CHAPTER 1
“ Nikki! Not so close!” Worry laced Jasmine’s words, bringing Nikki to a halt. A few loose stones skittered over the cliff’s edge and pinged against the rocks.
“Don’t worry, Jas, I got this.” Nikki closed her eyes. The warmth of the spring sun on her shoulders was in stark contrast to the cool, damp spray prickling her cheeks. A moment’s respite, that’s all she wanted, and the waterfall’s roar did its best to drown out the lonely voice in her head telling her she wasn’t good enough.
“Please, Nik, come back.”
With a soft sigh, Nikki opened her eyes and glanced at Jasmine. She wore a red bandana around her head, the knot tied at her temple. Her brown hair flared around her ears, framing her features and accentuating her deep green eyes etched with unease.
Nikki tightened her fingers around her backpack straps. A couple of rhinestones on her bracelet caught the light, sending a cascade of brilliance over Jasmine’s white tank top. “Wahclella Falls is beautiful this time of year. I wish I could dive in.”
Jasmine pursed her mouth and laugh lines formed around her eyes. “Of course, you would. Just don’t stand so close to the ledge, okay? You make me nervous.”
“I’m fine, Jas. Really, I am.” Nikki stepped back from the rim.
Jasmine gripped Nikki’s hand, and she drew away, her shoulders tightening at the contact.
A slow, resigned sigh eased from Jasmine, and she wrapped her fingers around her hiking stick. “Let’s go. We need to leave if we’re going to make it back before nightfall. You want to do a marathon session of the Underworld movies?”
Nikki rubbed the back of her neck. Surprised at the hike invitation in the first place, she wasn’t sure why Jasmine would put in the time to try to get to know her better. They were work buddies, nothing more. The hike was a nice diversion, but a few more hours of studying were on tonight’s agenda.
“Sorry, Jas. As much as I like all things paranormal, I have a major test tomorrow. If I don’t pass, I don’t graduate, and I’ll have to return to classes in the fall. No way do I want to see Professor Chandler again.” Besides, without the master’s degree, she couldn’t apply for the open management position at Zumitel, the software company she devoted her life to these days.
“Aw,” Jasmine scrunched her nose, “all right, but I want a rain check.”
“Sure, no problem.” Nikki glanced at the majestic waterfall one last time then followed Jasmine down the path.
The heel of Nikki’s sneaker skittered over a wet stone protruding from the mud, and she placed her hand along a tree trunk to steady herself. This part of the trail hugged the precipitous hillside, skirting down a vast ravine.
Jasmine peered over her shoulder. “I’m glad we came here today. I didn’t think the rain would ever end.”
“Yeah, springtime in Portland can be a drag sometimes, but the summers are so worth it. At least I can check the first waterfall of the season off my list like James and I…” Nikki’s throat tightened. James had shared her love of waterfalls and last year they’d put together a list of the best ones in the Columbia River Gorge, marking off each beautiful cascade they discovered.
Jasmine huffed. “Forget about James. He’s not worth another moment of your time.”
Handsome, smart, and kind, James had showered Nikki with affection, but it hadn’t lasted. Soon after, she’d discovered his binge drinking only to watch it morph into a daily occurrence just a few months into their relationship. After her father’s addiction destroyed her family, Nikki couldn’t handle another alcoholic in her life, so she’d said her goodbyes and moved on. “Don’t worry, Jas. I’m all about my career—”
A loud rumble shook the ground. Pebbles rained along the dirt.
One hit Nikki on the shoulder. Another grazed her ear. She glanced up.
Trees, plants, and rocks tumbled toward them at breakneck speed.
Nikki shoved Jasmine forward, down the path, and toward a large boulder. Jasmine screamed, and Nikki lost her footing. She buckled to the ground. Her knees jarred painfully against rocks littering the path.
“Nikki!” Jasmine’s voice echoed, competing with the crashing of tree branches and rolling mud.
The deafening roar ricocheted in Nikki’s ears, eclipsing her scream. She scrambled backward, up the trail in the direction they’d come. A stone pelted her on the shin. Blood pooled from the cut. Fear snaked its way into her stomach, coiling into a tight ball. She continued to scramble up the path, forcing her limbs to move despite the rocks digging into her palms.
A Douglas fir, followed by a rhododendron bush, slid down the mountainside chased by several more giant trees with spear-like branches that rushed toward her. Boulders from the size of toasters to refrigerators crashed and rolled along with a wave of mud. She winced, her heart racing, and braced for the possible impact.
The landslide roared past her and slowed. A few pebbles bounced over the debris.
The trail no longer existed.
Nikki’s pulse pounded. She scanned the trees on the other side of the wreckage. “Jas!”
Jasmine rose from behind a boulder. Her fingers, bloody and raw, gripped the edge of a tree that remained rooted in place.
Relief flooded through Nikki’s bloodstream.
Jasmine’s features tightened. “Nikki. Be careful. Back up slowly.”
So focused on Jasmine, Nikki hadn’t assessed her situation. One foot dangled over the trail’s broken ledge. She gripped a tree root, the gnarled ends eerily similar to long pointy claws. At the bottom of the ravine, trees rested in a tangled, broken heap. She shivered.
It was one thing to stand at the edge of a cliff overlooking a waterfall, quite another to stare into the depths of an abyss up close and personal. The hair at her nape rose. “I can’t move.”
“Look at me, Nik,” Jasmine commanded.
Nikki peered at her workmate.
Jasmine nodded in encouragement. “You can do this. Hold on to that tree and move back. I’ll be right here.”
Nikki reached further into the exposed tree’s roots and curled her fingers around the sturdiest one. The muscles in her arms shook. She forced her gaze to return to Jasmine. “I’m scared.”
“I’d be surprised if you weren’t. Now, scoot back, slowly.”
A bead of sweat slid down Nikki’s cheek. She’d had to rely on herself for so much of her life, she could do this, too. Pulling on her inner strength, she crawled up the path.
A few small pebbles dislodged from the edge and pinged against a downed tree. The sound ricocheted through the still air.
Nikki held her breath. Beneath her feet, the ground remained solid.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
With careful, measured movements, she scooted up the trail. She reached level ground and stood, leaning against a tree. A tremble started in her calves and spread up her thighs.
“I did it,” she choked, the sound morphing into a relieved laugh.
“You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?”
Nikki exhaled, long and slow. “No, I’m okay.”
“Nik, there’s no other way out. I’ll return to the car and find a ranger. I won’t be gone long.”
Nikki glanced into the sky. Tinged pink, a few small clouds reflected the setting sun’s rays. I may have to spend the night out here. The errant thought traipsed through Nikki’s mind like an unwanted visitor. She forced herself to smile. “I’ll be okay. There’s some trail mix, water, and a mini flashlight in my pack.”
“I saw a few trees in a thicket not too far up the path. Wait there, but don’t go any farther. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Jasmine gave her a thumbs-up then took off down the trail.
As the pounding of her sneakers receded, an eerie quiet settled over the forest, a peaceful contradiction to the landslide’s violent chaos. Goosebumps rose along Nikki’s arms.
“There are worse things than spending the night in a cold, dark forest.” She’d hoped saying the words would ease some of the tension in her shoulders. It hadn’t. Instead, she tightened her grip on her backpack strap, drew her courage around her like a cloak, and headed toward the small thicket of trees. Despite her forced bravery, the twilight descended, and she couldn’t quite shake the sense of foreboding that tingled the hairs along her nape.