Running from the Past -Book One in Paradise Mountains Series

    "Please don't break down!"     I prayed to any gods in any pantheon for that piece of junk to last at least another mile. And it was working, since it was well on the third week of clunking its ways through the roads. However, the noise was worsening and I feared to be left stranded on the middle of the nowhere.      With another final clunck, the thing just stopped. And I let out the breath I didn’t know I was helding. That it had to break down was bad. In the middle of nowhere? Even worse.      I tried to calm myself down. I had walked a long road. Thomas couldn’t break me, so this useless piece of junk wouldn’t either.     Where the hell was I? the cheap phone I had bought in one of my stops had no connection. And I didn’t know who to call, anyway. I had bought the car with money, and I should have known there was a catch. Being so cheap, it was bound to cause troubles.      "Great... Just great..."     The sound of a motor drove me off my thinkings. We were so far apart any civilization I knew that I become automatically suspicious. And weary. What were the odds of someone going through the same road I was, in the middle of the trees at that time of the day? Slim to zero.     Unless Thomas had found me. And with that, I stopped. Thomas could not find me, for him, I was dead. Any more dead and I’d be a memory of Egipt. What were they called? Mummies.     "Need a hand miss?"     The voice was male but it wasn’t definitely Thomas’s. The man drove an old pickup and seemed to be old as the mountains themselves. He stopped near my car and I moved cautiously to the side. If he were to attack me, I had nothing to defend myself.      "It brook down" I said unnecessarily.·The man left his truck and came to the front of my car.     "My, my… this is older than me, I reckon’… Care to lift the thing, missy?"     He meant the hood of the car. Problem is I only understood when he lift his watery eyes from the car and faced me. And I was looking at the pair of bluest, brightest eyes I had ever came across. His receding hair was white and somehow, he seemed like everyone gramp’s.     "Yes, of course..."     I opened it and as soon the old man crossed his eyes, he left out an exhasperated sigh.     "Who the hell brought such misery to this beauty? This car is completely neglected…" ·   "I, hum… Am its most recently owner…" ·   "Oh? I wasn’t pointing my finger at you, miss."     He closed the hood and looked me in the eye.     "This baby needs a good doctor. I can’t do anything right here, but can call the mechanics. Mike’s a good guy and not overly expensive."     Was I looking so ragged that the man had to mention the price? For certain, I had met better days. When I was with Thomas, I had to be at my best or else… but no, I couldn’t think of him. I hadn’t spent any money with me on the past few months, and the jeans I was wearing, like the shirt, might not be new, but weren’t worn down…      "What's your name, sweetie?"     "Excuse me?"     I was so lost in my thoughts that I hadn’t heard the man approach. And now he was facing me with his hands on his pockets. His big hands. Had to collect all my strength not to flee. He may looked like everyone’s gramps, but he was definitely stronger and taller than me. He could hurt me in ways… no, I wasn’t going down that road. That was something only old Nadine would do. New Nadine had to be strong and confident.      "Your name. Can't call you miss all the time..."     At least he didn’t seem to notice my hesitation. I racked my brains trying to come up with a name. I had left my identity behind, using my maiden name when necessary, none at all most of times. Nadine Whitehall had died in a horrific accident, whereas Elisabeth Smith was alive and kicking.     "Elisabeth Smith."     My voice was calm and the old man didn’t seem to notice my hesitation.     "Well, Elisabeth Smith. Welcome to Paradise Montains. I’m Herb but everyone calls me Herbie. Good to meet ya. " I shook his hand, not at all surprised with the vigor he instilled it. His white hairs drove people to the wrong conclusion. One would look at him and see a very old man. Someone had to look beyond the looks to see the life force that irradiated through him.