Warriors Mate

4- On The Road

Slipping out the side entrance to the garage was easy enough. No one was paying attention to the back stairwell. After three trips from my room to my jeep, I had gathered all the necessities for my trip. My jeep was loaded down with clothes, shoes, my laptop, and the large cooler of food Gigi had packed for me. You would think I was going on the road for a week with a family of four with how much food she had sent with me. At least I knew I wouldn’t be hungry. 

Checking the small backpack I used for a purse, I have my cash, cards, phone, and extra keys. I slipped out of the garage after giving Gigi a very long hug. I will miss her the most. My surrogate grandmother, friend, and confidant. 

I am on the road by three heading out of town. My excitement is building as I pass through developments and businesses that I may never see again. I’m ok with that. I am ready for a change. A new life. A new adventure. 

To avoid traffic and boring interstates, I decide to take the 101 all the way to Crescent City and then cross to Oregon and my new home. I guess it really isn’t my new home. I had stayed there with Uncle Max several summers. I had my own room and bathroom. I know all the nooks and crannies to hide in and even found some that Uncle Max didn’t know about. 

My thoughts drift to the friends I had there. I haven’t been able to return for some time, so I don’t know if they are still in the area, but I do hope they are. Tyson, Quinn, Lucas, and I would go swimming in the lake, hiking in the woods, and even built a fort not far from my uncle’s house. I smile to myself wondering if it is still standing. 

I decide not to drive too long and stop for the night in Windsor. I was worn out from the events of the day and needed a good night’s sleep. I find a nice hotel with clean rooms and a comfortable bed. I decided to pay in cash explaining to the clerk I would appreciate privacy for the night. Quiet. That’s what I wanted. A quiet night to get myself ready for the next day. The clerk was nice enough to give me a room away from the other guests. 

I brought my things to the room not wanting to leave anything in my jeep. Don’t need to tempt anyone to steal my belongings. After eating I settled into bed hoping to get an early start in the morning. 

I checked my phone, which I had on silent the entire day, to see several phone calls from Gigi, my father, and another number I did not recognize. My voicemail held seven messages. The first was from Gigi letting me know they were looking for me on the grounds and she was praying I was safe. That was around an hour after I left. The next three were from my father. He started out concerned and moved to irate during the second message when he realized my jeep and belongings were gone. The third was more on the level of ‘come back here before I make you come back.’ 

The other three were from Jason. I didn’t have his number saved on my phone so that tells you how close we were. He was demanding I stop acting foolish and give up on this dream of living with forest creatures like a fairy tale. After erasing all the messages, I called Gigi to let her know I hadn’t gone far, and I was well. 

By eight o’clock I was nestled in bed and ready for some much-needed sleep. Satisfied with myself, I drifted off easily dreaming of the days to come living on my own. 

****

I woke around nine wondering how I slept so long. The previous day must have worn me out more than I thought. Not wanting to put off my drive any longer I slipped from the bed, collected my clothes for the day, and made my way to the shower. 

While showering, my thoughts drifted to Jason. How could he possibly want to marry me? We knew each other but we were not close in any way. A business transaction is not what I want for marriage. It should be love for another so deep you would be lost without them. Passion. Trust. Physical attraction at the least. None of this applied to Jason. He had a beautiful face, but that’s where it ends. He is thin, with no muscle. A very slender build with nothing to hold on to. Not my type at all.

Once done I dressed in one of my favorite loose autumn tops coupled with my customary black leggings, complete with pockets, and topped it off with a pair of knee-high black boots. Comfort and style never looked so good. I brushed out my wavy brown hair and pulled it into a messy bun.  I made my way to my jeep with all my belongings and left the hotel.  Stopping at a nearby café for some hot tea and a warm bagel with cream cheese to go. Once on the road, I headed north out of Windsor. 

The day was filled with golden sunshine, but the temperature didn’t surpass the mid-seventies. It was the perfect day for a drive, and I had plenty of it to do. The ride was going to take seven to eight hours depending on traffic and stops so I figured I would be there near six. Maybe I would be able to look up my friends in a few days’ time. 

Around noon I stopped for a restroom break and ate some lunch from the food Gigi packed for me. Chicken salad, an apple, and a small bag of potato chips were just the lunch I needed to refresh me. I filled up the gas tank and treated myself to a diet cola. I don’t usually drink sodas but today I made an exception. 

After two more stops. I was wandering through the twists and turns of Highway 101 when the traffic was at a complete stop ahead of me. I was about three hours from my destination yet, here I was sitting in unmoving traffic. It seems a tractor-trailer went off the road, but the contents of the trailer were covering the roadway. Traffic was light so there were only eight cars ahead of me. Either way, there was no way around so all we could do was to sit and wait. Of course, the road sign to my right read ‘Trees of Mystery.’ Just my luck. 

Within an hour the road was cleared enough for us to pass. This put me behind schedule, but I knew I was only a few hours from the cabin. Gassing up in the next town and taking care of hygiene needs, took priority over food this time. I didn’t want to be out any later than I anticipated so I chose to eat a light meal and get back on the road. 

Two hours later, the sun was setting, and I still had at least another hour of driving. It seemed foolish to get a room for the night when I was so close to the cabin. Following the GPS directions, I carefully made my way through the back roads that led toward Klamath Falls until I lost the signal. 

I’m sure I can remember the way. It may have been a few years, but I have been here many times. I just need to find the correct road to make the right turn and I will be there. 

Just ahead I saw the sign for Mammoth Drive. I was so relieved I didn’t notice the headlights until the car turned behind me. It wasn’t until I passed a fence and gate I didn’t recognize that I knew for sure I was lost. 

I was about to turn around when a flash of a large animal ran across my path cutting through my headlights. I hit the brakes not wanting to damage my jeep especially while lost in the woods alone at night. Whatever it was, it was huge. 

I put my jeep in reverse only to see a figure lit up by my backup lights. I screamed out at the sudden sight of what appeared to be a man and turn my eyes to the front of the jeep to see another man standing in front of me. I am watching the man in front to see what he will do when a knock on my window makes me scream again. A third man is standing by my door and slowly gestures for me to roll down the window. I put the car in park and roll the window down halfway. 

“Good evening, ma’am. How can we help you?” He was polite but that didn’t ease my fears any. My jeep was surrounded by at least three men, none of which I knew. 

“Um… I’m… um… trying to find my way to my cabin but I seem to have taken a wrong turn. I will just turn around and leave. Promise.” I was shaking so much it was difficult to speak. 

“Well now. It seems you are definitely lost. There are no cabins in this area that don’t belong to our community, and you are on our land. That is trespassing. Will you step out of the vehicle please?” As he was speaking, he reached in through the open window, unlocked my door, and opened it. It was all so fast I barely noticed him move. 

“No, please. I am telling you the truth. I just want to get to my cabin. That’s all. I swear.” By this time, I was a crying mess. I know I am in trouble with three men surrounding my vehicle and I am alone.

In a flash, I was out of my jeep and my hands were secured behind my back. “What are you doing? Who are you?” 

“Don’t worry, babe. The Alpha is out of town tonight, so you get to enjoy our lovely accommodations by way of our jail. No hot meals, no running water, but, if you’re lucky, there may be a pot for you to relieve yourself in.” The three men laugh at the snide remarks their leader makes toward me as they haul me to the truck that was following me. One of the men gets into my jeep and turns it to follow the truck over bumpy roads. 

I have no idea where they are taking me, or who it is they call ‘Alpha’, but I can only hope I will not be attacked by any of these men. I am completely helpless. 

What the hell have I gotten myself into?