Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20619 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 103(@200wpm)___ 82(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20619 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 103(@200wpm)___ 82(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
A pair of headlights blaze by in the night. The roads were empty as I drove up here, most people having sense enough to not drive in a storm like this. I think about hitchhiking, then remember all the tales of how cute, starry-eyed teenage girls ended up, in horror stories, and how the last thing anyone ever hears of them are from cold cases on true-crime podcasts.
I tremble again. What other options did I have? Sit here and freeze to death? Cold and miserable? May as well stand out in the rain and play the serial killer slot machine.
As I mull over my fate, a pair of headlights flash my way. A vehicle rolls up toward mine. I squint, and I believe it’s the truck that passed me about five minutes ago.
It pulls up next to my car, and I hold my ground.
Maybe I don’t need to try to hitchhike to find my serial killer; maybe he’ll just find me instead.
The storm crackles in the distance, a particularly strong roar of thunder. The truck door opens, an umbrella pops out, and a flashlight follows. It shines my way, blinding me. The figure approaches my driver’s side window and proceeds to knock on it.
Realizing I don’t exactly have anywhere to run, I roll the window down. The figure huddles over and looks into my car.
And goddamn, is he handsome.
Piercing blue eyes, a thick red beard, a jaw so stone cut that I can see it even through the beard. He’s wearing a flannel, and it’s so damn tight around his biceps that I can’t help but like what I see. His hair is drenched, despite him holding an umbrella. He must have been fleeing the storm too.
Well then, at least my serial killer is sexy. Whatever little solace that is to me, I take it.
He looks me up and down, too, him shaking his head at his prey. “What are you doing out here, miss? This ain’t the time or place to be car camping.”
I grin his way, nervous as hell. One, because he’s hot. Two, because I still don’t know his intention. “I ran out of gas,” I state.
“Well, damn, that’s not good.” He scratches his head. “And I used the last of my own jerrican to get back home for the night. That’s some awful-ass luck right there.”
“Yeah. I’m all about that—bad luck—it seems.”
The way he looks at me, the way he talks. My suspicions of him being a serial killer are quickly going away.
Not completely, mind you. The scariest monsters are the outwardly gentle ones.
He looks over my car. “No one drives a car like this out here. You ain’t from Evergreen Valley, are ya?”
I shake my head. “No. I live in the city.”
He strokes his beard in thought. “You’re a bit far from the city. And I say that as a bit of an understatement.
“I... uh... kind of got lost.”
“That’s some damn impressive getting lost.” He shakes his head. “If ya out of gas, I can’t get your car back on the road. But I don’t think any other good Samaritan is going to pass by to help you. Hell, you’re lucky I saw you stranded, out of the corner of my eye.”
“You’re the only other soul I think I’ve seen for an hour.”
“Why don’t you come along with me for the night?” he says. “My cabin ain’t too much further. It’s warm and dry, and we can deal with your car troubles in the morning.”
I swallow and take a deep breath. Going along with strange men in the middle of the night is such a bad idea. But I’m not in a good place. I may as well take my chances with him, because the best-case scenario without him is freezing in this car until the storm passes, then walking cold and hungry down the road until I reach the gas station. One which might be miles from here.
“Um... okay. Sure, thank you.”
“Don’t need thankin’. Just doing what any reasonable fella would do.” He offers me his hand. “The name’s Hunter. What about yours, lovely?”
I can’t help but blush as I accept his grip. “Savvy,” I reply.
“Savvy? Kind of an cute name. I like it.”
“It’s short for Savannah.”
“Oh, hey, that’s an even lovelier name.”
I giggle. God, he’s such a charmer. I open the door and climb out, him covering me with his umbrella. The wind and intensity of the storm don’t make the cover perfect, but it helps, and really, it’s the thought that counts.
“Come along now. Let’s get dry and warmed up. I got some beef stew cooking, too, if you’re hungry.”
Beef stew? It’s no chicken Alfredo, but it’ll definitely do.
TWO
hunter
I try to be a good person whenever I can, and I can try to help anyone and everyone, regardless of who they are. If someone’s in trouble, I’ve always gone out of my way to help them.