4. Dana
I sometimes feel Michael’s touch whisper across my skin. It’s usually nothing more than the wind blowing, but it returns me to our time together. It reminds me how his hands explored my body as he whispered dirty words against the shell of my ear when we were alone in his room.
I knew I gave up a lot when I chose to align myself with Jessa, but I didn’t realize just how much until that night with Michael when he held me up against the wall, wedged his muscular leg between my thighs and?—
“Want me to take out the garbage?” I’m deep in thought, and Tyler has somehow made it across the coffee shop without me noticing.
It’s a good thing I’m not on the run anymore. My stealth skills are lacking.
“Thank you, Tyler. Is it already that time?” I glance at the clock on the wall, then I answer myself. “Wow, only half an hour left. Okay. After you’re done, check on Kaley and tell her to take off early too. I’ll pay you both for your full shifts. I’m good to close up. I’m going to run some treats out to the people who are renting the Miller cabin, let them know there’s a coffee shop in town. Can I borrow your car? I rode my bike into town this morning.” I point at my mountain bike locked up out front.
“Sure. I’ll catch a ride home with Kaley. My car’s parked out back. I’ll get it tomorrow.” Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out his keys and slides them across the table, then heads into the back to close up the kitchen.
Like every other day, closing doesn’t take long. We never have a last-minute surge of customers like I’d expect in larger cities. Our lunch-hour rush once consisted of seven people in the shop at the same time, and that’s as busy as it’s ever been.
Mostly we do lunch runs for a couple of businesses nearby, and Dale’s bar hires us for special events sometimes.
Our afternoons are spent baking or slowly preparing to close up. It doesn’t bother me much. This company can afford to lose some money each month. It gives me something to do, and it helps a couple of these kids with a job, which are hard to come by in areas like this.
“We’re all done. You okay here?” Tyler asks as he and Kaley walk to the front door with their jackets on.
“I’m good. I’ll be back in town in an hour if you need your car tonight. Just let yourself in, and I’ll put the keys in the same spot. Don’t forget to lock up if you come back.” I wave, and they echo their goodbyes as the bell above the door jingles on their exit.
I lock the door behind them, then turn off the open sign in the front window. On my way to the back, I grab my bag and jacket. Picking up the basket of brownies and muffins, I decide to let myself out the back door since the car is in the alley behind the shop.
* * *
The drive to the Millers’ cabin is a scenic one, passing a hiking trail and falls. The sun is still fairly high in the sky at 5:00 p.m., and I get to drive past my favorite area up here. I roll down the windows of Tyler’s rickety old Jeep to hear the water rushing in the distance.
Rounding the bend, I pass a small rest area I’ve cycled to before. I ride my bike out here and hike this trail every couple of weeks. I can’t see the waterfall from the road, but I hear the whoosh of the water as I pass it. I probably would have biked out here tonight, except the steep declines on the road after this point are too strenuous to cycle up.
Life is so different than it was a year ago. Learning to slow down to fit in with the people around me was the hardest part. Jessa and I were always looking over our shoulders. There was always something going on.
Now I’m in a town where time shuffles lazily down the street at a slower pace than the tumbleweeds. Trying to keep my mind busy while looking like I have nowhere to be is a challenge, and this little hiking trail is one of the places I go to escape.
At first, I walked the short mile to the falls. Then I worked up to walking half of the three-mile trail to the second and larger set of falls. Then I walked the whole trail. Now I’m up to running in and walking out.
Nothing is happening in or near town tonight. The middle of the week is the quietest. Maybe I’ll talk to Gerri about hosting something at the coffee shop once a month, to get everyone out and give me something to do. The kids could pick up some extra money if they want to work it.
My thoughts carry me away, and I almost miss the dirt road that leads to the Millers’ cabin. A few bumps along the overgrown path, and I’m at the end of the driveway.
It looks like the group is gone. There are no vehicles here like Gerri said there were earlier. In case they’re out, I park the car off to the side of the road, leaving the driveway open. I have a card in the basket with a map to our shop, and I plan to hang it on the door handle.
Walking down the driveway to the cabin, I almost clear the trees when I notice someone around the side of the house. A man moves in the distance; his dirty blonde hair catches my eye, and a familiarity creeps in, chilling my bones and stopping me dead in my tracks.
A little voice in my head starts to jabber at me to turn and leave, but my feet won’t budge as the person rounds the side of the house carrying a box.
Logan.
He hasn’t looked up yet, and I’m terrified to move.
All my options race through my head as I stand here silently, hoping he walks into the cabin without looking my way.
There is no reason for him to be here—no reason but one: me.
As he turns to walk up the stairs, I don’t wait another moment. Shutting everything out, I instinctively start planning my next steps. I spin on my heels, drop the food, and sprint toward Tyler’s Jeep. I hear the creak of the front door followed by a faint alarm ringing, and I look over my shoulder as Logan turns just in time to see me hit the front of the vehicle.
He bolts off the stairs and runs up the driveway at top speed, closing in on me as I get the keys into the ignition and the vehicle coughs to life.
“DANA, STOP?—”
My real name fills my head, drowning out the rest of his words, and my heartbeat pounds in my ears, deafening the world around me.
That’s it.
My name.
My real name.
This is really happening.
What’s my next step?
As I hit the gas, rocks spray the trees behind me, and I turn the wheel hard to make it back onto the dirt road. When I glance in the rearview mirror, Logan comes to a stop, standing in the middle of the road before he turns back to the cabin.
Of all the people to come face-to-face with, he is one of the worst. Memories of the morning I ran from the compound return, and my previous life breaks through the floodgates into my present. My knuckles turn white as I grip the steering wheel to stop my arms from shaking.
I am thankful for small mercies. If it had been Michael standing there instead of Logan, I don’t know if I’d have had enough wits about me to get away.
Michael. Just the thought of him makes my eyes sting with tears.
I connected with him in a way I never allowed myself to with anyone else. I had started to let him in, and it killed me to push him back out.
If Logan is here, there is a chance Michael is too, and I don’t trust myself to make the right decisions in his presence.
The Jeep hits the main road into town, and I have only one stop to make before I disappear. I’ve hidden everything at the coffee shop. I’ll get in, grab my stuff, and be out of town before the sun goes down. Once I’m safely away, I’ll send Tyler some money for a new car.
The vehicle screeches to a stop in front of the shop. My knuckles ache when I pry my fingers from the wheel. I can’t let my fear cause any mistakes, and I take a deep, steadying breath as I near the entrance of my shop.
Before I unlock the front door, a voice behind me catches me off guard. I spin around and jump when I see Kaley leaning out of the driver’s side window of her car.
“Everything okay, Kim?” My fake name feels so foreign to me now. Dana is on the run, but it is Kim who is letting this town down.
“Yeah, Kaley. I’m f-fine,” I stutter as I glance up and down the empty street, trying to catch my breath before I turn back toward the shop and fumble with my keys.
From behind me, the engine shuts off and a car door opens.
My panic sinks into my stomach.
“Are you sure? Something looks wrong. Do you need help?” Kaley’s kindness is going to get her killed, just like…Jessa.
The thought makes me ill, and I turn back to face her. I know I don’t look okay. I don’t have time to look okay.
Meeting her in the street, I put both hands on her shoulders to stop her mid-step and spin her back toward her car. As I walk behind her, my entire body shakes, and my hands become sweaty.
“Don’t ask me any questions. You need to get out of here now. Please, Kaley. Just go. You can’t be here. I can’t tell you why. Just leave right now, and don’t come back here tonight. GO!” I open her door, physically sit her in her car, and shut the door behind her.
Her face pales as she starts the engine. I must look terrified.
“Yeah—sure—okay.” She draws out her last word. Her answer is hesitant, and I point up the road to send her away. As I back up, she drives off down a side street, and I turn back to the shop and unlock the front door.
The bell echoes its jingle into the deserted street.
Without stopping to check anything, I race to the supply room. Hidden away behind six months of stock is my backpack. I created one last go bag like Jessa taught me. I open it and find everything I need to get away, everything except the hard drive with all the extra files I made when I first came here.
As I head to its hiding spot, the bell above the door tolls, and my heart drops into the pit of my stomach as I hurry to the front.
Standing at the entrance to my shop is Michael.