Page 50 of Forgiving Fate

We make our way towards the tree line behind the house and Landon pulls out his phone to illuminate the pathway as the sun slowly fades away behind the trees.

Pulling the blanket tighter around me, I step over a fallen tree trunk and glance over my shoulder.

Landon’s nose scrunches, and he gives me a skeptical look.

“I’m not going to murder you,” I say, a hint of amusement in my tone at the fact that a man that risks his life to save people fears following a woman half his size into the woods.

The back of my mind screams at me, telling me not to do this, because he could be an excellent liar and this would be the perfect way to get away with something. Something in me is telling me to trust him, even though I shouldn’t. But if I can’t trust him, even if it is just a tiny bit, then I truly am all alone in this world.

Waving my hand, I turn back around and start heading toward of the shed. It takes a moment, but then I hear the crunch of Landon’s shoes on the forest floor, followed by the light illuminating a pathway staying at a consistent distance behind me.

Reaching the door of the shed, I turn around, take my phone out of my back pocket, and tap the flashlight. Landon’s very confused face shines in the bright light a few feet back.

Keeping my eye on him, only turning my head for a brief second to check inside the shed as I push the door open.

Stepping to the side, I motion for Landon to follow me, and he shakes his head.

Rolling my eyes, I tilt my head towards the shed again.

He remains in his spot. “Sorry. But there is not a chance in hell I am following you in there. I may do way scarier shit for a living and not to stereotype, but women love true crime documentaries. And this is exactly how that shit starts.”

A laugh escapes me and my hand flies to my mouth. I watch as Landon’s head slightly tilts and a small smile spreads across his face. The faraway, lost look temporarily replaced with fear that I am bringing this six foot, covered in tattoos, beast of a man out to kill him.

Crossing my arms over my chest and leaning against the side of the shed, “Not to be an ass, but if I was going to kill you, I wouldn’t do it this way. Trust me, I have thought of thousands of ways how to kill a man over the last months and the way of a shed in the woods is boring as hell.”

His face morphs into pity until another laugh escapes me, and he shakes his head. Looking over his shoulder, he slowly steps up to the shed and shines his light inside, his eyes darting back and forth to my hands.

Finally, he steps inside and I follow behind him, shutting the door behind me not only to hear if someone comes, but to mess with me.

His eyes go wide, and he places himself in the corner, his back pressed against the wall.

I do the same on the opposite wall and slide down until I am sitting on the floor, bringing my knees to my chest, curling the blanket around me.

I watch as Landon takes everything in before mimicking my motions.

We sit in silence as rain sounds against the roof and a sense of calm and peacefulness overtakes me. Gone are the never-ending thoughts of my past life, and all I can hear is the rain.

Landon’s voice breaks the silence. My face tilts to look over at him, my chin resting on my hands.

“Allie. You can tell me no, but the rain is leaking over here. Would it be okay if I sat on your side?”

Tilting my phone up to the ceiling, I see water dripping onto him, his shirt and beanie wet.

“Yeah.”

Standing, he walks over and sits down on the same wall as me, a few feet separating us.

“I don’t want to sound like an asshole, but something happened the other day. And I–”

Glancing over at him, not hiding shock and the anxiety of what he is trying to say from my face.

“Nevermind. It’s stupid,” He says shaking his head and waving his hand.

“Landon. Tell me.” My mind races. Did he find something about my parents? Did Mike somehow get to someone else I care about? Did something happen to Logan?

Panic rises in my chest and my once safe space becomes smaller and smaller.

“Shit. Sorry. Nothing bad happened. Sorry,” Landon says, sounding closer than before.

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