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TWELVE
LANA
The views in the valley brought me a much needed calm.
The first few hours of my hike, my skin was inching with nerves from both the silliness of asking the park ranger about Hayden and the memory of what had happened last time. Some sort of unwelcome, yet welcomed, intrusive thoughts.
I had to stop for a moment, just listening to the surrounding wilderness. The cool breeze in the trees, the fresh clouds meandering high above my head. The chirping of birds in branches and the windy rustle of small animals in the grasses.
I had long passed the spot where I had met Hayden and the mountain lion. Where we first stood and stared at each other, where the feeling of static waiting to burst built up between us. Then I passed the spot where we…
A sigh escaped my lips. My body remembered every moment and every moment that had almost happened. A buzz bolted through my belly into the very center between my legs, and my nipples tingled in my tight shirt. I could still feel his hands across my breasts, squeezing, teasing my nipples with rough fingertips.
“Oh, fuck off, would you?” I shouted at the thoughts swirling around in my head. I did not need this right now.
The sting of regret burned behind my eyes, and tears of frustration threatened to fall.
I was foolish to do anything like that - I got attached to his smile, his warm hands, his hard body, and the laughter that warmed my soul. Then I ended it like an idiot, even after he said he wanted more.
Well, maybe I want strings. Perhaps I did, too. Maybe I wanted all of them attached.
“I’m an idiot.” I grumbled to myself. Maybe Marsh was right, maybe I really did fail at everything.
My thoughts were cloudy and darkening my hike. I decided it would be better to stop now and just enjoy the afternoon.
Passing through a small grove of trees, I came across an opening in the pines of an expanse of flat rock and dirt. Looking out over the hillside, I could see the vastness of the valley sloping below. It would be the perfect place to settle for the night and watch the sunset in the mountains beyond. There were still about 5 hours of daylight left, the perfect time to just sit and enjoy nature with my book and a cup of chicken ramen.
No fancy meals this time. Something simple, comforting, and easy to pack away.
No use letting all my pent up energy go to waste.
I found a spot in the open, where I could fall asleep to the sunset painted sky and wake up to the expanse of view in the morning with the sunrise. Unpacking my kit, I settled a spot where my tent would fit perfectly.
As I unfolded my kit, I could feel the start of a cool breeze against my skin. I paused, the fabric of my tent waving in my grasp. The wind was cooler than expected and I had an uncertain feeling sinking in the pit of my stomach. A similar feeling to when I came face-to-face with the mountain lion.
A feeling of the dangerous unknown.
Looking up to the sky, I could see clouds rolling over, the soft white fading into a swollen and unkind gray.
“That doesn’t look so great.” I mumbled to myself as I watched the clouds swirl and mingle far above.
The storm was supposed to start tomorrow night. That was what the weather said before I left my house two days ago. At least part of it was coming. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my smartphone, seeing if there was any service to catch a tiny data download of upcoming weather.
No bars. Getting a call out here was not possible from where I was on the hillside, at least. I might get reception further up the trail toward the small mountain’s summit, but it there was also an equal chance of nothing.
I was about five hours into this hike. If I wanted to get back to my Jeep, I could cut down on some time with most of the trail being downhill aside from the very short, steep incline to the parking area.
But it would still be over four hours to get back... And I would have to cancel the trip for the second time.
But I knew my safety was more important than my ego. Heading back would be the best option. Hopefully, I would get to my Jeep before the storm arrived in full force.
A raindrop hit my cheek, and the worry set in.
“Okay, okay, time to go.” Slapping the tent fabric down on the ground, I rolled it up with no hesitation. Big storms out here meant business, and I needed to be in a shelter or my Jeep before all of this rolled in.
My skin was crawling with unease, the rock and dirt hard against my shins where I crouched to fold up the remainders of my tent. I could see the small smattering of droplets scattered about the surrounding rocks. The storm was coming in fast.
The low rumble of thunder rolled across the sky and through my chest, almost taking my breath away.
