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Chapter 7
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The Saga Series Chapter 8
“Trust me,” Jesse cut in, “you don’t want that guy’s number.” “Yes I do,” she answered. “He’s way too dangerous,” he warned. “A bad boy, huh? I like that.” “Not a bad boy. He’s a bad man—a real bad man—and like many of the guys back there, he’s nothing but trouble. You two had no business being at that party, out in the middle of the woods, with a bunch of older strangers.” Julie turned toward Jesse. “Yeah? Well, I guess we were lucky you were looking out for us.” “If I hadn’t been there…” His voice trailed off. “So what can we do about the tire?” she asked. Jesse opened the door and started to climb out. “My friend’s coming. I’ll wait outside for him. You two stay put.” “Why not stay in here with us?” I asked. “Because I have to make sure the big, bad wolf doesn’t come and eat you.” “Ooh. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!” Julie slurred. I laughed as he slammed the door shut. “He’s cute,” Julie whispered, “and funny too.”
The Saga Series Chapter 9
BOOM! More glass shattered, like rock candy, spraying us with shards as the windshield was shot out. “We’ve gotta get outta here!” I called. “Some crazy person is shooting at us, and I’ve kinda got the feeling they aren’t gonna stop until we’re dead.” “No!” exclaimed Julie, paralyzed with fear. “I’m not leaving. If we step out of this truck, it’ll be like target practice for our trigger-happy stalker!” “If we stay in this truck, we’re as good as dead.” She met my gaze, her eyes wide with terror, clearly scared sober. “We can hide in the woods,” I begged, gripping her hands. “No way! Haven’t you ever seen a horror movie in your life? The hockey mask guy always chases the girls into the woods, and I don’t wanna be chopped up with a meat cleaver!” “That’s just the movies, Julie. I’ve been in those woods already,” I said, trying to reason with her. “It’s so dark and there are so many trees, shrubs and boulders. He’ll never find us.” “But what about Je
The Saga Series Chapter 10
Suddenly, a deeper more menacing howl, rang through the forest, making my hands shake. It reminded me of a bloodhound my neighbor had once owned. These sounds were different though, what sounded like a pack of wolves screeching in the night was beyond freaky, it was downright ominous. We kept going, climbing over slippery logs and jagged rocks, pushing our way through thick underbrush and tall grass. My foot caught on a broken log and a cluster of rocks, but before I toppled over, I somehow managed to regain my equilibrium. I didn’t fall but I twisted my ankle, it throbbed, now slowing me down.More howls. “It sounds like they’re getting close, too close,” Julie said. “We’ll never outrun them.” “Forget the wolves,” I said. “They just add ambiance to our spooky night hike.” She shook her head. “How are you so calm?” she asked as we stumbled along through the thick terrain. “Jesse’s dying, we’re lost in the woods, a trigger-happy madman might be following us,
The Saga Series Chapter 11
I gasped as I glanced up and saw one of the guys from the party, the guy Julie had been dancing with, the “psycho” Jesse had warned us about. I fought and flailed as Jonathon attempted to restrain me. In a flash, Jesse lunged at Jonathon, knocking him to the ground. The fiend’s grip loosened and I jumped to my feet. “Get inside!” Jesse ordered. I grabbed Julie’s hand and pulled her inside. “Let’s find a weapon to help him.” “The kitchen!” suggested Julie.We bolted inside the cabin. With my heart racing, I glanced around looking for the light switch. My fingers skimmed over it on the wall by the, and lights flickered on. “Is anybody here?” I screamed. “Help us!” Julie shouted. “Is anybody here?”But there was no answer. I glanced around the cabin, it was furnished, so either everyone was asleep or it was a vacant rental. I walked through the living room and into the kitchen with Julie in tow. We frantically began rummaging through the kitchen drawer
The Saga Series Chapter 12
“Shoot,” I said. “No doggie treats in here.” “This blows!” “We have to think positive. Maybe Jesse got away. Maybe he’s getting help this very minute.” “Yeah? Well, what if he’s dead? And what if that crazy lunatic comes back for us?” Just then the wolves howled even louder, making the hair on the back of my neck stand at attention. “At least wolves can’t break into the cabin.” I tried to sound positive, but I was scared to death. “And if anyone tries to come in here, they’ll be attacked. Jonathon won’t stand a chancewhen this place is surrounded by wolves.” “But you said wolves don’t attack humans,” Julie reminded me. I sighed heavily. “I know, but Jesse’s right about these wolves. For whatever reason, they don’t seem scared of us.” I whipped out my cell and dialed 911, again without success. “Still no signal.” Knock-knock! My heart jumped at the sudden tap on the door. I froze for a moment, then gripped the butcher knife in my hands
The Saga Series Chapter 13
He leaned against the wall for support and gasped. “I’ll be fine. We have more important things to worry about.” “Fine my butt!” I said, my voice wavering. “You need a doctor.” He winced in pain and his blue eyes watered. “I promise,” he said with a groan. “I’ll see one in the morning.” Julie looked at him and shook her head. “You mean if you live that long. You’re sweating like a thief in church,” she said, feeling his forehead. “Oh my gosh! You’re burning up.” She gripped my arm. “He must have a fever of 110! We can’t stay here. If we do, the news will be reporting a homicide tonight, one hot young guy with a bullet wound to the chest.” I felt Jesse’s head and realized she was absolutely right. He felt like he was on fire. “It’s not safe in here. That man could easily push through our makeshift barrier. We need to get outta here and lose him in the forest. Then we need to get Jesse to the ER.” “That’s exactly what he wants,” Jesse warned. “Our best be
The Saga Series Chapter 14
I smiled appreciatively at Julie and her ability to manipulate even the most strong-willed of people. Jesse grunted as I helped him into bed and covered him with a blanket. Julie found some towels in the bathroom and used them to apply pressure to his wound. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be taking care of a gunshot victim.” His eyes fluttered shut, and I gasped. “He passed out! We can’t just sit here and do nothing, no matter what he said. He’s really sick and fading fast. If we’re going to save him, we’ve gotta take a chance. You stay here. I’m going to get us help.” “How are you going to get past the wolves?” Julie asked sounding scared. “I don’t know. But, I can’t just stand here and let him die.”She took a deep breath. “I know.” I felt his forehead, glad to find that his skin was cooler now and not as sweaty. The fever seemed to have subsided. “He feels better,” I said. Julie softly touched his arm as she studied him. “He
The Saga Series Chapter 15
“No time for mushy goodbyes,” Billy said. “I gotta get Jesse home.” Before I could say another word or even wave goodbye, the blue car had backed out of the driveway and sped down the street. As we walked into Julie’s house, I flung my shoes off. My hands were shaky from the ordeal, and I was suddenly overwhelmed with nausea. I sat down at the kitchen table, staring at the kitchen wall, trying to process everything that had happened last night. Julie handed me a glass of water. “Are you okay?” she asked. “Yeah. Just a little freaked.” “Better freaked, than dead. My head is pounding, but I think we learned a valuable lesson here.” “Oh? What’s that?” “No more parties with crazy, unstoppable party animals—or wild, furry animals either. I’m still trying to process what we went through.” “Yeah. Tell me about it. And we might want to avoid Barney-colored drinks and Long Island iced teas too.” “I’m sorry I took you to that party.” “You didn’t know.” “I ca
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The Saga Series chapter 18
When Jesse’s number showed up on my caller ID, I quickly answered. “Taylor?” he said.His voice sent shivers down my spine. Just hearing him say my name caused an adrenaline rush like none I’d ever felt before. “Yes, this is me,” I answered. “What are you doing on your day off tomorrow?” “I don’t have any big plans,” I answered. “Why?” “Do you like to roller-blade?” “Sure.” “Cool. I was wondering if you’d like to meet at the Alpine Pedal Path? It’s a paved path that runs along the north shore of Big Bear Lake.” “Sounds good. I’ll be there!” “Great!” “Do you mind if I bring Max?” I asked. “Sure, no problem. Is two p.m. all right?” “Perfect,” I answered. “Okay, see you then. Bye, Taylor.” “Goodbye,” I said as I hung up the phone. * * * I thought Friday would never come, but it finally did. I dug through my boxes but couldn’t find the outfit I wanted. When I finally found my spring pastels, I threw on a white tank-top with mint green trim and a b
The Saga Series chapter 17
He smiled. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. She’s a sweet bird.” “I’m gonna love working here.” “Yeah, I never get tired of it. I love my job. It sure beats flipping burgers.” “Yeah. I can tell you’re passionate about it.” He smiled sheepishly, obviously uncomfortable taking compliments, even though he deserved a million of them. I gazed up at his feathered friends. “These birds are really huge.” “Beauty Queen has a wingspan of about five feet—at least the wing that’s still good.” “She’s a vulture, right? I bet she’s got bad breath after eating all that dead meat.” “Maybe, but she can’t help what she was born to eat. It’s just the way nature works. No one can help the card we’re dealt. Just like us, these birds and all the animals in this zoo and in those woods out there have to live and make do with what their bodies want as a food source. Maybe she despises eating carcasses, but she’s stuck with it. It’s eat or die.” “Yeah, I guess I shouldn
The Saga Series chapter 16
A few days passed without a word from or about Jesse. I was so worried about him that I couldn’t eat or sleep. Not knowing whether he was alive or dead, the anxiety was overwhelming me. I tried calling him a few times, only to get no answer.When my phone finally rang with a call from his number, I was ecstatic. “I’m recovering,” he assured me. “Don’t worry.”I thanked him countless times for fixing Julie’s truck, silently thanked God that he was okay, then hung up the phone.After that we talked sporadically, but texted each other every day. I thought it was best to let him recover at his own speed. I really wanted to see him and would have paid him a visit, but his mother didn’t want anyone stopping by until he was fully recuperated. “Doctor’s orders,” he joked, though it was technically true. * * * Before I knew it, a month had passed by. Jesse had a part-time job at the local zoo. When he told me that they were hiring, I filled out an application, interviewed well, an
The Saga Series Chapter 15
“No time for mushy goodbyes,” Billy said. “I gotta get Jesse home.” Before I could say another word or even wave goodbye, the blue car had backed out of the driveway and sped down the street. As we walked into Julie’s house, I flung my shoes off. My hands were shaky from the ordeal, and I was suddenly overwhelmed with nausea. I sat down at the kitchen table, staring at the kitchen wall, trying to process everything that had happened last night. Julie handed me a glass of water. “Are you okay?” she asked. “Yeah. Just a little freaked.” “Better freaked, than dead. My head is pounding, but I think we learned a valuable lesson here.” “Oh? What’s that?” “No more parties with crazy, unstoppable party animals—or wild, furry animals either. I’m still trying to process what we went through.” “Yeah. Tell me about it. And we might want to avoid Barney-colored drinks and Long Island iced teas too.” “I’m sorry I took you to that party.” “You didn’t know.” “I ca
The Saga Series Chapter 14
I smiled appreciatively at Julie and her ability to manipulate even the most strong-willed of people. Jesse grunted as I helped him into bed and covered him with a blanket. Julie found some towels in the bathroom and used them to apply pressure to his wound. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be taking care of a gunshot victim.” His eyes fluttered shut, and I gasped. “He passed out! We can’t just sit here and do nothing, no matter what he said. He’s really sick and fading fast. If we’re going to save him, we’ve gotta take a chance. You stay here. I’m going to get us help.” “How are you going to get past the wolves?” Julie asked sounding scared. “I don’t know. But, I can’t just stand here and let him die.”She took a deep breath. “I know.” I felt his forehead, glad to find that his skin was cooler now and not as sweaty. The fever seemed to have subsided. “He feels better,” I said. Julie softly touched his arm as she studied him. “He
The Saga Series Chapter 13
He leaned against the wall for support and gasped. “I’ll be fine. We have more important things to worry about.” “Fine my butt!” I said, my voice wavering. “You need a doctor.” He winced in pain and his blue eyes watered. “I promise,” he said with a groan. “I’ll see one in the morning.” Julie looked at him and shook her head. “You mean if you live that long. You’re sweating like a thief in church,” she said, feeling his forehead. “Oh my gosh! You’re burning up.” She gripped my arm. “He must have a fever of 110! We can’t stay here. If we do, the news will be reporting a homicide tonight, one hot young guy with a bullet wound to the chest.” I felt Jesse’s head and realized she was absolutely right. He felt like he was on fire. “It’s not safe in here. That man could easily push through our makeshift barrier. We need to get outta here and lose him in the forest. Then we need to get Jesse to the ER.” “That’s exactly what he wants,” Jesse warned. “Our best be
The Saga Series Chapter 12
“Shoot,” I said. “No doggie treats in here.” “This blows!” “We have to think positive. Maybe Jesse got away. Maybe he’s getting help this very minute.” “Yeah? Well, what if he’s dead? And what if that crazy lunatic comes back for us?” Just then the wolves howled even louder, making the hair on the back of my neck stand at attention. “At least wolves can’t break into the cabin.” I tried to sound positive, but I was scared to death. “And if anyone tries to come in here, they’ll be attacked. Jonathon won’t stand a chancewhen this place is surrounded by wolves.” “But you said wolves don’t attack humans,” Julie reminded me. I sighed heavily. “I know, but Jesse’s right about these wolves. For whatever reason, they don’t seem scared of us.” I whipped out my cell and dialed 911, again without success. “Still no signal.” Knock-knock! My heart jumped at the sudden tap on the door. I froze for a moment, then gripped the butcher knife in my hands
The Saga Series Chapter 11
I gasped as I glanced up and saw one of the guys from the party, the guy Julie had been dancing with, the “psycho” Jesse had warned us about. I fought and flailed as Jonathon attempted to restrain me. In a flash, Jesse lunged at Jonathon, knocking him to the ground. The fiend’s grip loosened and I jumped to my feet. “Get inside!” Jesse ordered. I grabbed Julie’s hand and pulled her inside. “Let’s find a weapon to help him.” “The kitchen!” suggested Julie.We bolted inside the cabin. With my heart racing, I glanced around looking for the light switch. My fingers skimmed over it on the wall by the, and lights flickered on. “Is anybody here?” I screamed. “Help us!” Julie shouted. “Is anybody here?”But there was no answer. I glanced around the cabin, it was furnished, so either everyone was asleep or it was a vacant rental. I walked through the living room and into the kitchen with Julie in tow. We frantically began rummaging through the kitchen drawer
The Saga Series Chapter 10
Suddenly, a deeper more menacing howl, rang through the forest, making my hands shake. It reminded me of a bloodhound my neighbor had once owned. These sounds were different though, what sounded like a pack of wolves screeching in the night was beyond freaky, it was downright ominous. We kept going, climbing over slippery logs and jagged rocks, pushing our way through thick underbrush and tall grass. My foot caught on a broken log and a cluster of rocks, but before I toppled over, I somehow managed to regain my equilibrium. I didn’t fall but I twisted my ankle, it throbbed, now slowing me down.More howls. “It sounds like they’re getting close, too close,” Julie said. “We’ll never outrun them.” “Forget the wolves,” I said. “They just add ambiance to our spooky night hike.” She shook her head. “How are you so calm?” she asked as we stumbled along through the thick terrain. “Jesse’s dying, we’re lost in the woods, a trigger-happy madman might be following us,
