Chapter 7 #2
He didn’t give me any information about when to come, but I bet he’s waiting for me all the same.
He probably knew I’d come as soon as possible after witnessing the situation I was in.
Or maybe this is simply an empty house, a refuge he knew I needed.
I can’t deny that I’d be a little disappointed if he wasn’t there, though.
He has saved me from my circumstances when I wasn’t strong enough to leave on my own. The least I can do is thank him.
My hands shake as I take my suitcase, and my knees are on the verge of buckling with every step I take.
The bus pulls away in a cloud of exhaust, leaving me standing on a crumbling concrete slab as the cool evening air settles around my shoulders. The town's few buildings cluster nearby—a post office, a general store with its closed sign already displayed, a diner with windows still lit.
It’s eight o' clock, and I'm twenty miles from my destination with night closing in, in a place where I know no one. The enormity of what I've done hits me all at once. I’ve left behind my entire life with nothing but a suitcase and an address that might lead nowhere.
I take a deep breath of the thin mountain air and glance around.
A young couple, probably in their early twenties, stands near the parking lot. The woman hangs up her phone after a low conversation, and they chat as they stand there, like they're waiting for someone to come pick them up. This might be my only chance.
I make my way over to them, though I leave a fair amount of space between us. “Excuse me,” I call out in a soft voice as I put on the hopeful yet pained expression of a woman down on her luck.
Their eyes snap to me.
“I’m so sorry to bother you,” I say with feigned dejection, “but I left my phone on the bus. I don't suppose there's any sort of taxi service or Ubers out here that you could call for me? I'd be happy to give you cash.”
The lie comes easily, my years of practice coming in handy. It helps that I look younger than I am, and the outfit I'm wearing is classy but casual. I wanted to look nice for my mystery man when I met him, even though he’s already seen me at my worst.
“No Ubers or taxis out here, I'm afraid,” the man says with the southern lilt indicative of someone who's spent their life in rural Appalachia. “But her dad's comin' to pick us up real soon, and I'm sure we can give ya a lift if it's not too far.”
“Thank you so much.” The relief in my voice isn't feigned this time. Thank goodness for southern hospitality.
Unfortunately for me, that southern hospitality goes hand-in-hand with small talk.
“What brings ya out here?”
“Family,” I lie. “My uncle moved out here a long time ago, but he needs some help with fixing up his house now that he’s getting older. Figured I’d come help out and get away from the city for a while.”
They nod in unison. “It’s beautiful up here,” the girl says with a smile. “Not nearly as much to do as there is in the city, but it’s so much more peaceful.”
I nod. “I bet. I’m excited to get away from it all.” Understatement of the century.
Just then, a red 2000s Chevy truck pulls into the lot. The couple waves to the man in the truck, and when he pulls up alongside us, I give him a sheepish smile.
“Hey, Dad. Can we give her a ride to her uncle’s house? Poor thing left her phone on the bus.”
He scratches his beard. “Sure, but I don’t know how y’all are gonna fit in this little truck.” Shit. It’s a small truck, one with a front seat that can barely fit three people.
“I can ride in the back if that’s okay,” I say quickly, gesturing to the bed of the truck.
The girl frowns. “I feel bad.”
“Seriously, you guys giving me a ride is incredibly generous, and I have no other option. I’d be more than happy to ride in the back. Plus, it’s a beautiful night.” I flash a smile, which seems to put them at ease.
“If you say so.” The girl shrugs and hops into the middle seat.
“Do you know the address you’re headed to?” The girl’s father asks.
“Oh, right.” I pull the paper with directions from the front pocket of my backpack and hand it to him.
His daughter types it into her phone and shows him the location on the map.
He furrows his brow and glances up at me.
“You sure this is the right place?”
I nod, even though I’ve never been less sure of anything in my life.
“Alright, then.”
The younger man loads their suitcases into the truck bed, and I do the same before climbing in and sitting on the dusty, rusted metal.
The truck jolts to a start, and soon we’re taking sharp turns through mountain back roads, snaking through the thicket of trees.
My hair whips in the cool evening air, but I can’t bring myself to care about how tangled it will be.
Anxious anticipation wells in my chest with every minute that passes, and I don’t know if it’s hope or fear taking hold. Maybe both.
This is undoubtedly the biggest leap of faith I’ve ever taken. But my mystery man watching me without harming me shows he’s not an immediate threat, and the address in my pocket was undoubtedly placed there by him. How, I’m not sure, but I intend to find out everything.
Twilight paints the sky in a bruised purple that’s quickly fading to the blackness of night. Finally, the truck slows and turns into a driveway but stops before an old, wrought iron gate.
This is it.
Butterflies take flight in my stomach as I hop up and swing my feet over the side of the truck, finding the foothold before stepping down and heaving my suitcase with me.
The driver rolls down his window. “This the right place?” he asks, skepticism still etched on his expression.
I nod and reach toward my pocket. “Yeah. Thank you so much for the ride. I have cash if—”
“No need,” he interrupts. “I’m happy to help.”
“Well, thank you again.”
He casts a uneasy glance around and lowers his voice. “One more thing. They say the devil lives in these woods, and I’m inclined to believe there’s some truth to that. Be careful.”
His warning raises chills on my skin, but I shake them off and nod my head. It’s not like I have many other options now.
The rumbling of his truck fades as they drive off, and it’s then that I realize just how isolated I am. No neighbors for miles—at least as far as I could tell—and all alone in the dense mountain woods. But this may be a new start for me, as long as he’s here. As long as he’s real.
No going back now.
I take a deep but shaky breath and push the gate. It’s unlocked, and it creaks with the slow movement.
The sound of gravel crunching under my feet is barely audible over the blood rushing in my ears.
As I round the curve in the driveway, the two-story, A-frame cabin comes into view, and the yellow light by the front door light casts a soft glow on the wooden porch.
Like he’s waiting for me, I think. My stomach twists with anxiety as I get closer, each of my grating steps in the gravel signaling my approach.
I carry my suitcase, not wanting to roll it and fill the air with the heavy noise.
Almost there.
I’m only a few feet from the porch steps when the door swings open, and my breath catches in my throat as he steps into view.
Oh my god, it’s really him.
But as soon as our eyes connect, my heart drops into my stomach. His sinister smile and sharp gaze aren’t welcoming—they’re smug. Assessing. Predatory.
My blood runs cold, and my suitcase hits the ground with a heavy thud as the reality of my situation slams into me and steals the breath from my lungs.
He tricked me.
And I was desperate enough to walk right into his trap.