Page 53 of Mountain Refuge

“It’s just a graze, baby.” A few minutes later, she held Tracy at arm’s length. “Did they…?”

“No.” Her niece shook her head as extra confirmation. “They were waiting for the highest bidder.” She smirked. “Seems there’s a lot of money in selling purity.”

“We walk from here.” Several hours later in which Tracy napped, Taya parked the Jeep behind a closed-down movie rental place.

“How far?” Tracy rubbed her eyes.

“Days.” Taya tossed Tracy a backpack stuffed with things her niece would need. “I’ve mapped out small stores along the way where we can purchase food and water.”

“Where are we going?” Her niece frowned and looked at the boots on her feet. “Will these hold up?”

“They should. Cost me enough.” Taya shrugged into her pack, shoved her handgun into the waistband of her pants, and grabbed her rifle. “We’re headed to a place called Misty Mountain. There’s a small town there, but the mountain is heavily wooded. We’ll find an abandoned hunter’s cabin to stay in for a while.”

“Why can’t we go to the police?”

“I don’t know who we can trust.” She set off, staying a few feet behind the trees so a passing vehicle wouldn’t spot them. Life wouldn’t be easy for quite a while, but as long as Tracy was safe from those whom she could identify, Taya would do anything to keep her safe. Even live off the grid. After an hour of walking, she removed her flannel shirt and tied it around the strap of her pack. “Let’s take a five-minute break.”

“Thank you, God.” Tracy dramatically slumped to the ground and pulled a water bottle from her pack.

Taya smiled, glad to see evidence of a normal teenage girl surface once in a while. After the terror of capture and living six months in a dirt cell, Tracy had a lot of healing to do. Taya would be there to help her for as long as it took.

Dark clouds started to gather overhead, threatening rain. They needed to find a place to take shelter. “Come on. We need to hurry.” Taya penetrated further into the woods and followed a small creek. Across the way, she spotted an overhang. “Grab some wood on your way.” She splashed across the water and filled her arms with fallen tree branches.

Tracy did the same, then sat and hugged her knees while Taya worked at starting a fire. “Won’t someone see the smoke?”

“Maybe, but I doubt anyone will think anything about it. These mountains are full of cabins and hunters. I’m sure there is always smoke somewhere.” At least she hoped so. She blew on the embers, then sat back to wait out the rain.

Soon, a curtain of water fell in front of the overhang effectively hiding them from anyone or anything that might pass—although, it would definitely surprise Taya to see anyone on two legs pass during the deluge. “We might as well stay the night here.” The rain didn’t look as if it would stop anytime soon.

“How will you know when we find a place to stay permanently?” Tracy rolled out her sleeping bag.

Taya doubted there would be anything permanent until the man leading the trafficking ring was behind bars. “I’ll know it when I see it. I’d like to get to the top of the mountain I told you about before we start looking for a place.”

“Is this mountain it?”

“Nope. That one is.” She pointed through the rain toward the shadow of a much higher mountain. “Somewhere up there is our refuge.” Taya unwrapped the bloodstained bandage from her upper left arm. It would leave a scar and most likely should’ve had stitches. But, there hadn’t been time, and vanity wasn’t one of her vices.

Chapter Two

After a nightof jumping at every sound, Taya struggled to her feet. The forest was full of sounds at night, and since she had no idea of the danger that would be coming for them, she felt as blind as a baby bat. Her gaze flicked to her sleeping niece. Her number-one priority. Finding those responsible for the trafficking ring came a close second. Achieving both seemed impossible.

“Time to get up, Tracy.” Taya dug two apples from her pack. They’d need to stop for supplies soon. While her niece fought her way out of her sleeping bag, Taya pulled out the map where she’d marked the small mom-and-pop stores they’d pass. They’d reach one in less than a mile if they traveled via the road.

When the store came into view, Taya motioned for Tracy to stay out of sight. “I won’t be gone long, but if someone is looking for us, they’ll be looking for a woman and a girl. I have to go alone.”

“Then at least buy more than one candy bar.” Fear flickered in the girl’s eyes. “And hurry back.”

“I will.” She cupped Tracy’s cheek, then turned and crossed the road. Every nerve tingled as she opened the door, jerking at the sound of a bell jingling overhead.

“Good morning.” A middle-aged woman smiled from behind the counter. “You must be hiking.”

“Yes.” Taya forced a smile and headed for the candy bars. First things first, after all. If sugar made her niece feel better, then sugar it would be.

She chose five, then grabbed a loaf of bread, peanut butter and jelly, some plastic silverware, a can opener, and assorted canned goods along with bottles of water. It was a lot to carry, but this was the last small store until they reached the top of Misty Mountain. Then, she’d have to figure out a way to get into town when they needed supplies. It wouldn’t be a quick hike into the valley and back.

“That’s a lot to carry, and it’s fixin’ to rain,” the woman said. “Do you need some help?”

“No, thank you.” Taya shoved most of the supplies into her backpack and hefted the case of bottled water onto her shoulder. “I don’t have to carry it long. Thank you.”

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