Part One
The car came to an abrupt, screeching halt. Metal and plastic made an awful noise as it bent and crushed in on itself. The front bumper crunched in because of the speed she had been going and the deer now smashed into her grill. The airbags deployed. She came forward as the steering wheel airbag expanded. It all happened so fast. The seat belt dug into her waist, chest, and shoulder.
Her mind stalled, struggling to process the event. Adrenaline dumped into her system. Her head stung. Hissing as she reached up to touch her hand to her head, it hurt above her eyebrow on the right side. Blood on her fingers. Her body felt sore. Looking up to see a deer hanging feet first in her passenger seat. The carcass, head and legs into the car. The cracked and broken windshield, the mangled deer trapped in the hood and bumper of her little car. She closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the headrest. This is the last thing she needed right now. Listening to the car hissing as if something wasn’t working correctly anymore.
In the middle of the night on a two-lane road in the middle of nowhere. Her one still-working headlight shone on the black asphalt. The car had turned, crocked on the road, its front right over the outside white line. The dark woods on that side of the road shook their branches at her as the wind blew gently. She clicked her hazards on, unbuckled herself, and got out of the car. Stumbling where the road ended and met the ditch on the side of the road.
Leaning back into the car, she fumbled trying to find her phone. Pushing the airbag away, she reached down by her pedals. Her stomach and chest ached with a newly formed bruise from the seatbelt. Finding her phone on the floor there. Standing up, looking at her phone. No service. Just great. Stuck in the middle of the woods, with a totaled car and no cell service.
The full moon high in the sky lit the forest with an eerie glow. Looking at the messed-up car and the now-dead deer that lay across the passenger-side hood. Well, at least she was alive. Her adrenaline dissipating some, now she just felt sore. Looking both ways down the road. No lights at all. She turned to the woods at her back. There among the woods appeared to be a possible pathway. Maybe it led to someone’s house. It wasn’t unusual for people to live out in the middle of nowhere.
She felt a headache beginning as she thought about what she should do. She could sit here and wait for someone to show up, which could take hours. Even locked in her car, she didn’t like that idea. What if a bear or wolves or something showed up, interested in the deer carcass for an easy meal? She had a pistol in her bag and knew how to use it, but not against an animal. She would if she had to. The other option was to brave the woods, following the path hopefully to someone’s house. Not liking this option anymore than the last one. She could wait until morning and see if she could find a house then. Still had to brave the woods, but at least she wouldn’t have to brave the darkness.
Looking into the woods again, maybe if she could climb a tree. She could get cell service. At the moment, this seemed like the best option. If she didn’t get service, she would hole up in her car until morning and then figure out what to do. Going to the back seat, she pulled out her backpack. Buckling on her hip holster, pulling her red hoodie on, hood up over her red hair. Sliding on her backpack, every movement hurt.
The woods started about twenty feet from the road. The air was chilly on her skin. She was glad she had her hoodie. Taking her flashlight out and making her way to the treeline. Taking her backpack and hoodie off for a second to toss them over the barbed wire fence. Climbing through it, cutting her arm shallowly in the process. Pulling her hoodie back on and backpack, ignoring the sting in her arm and her growing headache, she moved to a maple tree amongst the pines she could climb. Putting her flashlight away and taking her backpack off, she climbed as high as she could. Taking her phone out and holding it up, trying to get service. Her foot slipped, and she dropped the phone, her arms going wide. Panic welled in her chest. Desperately grabbing for the trunk. Holding on for dear life. Her breath caught, her stomach jumped into her throat. The ground fell away from her vision as she clutched the tree tightly. With her eyes closed, she waited for a few breaths. So much for that idea. Carefully, she started climbing down.
About eight feet from the ground. Glancing down to place her feet, she glanced into the woods, and here in the darkness she saw a light. Likely a house among the tree branches. A warm yellow glow. It seemed to be in the direction she assumed the pathway she had seen front the road.
Her boot slipped again, causing her to lose her grip. Landing on her stomach on the branch she had been standing on. Pain flared in her chest and back suddenly. Trying to find something to grab onto with her hands and failing. Her body slipped off the tree branch. She fell to the ground on her left shoulder and back. It knocked the wind out of her. She tried to breathe. Gasping at nothing. After a few tries, her breath came back in short, tight gasps. Her chest and back were painfully aching. Finally, managing a small breath, then another. Lying there still until she could breathe more normally. Everything hurt. Hell of a night she was having here. She turned on her side to sit up slowly. Taking a ragged breath and then another.
Coughing, her upper back hurt painfully as she did. She winced, sucking in a pained breath. Every breath hurt, for that matter. It felt as if she had dislocated a rib. Knowing what that felt like. She sat kneeling for a few moments, trying to breathe normally again. Her left shoulder hurt, the one she had landed on. Just bruised, she guessed, and she tested her motion. Gritting her teeth at the movement. It hurt, but she didn’t think she had broken it.
She sure loved her grandmother, but this trip to see her was turning out to be hell. Standing finally. Painfully getting her backpack back on. Turning her flashlight back on to look for her phone. The screen cracked, but remained usable. Still no signal.
Looking back up the tree. Well, that sucks. She trailed back to the fence line. Following it to find the road leading into the woods. It took her a few minutes to get there. Sure enough, it was a road, resembling a driveway. The full moon shone above her, getting lost in tree branches as she walked down the gravel driveway. It was wide enough for one car. She wandered up the path, hoping she wouldn’t run into any wildlife. After about ten minutes of walking, she heard a wolf howl. The hair on the back of her neck rose, and a shiver ran up her spine. The howl didn’t sound close, but it still freaked her out. She started walking faster up the path.
*****
Silently making his way through the woods. The wolves had already alerted him to the fact that someone was on the territory line. He had stepped off the porch and into the woods. Making his way to the road, seeing the car, blinking red hazard lights. Leaping over the barbed-wire fence. He walked around the car, its hazards on, the dead deer in the hood. It was a miracle the person was alive. Had the deer hit the driver’s side, they would be dead. But no one was in the car.
The airbags had deployed, now a deflated mess. He stepped close to the car, inhaling deeply. It was a woman. He could smell blood, but it didn’t seem like a lot. This was very recent. Following her scent trail. He found her and watched from the shadows as she fell from the tree. He winced in the darkness. It looked like it hurt. Eyes watching her as she managed to catch her breath again. She was persistent. He followed her curiously. Following behind her, he could smell adrenaline and cortisol; she was definitely in pain. Her breathing had changed. It was shallower, like she couldn’t take a full breath. Likely she had hurt herself from the fall. She wore a fire-engine red hoodie pulled up covering her face. He hadn’t gotten a look at her yet.
Following her in the shadows of the trees as she walked up the long driveway. Interestingly, she didn’t seem afraid of being in the woods in the dark by herself. He noticed the gun at her hip. Not unusual, lots of people out here carried. Suddenly, wolves howled. Talking to each other. Warning that there was someone in their territory. Letting him know. He stayed put as the wolves closed in around her in the shadows of the woods.
*****
The howl sounded across the other side of the road, still not close. Another howl this time closer. She pulled her gun and pushed herself to walk faster, every step jarring her chest and back. Sending sharp pain into her back and chest. Another howl they seemed to be on both sides of the road, very close to her. Panic and adrenaline flooded her system again. She seemed to be right in the middle of them. Spinning on the balls of her feet, her heart pounding. Gun in hand. Pulled and ready, her flashlight in her left hand, under the gun in her right. Hearing growling in the forest, she startled, pointing he gun into the bushes.
Trying to move closer still to the house, she could see the dim lights in the woods, still too far to run to. The wolves would outrun her. She had wandered off the road, now lost in the woods. Her adrenaline was pumping through her system.
The bushes stirred close to her. Her gun whipped around to point at it. Nothing emerged. A shape ran by her, to the left in her peripheral vision. She fired her gun. It cracked off, loud in her ears. Echoing through the dark forest. Disrupting the silence of the woods. Nothing. There was nothing out there; she was jumping at shadows. She sighed and lowered her gun slightly. She looked around, trying to figure out where the light was. Her heart was still racing, adrenaline still peaked.
“Can I help you?” A deep male voice sounded from behind her.
She whipped around, her gun pointed at the new sound. The flashlight light bright in his face. He squinted at the bright light. Her instincts were in overdrive. The man raised his hands, seeing her gun.
“What are you doing wandering out in the woods in the middle of the night?” he asked, seeming oddly calm that she was pointing a gun at him.
She lowered the light and gun to point at his chest, out of his eyes. He kept his hands up but blinked and opened his eyes normally. She had an absurd thought about not talking to strangers. Like her parents used to tell her as a child.
“Mind pointing that somewhere else?” he asked, hands still up, watching her.
She lowered her gun away from him, still holding it ready. Her police training took over.
“Sorry. I hit a deer on the road. I was hoping this driveway led to someone’s house,” she said.
The man lowered his hands, she couldn’t totally see him in the shadows of the forest now, but he was wearing a black hoodie and pants, and had short hair. She couldn’t see the color from where she was but it looked dark in the flashlight, light before.
“It does. Mine,” was all he said, not unkindly, just relaxed.
“Could I use your phone?” she asked.
“Don’t have one,” he said, slicking his hands in his pockets as he walked closer to her. Getting a better look at him, about six foot two, wide shoulders. He was handsome, a day old shave. Dark hair, short on the sides, longer on top. But what caught her breath was his eyes. They were gold, weird.
“You don’t have a phone?” she asked, perplexed.
“Nope,” he said, his eyes watching her.
She was about to ask if she could stay until morning, but the wolf howls choused close to them. Bringing her gun up, light shining into the forest. Her eyes looking for the wolves, jumping at shadows. Suddenly, she felt warmth at her back, close to her body, and the man’s hand closed over her forearm.
“Put it down. They won’t hurt you,” he said quietly.
“But they’ll kill us,” she said, her voice shaky, she realized she was afraid. She did not want to die here.
“No, they won’t. Not while you’re with me.”
“B-but-” is all she could manage. She was shaking. Her adrenaline had spiked again at the fear she felt. She heard growling and saw the wolves in the forest this time. Her body tensed, which made her back hurt. She winced. Aiming the gun at the wolves. The light and the gun moved to one, then another, then another. There had to be eight of them. The man put his hand on her lifted gun hand, gently pressing down.
“Put the gun down. They will leave if you do,” he said, coming to stand slightly at her shoulder instead of behind her.
Her instincts told her not to take her eyes off the wolves, but she felt him watching her. She glanced at the man. His gold eyes caught her green ones.
“Trust me,” he said, his deep voice oddly soothing at the moment. He eased her hand down. This time, she let him. Why she did not know. She still held the gun, but now pointed it at the ground.
Her eyes went back to the wolves, but they were no longer there. Just dark woods surrounding them. She was still shaking.
***
“Come on,” the man said. He turned and walked into the woods.
Hearing her hurried footsteps close behind him. He could smell her fear and her pain. Despite that, she was alert and attentive, gun still ready, her eyes on the woods. She moved like a cop or a soldier. He wondered what she did for a living.
Smirking to himself. She was a redhead with beautiful green eyes. Determination and confidence. Despite her fear and pain. Alluring him all the more as the minutes ticked by.
*****
After about ten minutes, they arrived at a small cabin. He walked in. She followed him with hesitation. Thinking about not talking to strangers again. Her police training made her think about all the possibilities that could be there. If he had wanted to harm her, he would have done it already.
Still holding her gun ready, she followed him inside. Clicking her flashlight off and closing the door behind her. She took her boots off in the small mudroom as he did. Feeling weird not doing it. She didn’t get a bad vibe from him.
Walking into the cabin. A simple room, yet it offered ample space. Wood-burning stove, couch, a queen bed, a dresser, and a small round kitchen table with two chairs. A small, open kitchen. Two doors, one was a small bathroom, the other she guessed was a closet. And a back door. Minimal items. It lacked decoration, but it was clean.
“Help yourself,” he said, motioning for her to sit as he did something in the kitchen, his back to her.
She wanted to sit badly, but felt like she needed to be on her guard. Though calming down a lot once she made it into the cabin. She hadn’t holstered her gun yet. The adrenaline used in her body. She felt tired and hurt everywhere. Every breath hurt. Reluctantly, she holstered her gun and looked around the cabin. The wood stove made the room cozy and warm.
The man was doing something in the kitchen. He came over with a glass of water and an ibuprofen bottle. Handing them to her.
“Thanks. What I could really use in a drink,” she said more to herself than to him.
“I have that too if you’d like,” he had turned but looked over his shoulder at her questioningly.
“Screw it. I’ll take the drink,” she said, downing the water and setting the cup down next to the ibuprofen bottle on the coffee table and regretted it. As her rib objected to the movement, she winced, trying to stand up again. Sharp pain, pulling at her back.
“All I have is Jack Daniel’s. You alright over there?” he asked, and he came over with two glasses of ice and half-full of the dark amber liquid. She should be more careful taking drinks from strangers.
“That’s fine. I’ll be fine. I think I just have a rib out,” she said, taking the drink from him. She looked at the drink. Afraid that maybe he roofied it. It was like he read her mind.
“Afraid I roofied it?” he asked after taking a swallow of his drink. Reaching out and taking her drink, he handed her his drink he had just had some out of and took a swallow of the drink he’d taken from her.
“Cheers,” he said, holding his glasses out to her.
“Cheers,” she said, clinking glasses with him. This was so weird.
She took a drink, welcoming the burn in her throat and the warmth spreading through her body. Now that her adrenaline was wearing off, she realized how chilly she was. The man set his glass down.
“Take your hoodie off,” he said, looking at her.
She coughed on the second swallow she had just taken. The action lit pain across her back and chest. Looking at him like he had grown a second head. He chuckled.
*****
“Take your hoodie off so I can look at you back. I may not look like it, but I am a licensed chiropractor,” he said, watching her again. Giving her a relaxed smile.
He saw her hesitate. Setting her glass down, he watched as she tried to pull the hoodie off, but got stuck part of the way. Gasping softly in pain.
“A little help?” she said, her voice muffled by the hoodie. He heard her breath hitch painfully. He grabbed the hoodie and helped her out of it.
“Ow, ow, ow,” she said. She glanced at him a bit embarrassed.
She wore a tight black ribbed racerback tank top. Paired with blue jeans and converse. His eyes caught on her face as she reached up with her not hurt arm to push her hair out of her face. Her messy hair, more messy now. The wild look interested him all the more.
“Yesh, ouch. What did you say happened?” he said, pointing to her shoulders.
He saw her look down, she had the beginnings of an epic bruise over her chest from the seatbelt and her right shoulder was scratched up and looked like it would bruise also. He handed her her drink, and she took another sip. He took it from her, setting it down on the coffee table.
“I hit a deer. My car is totaled. I climbed a tree. Trying to get cell service. I slipped and fell out of it.”
“What a night,” he said. God this woman had guts.
“Yeah, tell me about it.”
“Lay on your stomach on the ground.”
*****
She hesitated. It was a compromising position.
“I promise to only touch you to check your spine alignment,” he said, crossing an X over his chest.
“Only to do that,” she said firmly. Her eyes narrowed at him.
She set her pistol on the coffee table. He smiled at her and nodded once.
Slowly she made her way to the ground, gingerly laying down. Her chest and stomach hurt from where the seatbelt dug in. It would leave a heck of a bruise. Getting as comfortable as she could. Her breathing was tight and short. He knelt beside her, his fingers starting at her hips and moving up her spine. Going back to her belt, he pressed on her hips. Her spine popped once. Pain across the front of her hips because of the bruise there. She sucked in a breath. Then he pressed his palms down along her spine, moving to her neck. Her back popped a few times, but it didn’t fix her rib.
“Can you roll over?” he asked.
Struggling and short of breath, she sat up, grimacing as she laid on her back. The man pulled his hoodie off. He wore a dark blue shirt, his muscles showing as he moved. Setting it aside, he leaned close to her, helping her lean up a little. He placed his fist along her spine, just to the side of it. Pulling her elbow and arm up so that the arm was bent and her hand was at her shoulder. His hand at her armpit and shoulder, he pressed down. Then moved lower and did it again. She felt it slide back into place and her back popped again. He let her go. She lay there on the floor for a moment, her eyes closed.
When she opened them he was kneeling at her head. She didn’t hear him move. His hands on her neck, feeling with his fingers.
“Relax,” he said to her, looking down at her, his face upside down.
She did as she was told. He cracked her neck both ways. He let her go, gently setting her head down on the ground.
“There you go,” he said. Standing easily from kneeling.
“Thank you,” she said. Sitting up. She was so sore everywhere. Standing slowly, she moved to the couch and finally sat down. Feeling bruised, sore, and exhausted.
“So, you live out here by yourself?” she asked. Trying to make conversation. Feeling her fatigue.
“Yup, just me and the wolves.”
“What was the deal with the wolves anyways?” she asked, yawning at the end.
“We just get along,” he said like it was the most normal thing ever. She curled up on the couch.
“What were you doing out this way in the middle of the night, anyway?”
“I was on my way to see my grandmother,” she said, hardly able to keep her eyes open.
“Hm, does she live close?”
“A few hours that way,” she motioned west. Her eyes are too heavy to keep open anymore.
“I’ll take you to town in the morning,” he said, she vaguely heard him as she drifted off to sleep.
*****
He smiled to himself. Picking her up carefully he laid her in his bed. Covering her with a blanket, she immediately curled up, snuggling under the covers. He brushed her messy wild red hair out of her face, before turning off the lights. All but one small light over the sink. In case she woke up in the middle of the night.
He cleaned the blood from her face. She only stirred a little, exhausted. She was beautiful. Her red hair, the way she carried herself. Strong, confident. She could handle herself, and she knew her way around a gun. Not batting an eye at the fact that she had just been in a car wreck and fallen out of a tree. And she was going to defend herself using a gun against a pack of wolves.
Finding himself wondering if she had a boyfriend. He smelled male to her but it was old. Making himself comfortable on the couch, he fell asleep thinking about the woman sleeping in his bed.
*****
The smell of bacon roused her from sleep. She stirred, shifting. Immediately regretting it. She groaned that her body hurt so much.
“Good morning, sleeping beauty,” the man said.
She rolled over wanting to get back to sleep. But her stomach growled. She sat up in bed, slowly. Barely able to move at all without something hurting. She was so bruised. Suddenly, aware that she was not on the couch and that she had fallen asleep in his house. Her eyes widened looking at him.
“Heh, we didn’t do anything. You passed out on the couch. I only moved you to the bed. I figured you would be more comfortable,” he said, nonchalantly. “Breakfast will be done in a few minutes,” he said, smirking at her.
She just nodded. Slowly, she edged to the bed’s side. The seatbelt marks hurt so badly. She made it to the bathroom and to pee without having to ask for help. Standing in front of the mirror. She looked terrible. The man had cleaned up the cut above her left eye. Her left eye looked as if she had a black eye. The seatbelt marks over her chest and waist were a deep purple-blue, and very bruised. They hurt to touch even lightly. Her right shoulder, both at the back and sides, showed bruises and cuts. Taking her messy bun out, she tamed her messy hair and put it back in a cleaner messy bun. Finally, she opened the door. Trudging to the table. Gingerly sitting down. It hurts to use her abs for anything. Trying not to wince and whine at every movement. He set a plate of bacon, eggs, and pancakes in front of her, and a black coffee.
“Do you need cream or sugar?” he asked.
“No, thank you. This is great. You didn’t really have to do this,” she said. Her stomach growling again.
He smiled, “No problem. I would have made it for myself anyways.”
They ate together in silence. It was strange. This whole situation was weird. But not uncomfortably. She usually had a good radar for dirtbags. He didn’t seem to be one. There were no warning signs. Except maybe the whole thing with the wolves. What was that anyway?
Falling asleep in his house was probably not a wise move. It was not something she should have done. It’s too late for that now. He had didn’t do anything but take care of her, it seemed.
After they ate, she grabbed her gun and put it back in her bag with the holster. They headed out to his truck. It had been a challenge to get into it, since she hurt everywhere. But she finally managed. Sitting there, painfully uncomfortable. First stopping at her car, which now had two police officers and a tow truck parked there. They all had a chat about what happened. She grabbed all of her stuff from the car. Once the police sorted out the situation and they were back in his old pickup truck, she called her grandmother. She told her grandmother what happened and that she would see her soon. Setting her phone up with directions to her grandmother’s place. She made sure she got in before he did. She fell asleep in the passenger seat after about five minutes.
About two hours later they pulled into her grandmother’s driveway.
“Hey, we’re here,” he said, gently nudging her.
Stirring, she felt more sore than she had before. She groaned again, slowly moving. He turned the truck off and came over and opened the door for her. Stepping down, her hand slipping on the door. He suddenly pulled her to his chest. Pain rolled over her bruises. He was not holding her tightly, his arms around her, holding her up. She looked up to him, he was about nine inches taller than her. Her green eyes caught his golden ones.
“Oh dear! There you are!” Her grandmother came out of the house, she was still spry for being almost eighty-four.
He let her go, steadying her. Making sure she was alright before letting her go completely.
“Hi, grandma,” she said, hugging her and wincing as she did.
“Oh are you alright? We should go to the hospital!” her grandma said.
“I’ll be alright grandma. I just need to rest. I’ll be fine,” the red head said.
“Oh Mr. Wolf, thank you for taking care of her,” her grandma said, taking the man’s hand in hers like they were friendly.
“You are very welcome Ms. Johnson. I am glad I was there and she didn’t get lost in the woods out,” he said. His gold eyes caught her green ones. Did she say Mr. Wolf?
“I’ll see you Friday for my appointment,” her grandma said, patting his hand.
“Of course,” he said, smiling at her grandma.
Her grandma came back over to her, “Let’s get you inside, my dear.”
The man brought her stuff out of the truck and set it just inside the door of her grandmother’s house. The red head stood there trying not to move too much. Her grandma had gone into the kitchen to make tea.
“Hey, Red,” the man said to her, setting the last of her bags down.
She looked up at him, he leaned on the door frame.
“I’m glad I found you wandering my woods,” he said, taking a few steps closer to her, they were inches apart. He pulled out a business card out of his pocket and handed it to her.
She took it looking at it. His name, Jamie Wolf, at Wolf Chiropractic. The address to his place of business. And a phone number. She looked up at him. His woods?
“That’s my office and cell number if you need another adjustment. It wouldn’t hurt you to, after all that, keep the rib where it should be. Would be a good idea. You could come on Friday with your grandma if you’d like. No charge, it’s on me,” he said and waved over his shoulder as he walked back to his truck.
“You said you didn’t have a phone,” she called after him, shooting him a look.
“I didn’t have it on me when you asked,” he said, smirking at her over his shoulder
Her mouth hung open slightly in disbelief. He continued back to his truck.
“Wait! Don’t you want to know my name?” she asked, for no reason she could think of.
“I already know your name. Your grandma talks about you a lot,” he said smiling and walking backwards to his truck.
“But you called me Red.”
“I did, yes. Like Little Red Riding Hood, on the way to her grandmother’s house. You have a red hoodie on,” he said, a smile still on his face.
“If I’m little Red Riding Hood, you’d have to be the big bad wolf. Finding the lost girl in the woods. She’s not supposed to talk to strangers, you know,” she said to him, unable to fight a smile.
He opened his door, stepping up between the open door arm on the roof, “Does she regret talking to the big bad wolf?” he asked, his gold eyes on her.
“...No, she liked it. She’d like to see the wolf again…” the red head said, blushing slightly.
“He would like that too, Red,” he said, his gold eyes shining, a smirk playing across his face, before he got in his truck and closed the door.
A chill ran up her spine, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She stayed there at the door and watched him drive away. What the heck was that?
“The tea is ready!” her grandma called from the house.
“Coming. So, how long have you been seeing Mr. Wolf as your chiropractor?” she asked as she closed the door.
TO BE CONTINUED…
