He watched me like a wolf. His grin was unlike I had ever seen before. It wasn’t pleasant, but it also wasn’t intimidating. It was hungry.
“You’ll see.”
And just like that, I found myself wondering if there weren’t just greener pastures on the other side, but an entire unexplored wilderness. Feelings like this weren't something I’d experienced before. It may be wrong, especially since my last relationship just ended with attempted murder, but something about him just felt right. He felt like one of those rare people who entered someone’s life with a purpose. Not by accident, not coincidentally, but with the sole purpose of changing my life in ways I couldn’t dream of.
November 14th 2020
Mybirthday was yesterday. Happy 24th Birthday to me. I’ll start with the positive points about my birthday. Thankfully, we’re fully staffed now, so I was able to take the day off. I had hoped that Craig would have made plans for us—some special way to spend the day. But I didn’t end up hearing from him. After how horribly the haunted house trip had gone, I wasn’t that surprised.
So I took myself out and did something I had always wanted to do. Michelle had paid for my first tattoo, when I wanted to get most of my scars covered up, I decided, for my birthday it was time to splurge a little and get more added to my collection. Along my spine, in a perfect line, I got the phases of the moon permanently etched in my skin. My artist did a wonderful job making it an elegant design, transforming it from the simple idea I had walked in with, complete with a few constellations and swirls that really gave it a galactic feel.
After my session was done, I still hadn’t heard from Craig at all, so Michelle and I met up for dinner at one of our favorite Italian places. I didn’t text Craig first; a part of me is always tired of having to be the one to initiate any type of plans with him.It was well after ten when he finally texted me. Apologizing and saying that he hadn’t forgotten it was my birthday, only that his car had broken down and his cell phone had died. I didn’t respond to his message. I wasn’t exactly mad, frustrated maybe, that he hadn’t even said happy birthday, but I was mentally exhausted. Trying to keep up with him and his ever-changing mood was draining me.
I ended up turning my phone off since I had to work in the morning, and when I woke up this morning, I had over three dozen missed messages and twenty missed calls from him. Ranging from angry that I wasn’t answering to apologetic for losing his temper. I broke down on my way to work, not knowing how to handle him like this. He knows I go to bed early when I have to work the next day, me not responding after nine p.m. isn’t unusual.
His last message said that if I didn’t respond to him, he would make sure to show up at the vet clinic. So I sent him an apology—told him that I had been tired and fell asleep early without hearing my phone. It wasn’t a complete lie. I knew if I had told him the truth, that I didn’t want to deal with him last night, it would have set him off.
We’re supposed to meet for dinner tonight, both a birthday dinner and an apology dinner. Dinner is a normal outing for us, so why am I dreading it so badly this time?
Chapter fourteen
The Phoenix
September 27th 2023
Fall was my favorite time of year. There was something refreshing about the crisp, cool air that accompanied the leaves altering their pigments. Because of living in the Appalachian Mountains for my entire life, I grew to rely on the mountains and lush forests to bring me comfort. Once, a long time ago, I thought about them as suffocating. A beautiful prison that kept me locked away from exploring the outside world. Now, having grown up to appreciate the area I was in, I saw the beauty and protection in being surrounded by one of the oldest mountain chains on the planet.
Not everyone was cut out to live in the mountains. In the winter, the roads were treacherous, covered in snow and ice. Even the dangers held such a unique beauty that nowhere else on earth could compare. However, fall was always my favorite of all the breathtaking seasons our little slice of the world experienced. Downtown Elston Hollow was my favorite place to be in autumn. The historical buildings lining Main Street were usually decorated with pumpkins, candles, scarecrows, hay bales, Halloween decor, and an assortment of other fall decorations. The lamp posts onevery corner glowed orange at night when the sun started to set earlier, illuminating the leaves blowing down the street and dancing around the patron’s legs.
Fall also meant Halloween was close. My favorite holiday. One where being scared became an exciting rush instead of the normal day-to-day fear from the anxiety that I experienced growing up. Horror movies, apple cider, cool weather, ghost tours, football, haunted houses, pumpkin spice everything, because yes, I was that basic, there was never a downside to harvest time.
The change of seasons brought a change not just to my surroundings, but to myself as well. My heart felt lighter as I breathed in the fresh air, the chill nipping at my exposed skin. I wore my jacket unbuttoned, open against the cool morning. I wanted to feel the coolness against my skin. It was long overdue after several days of being locked indoors.
I wouldn’t classify myself as an outdoorsy person by any means. I was known to hate camping, fishing, hunting, and being exposed to the sun for too long, yet I did enjoy being outside for more limited amounts of time. Short hikes, hay rides, horseback riding, long leisurely walks, all things I found pleasure in, because at the end of the activity I could always escape back indoors and into a book, or more importantly, the air conditioning. I didn’t like having to go so long being cooped up indoors, excited to finally be outside with the illusion of freedom, even if it was just for an hour.My relationship with the great outdoors was all about a specially curated balance.
Last night at dinner, Cindy announced that our group therapy session was canceled due to Jessica being sick with the flu, so the nurses were in charge of the time slot. With the weather still nice enough to enjoy a walk, they organized our group to be able to spend time outside for a limited amount of time while supervised on the property.
High up on the corners of each of the buildings were enough security cameras to catch most of what was happening in the main courtyard. With the hospital's campus built so close to the mountains, there were also a few walking trails nearby. Mature trees stood proudly around the yard, taller than the buildings they surrounded.
When we got outside, our group was divided into two smaller groups. Group one was with Shemar, staying closer to the hospital, where there were benches to rest on. Thelma, Tyson, and Andrew chose to stay with him. Group two was allowed to go with Cindy and Thomas on one of the nearby walking trails. Kendi and I decided to go, much to my displeasure so did Brandon.
Thomas was still a constant presence when Brandon was around. The fact that he was able to physically put the pedophile in his place must have been enough to maintain some control over him. It didn’t surprise me that he had come with us outside when Cindy was at most half Brandon's size. The last thing any of usneeded was a maniacal lunatic getting loose in the woods, free to torture anyone he wanted to.
Taking in a deep breath of fresh autumn air, I committed my surroundings to memory. The leaves didn’t just change into one or two colors in the mountains. They varied in shades of browns, oranges, yellows, and reds, creating a rainbow of a picturesque fall day. If I had any artistic ability at all, I would paint the trees as they looked at this very moment. Calm, beautiful ,and strong. Harboring the secrets of the ancient mountains.
“I wish I had your talent,” I said to Kendi as we started walking, following behind Cindy. “These trees are too beautiful not to be captured in some way.”
She smiled behind her bright pink scarf. Since she was self-admitted she had a decent amount of belongings with her, enough to keep her nicely layered and warm against the elements. Michelle had thought to pack my jacket, but neither of us knew they would let me spend any amount of time outside, so I hadn’t thought to ask her to pack anything warmer than regular clothes.
“The colors are beautiful, I don’t think I could do them justice by painting them.”
“Nonsense, your work is beautiful. This is my favorite time of year,” I blew hot breath into my hands before rubbing them together and putting them deep into my pockets.
“I’m a Christmas girl at heart, but I love the fall too. Though I’d pick a Hallmark movie over a horror movieany day.” Our shoes crunched on the gravel beneath our feet. As we left the shelter of the courtyard, the gravel path slowly started to turn into dirt, and the large towering trees grew dense.
It was still early enough that a hazy layer of fog hovered above the ground, swallowing the small shrubs and fallen branches that lined the path. No insects were around to annoy any of us taking a walk today; it was finally cool enough to send them running back to where they belonged, hell. The sun was starting to crest over the mountains, but the trees were too dense to allow much direct light through their branches.
Cindy glanced over her shoulder occasionally at us as we walked, but other than that, she gave us privacy as we talked. Thomas was bringing up the rear while Brandon walked slightly in front of him. Kendi and I stayed close together, my hair coming close to hitting her in the face when a slight breeze broke through the trees. She had all her braids pulled back into a thick ponytail at the base of her neck and tucked them all under her scarf.
