Page 78 of Stay for Me

“This ranch is haunted, but I didn’t piss of any spirits, so I’m good,” I assured myself, pulling out my phone to make sure my location was on and available to everyone. I double checked that the gate was locked and headed towards the trail opening tucked between a large oak and pine tree. As I got closer, the inside of the forest came into focus, showing the beauty that awaited me. The sunlight bled through the tree canopy, highlighting the forest floor in an unpredictable pattern.

I took a deep breath, rolled my neck, and stepped inside.

It wasn’t until forty-five minutes later, when I was halfway up the mountain, that everything went to shit.

My breaths were uncontrolled and labored as I swung my body around the tree, pressing my back against it as I looked all around me, searching for a better hiding spot. Behind me, on the other side of the tree—I didn’t know how far away—-I could hear the bear running, twigs and leaves crunching underneath his paws. I closed my eyes and bit down, trying to hold my breath.

The bear roared and started stiffing around.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

I slowly put my trembling hand over my mouth and opened my eyes again. In the distance, about a half a football field away down the hill, there was a small clearing. I knew this path, this trail. I knew it almost as well as the cowboys, and on the other side of that small meadow, was a hollowed log wide enough for me to hide in.

It was my only option and though not the best, anything was better than staying here to be Mr. Bear’s lunch. I would be able to drop my backpack halfway, and hopefully, the bear would be distracted enough to so I could get away.

I slowly dropped my hand, bracing against the tree bark to push off.

One.

Two.

Three.

I shot away from the tree, my feet pounding against the ground as I skirted around trees, gaining speed the further I descended the hill. Another roar sounded off behind me, and I made the fatal mistake of looking over my shoulder. I barely got a glimpse of the beast before pain erupted in my ankle, and before I could comprehend what was happening, I went down. My body crashed against the hard ground, more pain sparking in my shoulder as I slid down the hill. I cried out, my body rolling. The world flashed around me, the sky, then the ground, then the sky again. My leg hit something, but still, I didn’t stop—gravity was in control now. With another cry, I stretched out my arms, searching for something to cling to, but it was no use.

I flipped over a final time, landing on my side at the bottom of the hill, covered in dirt, my body consumed by pain.

With all my might, I rolled to my back, the sky above still blue, the clouds still white, the sun still at its peak. Panic hit me, and I turned my head, ignoring the pain to search for the bear. My backpack was a few yards away, the teal fabric covered in dirt and leaves. I laid on the edge of the clearing for a while, not taking my eyes off the hill. Minutes or hours passed, I didn’t really know, and when the bear never made an appearance, I closed my eyes, tears sliding down the sides of my head now.

I knew two things.

One, I was never going hiking alone again.

Two, pain. All I felt was pain.

Chapter Fifteen

Mags

Ibentmyhead,closed my eyes, and took a deep breath, reminding myself of where I was—and who I was. It wasn’t very often I’d hear the phantom cries during the day, but after Diana, I couldn’t be surprised by anything anymore. Seconds ago, I’d heard a cry ring out through the air, but it was in my head.

My hell was in my head, the past haunting me, the present torturing me, the future looming over me, reminding me of all the lonely days to come.

Get a grip. Lock it in and shut it down.

I released the breath I’d been holding and lifted my head again, watching the cowboys work to move the herd into pasture three. Midnight huffed impatiently, clearly wanting to head back to the barn for the bushel of carrots she watched Jigs bring in earlier.

It was Friday.

None of us really wanted to be out here, but auction was next month, and we had to get the herd ready. In a few hours, the twins would head into town, Jigs would go over to Beau and Abbie’s cabin for supper—which I declined to attend—Mason and Harmony would be in their home, and Val and Kings would spend the evening with the kids at the main house. As for me, I would be able to get a decent amount of sleep. My body had reached its limit, and I knew when my head it the pillow, I would pass out.

There was no other option—thank fuck.

I was settling into an old cycle, one my therapist wouldn’t approve of.

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