the nearest town. Maybe it would be safer to walk. If only she knew how far she had to go.
Behind her she heard the distant sound of a car or truck. Turning, she saw two headlights moving far down the road behind her. They appeared to be moving very slowly.
As she watched, a searchlight flipped on, on the driver’s side of the vehicle. The beam of light moved along the tree line of the opposite side of the road. The side she had just emerged from. Someone was searching for her! Relief flooded through her for a moment. Then she looked down at the blood on her hand, and a chill came over her. Did she really want them to find her? Was the person in that vehicle responsible for these injuries? She wasn’t sure she wanted to find out the answer to that question here, alone on a darkening, desolate highway.
She sank back into the tree line, and crouched down behind some thick bushes. Peeking through the branches, she watched silently, as the headlights grew closer. The spotlight scanned one side of the road, and then the other, moving slowly along the road. As the vehicle approached, she saw that it was a light colored pickup truck. There was only the driver, a man, judging by the breath of his shoulders. He was wearing a light colored cowboy hat. In the dim light she couldn’t make out any of his features.
She held her breath as the spotlight flashed across the bush she was hiding behind. When it moved on past, down the road, continuing its search, she breathed a sigh of relief.
As she watched the two red taillights getting smaller and smaller in the distance, she had second thoughts. Could it be a friend out looking for her? But why hadn’t he called out her name? Wouldn’t that have been the logical thing to do if you were searching for someone you knew?
She continued watching the truck from her hiding place until it disappeared down the hill.
Silence enfolded her, and she became aware of the evening sounds of the forest, cicadas, crickets, frogs and mosquitoes. Still she waited, afraid to go back out on the highway until she was sure the truck wasn’t going to double back. Besides, she needed to rest. The pounding in her head was so painful; it was hard to concentrate on anything.
Leaning back against a tree, she waited, slapping at mosquitoes, until the last traces of light faded from the sky. Hesitantly, at first, she crept out of the bushes, and stepped back through the tree line. Shaking off the leaves and twigs clinging to her hair and clothing, she searched the highway in both directions.
Nothing.
She crossed the shallow ditch, and started walking downhill, along the side of the road. She felt a slight breeze on her arms. The temperature had dropped a couple of degrees, but it still had to be close to seventy degrees, she judged. It was a good thing, too, since she was only wearing a pair of khaki shorts, a white tank top, running shoes, and ankle socks.
She walked for close to an hour, and no cars passed her. Finally, she crested a rise, and the forest opened up, and she saw for the first time where the highway was leading. It descended into a valley that was spread out before her. She could see, far off in the distance, the twinkling lights of a small town. The clouds moved to reveal a full moon hanging low in the sky, and the valley became illuminated.
She started walking again, heading toward the nearest lights, which appeared to be about a mile down the road.
It was some time later when she finally reached her destination. She stopped to rest, and catch her breath before starting up the gravel drive that led to what appeared to be a farmhouse, barn and several large sheds.
Taking a deep breath, she started up the long gravel drive. She was almost to the house, when suddenly a large German Shepard came charging at her from out of the shadows, barking loud enough to wake the dead. Knowing she didn’t stand a chance of outrunning it, she froze, hoping it wouldn’t actually attack her.
The dog stopped about ten feet from her.
She didn’t dare move. She could only stare at the white fangs, gleaming in the moonlight.
It growled low and menacingly.
The dog had her full attention now. She was afraid to take her eyes off it, so she