to the house and talking Taylor should be a breeze in
comparison.
Chapter 5
Twenty minutes
later, Mel hobbled over to a fallen log and sat down not even
caring if the crumbling mossy surface stained her pants or not. Her
optimistic spirits were seriously flagging. The fashionable knee
high boots, which had seemed eminently suitable in that they made
her look taller, were not designed for long walks down an unpaved
driveway. She couldn’t even begin to count the number of times she
had twisted and wobbled as her four-inch heels made contact with
lumps of gravel, throwing her off balance.
Rubbing her sore
ankle, and wiggling her protesting toes, Mel frowned, wondering how
much farther she’d have to walk before reaching the house. She
peered ahead but the drive twisted around yet another bend,
obscuring her view of what might be ahead. Compressing her lips,
she shook her head. There was obviously something strange about
this man. No one in their right mind had this long of a
driveway.
When she had first
started walking, Mel had taken interest in her surroundings. She
had no great knowledge of nature but even she knew that the trees
were mostly evergreens with a few deciduous varieties thrown in for
good measure. They grew close together, their branches stretching
and blending, partially blocking the view of the sky and shading
the ground below. Because of this, the temperature seemed much
cooler than it had in the more open, sun-drenched space of the
road. Still, her coat, combined with the exercise of walking along
quickly, had kept her sufficiently warm.
Now that she was
sitting, the cold was beginning to seep in, rising up from the cool
surface of the log she was perched on, while the dampness of the
air began to penetrate through her layers of clothing. Mel rubbed
her hands together briskly as she looked around and tried to gain
her second wind. Now that she was deeper into the forest, there was
considerably more snow lingering on the ground, though some bare
patches did exist. Little animal footprints could be seen here and
there and she wondered what type of wildlife lived in the area.
Nothing too large, she decided based on the size of the tracks.
It was quiet, and
beyond the occasional chirping of a bird, the only sound Mel could
hear was her own breathing. She inhaled deeply, appreciating the
crispness of the air, the scent of pine, and the faint mustiness of
the damp ground. The peacefulness seemed to engulf her and she
could feel her earlier tension and frustration slipping away. Maybe
Taylor wasn’t so crazy. There was a certain sense of calmness, of
being one with nature, when you sat in a place like this. She
wondered if he’d taken many pictures of the woods yet and if this
was where the wolf photograph had originated.
This thought
reminded her that she had a job to do and Mel heaved herself up
from her temporary seat. Her feet protested, but she promised them
a nice long soak in a hot tub if they’d just carry her a little
farther. She’d only walked a short distance when she sensed
something different. A feeling of unease washed over her; a certain
prickling of her skin, an awareness that the atmosphere of the
forest seemed to have changed suddenly. The birds were quiet now
and the air seemed charged.
It was a
ridiculous thought, considering she was in the middle of nowhere,
but it felt like something was watching her every move. Looking
around, she peered into the depths of the trees, but only saw
trunks and underbrush, patches of snow and muddy ground.
Nonetheless, she hurried her pace. Years of living in the city had
ingrained in her the idea that walking alone in deserted parking
lots or alleys was a bad idea. The concept probably transferred to
forests as well.
The feeling of
anxiety grew and she walked even faster, her senses heightened. She
was aware that her breathing had quickened and a faint layer of
sweat was forming on her skin. Wiping her palms on her pant legs,
her gaze darted from
comparison.
Chapter 5
Twenty minutes
later, Mel hobbled over to a fallen log and sat down not even
caring if the crumbling mossy surface stained her pants or not. Her
optimistic spirits were seriously flagging. The fashionable knee
high boots, which had seemed eminently suitable in that they made
her look taller, were not designed for long walks down an unpaved
driveway. She couldn’t even begin to count the number of times she
had twisted and wobbled as her four-inch heels made contact with
lumps of gravel, throwing her off balance.
Rubbing her sore
ankle, and wiggling her protesting toes, Mel frowned, wondering how
much farther she’d have to walk before reaching the house. She
peered ahead but the drive twisted around yet another bend,
obscuring her view of what might be ahead. Compressing her lips,
she shook her head. There was obviously something strange about
this man. No one in their right mind had this long of a
driveway.
When she had first
started walking, Mel had taken interest in her surroundings. She
had no great knowledge of nature but even she knew that the trees
were mostly evergreens with a few deciduous varieties thrown in for
good measure. They grew close together, their branches stretching
and blending, partially blocking the view of the sky and shading
the ground below. Because of this, the temperature seemed much
cooler than it had in the more open, sun-drenched space of the
road. Still, her coat, combined with the exercise of walking along
quickly, had kept her sufficiently warm.
Now that she was
sitting, the cold was beginning to seep in, rising up from the cool
surface of the log she was perched on, while the dampness of the
air began to penetrate through her layers of clothing. Mel rubbed
her hands together briskly as she looked around and tried to gain
her second wind. Now that she was deeper into the forest, there was
considerably more snow lingering on the ground, though some bare
patches did exist. Little animal footprints could be seen here and
there and she wondered what type of wildlife lived in the area.
Nothing too large, she decided based on the size of the tracks.
It was quiet, and
beyond the occasional chirping of a bird, the only sound Mel could
hear was her own breathing. She inhaled deeply, appreciating the
crispness of the air, the scent of pine, and the faint mustiness of
the damp ground. The peacefulness seemed to engulf her and she
could feel her earlier tension and frustration slipping away. Maybe
Taylor wasn’t so crazy. There was a certain sense of calmness, of
being one with nature, when you sat in a place like this. She
wondered if he’d taken many pictures of the woods yet and if this
was where the wolf photograph had originated.
This thought
reminded her that she had a job to do and Mel heaved herself up
from her temporary seat. Her feet protested, but she promised them
a nice long soak in a hot tub if they’d just carry her a little
farther. She’d only walked a short distance when she sensed
something different. A feeling of unease washed over her; a certain
prickling of her skin, an awareness that the atmosphere of the
forest seemed to have changed suddenly. The birds were quiet now
and the air seemed charged.
It was a
ridiculous thought, considering she was in the middle of nowhere,
but it felt like something was watching her every move. Looking
around, she peered into the depths of the trees, but only saw
trunks and underbrush, patches of snow and muddy ground.
Nonetheless, she hurried her pace. Years of living in the city had
ingrained in her the idea that walking alone in deserted parking
lots or alleys was a bad idea. The concept probably transferred to
forests as well.
The feeling of
anxiety grew and she walked even faster, her senses heightened. She
was aware that her breathing had quickened and a faint layer of
sweat was forming on her skin. Wiping her palms on her pant legs,
her gaze darted from
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