Chapter 10
Tilda
Music is playing.
I blink my eyes open, and it takes me a second to remember where I am.
I’m sprawled on the ugly brown couch, with an empty bowl of popcorn and an empty bowl of soup on the low coffee table in front of me.
I groan as I sit upright.
While my soup was heating, I ventured through the living room and decided to open the top drawer of the dresser that the TV is sitting on. And then I grinned. Because it was full of DVDs. Spines up, titles on display, the entire drawer was filled with them.
So was the next drawer and the next… Every drawer. Completely stuffed.
Turning on the TV, I knew there was no cable. Not even the usual over-air channels, or whatever they’re called. And without internet, I couldn’t stream anything. So finding a bunch of DVDs… better than finding gold.
At first glance, they seemed to be in random order. But then I noticed that each drawer had a genre. And within that, each drawer was alphabetized.
Disney. Documentaries. Action Movies. Rom-coms. TV sitcoms. And the bottom drawer… all WWE wrestling videos.
I snorted a laugh when I found those.
Since internet is probably out of my budget, and because I’m not picky about my entertainment, I opted to start with the top drawer, first on the left. Which is how I fell asleep to A Bug’s Life.
It’s summer, but man, it’s not hot up here at night at… whatever elevation this is. And since I was too lazy to get up for a blanket, my legs are cold.
I roll out my neck, then get to my feet and circle the coffee table. I’ll deal with the dishes tomorrow.
Rubbing my eyes, I make my way to the bathroom and pat myself on the back for putting my toothbrush in my purse, and not in some random box I have yet to open.
I keep my eyes mostly closed while I brush my teeth, wanting to go right back to sleep, but as I sit on the toilet, I notice the same thing I’ve noticed all day.
The silence.
Not just quiet. Silence.
Bone deep. No sounds at all. Proof you’re completely alone, type of silence.
My nerves tingle and my heart rate picks up.
If only there was a local sexy ranger who wasn’t a total turd and could keep me company.
Hands washed, I turn off the bathroom light, then go back into the living room.
I know it’s locked.
I’m positive.
But I still move to the front door and make sure.
Then I make sure all the windows are latched.
Then I double-check that the door to the back deck is also locked, even though there are no stairs down to the ground from the deck. It’s not so high off the ground that someone couldn’t climb it.
When I’m positive every opening to the outside is secure, I turn off the living room lights.
But when I stop in front of the TV, I don’t turn it off. Instead, I hit Play on the DVD player.
The movie starts again as I walk into my bedroom.
Maybe someday I’ll get used to the soundless nights out here on the top of a mountain.
But not today.
Not my first night.