almost unearthly. Sticking out her hand, she felt not the slightest trace of movement of the air. And looking around her, she couldn’t spot a single creature.
This is too weird. She took one step after another careful step through the woods. There should have been something. A deer, a bird, hell, even a damn squirrel.
She moved with grace over the dewy grass, taking care to not walk on anything that could harm her feet.
What the hell was I thinking coming out here barefoot?
Then, something else occurred to her. She patted her legs, noting that she was wearing nothing but a small pair of shorts that covered only the top few inches of her thighs. And on her upper body was nothing but a skimpy tank top. She was dressed more appropriately for a trip to the convenience store, than a journey through the woods.
Nothing about this seems right. This is just goddamn weird.
Then, another crash sounded, smashing through the calm of the forest. Hannah’s heart began beating once again, and she took cover under the nearest redwood until she was sure that she was safe. However, she couldn’t help but notice that this time, the crashing sound seemed even closer than it had been before.
Her heart calmed. She had no idea why, but she needed to get closer to whatever was making that sound. She stood with determination.
Turning her body in the direction of the noise, she walked, fear tingling in her belly. She walked slowly at first, as she had been, but once she actually looked down at the grass, she noticed that it was free of anything that might injure her. There wasn’t a branch or stone. She noted how strange this was. But she didn’t hesitate. She picked up her pace until she traveled at a brisk trot.
Eventually, she approached a small pond, the sole feature of the landscape that she’d seen besides the grass and trees. Hannah walked up to it and saw that it was just as still and undisturbed as everything else around her. And as soon as she laid eyes on the water, she became overwhelmed by a deep thirst. Stopping at the water’s edge, she dropped to her knees and formed her hands into a bowl. She scooped handfuls into her mouth. Part of her felt as though she shouldn’t be drinking from a pond in the middle of the woods like this, but she was too thirsty to care.
Once her thirst was satisfied, her eyes fell onto the rippling surface of the pond. She watched the ripples become motionless, and soon the pond was just as calm as it had been. It was so clear and calm that she saw her reflection staring back at her with all the detail of a mirror. Looking over her features, she scrunched up her face. Her eyes, a deep green almost the same shade as the grass around her, moved from her tiny, pert nose, to her full, red, lips, to her oak-colored hair that fell on both sides of her heart-shaped face. Then her vision drifted down to the skimpy clothes on her full-figured body, and she became strangely self-conscious.
She scolded herself. She had no idea why she was dressed like this, but it’s not like there was anyone around to see it.
Before she could have another thought, that same crash sounded through the woods. This time, the crash was so loud and close that Hannah’s reflection in the pool disappeared into another set of ripples. Hannah shot to her feet and, her heart pounding once again, moved in the direction of the noise.
She traveled on, the crash sounding again and again, closer and closer. It sounded to her like the foot-stomping of a huge beast.
This is a bad idea. Why wasn’t she running in the opposite direction? She should run as fast as possible in the opposite direction of whatever the hell that is.
But before she had the chance to reconsider, a shape formed in front of her deep within the trees. Hannah stopped in place, her mouth open and her eyes locked on what was in front of her. At first, it just seemed to be a huge black mass without any sort of actual form, but as it moved toward her, it did have a shape. A huge, muscular one.
Adrenaline rushed through Hannah’s limbs. She wanted to run, but part of her wanted to stay, to see just what it was that she evidently was supposed to find in this strange forest.
Her question was answered when a large, hulking bear stepped out of the shadows.
It was a massive beast, covered in shiny, ink-black fur. Its eyes were a deep red, and its mouth formed a fearsome snarl. As it moved closer, Hannah could see that a long, curving scar cut across its face.
Hannah did nothing at first, her and the bear simply regarding one another from around thirty feet away. She considered the idea that despite its fearsome look, the bear might not be hostile, friendly, even. After all, why would she feel compelled to track it down if it only wanted to hurt her?
But a mighty roar from the bear as it stood up on its hind legs made the reality of the situation clear. She knew that this thing meant to hurt her, and she needed to get away.
Fast.
Hannah turned and broke into a full run in the opposite direction of the bear. Her heart racing, her eyes wide with fear, she ran as fast as she could. Looking over her shoulder, she saw that the bear was easily gaining ground, and would soon be on top of her even as she ran as fast as she could. The muscles of her legs began to burn, and her lungs screamed out as they struggled to fill with air. The booming of the bear’s paws on the forest floor grew louder and louder, and tears welled in Hannah’s eyes as she realized that the thing would soon be on top of her. Her feet seemed to sink into the grassy earth beneath her. Her legs became Jell-O.
I’m going to die. I’m going to die.
Looking over her shoulder, she saw that the bear was nearly close enough to swipe at her with its sharp claws. She could hear the snorting of the bear, and see the fury in its eyes. She lost hope, and there was nothing she could do.
But just as the bear moved mere inches from her, Hannah slammed into something solid. She stumbled backward, her head in a daze from the impact. When she could form a thought in her mind, she figured that she’d run head-first into a tree. But as her vision cleared, it was something else.
It was a…man.
And not just any man. The human before her was tall, with wide, strong shoulders and a body that seemed carved from stone. He wore nothing but a tight pair of dark green hiking pants, every other bit of his toned and beefy body on full display. But Hannah couldn’t make out the face of the man; she was unable to focus on his features.
Turning where she lay, Hannah saw that the bear that had only moments ago been in a full sprint was now frozen in place. It stared at the man, steam shooting from its wet, black nose in spurts. But the man stayed perfectly still, his back straight and his muscles taut and ready. Then, the man opened his mouth and let out a mighty, powerful roar, nearly the same as the one that she’d heard from the bear only moments ago. Hannah turned again to the bear and saw that it was regarding the man, as if not sure what to do.
Hannah’s heart continued to pound. Then, to her shock, the bear snorted one last time before shifting around on its hind legs and taking off into the woods. Hannah turned her attention to the man, her eyes wide.
“What…are you?” she asked, her voice sounding far away.
But the man said nothing. A feeling of safety and security came over Hannah as she sat on the ground near this strange person. Then, the man leaned forward and held out a hand for Hannah to take. She was unsure at first, but soon reached out and clasped it.
Hannah woke, startled and sweaty.
She looked around her, seeing that she was no longer in the forest, but in the same shabby, run-down hotel where she’d gone to sleep the night before. Her body hot, she pulled off the thin, dingy sheets and tossed them aside.
How many more of these goddamn dreams am I going to have? Her chest still rose and fell as she tried to count just how many “running through the forest” dreams she’d had over the last few weeks since she left New York.
Hannah placed her feet on the cheap carpet that covered the floor and checked her phone. She saw that it was a little after seven in the morning—just about time for her to get up. Hannah had been on the road for days, and her trip across the country to California was nearly over. And as she thought back to the long hours in the car, the little money that she had dwindling by the day, she knew that it wasn’t a moment too soon.
Walking to the window and opening the blinds, she squinted at the blast of sunlight. Once she adjusted to the sun, her eyes settled on the parking lot outside of the cheap motel and the highway beyond.
Might as well get this over with.
Hannah showered and dressed, eager to get out of the grungy little highway motel that cost far too much for what she got. Once out of the shower, a towel wrapped around her full body, she hoisted up onto the bed the large suitcase that held all of her worldly possessions—that is, aside from the beat-up Honda Civic in the parking lot. Pulling out some simple but comfortable clothes, she dressed, gathered her things, and headed down to the lobby.
“Checking out,” she said to the wiry older woman behind the counter.
Hannah sniffed the air from the small lobby, the place smelling like stale air and cigarettes. The woman nodded and typed bit on her keyboard.
“Okay, sweetie, you’re all set,” she said.
Then she looked Hannah over with a skeptical glance.
“Where you headed, anyway?” she asked.
“California,” Hannah said. “San Francisco, specifically.”
Right as she said the words, the thought occurred to her that she might not want to give all of the details about her trip to just any stranger who asked.
“I see you got New York plates,” said the woman. “You driving across the country all by yourself?”
“That’s the plan,” Hannah said, now eager to get out of there.
The woman shook her head.
“None of my business, I know, but a pretty young lady like you shouldn’t be traveling alone; lots of crazies out here. Don’t you have a man to drive you?”
“Nope!” Hannah said, her voice coming out strangely to her ears. “Just me.”
“Well,” said the woman, reaching across the counter for the keys. “Be safe now.”
“Okay-bye!” Hannah said, smashing the words together as she dropped the keys into the woman’s hand and hurried out.
Moments later, Hannah was back in her car and on the road. She looked around the interior of the car as she pulled back onto the Nevada highway, the desert stretching out all around her. Her eyes moved from wrapper to wrapper, from soda can to fast food bag. She’d been on the road for days now and was eager to finish the last leg of her trip to San Francisco.
Hannah sighed, shaking her head as she thought back to how her life used to be. Only a couple of months ago, she was living in Brooklyn with her husband Jason, the man she met her freshman year of college, the man who’d been her first, well, everything. They’d graduated from college together, moved to the city to start their new lives with a new wedding band on each of their fingers, and the world seemed to be open before them.
However, a year into their marriage, something was very wrong—Hannah just couldn’t seem to get pregnant. Children for Jason and her had always been part of the plan, and they were both eager to start their new family. But after months of trying, they both realized that something was amiss. A few trips to the doctor later confirmed what they’d both feared more than anything: Hannah might not ever be able to become pregnant.
They both tried to pretend that it was no big deal, that it was just another issue to move past. They joked about getting a few dogs and making them their new “kids.” But deep down, they both knew that this was something they wouldn’t be able to move past.
Then, out of nowhere, Jason broke the news that would shatter Hannah’s world: he’d found someone new, and wanted a divorce. Before Hannah could even realize that her heart was broken, the process was underway. Jason’s father was an attorney, so everything was in place as soon as he said the word. Hannah signed where she needed to, but not knowing anything about the law, she didn’t know how to argue for herself. Once the whole process was said and done, she was left with nothing but her few possessions and her old, beat-up car, the same car that’d she bought in high school.
So, out of options and wanting to get as far away from New York as possible, she called her Aunt Darlene and asked if she could stay at her place in San Francisco for a while, at least until she got her bearings. Her aunt eagerly agreed, and just like that, Hannah was off, on the cusp of starting a new life.
The rest of the drive went by uneventfully, and soon the skyline of San Francisco could be seen in the distance, the towers of the city peeking out of the fog and surrounded by the blue waters of the bay.
Hannah drove through the city, marveling at the new town that she was about to call home. Soon, she pulled up her Aunt’s townhome and parked. Stepping out into the cool, late morning air, she felt a mixture of fear and excitement.
On the porch stood her aunt, her skinny frame wrapped in a quirky shawl, her bright-red-painted lips in a smile as she eagerly waved to Hannah.
“There’s my favorite niece!” she said, running up to Hannah and giving her a big hug.
“I’m your only niece,” Hannah said with a smile as she returned the hug.
“Get on in here, girl,” Darlene said, grabbing Hannah’s bag and hoisting it up the porch.
Moments later, they were seated around the living room table in her aunt’s small but cozy home, the sunlight streaming in around them and steam rising from the fresh cups of coffee on the table.
“Listen,” Darlene said. “I’m so sorry about everything that’s happened to you. I mean, the…news that you got is bad enough, but I can’t believe that little shit Jason just kicked you out on your ass like that. What a fucker!”
Hannah couldn’t help but smile at her aunt’s language.
“I guess when he realized that a family wasn’t going to happen he didn’t want to waste any time,” Hannah said, sadness in her voice.
“But just to leave you like that for some floozy…” Darlene said, wrapping her skinny fingers around her coffee mug. “Anyway! You’re here now, and I have some news.”
“Oh?” asked Hannah, raising her eyebrows.
“Yep,” Darlene said, her already-expressive face lighting up with eagerness to share what she had to say. “My tour directing group is going overseas for a while, so I’m not going to be around for the next month.”
“Really?” asked Hannah. “I’m going to be here alone?”
“That’s right,” Darlene said. “Sorry to do this to you, but duty calls, you know? And you’ll have the run of the place. I mean, you’re a beautiful young lady in a new city; the last thing you want is your crusty old aunt around.”
“Oh, hush,” Hannah said, playfully slapping Darlene’s hand. “I never get to see you; I was hoping we’d have a little time to spend together.”
“We’ll have tonight,” Darlene said. “And you can stay here for however long you want, so I’ll see you when I get back. If you haven’t found your own wonderful place in this little city of ours, that is.”
Hannah sighed.
“Who knows,” she said, looking away. “Rent here isn’t exactly affordable.”
“I’m sure you’ll think of something,” Darlene said. “If I were you, I’d check craigslist for some jobs just to bring in some money. Then you can start looking for roommates. Do you have any experience? With anything?”
“Umm,” thought Hannah out loud. “I have a little experience working as a nanny. Not a ton, just part-time in college to make a little money during summer break.”
“That’s perfect!” Darlene said, patting her hand on the table. “You have no idea how many rich people in this town need someone to look after their kids while they’re at work. So many families where the mom and dad are both working full-time. You can make good money doing that, you know.”
“I don’t know…” Hannah said, shifting in her seat at the idea of being responsible for someone else’s children.
“I bet you’re great at it,” Darlene said. “You’re a sweet girl with a big heart—just the kind of person they’re looking for.”
Hannah’s face reddened.
“Okay,” she said sheepishly. “I’ll look into it.”
“Then it’s settled!” Darlene said. “But for now, I think you need a little relaxing.”
The two of them chatted as they finished their coffee. Once they were done, Darlene took Hannah out into the city, showing her around. After their errands, they went out for lunch. By the time they were done Hannah was already more exhausted than she’d been from her days of driving.
“You can have this room for as long as you need,” Darlene said, standing at the entrance to a small, cozy bedroom. “I’ll make some dinner in a bit; you just relax until then.”
“Thank you so much, Darlene,” Hannah said. “For everything.”
“Don’t even worry about it,” she said. “You’ve been through a lot, so take all the time you need to get back on your feet.”
With that, she left Hannah alone. Hannah fell onto her bed, her mind unspooling from the events of the last few weeks that she now had something of a break from. She closed her eyes for a time, not quite falling asleep but not quite staying awake. And when she did, the images from her dreams, that of the forest and the bears, flooding back into her mind. After a time, she snapped her eyes open and saw that the room was darker than it had been when she laid down. Checking her phone, she saw that she’d been asleep for two hours. From the open door to her room, the smell of cooking food wafted in.
There was no sense in waiting on the job hunt. She sat up in bed and pulled out her laptop.
Once it was booted up, she began scouring craigslist for nanny ads. There were a few, but some seemed to be ads for “live-in maids,” which had subtexts that she picked up on right away. After a little searching, she found an ad that caught her eye.
NANNY NEEDED FOR HIGH-POWERED CLIENTELLE, it read in big, bold font. HIGH PAY, BENEFITS, AND LIVE-IN WORK. POSITIONS AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY!
Hannah was intrigued. She read more of the ad, and saw that it seemed right what she was looking for. Then, a strange sentence caught her eye.
NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT AND THOROUGH BACKGROUND CHECK REQUIRED.
Hannah raised an eyebrow. A background check made sense, but a non-disclosure agreement? What could that possibly be for?
Hannah didn’t spend too much time thinking the matter over. She pulled up her resume and updated it, feeling a little ashamed at how little she had to put on it. She typed up a quick introductory letter and sent it off.
Probably won’t hear anything back from them. She figured she might as well get used to putting herself out there.
Closing her computer, she headed downstairs and saw that Darlene was putting the finishing touches on dinner. She sat down with her aunt and ate the delicious meal of pot roast and vegetables, and when she was done she plopped down on the couch to let everything digest. Darlene poured them both a glass of wine and the two of them settled in for a little TV to unwind.
But about once Hannah had drunk about half of her glass, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She slipped it out and saw that she had a new email. Checking it, her eyes widened when she saw that it was from the nanny agency.
Ms. Ashford, it started, after carefully reviewing your resume, we at Ladon Nanny Services feel that you would potentially make a wonderful addition to our team. We’re interested in having you come in for an interview tomorrow at nine am. Please respond if we can expect you.
Hannah couldn’t believe how fast she’d been responded to.
“What’s up?” asked Darlene.
“Nothing,” Hannah said. “I mean, I applied for a job for some nanny company and they already want to interview with me.”
“See?” asked Darlene, clasping her hands together. “I told you you’d land on your feet in no time.”
Hannah forced a smile.
“You going to respond?” asked Darlene.
“I suppose so,” Hannah said, beginning her email.
Once it sent and her interview confirmed, Hannah slipped her phone back into her pocket and took another sip of her wine.
She realized that this was good fortune, certainly, but Hannah couldn’t shake the strange feeling she had.