Moth(50)

Her brows lifts. “That can be arranged.”

“Yeah right.”

I’m a little disappointed when we pull up to the cabin. It needs to be condemned. I’m wondering if the roof is stable. A large tree has taken out part of the porch. The main structure seems to be intact, but I won’t know until we venture inside. “It’s nothing to look at,” I mumble.

She sighs heavily while staring at the same thing. “Anything is better than running for my life. Until I can figure things out this place will do fine. Are you sure it’s okay that we’re here?”

“As you can tell from the struggle it took us to find it, I’d say we’re great.”

“What about food?”

“There’s a little store down the road a few miles. It’s like a Mom and Pop shop so you don’t have to worry about cameras or digital transactions. Cash only. We’ll be good. Besides, I was able to snag a few packs of Ramen just in case. The last time I was here we packed all the bedding and linens in large plastic bags. If not I brought one blanket in my duffle bag.”

“I’m not afraid of little spiders,” she admits.

“Shit, I am. Fuck those little bastards. They have no business being anywhere near me.”

I have to play with the lock to get it to open. It’s beginning to rain, but it feels like more of a mist. I hurry Nina inside before she catches a chill. It’s obvious someone has used the place after I’d been there when I was in my teens. The furniture is different than I remember. There is a newer refrigerator and the doors are open so it doesn’t mold inside. I’m thinking the place was winterized before people stopped using it. I walk over to the sink and notice antifreeze remains around the drain. It’s going to take me a while to get the water running again, so I know I need to get started. I grab my flashlight out of my bag and head for the front door. “Give me a second. I’m going to see if the power will come on. I need to mess with the water, because it looks like someone treated the pipes to keep them from freezing. I’ll be right outside if you need me.”

She’s got her arms folded across her chest. “Do you want me to start a fire?”

I turn back and nod. “Yeah, if you can find stuff inside to make it work. Light some dry rotted pillows if you have to. Oh, and plan to tell me everything when I get back. It’s time I know the reason why I’m going to extremes to keep you safe.” When I walk out the door I don’t expect a response. She’s stuck now. She has no choice but to come clean with it all, and I’m prepared to listen and accept the things I won’t be able to change.





Chapter 16


The generator is out of gas, so we won’t be getting electricity any time soon. I manage to turn the water on, but we have to retrieve it from an outside pump being that there isn’t electric to bring it into the cabin. For now it will have to do. Nina probably won’t like it, but we all have to shit in the woods at least once in our lives. If animals can do it so can we.

I can already smell smoke coming from the chimney and know she’s gotten a fire started for heat, and I guess a bit of ambience. It won’t allow us to see all around the small home, but enough to manage without injuries.

When I step inside it’s full of smoke and dust. She’s got the back door open and she’s beating the hell out of a blanket. I notice the cabinets have been opened revealing what’s left of the non perishable items. Like I remember, the pantry is stocked. There are two jars of peanut butter. Cases of soup. A few kinds of beans, both dry and canned. There is a five pound bag of rice and some other miscellaneous edible things we can make something out of. Of course, my mind goes right to chili. It’s easy and it fills a man like me up. It also gives me flatulence, which probably isn’t a great side effect when I’m treading lightly with this woman. Nonetheless, beggars can’t be choosers.

When Nina sees me she comes inside and closes the door. “I was trying to tidy up a bit. It’s musty.”

“Yeah. I didn’t have time to have the maid come,” I tease.

She rolls her eyes. “Funny. How did it go outside?”

“I got the well to work, but we’ve got no electricity. I hope you can handle roughing it.”

“I used to camp when I was a kid. I’ll be fine. It’s you I’m worried about,” she jokes. “Did you mention fishing? I haven’t been in years.”

This girl was made for me. I’m putting it out there, because there’s no doubt in my mind that it’s true. Everything that comes out of her pretty mouth verifies it.

“You like to fish?” I want her to reiterate.

“Yeah. We used to go out on my dad’s boat every summer. We’d fish and crab for hours and then come back and cook it up for dinner. We’d catch bushels of crabs and have the neighbors over because we could never be able to eat it all ourselves.”

I’m surprised she’s talking about her past, her family even. “Do you have a large family?”

She shrugs and peers away. I can tell her mind has gone to a scary place. “I used to.”

“Am I allowed to ask what happened?”

She sits down on the edge of the sofa and pats the spot beside her. “I’d rather start with something easier to handle, if that’s okay.”