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chapter 18
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The Saga Series Chapter 1
Big Bear Lake, California is located in a lush green valley, surrounded by mountains and the towering pines, sparkling streams, wildlife, and hidden lakes of the San Bernardino National Forest. We’d just moved into a cute, two-story brick house along the south shore of Big Bear Lake. The beautiful and quaint little home was left to us by my grandmother, when she passed away. She’d spent her whole life in the house and had loved it. So my parents thought it would be fantastic to dump our city life, to move out to the smog-free middle of nowhere, where we could get lost in the peace and quiet tranquility. My parents loved the solitude here, because they were both writers. My father wrote mystery thrillers, while Mom penned romance novels. They hated the hustle, bustle and noise of the city and were sure the peaceful wilderness would help them concentrate. “It’ll be a fresh start for all of us,” my mother assured me, following a bad breakup with my boyfriend, “a very healthy e
The Saga Series Chapter 2
Finally, Max burst through the thick plants, bounding toward me. I clutched my heart and let out a sigh of relief when I saw that he was unharmed. He immediately took a protective stance in front of me and started growling, snarling and barking at whatever was in those ferns. Given the fight-or-flight choice, I was sure the best course of action was to slowly sneak backward and get the heck outta there. The ferns parted and I gasped. I was suddenly face to face with a mountain lion. It raised its head, unleashing its bloodcurdling signature roar. My heart began to pound in my chest like a high school marching band. What I encountered next was nearly as shocking as the mountain lion. I turned around quickly, only to bump into a guy who looked to be about my age. He wasn’t just any guy though, he was so scorching hot that if I had wet my finger with my tongue and touched him, his chest would have steamed and sizzled. He instinctively pushed me behind him as
The Saga Series Chapter 3
I pointed in the direction of where I’d come from. “I saw a mountain lion!” My dad immediately pulled me into a tight hug, then stepped back and began inspecting me from head to toe. “Are you okay?” he asked, looking concerned. I sighed. “I’m fine, Dad. Max ran off, and I just—” “You weren’t supposed to go in the woods.” “What was I supposed to do? I had to find Max.” “You shouldn’t go out there alone. You could have hollered for me, and I would have gone with you.” “It would’ve only taken a minute to get me or Dad,” Mom added. “I didn’t know he was gonna go so deep into the woods, or I would have,” I explained. My dad’s brown gaze narrowed. “Are you sure it was a mountain lion you saw?” “Positive. I just took off running and—” “Taylor,” my father pushed, “if that was a bobcat or mountain lion, its natural instinct would be to chase you. Never run. Just yell, shout, and make yourself look bigger.” “Yeah, I know, but I panicked, I guess. Sti
The Saga Series Chapter 4
She lifted a finger. “That’s clue number one. Mr. Wonderful doesn’t know much about the wildlife around here. I read up on it. Mountain lions travel alone.” “Hmm. That’s odd,” I answered. “When we were out there, after we scared one lion away, my dog started acting funny, and he said, ‘They’re back.’” “Only mothers and kittens live in groups, and I doubt a mama mountain lion would come back with her babies. So what happened after that?” “He seemed jumpy and rushed me back home, then took off. When I glanced over my shoulder, he was gone.” “Hmm. He does sound mysterious,” she said, looking intrigued. “I’ll keep out an eye for him. What does he look like?” “He’s gorgeous,” I said. “Yeah, you already said that. What else?” “Well, he has black hair to his shoulders,” I answered smiling even wider, recalling every detail of his features. “And he’s got these big, bright blue eyes, almost like he was wearing those colored contacts.” “You mean, like pastel
The Saga Series Chapter 5
“That’s them,” I heard a woman next to me say. “And neither one of them knows who they really are.” “Shh,” the man said. “They’re kept in the dark for a reason!” “Does it matter if they hear us? They’ll be dead before sunrise if Drake gets his way.” I wasn’t comfortable by the woman’s words. But obviously, they had mistaken us for somebody else. When the chatter and laughter resumed, much to my relief, I nudged Julie. “We should leave, I said. “I don’t feel comfortable here.” “Oh, don’t be a party-pooper,” Julie replied. “Look at all these hot college guys. Maybe I’ll even snag one.” “Really, Julie, I think it’s best we leave,” I pleaded. She put her hand on her hip and turned to face me, then actually stomped her foot like a spoiled toddler. “Seriously? You wanna go back to your boring house? Let’s just have a drink and chat a little. If you still want to leave then, we will.” I looked around uneasily and swallowed hard. “I already know I want
The Saga Series Chapter 6
“Hi. I’m Jesse,” he said, as he smiled and held his hand out to me. “Taylor,” I said, unable to put a whole sentence together. “Nice to officially meet you. You’ve been on my mind since the second I met you.” I couldn’t help but smile at his blatant flirtations, the heat in my blushing cheeks scorched my skin. I was absolutely melting. Another slow song began and Jesse casually took off his jacket and smiled. The fabric of his long-sleeved shirt clung to his broad shoulders and muscular chest, the white cotton making his shoulder-length hair stand out even more. He offered me his hand like a perfect gentleman. “Would you like to dance?” “I’d love to,” I answered with a grin, taking his hand. He flashed his leading-man smile at me as he wrapped his arms around my waist and I placed my arms on his shoulders. My heart suddenly began beating out a new rhythm of excitement. We stared intently into each other’s eyes as we danced slowly to the music. I was
The Saga Series Chapter 7
Jesse pulled me to the side. “Can you get her home?” he asked in a whisper. “This is so embarrassing, but her truck’s a stick shift, and I’ve got no idea how to drive one. I probably can’t drive any safer than she can right now.” “Lucky for you, I can,” he said. “But then how will you get back?” “I can walk.” “No, it’s way too far, Jesse.” “I’ll be fine.” He bit his lip looking down at Julie as if he was worried. “It’s best we sneak out of here.” I furrowed a brow asking, “Sneak out? Why?” “Did you see that guy she was dancing with?” “Yeah, I think she might have told me his name, but I forgot.” “It’s Jonathon. And he’s an absolute psycho. I’m afraid he might follow her home if he sees her leaving.” “Are you sure?” I asked, shaking my head in disbelief. “That’s insane!” “I heard him claim her, and I heard some of the other guys claiming you. They may look like average, drunken frat boys, but they’re beyond dangerous. Trust me Taylor,
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.”
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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,
