AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Who taught you all that?” He gestures to the gun.
“Lars. He said if I was going to live out here year-round, I’d have to know how to care for and shoot a gun for safety.”
“Have you ever had to use it?”
“Once. I got between a sow and her cub while I was clearing out one of the trails. She started stalking me, even after I removed myself from being between them. I fired a warning shot at a tree and scared her away.”
“You were alone?”
“I was always alone out here.”
“Never again.”
I scoff. “Says the guy about to leave me alone in the cabin.”
“I’m just walking around the outside of the cabin.”
“Weare walking around the outside.”
He looks at me like I’m the problem here and I raise an eyebrow in challenge. He’s not going out there without me. I see the resignation in his face as he sighs.
“Fine. Stay close and be quiet.” He opens the door and steps into the cold, night air with me on his heels.
The only sounds as we creep around the building are our footsteps crunching on the snow. I keep my eyes on the ground, looking for any kind of tracks in case it was just an animal. I see the dogs’ paw prints and the two sets of tracks from Cody and West but nothing else. We only had about two inches of snow so there’s not enough right by the exterior of the cabin to leave tracks if you were trying to keep hidden.
A loud crack fills the still night air as we round the corner and Blake falls to the ground in front of me. I scream and drop down to check him. Blood runs from his temple and he's out cold. All the hairs on the back of my neck rise as two feet appear beside me, and I’m wrenched to my feet by my hair.
I turn my head, fully expecting to see my uncle.
It’s not John, though. It’s the guy from the coffee shop earlier. The one who was vaguely familiar. He gives me a sinister smile and shoves me against the wall.
“Do you know how long I’ve waited for this?” he asks as the back of my skull contacts the wood behind me.
Sharp pain radiates from the site and I have to blink back the tears that well from the sensation. He bends and grabs the gun that fell from Blake’s hands and points it at me, yanking the shotgun from me as well.
“Go inside.”
My ears ring as I stumble away from him. Blake was breathing, I think. I don’t want to leave him, but maybe he can get help. Or go find Cody and West.
Fuck.
As soon as I walk through the cabin door, the butt of my shotgun slams into my back, right between my shoulders, knocking me to my knees. A foot connects with my ribs, hard, and I struggle to catch my breath as the man stands over me.
“Do you remember me yet?” he asks, crouching down beside me, his fingers curling under my necklace. “It’s been years, Violet.”
I catch sight of a scar on his temple and terror floods my veins. It’s the creepy hiker from Cascade Peak. He’s clean shaven and must have had dental work done because his teeth look different.
“How do you know my name?” I whisper.
“We have a long history. One you don’t even know about.” He yanks my necklace off and throws it across the room. “That necklace was the only way I knew who you were all those years ago. Your mom was wearing it when I killed her.”
Blood roars in my ears as his words settle in.
“How about you get comfortable while I tell you how I murdered your parents. Then you can give me what I came for. Be a good girl and I’ll let your boyfriends live.” He lifts me and throws me down onto a chair, quickly duct taping me to it.
Blue flies into rafters from the bird door I put in for them when I first moved into the cabin. Luckily this guy is so busy muttering to himself that he doesn’t hear as Blue moves along overhead. I shake my head. Hopefully Blue knows not to fly down here now.
After duct taping my ankles to the chair legs, he pops up into my face. “Story time?” he asks.
