Chapter Two
I crawled into the cave and lay down. What else could I do? I kept praying, asking God over and over to please send someone to find me.
I was really ticked off at myself. First, I get lost. Then, I scare away some freaky chick with a dog and a gun. And now, here I am spazing out because I was lost and didn't know where my daddy was. I was pathetic.
I sucked in a deep breath and let it out in a huff. I sat up and scratched my head. Let's see, what to do. . . . . I looked around and crawled outta the cave. Slowly, I stood up and searched the trees. Hmmm. . . . . I saw what could've possibly been a trail. "Well, it's all I got to work with for now," I said under my breath. I started following the path.
* * * *
I looked at my watch. 11:05. Mom would get back in about four hours.
"Okay," I breathed. "Nothing to worry about. Mom and Dad will never find out." I took a few more calming breaths and stood up.
Cautiously, I walked downstairs toward the back door. I cracked open the blinds and peered out the window. Nothing. Red whined causing me to jump. "I didn't know you were there silly girl," I cooed, rubbing his head. She wagged her tail then shuffled around in place. The potty dance. I laughed quietly and opened the back door. She shot outta there. I followed.
Standing on the back porch, I looked and listened. I saw. . . . nothing. A bird flew out of a nearby tree and I jumped again. "Goodness gracious, Shirley – it's just a bird," I scolded myself.
I sat down on the steps. I couldn't help but think of him. He was so. . . . something. I knew there had to be a word out there that could describe this mysterious pursuer, but I wasn't sure what. How 'bout creepy or dangerous or out of place, I thought sarcastically.
Out in the distance, through the trees, I heard Red bark followed by a human yelp. Petrified, I ran inside and grabbed my gun. Racing back outside, I froze halfway out the door. What was I doing? I could get myself into even more trouble! I thought, walking backwards into the house. No,no – you're just hearing things. Red just treed somethin' and now you gotta go catch it, myself argued. "Great, now I'm talking to myself and myself is answering," I grumbled as I strode down the steps at a brisk pace.
I quietly strode through the trees to where I heard Red fighting – or trying to – with something. I froze in my tracks when I saw what it was. Him. He was back. He was being attacked by my dog. Now what was I gonna do. Well, I decided to do what any sane – or mostly sane – girl would do: I fired my gun.
* * * *
Out of nowhere the dog appears again and started attacking me! Caught by surprise, I hollered. He had chased me onto some nearby boulders but not before he bit my arm and clawed my leg. He was tryin' to jump up on the rocks with me when a gun was fired.
Startled, I hollered again. So did the dog. First I inspected myself then looked down at the dog. Neither one of us had been shot.
Someone whistled and the dog turned backwards and trotted a few feet away into the trees. I heaved a sigh of relief and sat down.
"How bad is it?" A voice called through the trees. It was her.
"Depends on your definition of bad. Nothing's broken or brutally mutilated if that's what you mean but he did claw my left leg and bite my right arm," I replied feeling stupid for not talking to someone face-to-face or via cell phone.
"She."
"What?"
"She. My dog is a she." The girl repeated. Whoever she was, she had a nice voice.
"Oh. Well, does she have a name." There was a pause.
"If you can guess it," came the reply.
"Okay. Umm. . . ." This was ridiculous. We're both teenagers and here I am playing the guessing game tryin' to figure out a dumb dog's name. "Little Ann."
"No." I was about to guess again when she said, "She has all of her shots. You'll be fine."
"Oh, um okay. Do I still need to figure out her name?" Another pause.
"Yes. Two more tries and I'll get you somethin' to fix up those scratches."
"Um, I don't know if you can see from wherever you are but, these are a little deeper than scratches."
"What are you complainin' about? She didn't even try to hurt you."
Sure, that's what they all say. . . maybe. "Fair enough. Um, Lassie."
"Are you serious? One more try."
I sighed, impatiently. "Uhh. . . . Grace."
"Wrong. Wait here." I heard footsteps walking away and fade into the distance.
* * * *
I walked down to my house, gun still in hand. What am I doing? I thought to myself as I walked up the back steps to my house. I rolled my eyes as I thought about he had exaggerated about his scratches. "He is such a city wuss," I told Red as I grabbed the Neosporin and some band-aids. She barked in reply. I laughed.
I approached the place I had left him. Great. How am I gonna get these to 'im? Well, he has already seen me. . . . No! No, I can't do that. I was having some issues inside my head and it wasn't too pleasant. I didn't even really wanna be here yet I was enthralled by this stranger.
My eyes rested on my dog. I crouched down. "Can you take these to that guy and then bring them back when he's done?" I whispered. She wagged her tail. I smiled. "Good." I carefully placed them in Red's mouth. She held them gently and trotted through the trees.
I peered out from behind the tree. "Chill out, she's just givin' you what you need. Just give it back to her when you're done and be on your way," I called from my hiding place.
He looked in my direction and I ducked behind the tree. "As much as I'd like to be on my way, I can't. I don't know where I'm supposed to be."
"Not here," I grumbled under my breath. "Well then you'll have to figure that out now won't you?" I looked around the tree again. He was puttin' a bandage on his forearm. He had some nice muscles. . . . I shook my head, tryin' to get the thought out of my head. Goodness Shirley, you can never be with him or anyone else. I started crying silently as I sat on the ground out of sight.
Red trotted back to me and dropped the stuff at my feet. She cocked her head to the side when she saw the tears streaming down my face. I smiled feebly and sniffed.
"Are you okay?" He called.
I wiped the tears from my eyes and hoped my voice wouldn't give me away. "Yeah, I'm fine. Now how'd you get out here? Where are you s'posed to be?" Phew.
"I came up here with my dad and step-mom. We're supposed to be bonding." He didn't sound like that would be much fun.
"Well, do you know where they were when you last saw them?"
"They were just exploring. I tried to call them but I don't have any service up here. Look, why don't you just come out here so we can talk face-to-face."
"I can't do that."
"Why?"
"I just can't. It's a rule. You're not even supposed to be anywhere near here." For no particular reason, I glanced at my watch. 11:45. I still had a while. Maybe I could figure out how to help him find his parents.
"Why?"
"I just can't okay? Do you wanna get back or not?" I exploded.
"Uh yeah. Yeah, sorry. How are you gonna help me if I can't see you."
"I can give you directions. I'll walk a few feet away in the cover of the trees and tell you where to go until we find them."
"How do you know where they are?"
"Are you at an actual camp site with cabins or are you stayin' in tents?"
"Cabin."
"How in the world did you get out here? There aren't any cabins within like twenty miles of here."
"Not cabins, cabin. Singular. My dad's great-uncle had a cabin fifteen miles away from here. There's reception at his cabin somehow, so if I can just get back there then maybe I can call them and let 'em know I'm okay."
I thought this over. I knew where he was talking about. I didn't know that place could sustain human life. Guess I was wrong. "Okay, I know the place you're talkin' about. I'll help you find it –" I started.
"Great I –" he interrupted. I cut him off.
"On one condition: no one can know."
* * * *
A shocking statement to make. What could I do but comply her only request. "Okay. Which way do I go first?" I just wanted to get back to somewhere normal.
"Turn around and walk straight forward. I'll be over there."
I did as instructed, listening to her dog's footsteps. "Are you coming?" I asked as I continued walking.
"I'm right here with you," she replied, a few feet away, separated by the trees.
"How come I can't hear your footsteps?" I asked. Was she a lonely mountain spirit? Huh, yeah right.
"I'm just that good. Are you always this nosey?" She answered sarcastically.
"I don't know. Are you always this secretive and snobby?" I retorted.
"Turn left," she instructed coldly. "Your other left, stupid." She ordered when I accidentally turned right.
"Sorry." We walked in heated silence for a while.
* * * *
"Sorry I snapped at you," I apologized. "Turn right."
He was silent. What was his deal? I apologized but still, who was he to call me secretive and snobby? He had absolutely no idea what kind of life I had to live.
"Yeah, sorry 'bout the names," he finally answered.
"Sure," I mumbled.
We were silent for a few moments before he started up with the questions again. "So, what is your dog's name?"
I paused wondering how much of my personal information I should actually divulge to this guy, even if it was just my dog's name.
"C'mon, it's not like someone's gonna hurt you or whatever just by giving me your dog's name," he said, interrupting my thoughts.
"Red," I finally answered.
"Red," he repeated. He sounded like he was considerin' the name. "I've got a Rottweiler. His name's Bowser. Like on Mario."
"Oh." I wasn't really sure what to say next. My social skills were, let's say, a little below average. "Turn right. Watch your head."
There was an awkward silence for about five minutes. "Left." Silence again.
"Do you. . . . have a name?" he asked.
"What?" I was surprised by his question and by the way I heard him tripping, he was too.
"I said, uh I mean, um. . . . never mind." I glanced his direction. I wasn't sure, but I thought I glimpsed him blushing through the trees. He was definitely not used to this kind of awkward conversation. Neither was I. . . .
* * * *
