chapter 2
638 Words
Ashely Jones left the Pollock apartment soon after dinner driving off into the rain without looking back.
They were nice people and she'd welcomed their company ,even if they were at least a generation her senior .over the course of the evening she'd learn a lot about them .He was retired Chicago cop on a pension and she was a retired
first - grade teacher.theyd raised four kids and seven grandchildren.They lived in this area of remote wolrming mountain year - round.
In short ,they had accomplished what Ashley had always dreamed of : a real marriage ,a lifetime commitment.
Kind of hard to witness right now .she'd left as soon as it was polite .
She slowed down as the car hit a mud pebble .A moment later ,a bolt of lightning flashed in the sky .
It was early in the year to be staying in the mountains, especially for a city girl like her , but she hadn't intended to be here alone .she had six more nights of tranquility ahead of her ,but she wasn't sure she could take six more minutes of it .
Some honeymoon.
As she was the only one renting a place during the middle of the week ,she wasn't surprised to find the other apartments dark .But her place was unlit as well as she specifically left the porch light burning.
More thunder heralded the dash between the car and the porch.she patted outside the wall searching for the switch that she found seconds later .it flicked up and down without result which means the electricity had gone out .The owner had warned this could happen.There was a flashlight inside somewhere.
Perfect.Now she couldn't amuse herself watching the one fuzzy channel antiquated television picked up .she couldn't call anyone because her cell didn't work due to all trees ,nor could she connect to the internet.
And just whom would he communicate with even if she could? Her mother? no thanks .Her sister ? Ditto .Her friends? Man ,shed bet they were having heyday ,half outraged on her behalf ,half rabid for details .who didn't like a nice juicy scandal- besides the people involved in it ,of course .
Thoroughly out of sorts now ,she unlocked the door and went inside .At least there was a semblance of warmth due to small fire still burning in the wood stove ,and that also gave tiny bit of light .
A graphic designer by trade ,she could probably work on the laptop for a couple of hours .she'd brought along the work for the Red Hook album cover .surely the battery was up to that ,but was she ? maybe it would be best to just go to bed and get the night over with.Tommorow was a brand - new day ,and if it started like this one was ending , she'd drive home early .But if the weather cleared and she was able to stop feeling sorry for herself,she'd take a walk by the river .
She got ready for bed in the dark .The flashlight could wait until morning.As she'd left for this apartment directly from chapel, the only night clothes she'd packed had been filmsy little silky wisps appropriate for sashaying in front of a new husband .Needless to say ,she hadn't unpacked them. she'd spent the past two nights sweats and long sleeve t-shirt, they were where she left them hanging over a towel bar in the bathroom,which found by touch .
She hurried across the freezing floor , contemplating searching her suit cases for another pair of socks but abandoning that idea because of the dark .she pulled back the covers of the unmade bed flung herself down onto the mattress,curling into a tight ball and praying for warmth.
And knew immediately she wasn't alone . ..
- Writer
