Chapter 10 #2
She looked up. “I guess.” She gave a short laugh. “I just dumped all this on you and I have no idea who you are. But you’ve got a good dog, so I guess you’re a good person.”
That sort of stung, because many would not consider me a good person given my past. I’d done some terrible things.
I fumbled for the right words. “The trail isn't going to give you courage.
And finishing or not finishing doesn't prove anything about whether you can leave him.” I leaned forward.
“You already showed you have the courage. You got out of the car with him watching. Furious as you say. Walked away. That took strength. That was brave.”
“But I’m quitting.”
I shook my head. “This is my third time.”
“You quit?” she was surprised.
“Twice,” I lied. Getting caught up with killers in Rocky Start the first time and then mercenaries the second wasn’t exactly quitting but I didn’t think this was the appropriate time for picky details.
“But that’s not the issue,” I said. “I was walking for the wrong reason. To try and put distance between me and my problem.”
“Did it?”
I shook my head. “No. It was ignoring my problem. Which works short term but is just temporary.”
She looked up at me, confused. “But everyone says—”
“Everyone says a lot of things. But nobody else is living your life. Nobody else knows what you’re facing.” I paused. “Have you spoken to him since you’ve been on the trail? Called?”
A spasm of fear crossed her face. “He’s called. A bunch of times. Left messages. The cell coverage is spotty. Told me to stop this nonsense. I haven’t answered. Probably driving him nuts. That was dumb, not answering.”
“Do you have kids?”
She shook her head.
“Are you afraid of him?”
She nodded. “The messages have been getting angrier. I’m afraid he’ll come after me and bring me home. And he can track me on my phone.”
“Why not turn it off?”
“He’ll know.”
That didn’t make sense, but it did. A form of Stockholm Syndrome. “Jenna, do you have somewhere safe you can go? Besides back to him?”
“My sister lives in Florida. She’s been telling me to leave him for two years. But she doesn’t understand—it’s not that simple. There’s money, the house, his parents . . .” She shook her head. “It’s all tangled up.”
“And he knows where your sister lives,” I added.
She nodded.
“If you could disappear. Start a new life. Would you?”
She blinked. “No one can do that.”
“I know an entire town where many of the people have done exactly that. It’s where I ended up.”
She was staring at me.
“I’m going to give you a piece of information. What you do with it is your choice.”
She watched warily.
“The town flooded in the last storm. It’s on the Tennessee-North Carolina border.
So we all had to evacuate, most to Asheville.
But we’ll be going back once the road is opened.
There’s a woman named Coral. She’s older.
Tough.” A former East German honeypot, I didn’t add.
“Runs the bakery in town. And, once we can go back, we’re going to need all the help we can get to get the town running again.
You’d be more than welcome.” I pulled out my small notepad and pencil.
I wrote Coral’s cell number on it. “She’s good people.
Doesn't ask questions. Just helps. She’s in Asheville right now. ”
“I don't have money for—"
“Don’t worry about that money. It will keep you from acting.
I know it’s pretty dramatic. Walking away from your old life.
You’re the only one who knows your situation.
But Coral is there and she has a couple of other people from our town with her.
Luke and Jackie. Luke can handle any trouble,” I understated as I handed her the piece of paper.
“Why are you doing this?” she asked, suspicious. “You don’t even know me.”
I gave her a bit of truth. “In my old life I did some hostage rescue missions.”
Her eyes flashed. “You think I’m a hostage?”
“You aren’t right now,” I said, fearing I’d misspoke.
“I just think you need an option you didn’t know existed.
” I stood, shouldering my pack. "Look, I’m not telling you what to do.
Go back to him, go to your sister’s, call Coral, don’t call anyone.
Your choice. But you have one more option than you had. ”
She looked at the paper in her hand. “He’d be insanely angry.”
“Probably.”
“He’d try to find me.”
“People don’t get found in our town.”
“He’ll tell everyone I’m crazy. That I ruined our marriage. That I was the problem.”
“You won’t be there to know.”
Jenna was quiet for a long time, staring at the paper. Maggs stayed pressed against her, a warm, solid presence.
“What if I can’t do it?” she whispered.
“Can’t do what? Leave him?”
“Any of it. What if I’m just . . . broken?”
“You’re not broken. You’re hurt. There’s a difference.
” I crouched down to her level, my knees aching a bit with the weight of the pack.
Shit, I was getting old. “Jenna, three days ago you got out of that car with him expecting you not to. That’s not broken.
That’s someone fighting to survive. That was taking an action. ”
“If I call this Coral. What do I even say?”
“You say ‘Max told me to call. I need help’. That’s it. She’ll take it from there.”
Jenna folded the paper carefully, put it in her pocket. “Thank you.”
I adjusted my pack straps. “Be safe. Whatever you decide.”
“Wait.” She stood up and pulled something from her pack. A protein bar. “Take this. You gave me something valuable. It’s only fair.”
I took it, recognizing the gesture for what it was. An exchange. Making this a transaction instead of charity. Preserving her dignity.
“Thank you.”
She nodded, and I started up the trail with Maggs.
Didn’t look back. Didn’t watch to see what she’d do next.
That was her choice, her life, her escape to plan or not plan.
If I had to put odds on it, I’d say she’d go back to him.
We’d rather have the hell we’re comfortable with than the fearful unknown.
During my next break, I prepared a text message to Coral.
Woman named Jenna
Needs a safe place
Maybe a new life
Gave her your number
Max
I didn’t add that I doubted she’d call.
I moved on. Two young guys, moving fast, came up from behind and passed me with just a brief nod and they were gone. I was surprised to feel a bit put off by that. Rude. Except that was the way I’d passed people before. If I’d even bothered to stay on the trail.
I checked my app and looked up what was ahead in terms of shelters, something I’d only done before to avoid them. I was going to have to bite the bullet sooner or later. I decided to skip the next one, Woods Hole, and go on to Blood Mountain. Mainly because I liked the name.
Since it was just a smidge under fourteen miles from where I’d spent the previous night, I got to Blood Mountain well before dark.
The last stretch was a scramble, with the trail right next to some pretty steep drops.
When I got there, I immediately regretted my decision.
There was no one else around, but the shelter, a stone, two room, building with a fireplace in it, smelled of too many unwashed bodies passing through with little ventilation.
Also, since it was near the top of a peak, there was no water source.
And no privy, which didn’t bother me, there was all this nature around me.
Plus, I suspected the shelter would be overrun with mice and other small critters due to poor food discipline.
I scouted around and found a relatively level spot among a pile of large boulders to spend the night.
I was tempted to push on, but I figured this might be a good place to be in the vicinity of a shelter.
I’d be outside and most normal people would go inside.
Plus, I couldn’t be seen from the shelter where I was at.
I settled down and took the time to make a proper meal. I realized I’d always cooked in a rush before. As if there was a clock on it. Maggs lay down, her muzzle on her paws, her dark eyes watching me. She was probably wondering what had happened to me, what with all the talking to people.
A young couple arrived and disappeared into the shelter. When my dinner was ready, I took it with me along with my canteen and climbed up on top of the rocks. The view from here was spectacular and I settled down to eat, Maggs next to me.
As I finished, Maggs ears perked up and I heard someone climbing up. I was surprised when Boone appeared, carefully making his way along the rocks. Then Claire. She seemed as surprised to see us. Maggs tail began wagging.
Claire nodded at me and sat on the edge of the rock, feet dangling. Boone settled down next to Maggs, a kindred spirit. Claire and the dog looked exhausted.
“We meet again,” I said.
Claire gave a wan smile and something that might have been relief crossed her face before she shuttered it away. “Max. And Maggs. Although those aren’t your trail names.”
“We have trail names already?” I asked.
Trail names were a tradition. Of course, on my previous excursions I doubted I’d been baptized with one since I avoided people. And if I had had a name, I’d never talked to anyone to learn what it was.
Claire nodded. “Oh yeah. The Spook and the Shadow.”
I wasn’t thrilled with that. Too close to the truth.
“What about you?” I asked.
She shook her head. “I don’t want to know, and no one has told me. But I have a feeling I won’t like whatever someone comes up with. You get to reject a name, you know.”
I shrugged. “I haven’t heard anyone mention it so I’m not going to worry about it.
She managed a tired smile. “You’re making better time than we are.”
“About two hours ahead of you,” I said. “I stopped early today.”
Claire was pulling off one of her boots. She put it to the side, then peeled off the sock. “That’s not good,” she said.
“Blister?”