Page 1 of The Beast of the Mountain
Chapter 1
Riley
This is how I die.
I’m at least a million miles from civilization on an old mountain road with no cell reception, no survival skills, and no chance of making it back down the long, winding road to Whispering Winds without becoming a wild animal’s next meal or a serial killer’s next victim.
My car puttered to a stop fifteen minutes ago, and after popping the hood and poking at some wires, bolts, and shiny metal doohickeys, I’m no closer to getting this car started again than I am finishing my next book before my deadline. Although…
Note to self:If I make it out alive, my next thriller will take place in the mountains. A woman, estranged from her husband and daughter, retreats to her family’s old cabin in the woods to battle her demons. Paranoia or a drinking problem? Maybe… both. Unreliable narrator? Check. Scary mountain man neighbor? Hmm… yes. An old small-town murder mystery she finally solves from clues she discovers in her family’s cabin? Sounds good to me.
Okay, it needs work but the creative juices are flowing. I guess I wasn’t too far off when I told my agent I needed to getaway for a while. I’ve always loved the energy and vibrancy of a big city, but lately, I’ve been blocked. It’s like someone took a cork and plugged up the hole for my creativity and the words refuse to flow.
A cabin in the woods. No internet. No distractions. Nothing but me, nature, and a looming deadline threatening to crush my soul. It was a spur-of-the-moment idea, but after sleeping on it for a few days, the seed of an idea blossomed and I found this gorgeous listing and went for it. I’ve never been very spontaneous but I figured a little adventure might knock loose whatever is blocking me.
Unfortunately, I don’t use my car much, so I’ve been neglecting its routine maintenance, and the steep incline and winding road into the forested mountainside was too much for her. As it turns out, even Francine the Forester struggles with forests after routine oil changes have been pushed off for… years?
Yeah. Not good.
I sigh, pulling my head away from the steering wheel. My forehead is throbbing, and when I glance at the rear-view mirror, I see why. I poke the thick red indentation across my brow.
Cool. No one’s around to see it anyway. As I take in my surroundings again, my anxiety swells. I’ve been here for almost twenty minutes and I haven’t seen a single car. The only sign of life I’ve seen are a few birds and a couple of chipmunks scurrying up one of the pine trees next to me.
Nature used to be calming, but right now, I’m on edge. It’stooquiet. It’stoocalm. But at least it’s not dark. If I hadn’t decided to get an early start on the day, I’d be stuck on the mountainside in pitch darkness with only the flashlight on my phone to guide me. If the bears didn’t get me, the mosquitos would have. I’ve only stepped out for a few minutes but I swearI must be giving off a fresh meat signal because I was bitten in rapid succession along my arms and legs.
And, as I stare at my reflection, on the tip of my nose.Grrrreat. Riley the red-nosed writer.
I check my phone again. No bars. I fling my head back against the headrest, closing my eyes as I let out a raspy sigh. I can’t stay here. It could be hours before someone drives by. I’m not certain I want to be found by someone this far from civilization.
Who lives this far out? Someone escaping a long string of unsolved murders, probably. There goes my imagination. Why couldn’t it work when I was back in my apartment in the city?
After taking a few more quiet moments to myself, I shove a few snacks and a water bottle into my purse and hop out of my car. I look left. I look right. Up and down. But there’s no one in sight that could help me. I’m all alone and the heaviness of the situation begins to weigh on me.
Frustrated, I scream—full-throated as I throw my head back and arms to my side. I can’t remember the last time I screamed like this before. Have I screamed like this before? I’m not sure, but honestly, it makes me feel a little better.
A few deep breaths later, I make my way down the road, opting not to lock my car because my screaming fit made me realize it doesn’t matter. No one’s going to ransack my car becauseno one is here.
This wasn’t the sort of hike I expected to take when I decided to head to the mountains, but as I continue making my way down the road, the fresh air and tall trees calm my nerves.
But only for a while.
The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as tension rises in my stomach. It feels like someone’s watching me. I spin around, glancing up and down the road and into the thick brush of theforest, but there’s no one around. I don’t hear anything but branches and leaves rustling from a soft breeze.
Maybe my imagination could take a break until I get a hold of my agent, a mechanic, or a tow. It’s been dormant for nearly six months, maybe chill for a little while longer?
Eventually, I see a bar flicker on my screen. After taking a few steps back, there it is again. I call my agent in a hurry, hoping that she’ll be able to find someone to rescue me because I’m sure a stiff breeze will carry this bar away along with my hope of making it back to town before dark.
It rings. It rings and rings and rings. Okay. I know for a fact that her phone is surgically attached to her hand, so why isn’t she picking up?
A few more rings and the call connects but I can’t hear anything but crackling and buzzing—robotic noises that undulate in pitch and volume and seem to be coming from inside a long tunnel.
“Vera! Vera, Vera, Vera,” I repeat rapidly into my phone, hoping that she can hear me. I wait but the only response I get is a garbled mess. And music? Whatever.
Rather than waste what precious few seconds I have left of this reception, I launch into a plea for help.
“Vera, my car broke down. I’m stuck on this mountain and it’s a long, long way back to civilization. Whispering Winds. That’s the town. I sent you the cabin in an email. Call a mechanic, a tow, the National Guard—something to get me out of here!”
I pause, taking a deep breath as I look around again. I don’t see anyone but I swear something’s off. It’s a gut feeling that’s waking up a primal part of me.Danger—get out now!
