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Chapter 12
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2024-10-29 19:42:56A log cabin lies deep in the woods, in an opening found only through some soul searching. A place made from logs of oak, the wood's natural beauty radiated welcome for the travelers who had learned the forest's ways to make it this far. It is a small, one-room cabin lit up by happiness, the glow of which is visible miles away.
Inside, the cabin is cozy, with a fireplace radiating Gratitude's warmth. On one wall is a shelf with a collection of books, each volume in the group representing a stage of life – birth, childhood, teenage years, high school, college, career, etc.
There are two sets of the collection, each book with some pages and others waiting to get filled with the traveler's journey through the woods. In the middle of the cabin lies a bed covered in the softest cotton sheets and covers, inviting the travelers that have journeyed for miles to rest in contentment.
Jack and Rick have never really stepped into these woods, preferring to stay by the ban
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After sunrise, it was a sunny morning in the heart of the Rain Forest.Rick was still tired; he built himself a hammock using a sheet; as he lay down in it, he was sipping from his cup of coffee. Rick had the displeasure of seeing this dangerous creature as it slithered from branch to branch in the tree above him. The deadly serpent was about 6 feet long. It was yellow on the belly and black on the back, and at times, it stuck its forked tongue out and wobbled it in the air. Its movement was as effortless as flowing water pouring itself across the leaves, limbs, and branches. What mechanism of action produced such seamless movement? He did not know what to do, but it was remarkable and striking. Sometimes, it launched on frail limbs that miraculously did not crack under its considerable weight. At other times, it lifted half its body into thin air as it reached for another limb. The snake effortlessly bridged significant gaps that humans with hands and feet would
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“Where did you find her?" “She was deep in the forest; we were lucky to find her before someone else got to her," Nicole stood there confused, her eyes having dark circles beneath them. She looked frightened and uncertain of her surrounding; Jack and Rick just hoped she wouldn't get back that memory of what had happened that day. *Memories* Standing on the balcony, Nicole gazed at the darkened and starry sky above. Silence surrounded her as she glanced at the deserted park before her. Memories bombarded her mind. As a young girl, the park was her favorite place to go. One cold winter's night just like tonight, as she looked upon the dark sky, she had decided to go for a walk and wrapped up in her elegant scarlet red winter coat with gleaming black buttons descending the front, keeping away the winter chill. Wearing thick leggings black as coal and leather boots lined with fur kept her feet cozy. It was a beautiful night. It was pe
Retrograde Chapter 15
Waking up, Angela could feel the oak beneath her fingers, the grass beneath her feet, the sun upon her face, and the blazing summer heat. She can smell a storm on the horizon and the moisture in the air. Although she cannot see the clouds, she senses it’s there. She wonders where she is, how she will survive, and look upon her body for tools to stay alive, realizing that she is naked, her skin bare and exposed, alone in the forest; she ponders where are my clothes are and remembers drinking her shots, She saw the path before her and tread in her bare feet, amid the oaks and redwoods, the branches, sticks, and leaves, hearing the sounds of water; the storm was closing fast as the dark cloud folded into a thick foggy cloth around her towering, trees reach to the sky, as lighting flashed brightening up the dark sky. Would lightning strike her down like some wrathful god or crush her beneath a fallen tree in a place where a fairy trod? Where are the nymph
Retrograde Chapter 16
Worriedly she looks around, "where has everyone disappeared to?” She had turned upside down overnight, “where has everyone disappeared to?” she asked herself again.She ran up to her car and drove off. While driving, there was no other traffic, no traffic lights were working, and there were no cars parked along the side of the road.It was scary, Angela had switched on the radio, but there was a loud screaming noise, no signal; switching off the radio, she drove up to her house.“Jack?” She had run up to the door, screaming her brother's name. The house was empty and unfurnished; she walked across the yard she had started to panic. Was this some joke or a dream she had not woken up from?“Jack?” Angela screamed, but there was no response. "I have to be dreaming,” she thought to herself.Thats when something grabbed her by her throat from behind, choking; she scratched and tried to break loose until da
Retrograde Chapter 17
Not all goes as planned; Angela being lost in the woods made her more independent and fearless. She won't forget this experience; as a survivor, her only survival was the flames; she was cold, tired, and hungry.If she is going to spend days out here in the woods, she would have to get enough resources to survive. And there is no giving, or else the perpetrators would get away.Darkness reveals its deepest secrets, which could be a question of life or death. Being cautious, Angela stood up and started collecting wood, anything higher than a meter; she then built a fence around her with a two-millimeter spacing; this was not to protect her from snakes since it was not solid fencing. Any animal could get through it; however, it would give her sufficient time to escape and keep her out of sight of the wild animals in the world. "I would have to go hunting first thing in the morning,” she thought since there was no radiance of light. There was no sign of life. She lo
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The night felt long as she sat with her back against the door, holding it close. Her stomach was full, and being alone made her think of her family. She lost her mother, and her brother was turning into someone she no longer knew.She felt remorse towards Nicole, who had been out here all alone. Is there a possibility she is still alive? If she is, she would be out there.Angela had fallen off to sleep with her back against the door. She woke up to a sudden bang. She jumped up and opened the door slightly. The wind had picked up, and it started thundering and rain pouring, lightning striking.Angela felt scared. The only thing keeping her warm was the fire. She would have frozen to death if it had not been for the fire. She had gone outside, picked up her bark, and pushed it against the door with the stopper. "This should hold it close."Angela laid the blanket on the floor, looking up at the roof; she opened Nicole's diary. Reading through it, she saw th
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The road was a smooth black river, the soft wheels floating so effortlessly along and so as the truck made its steady way along. The scenery took on an almost meditative quality, the light igniting the hues of each tree as Angela drove the truck. The shadows of the trees gave shade.The older man had stopped breathing; it felt like hours had passed as the sunset and the sky darkened. Maybe she should not have killed the older man yet, and that can swerve off the road. Angela was confident those guys were dead.She felt sleepy behind the steering wheel as she tried to keep her eyes open. After all, she had barely slept last night; with the thunderstorm and calamity which followed at sunrise, clouds started to thicken. What if she had passed the house? And she would be driving blindly into the middle of nowhere?Angela decided to stop the truck on the side of the road. The dead body of the older man had stiffened. She had to get rid of the body and try to find a m
Retrograde Chapter 20
It began as a whispering in the air. The day had been beautiful, and the sky was like a dome of plasma blue. The clouds had looked like airy anvils drifting under the gleaming disc of the sun.They had put a tent up just before the Reaper's autumn moon appeared over the trees. The moon seemed to turn the leaves into a flaming patchwork of colors: scorching yellows, lava-reds, and burnished browns. It added an alien glamour to a perfect scene. They heard a greedy thrush, snail a-tapping on rock; he finished his supper before fluttering into the owl light of the forest. The mournful cry of a lonely fox echoed through the vault-still silence of the trees.A huffing wind rose then, stirring the flaps of their tent.A tinkling sound came to the ears as the first pearls of rain dropped onto the leaves. The sound was like the glassy clinking of a champagne flute, lilting and clear. A sheet of rain passed over them, and the sound intensified. The noise in the tent was l
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Angela en Rogan had a good night together, while Jessica had a terrible night.Claire returned to the safe house and asked for jack, but Jack had disappeared, and nobody knew where he had gone to. Will he come back, and why does Claire need him?What will happen in the safe house? Will there be more drama, or can they finely solve their differences?A lot is waiting to happen, but for now, it is still a mystery.-To be continued-Let us know what you think of this first book. There are more to follow.We would love to know your ideas of what might happen with them in the following books.
Retrograde Chapter 70
"You like her, don't you?""Like who, Nicole?""Do not act dumb, Jack. I saw how you looked at Jessica.”"Guys, it's one in the morning. What is going on?”Jack looked at his sister and shook his head. Nicole had been crying; Angela sat beside Nicole, squeezed her hand, then let out a gentle smile, "want to tell me what happened?"Nicole looked up at Angela, “it's Jack. He likes Jessica.”Angela was waiting for Nicole to say something."You know we love and care about you and will always be here for you, but you and my brother split up before the accident.”Jessica stood outside the door, hearing the conversation. She couldn't help but feel relieved that Angela had talked with Nicole. She looked across the passage and saw Jack's room light was on. Jessica tip-toed over to his room and looked inside. He sat with something in his hand; she couldn't make it out what it was.“He stil
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“Why is everyone afraid of him?” Nicole asked."Well, sooner or later, you will know more about him. Rogan is not the type of guy you see here; he is a well-known international person, and people he deals with are in the underworld.”“The underworld?” Nicole said."Yes, where the money laundering, drugs gangs, and druglords are. He spent billions on creating that market. Have you heard of the site salt that comes from the dark web? Well, Rogan has the real thing running.”"Does that not create alot of enemies? Make people dislike you?""Of course. Why do you think I kept my identity a secret?"My brother never exposes himself, which is why I am surprised we came here. Angela looked over at Jessica, "what about you, Jessica? How do you feel about all this?""Angela, we've come a long way. You would know how I feel about it but, just like." Angela stopped her, “rather not say.”Jess
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"Sorry, Angela, for bringing it up. It's better to let it out than to keep it bottled up, being uncertain."Nicole looked ahead and sunk in her seat, “it's him, "it's him, the guy who raped me."She pointed at a fifty-year-old white guy with a thirteen-year-old girl standing next to him. "Stop this car immediately,” Jessica demanded.Angela pulled over to the car, and Jessica walked up behind the older man, pulled out her gun, and shot him in the back of his head in broad daylight. Angela ducked down in the car, "what did you just do?""You saw what I did. That asshole deserved it.""He did, but come on, in broad daylight, we can't go doing shit like that in broad daylight.”Nicole sat in silence, watching the two girls talk. Jessica dared to kill the man in broad daylight for her sake. No one would do what Jessica did; she showed no emotion or remorse for what she had just done. “What if they saw the license plate An
Retrograde Chapter 67
Arriving at the hospital, Nicole and the others are waiting for the doctor."Don’t be nervous. You will be fine.""I dont feel that way. Right now, my heart is beating fast."She takes Angela's hand, placing it on her chest. "can you feel that?"Angela nods, "you will be fine try not to overthink it."Jessica is sitting on the opposite chair, is becoming impatient, then stands up and walks over to the reception. A young lady with red curly hair wearing red lipstick and a formal black skirt looks up."Can I help you, mam?""I don’t know, mam, if you are capable of doing anything else than sit there ignoring instead of lifting your ass off that chair and coming over to us to tell us what the holdup is?"The receptionist flickers her eyebrows, looking down at her file, then looks ups, "The doctor will let me know when I can let you in.""Is that not the whole reason we call in for an appointment?""Yes, b
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"How do you know Rogan again?" Nicole stood with her arms folded, tapping her foot on the ground.Jack walked up to her, "Nicole, we broke up that day before you left. I am not sure if you remember that day. We went out separate ways saying no hard feelings.”Nicole eased her arms to her side and walked over to the window, staring out, "if we broke up, why am I here?""Because you have been through alot and me and my sister want to make sure you get treatment. After all, we both lost families."Nicole's eyes became teary, "so you never loved me?" She said, staring out the window and looking at the tree and the rain."I loved you, Nicole, but we both agreed we were better off as friends.""How do I know you are telling the truth and not just saying so because Jessica is here?""Jessica and I never had the connection we had. What we had was amazing. We built memories and had a great time together."Nicole folded her arms, s
Retrograde Chapter 65
"How did you find us here?""Well, you have known me since school. I've been good at sniffing out hiding places, Im like a trained dog on a leash."Thats quite a term to use, Marcus thought.Rogan had this smile when he smiled understandingly, much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance that you may come across four or five times in life.It faced –or seemed to face– the eternal world for an instant and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. He was commonplace in complexion, features, manners, and voice. He was tall and of ordinary build. His eyes, of the usual blue, were perhaps remarkably cold, and he certainly could make his glance fall on one as trenchant and heavy as an axe."So, will you tell us how you found it?" Angela crossed her arms.With his long shoulder-length curly hair, Rogan walked over to the fridge. Opening it, "your broth
Retrograde Chapter 64
"What are you doing here?" Mark looked surprised, "the question is, why are you here, and where does this lead to?" "To my garage." Mark acted surprised, "fancy car in a garage?" "Yes, this belongs to a friend." Claire looked over Mark's shoulder, "why are they here?" “We came down here for some work and ended up trying to open whatever this is?" "Would you mind if we gave a peek inside?" Angela stood with her arms crossed, blocking Mark, the guys who climbed out stepped forward, "Gentleman, please give me some space?" He said, sounding annoyed. "Okay, boss." "Quite a title you have there, boss?" "Yes, they work for me on a construction site." "Construction site at this hours. I bet they get paid well over time, do you boys." She leaned her neck forward, grinning." "Of course they do. I take care of my staff." "Good to know, Mark." "Are you able to direct where you
Retrograde Chapter 63
"Marcus, I don't think your sister is fine. She is going backward." "What do you mean?" "She is saying things that make no sense, and she kept singing, hush, little baby." "Thats a song my mom sang to us when we were afraid." Marcus grew concerned, clenching his fist, “those assholes fucked her mentally." "We must take her to a doctor for an MRI." Marcus walked over to the window, staring out. Lacy white-edged clouds rolled in over the blue sky, their centers as deep as any shoreline rock. “The weather is getting worse. It looks like we are expecting a storm.” Angela hurried over to the window glancing out, "What about Jack?" "He's like a cat with nine lives." Marcus joked, regretting his words afterward when seeing how concerned Angela was, "he will be okay." Angela looked at him with her deep soulful eyes, then walked over to the other end of the window, "Do you know Jack has always been the strong one
