Read Online Faithful Shadow by Kevin J. Howard - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kevin J. Howard
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uppity bitch any service by crashing into a tree and leaving them out there. An odd thought came to him, something that made him smile. Doug chasing after Rowena to talk, innocent intentions, and in her attempts to avoid him, they both get lost. Moments later they stumble out of the wilderness and find the campsite deserted. Rowena would bitch and moan while Doug would drop down and thank his lucky stars. That would have been the best possible alternative, but Stew also knew it was completely unrealistic. Evidence pointed to a tragedy. Something wrong that didn’t make sense.
They looked to their right and saw the fire beside the road, maybe twenty yards into the woods. The flames were shooting high above the tree line, consuming everything in their path. The group had managed to escape most of the fire’s havoc, such as ash and smoke, by being up at the Inn. But it was getting closer; inching its way toward what had been, up until a few hours ago, their summer fun. Now it was the most unusual day of their lives. Waking up to an authentic mystery and then driving beside a historic blaze. Some moments stand out in a person’s life like a red flag amongst a jumble of collected memories. Stew knew this was indeed one of those days.
Stew had suppressed his anxiousness and fear enough to control his speed, turning right off the main highway at a safe twenty-five miles an hour. He pulled the jeep into a parking space right up front before the main entrance to the Inn and just sat there, his hands shaking on the wheel. It was an odd feeling for him, being completely out of control. The emotion throughout the jeep was the same, all of them with solemn faces.
“What’s going on?” Kelly and Richard came out the front entrance, holding hands.
“Doug and Rowena are missing,” Janice nearly yelled.
“Jesus!” Stew looked back over his shoulder with a scowl, telling her a normal tone would have sufficed.
“What do you mean, missing?” Richard asked.
“Missing…gone, disappeared.” Marco raised his hands palms up, a gesture that asked what else did they need to say. “Look, I have to get going or I’m going to be fired.” Marco hopped out of the jeep and hurried up the stairs, shaking his head. He didn’t care what they thought, or if they called him an uncaring asshole. Fact of the matter was that no matter how lame an annoying fat boy chose to be, running off after some skinny-ass girl, he still had a job to do.
“Stew’s going to the ranger station to file a report.” Sonia placed a hand on Stew’s shoulder, thanking him for taking charge. “We want to go too, but we can’t.” Sonia lowered her head, feeling tears beginning to build.
“We’ll go.” Kelly opened the passenger side door and took a seat before Richard could say yeah or nay.
“You will?” Janice asked, a grateful smile widening across her emotionally drained face. She and Rowena had become much more than just roommates over the last few months. Janice had come to think of her as a confidante, someone who would listen to her problems and offer advice, not just to get Janice off her back. Thinking of her in some kind of trouble, possibly pinned screaming beneath the fat, sweaty body of that freak Doug, made her heart hurt.
“Well, looks like we are going.” Richard took hold of Sonia’s hand and helped her out of the jeep. He took Janice’s hand and repeated the process before he hopped into the back.
“Don’t worry,” Stew told Sonia, looking her dead in the eyes with all seriousness. “I’ll do everything I can.”
13
S tew put the jeep in reverse and peeled out of the parking lot, unintentionally spitting gravel on the girls. A moment later he turned left on the highway and drove the short distance to the Old Faithful ranger station, filling his two passengers in on the situation while he drove. He pulled into the parking lot and killed the engine, looking up at the small building.
“Just remember to speak slowly and
They looked to their right and saw the fire beside the road, maybe twenty yards into the woods. The flames were shooting high above the tree line, consuming everything in their path. The group had managed to escape most of the fire’s havoc, such as ash and smoke, by being up at the Inn. But it was getting closer; inching its way toward what had been, up until a few hours ago, their summer fun. Now it was the most unusual day of their lives. Waking up to an authentic mystery and then driving beside a historic blaze. Some moments stand out in a person’s life like a red flag amongst a jumble of collected memories. Stew knew this was indeed one of those days.
Stew had suppressed his anxiousness and fear enough to control his speed, turning right off the main highway at a safe twenty-five miles an hour. He pulled the jeep into a parking space right up front before the main entrance to the Inn and just sat there, his hands shaking on the wheel. It was an odd feeling for him, being completely out of control. The emotion throughout the jeep was the same, all of them with solemn faces.
“What’s going on?” Kelly and Richard came out the front entrance, holding hands.
“Doug and Rowena are missing,” Janice nearly yelled.
“Jesus!” Stew looked back over his shoulder with a scowl, telling her a normal tone would have sufficed.
“What do you mean, missing?” Richard asked.
“Missing…gone, disappeared.” Marco raised his hands palms up, a gesture that asked what else did they need to say. “Look, I have to get going or I’m going to be fired.” Marco hopped out of the jeep and hurried up the stairs, shaking his head. He didn’t care what they thought, or if they called him an uncaring asshole. Fact of the matter was that no matter how lame an annoying fat boy chose to be, running off after some skinny-ass girl, he still had a job to do.
“Stew’s going to the ranger station to file a report.” Sonia placed a hand on Stew’s shoulder, thanking him for taking charge. “We want to go too, but we can’t.” Sonia lowered her head, feeling tears beginning to build.
“We’ll go.” Kelly opened the passenger side door and took a seat before Richard could say yeah or nay.
“You will?” Janice asked, a grateful smile widening across her emotionally drained face. She and Rowena had become much more than just roommates over the last few months. Janice had come to think of her as a confidante, someone who would listen to her problems and offer advice, not just to get Janice off her back. Thinking of her in some kind of trouble, possibly pinned screaming beneath the fat, sweaty body of that freak Doug, made her heart hurt.
“Well, looks like we are going.” Richard took hold of Sonia’s hand and helped her out of the jeep. He took Janice’s hand and repeated the process before he hopped into the back.
“Don’t worry,” Stew told Sonia, looking her dead in the eyes with all seriousness. “I’ll do everything I can.”
13
S tew put the jeep in reverse and peeled out of the parking lot, unintentionally spitting gravel on the girls. A moment later he turned left on the highway and drove the short distance to the Old Faithful ranger station, filling his two passengers in on the situation while he drove. He pulled into the parking lot and killed the engine, looking up at the small building.
“Just remember to speak slowly and
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