Page 1 of Corrupting Ivy

My lungs burned as Isuffocated in the warm, humid morning air. My sneakers gripped the compact dirt path as I jumped over tree roots and rocks. This trail was a goldmine of tripping hazards, but I couldn’t get enough of the exquisite nature it offered.

A beauty in a world of ugly.

I picked up my pace, the wind creating a roar in my ears as it whirred past me. The rich forest scent of wet dirt and rotting wood settled in my nostrils with each heavy inhale I took. It was a musky smell that reminded me of home in the Montana mountains.

Nothing in Texas was comparable to the stunning beauty of Montana. But this woodland was as close as I could get to a home I’d never visit again. It was something that saddened me, and I preferred not to think of it.

I ran harder, going further into the woods on a five-mile loop until my lungs couldn’t handle the anguish any longer and forced me to break my pace. With heavy, tramping feet, I came to a slow walk, holding the stitch in my side and wiping the sweat from my brow.

It’s the humidity that caused death to come close. If it wasn’t for that, I’d be able to run for miles on end, given that I had yet to acclimate to the elevation change.

Cavil, Texas, sat at a whopping six-hundred feet above sea level compared to the three-thousand in Greenville.

Greenville, Montana. Population, two-hundred and fifty. It was a town where they were all related or knew someone who knew someone somewhere down the line. No, they weren’t incestuous, but they were… close.

When I escaped that wretched place, it didn’t shock me that a small town called to me. Albeit bigger than Greenville, Cavil had about one-thousand people calling it home. A town so small, we only needed one stop sign. Everyone shopped at the same grocery store, went to the same bar, and attended the same church on Sundays. So when I arrived, you could bet your bottom dollar everyone knew that same day and were curious as to why I picked their antiquated little town.

The ache in my side dissipated as my breathing normalized, and my flushed skin cooled as much as it could in the heat.

Even though it was November in Texas, it was still summer. We didn’t have Fall or Winter. Spring started somewhere around February and lasted until April. Then, it got hot. And I’m talking sweltering heat that will have sweat dripping down your back, your thighs glistening as though you’d sprayed yourself with baby oil the moment you step outside. It was an uncomfortable, sticky feeling I’d since become accustomed to.

I placed one foot in front of the other and beat the path again, in search of the grand waterfall the locals told me about. It was a hidden gem they didn’t tell outsiders about for fear of them tainting it with their lack of care, such as parties and vandalism. I guess they’d deemed me special enough to be ‘in the know’ now.

A small hidden trail just off to the right became visible ahead. Exactly where Walter, my landlord, informed me it would be. I veered off without thinking twice.

The overgrown green ferns slapped against my bare legs, causing them to itch. Not that they were poisonous. It was the little bits of debris left behind on my damp skin that caused me to feel as though tiny critters were imbedding themselves into my skin.

I ran deeper into the woods, the walkway so narrow it was practically a game trail. Just when I thought I had officially gotten lost, did I hear the rushing water falling onto rocks below. Breaking through to a clearing, I took in the amazingly clear water that crashed twenty-feet down to the jagged rocks in front of me.

A horseshoe-shaped rock shelf with a deep recess swallowed the surrounding area, creating a private alcove with a tranquility that could calm the most troubled soul. The water droplets traveled through the air, causing my skin to glisten with not only sweat as the mist rose off the rocks as the water beat against them.

The beauty alone was worth the extra trip off the beaten path.

I took off my socks and shoes, placed them on a wide flat rock, then plunged in. The cool water seized my lungs with shock as I ducked under the surface and swam out to the center. It was refreshing as it counteracted the heat of the morning.

Taking a deep breath, I puffed out my chest and let my legs float to the surface, then closed my eyes, putting my arms out to my sides. The pounding water roared in my ear as I relaxed, letting it take me.

I wasn’t sure how long I laid with my eyes closed, but a peculiar sensation crept over my skin, causing the paranoia to take hold.

My eyes flew open to stare at the orange morning sky, then looked at my surroundings, wading in a circle until I spotted an average-sized man standing beside my socks and shoes, watching me.

Darkness shrouded him, all the way from his shadow-covered face to his black pants and shoes. He had his hands tucked into the front pouch of his hoodie, with not a piece of skin showing.

My heart crashed against my chest as he remained staring in my direction. Then, as though he’d seen enough, he spun on his heel and walked away towards a small stream coming from the deep pool and retreated into the forest.

I waited for a moment to see if he would emerge again. My skin crawled as though he were still watching as I swam over to the edge of the pond. Keeping my eyes on his last location, I sat down on the rock and put my socks and shoes on in record time.

This town was full of friendly folks aside from one, so it wouldn’t have been strange at all had it been one of them had they said hi. However, he just stared like he was enjoying the view, and I don’t mean the scenery.

Finding the path, I sped through at a quick pace until my muscles warmed back up.

A branch broke in the near distance, sending my stomach through my chest and up into the back of my throat. I peered around, searching for anything that might have caused it.

That was the nice thing about Cavil, Texas. I didn’t have to worry about bears or wolves. Only the cougars. They were rare to see, so I didn’t feel the need to carry protection, but they weren’t who you should worry about. No, your biggest threat was boars. They were pretty standoffish unless you came across a sow with her piglets.

Another stick broke, this time closer. The forest went quiet as a flock of birds flew off towards the treetops, spooked by an unknown presence. I whipped around toward the direction they took off, not seeing a damn thing out of place.

My hammering heart beat against my chest so hard, I was afraid it would crash through my ribcage and plop to the ground in a bloody mess. I sprang into a jog, my wet black hair slapped against my back, my soaked clothes keeping my skin cool as the breeze ran through them. Chills trickled across my skin, not only from the breeze but from the eyes I could feel watching me.

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