Page 41 of His Big Bad Stick

Now I have to do the thing where you take in your surroundings.

It has the same vibe after a night of drinking too much. Or waking up in another guy’s bed.

I’m on couch.

I’m in a… cabin…

Right across from me there’s a big, beautiful stone fireplace.

On the floor…

Colver.

He’s sound asleep, his left arm over his eyes.

Something about him… the way the sleeve of his t-shirt is pulled back and him resting, sleeping, and the immense size of his arms and muscles and…

Speaking of arm…

My right arm throbs a little.

One look brings everything back.

Now there’s no escaping reality at all.

My chest tightens and I feel like I can’t breathe for a second.

I quickly sit up and step from the couch to the floor and move toward the cabin door.

As I open the door, I look back at Colver.

What the hell was I thinking? Where the hell am I right now?

Believe me, I wasn’t drunk or high when I tracked down Colver.

It just seems now that things have cooled enough…

I walk out of the cabin and take two steps and freeze.

It’s nothing but trees. I’m in a forest.

It almost feels like a horror movie.

Waking up on a couch in a cabin somewhere in the woods.

My right arm stitched up.

Me more than just a little afraid of the man in the cabin who is still sleeping.

I look at Colver’s truck.

Yeah, for a second or two I think about stealing it.

My phone!

I touch my pocket.

I’ve slept all night with my phone in my pocket.