Page 2 of Scolded By the Mountain Man

I follow the lines of it up to the figure of a man, tall as a giant and broad-shouldered, his face obscured by the hood of a dark rain jacket. He stands there looking down at me as a crack of lightning illuminates the sky behind him. The flash of light gives me the slightest glimpse of him, and I see he has a strong jaw and long, shaggy, brown hair.

“You’re a long way from the city, girl,” he says, his voice strong and deep, like it was forged from the very rock he’s standing on.

I try to reply, but my own voice will simply not come. It’s like something is stuck in my throat.

“Do you speak?” he asks, causing my cheeks to redden.

“Y-yes!” I blurt out, forcing the word from my lips. “I’m lost. I was hiking and must have gotten twisted around somehow.”

“Hiking without a compass?” He shakes his head, making me feel immediately inferior. “City girls. And you didn’t check the weather?”

The realization hits me like a revelation. I suddenly realize that I did not check the weather. I was in such a hurry to get out of the city and upstate that I just rented the car and drove.

“I guess I’ve done everything wrong today,” I admit.

The man scoffs, nearly laughing. “You’re lucky I came along. Come with me. I’ve got a place you can take shelter that’s not too far away.”

Without waiting, he turns his back on me and begins walking in a totally different direction than the one I was headed in. I may not know much about hiking and nature, but I know people. And this man knows that I’m going to follow him. That’s why he’s not waiting.

Soaked through and feeling the chill beginning to penetrate my bones, I turn and make after this man I don’t know and have just met. After all, what choice do I have?

2

PENNY

The rain showsno sign of letting up as I follow this mystery mountain man through the woods and up the mountain. I am starting to shiver and my legs are starting to shake as we hike up the slope. I’m afraid, not only of this storm and whether or not I can hold out, but of this man and his intentions toward me.

For all I know, he could be a serial killer, hiding out here in the forest, just waiting for a tiny woman like me to come upon his secret lair so he can kill me. It doesn’t seem too likely, of course, but all kinds of crazy things happen in this world.

“Where are we going!?” I call out to him. Without turning, he calls back.

“You’ll see.”

Wow. So helpful.

“So what do I call you?” I ask. There’s a long silence with no response. “My name is Penny!”

“You can call me Tyson,” he finally responds.

“Nice to meet you, Tyson,” I reply. If he’d actually turn around, he’d see me smiling.

“Nice to meet you, city girl.”

City girl. Is he just going to keep calling me that?

Clearly, he’s not from the city. I sure would like to know what his story is though. I can’t help but feel anxious as we walk through the trees. Who knows where he’s taking me? Nobody even knows that I’m out here, not even my parents.

I don’t even have anything on me to protect me. As far as Tyson here is concerned, I’m just fresh meat for the taking. That is, if he so desires it.

The rain continues to pour down on us as I follow him up the mountain. My thighs are burning. This has to be the most intense leg workout I’ve had in over a year. At least that’s one upside to today’s events.

Finally, we reach an enormous slab of what looks like gray granite on the top of a ridge. And on the other side, where the mountain slopes down, is a cozy-looking cabin built from logs.

It sits in a very small valley, looking like something on a postcard. The land has been cleared around it, and there’s a green lawn just out front.

Firewood–chopped and unchopped–is stacked by the porch, and the skeleton of what looks like a barn stands about a hundred feet away from the house.

“You live here?” I ask as I come up beside him.

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