Chapter Sixteen
The sled sinksdown at least three inches in the fresh layer of powder making the trek down the mountain slightly tougher. Memories of last night come flooding back to me as I park the sled around the area where she jumped me. I snuck out of the cabin early this morning when it was still dark outside, hoping that she wouldn’t see me leave, also knowing she did. The fact I shared that story with her. My past, maybe not the complete rendition, but close enough. No one got those stories, and for me to tell her was something completely out of character for me. Shaking my head, I keep moving, pushing away thoughts of the girl tied up in my bed back at thecabin.
Before long, I come across fresh elk tracks blanketing the area letting me know I’m close to some nearby game. Readying my rifle, I stalk along the trail. I’m following at least four sets of tracks. It isn’t until the sun starts setting, maybe three hours of traipsing around the thick white blanket, that I get a visual on the small herd of elk attempting to dig under the snow for food. Their hooves plowing into the deep snow. Three cows, and what looks to be last year’s calf, graze at the uncovered ground, completely unaware of my presence. Preparing to take my shot, I aim for the cow closest to me, and squeeze the trigger. The piercing bang echoes off the blanketed earth causing the four elk to jump and start running, the cow I hit leaving a trail of crimson in herwake.
Quickly I shoulder my weapon and start after them, not wanting to let the cow get too far from me. The trail she leaves behind is a beacon, leading me right to her. She only made it two hundred yards or so from where I shot her before she collapsed. Laying still with shallow breaths, she clings to life on the slick red stained snow. With the sun going down and the scent of fresh blood in the air I get to work on getting the elk gutted and quartered for transport. I won’t be able to drag the whole carcass back in one trip so I take as much as I possibly can. The rest of the elk will make a pack of wolves or a lone cougar a decent meal. When I have more than I can carry on my back I start the long trek to mysled.
The night is quiet, only the crunch of the snow sounding under my feet as I make my way back. It doesn’t take me near as long as it did tracking the elk because I don’t need to be quiet this time around, or so I think. The sled just barely comes into view from the glint of the moonlight when a hissing fills my ears. It stops me in my tracks, the bark of a nearby tree exploding from the impact of the bullet that nearly hits me. The noise comes again only this time, the bullet hits its target—me. Sharp pain spreads throughout my chest nearly knocking me down, but somehow, I stay standing. The need to get the fuck out of here spurring me ahead. Two more shots wiz past me before I make it to the sled. Whoever is shooting at me has a silencer. It can’t be ninja girl unless she had a weapon stowed away in the woods somewhere, which I shouldn’t rule out, but something keeps telling me this isn’t the case. I got the feeling from her that she wants a more personal death to come to me, she wouldn’t just snipe me out. This is someoneelse.
The headlight from the sled barely lights the way back to the cabin, just in time for my vision to start fading. I know I need to get inside, away from whoever it is that wants me dead, but going in there with someone else who wants me to meet the same fate isn’t much of an option either, but it’s the only one I’ve got. I am going to have to put my trust in her if I have any chance at surviving. Snagging the key from the snowmobile I don’t take the time to cover it up before I’m dragging my body toward the door. Flinging it open I’m met with big brown eyes. Still strapped down to the bed, I find her in the same place I left her hours ago. Stepping inside I throw the door shut and stomp over to her side. It only takes her seconds to put together the reason for my haste. When her eyes land on my bleeding chest she opens her mouth to speak but I stop her. “If you want me dead, now is your chance,” I say, grabbing the knife that is still on the bed but closer to her right hand, I take note of the progress she made, but it doesn’t matter anymore. She is the only hope I have if I plan on living another day. I take the knife and cut away the restraint closest to me, using the last reserves of energy I have left. “I’m kind of hoping you decide…not…to…” My words start to slur, the dim light of the cabin fading around me. I’m going to black out that’s for sure, what isn’t, is if I will wake upagain.