Sunlight struck Raylyn’s face. Mountain air wafted around her as she lifted her nose to the sky and breathed deeply.
She cradled the coffee mug and drew it to her lips. The hot liquid coursed down her throat, and she grimaced at the searing heat.
The cabin resided in a mountainous region, nestled amongst tall pines and ancient maple trees. Hidden from the road, it offered the perfect getaway.
Squirrels scurried up thick tree trunks and jumped from one limb to the next. Birds soared overhead, seeking their nests. Deer loped from the bushes and stared at her before moving on.
Nancy had insisted all she needed was a vacation. Raylyn had agreed on one condition. If the break wasn’t enough, then when she returned, Nancy would move her to a different ward. The head nurse had reluctantly agreed.
Roland Fryes, a lifetime family friend of her parents, and affectionately labeled uncle, hadn’t lied when he’d said the place would bring her peace. She’d only been here one day, and she already felt better.
She left the porch, entered the kitchen, and continued upstairs. Cleaned, she dressed in khaki pants and a bright yellow t-shirt. She searched her backpack, checking for the essentials: first-aid kit, energy bars, sports drink, emergency blanket, and matches.
With her camera in hand, Raylyn locked the cabin door and struck out. A trail ran behind the house. According to Uncle Roland, after five miles of hiking, she should be at the prettiest waterfall a person could ever see.
Dried grass crunched beneath her boots. Birds called to one another as they swooped past. Crickets chirped in the bushes alongside the trail. Leaves rustled in the wind, and Raylyn tried to calm her racing heart by imagining these creatures were her friends, and she wasn’t truly alone.
The elevation increased, and Raylyn’s thighs burned. Cresting a hill, she stopped to catch her breath. With one leg perched on a dead log, she took a swig from a water bottle, before continuing.
Three hours later, she stood before the waterfall. Crystal clear water cascaded over the rock and splashed with a thunderous roar into a pool. Beside the pool, a man and a woman lounged on a blanket. The man leaned on his elbow and smoothed a stray hair from the brow of his companion. Her face flushed, and she arched her back until their lips met. Raylyn looked away.
Yup, peace was great, she thought sarcastically.
****
Sunday rolled around, and Raylyn waited for Uncle Roland. Her small compact car was parked at his house in town. Without four-wheel drive, the cabin was unreachable.
She drew out her cell phone. A circle with a line through it flashed on the screen. No service.
She paced. Seven days completely alone was driving her mad. She’d walked the trails, she’d read, she’d lounged. Now she wanted noise. She missed the hospital sounds. She missed the interaction with hospital staff. She missed her apartment.
Palming her chin, Raylyn sighed. The brief trip had been great, except one thing hadn’t changed — the dreams. Every night the same. The filled ward, the flashing words, and the patients coming for her.
Her lids grew heavy. A horn honking drew her attention. A door slammed, and Uncle Roland appeared.
“Hey, little lady. How was your week?”
Raylyn jumped to her feet, grabbed her bag, and rushed to the idling truck.
“That good, huh?”
“It was relaxing.”
“So good and so relaxing you were sitting on the porch with your bags packed and chopping at the bit to get on the road?” Heat rushed to her cheeks, and he added, “I guess I better lock up.”
“I already did,” she admitted, her face burning hotter.
He shook his head as he opened the passenger door.
She placed her overnight bag in the floorboard and slid onto the vinyl bench seat.
“Renee has been cooking all day. She’s been worried about your eating habits since you left the house.”
“Sorry.” Raylyn pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. The change in air temperature fogged her glasses, and she couldn’t see a thing.
“Ain’t nothing to be sorry about. The old girl likes to fret over you.”
Their only child by birth, Riley, had died in Afghanistan four years earlier, and Aunt Renee took every opportunity to mother.
They pulled into the driveway, and Aunt Renee bounded outside, carrying a pie and a fork. “You two have to try this. Tell me if the crust don’t just melt in your mouth.”
Raylyn opened her mouth and accepted the first bite. She grinned broadly, making the appropriate noises to express her appreciation. Civilization was great.
****
Raylyn arrived at her apartment late. She slept a few hours before popping from bed and readying herself. The mirror reflected a woman who looked older than her twenty-five years. Her brown hair looked dull and her green eyes lifeless.
She sighed and walked away from her reflection. She had called Nancy on the drive home and asked to be moved to another floor. The head nurse hadn’t been happy, but she had acquiesced.
If the change in positions didn’t work, maybe it was time to move on. Raylyn had always wanted to live in the country. Maybe she could get a job in the small town clinic close to Uncle Roland and Aunt Renee. They wouldn’t mind if she stayed with them until she could acquire her own place. She was sure of it.
On the drive to the hospital, she listened to her favorite Christian music station. Inside the hospital, she entered the elevator and pushed the fifth-floor button then quickly pressed the button for the sixth.
Perhaps moving floors was going to take more getting used to than she’d thought. The bell dinged, and she quickly pressed the close-door button. She tapped her foot impatiently as the door jerked to a halt for the second time. The doors creaked apart. Laughter echoed along the hallway. Two guys raced past in wheelchairs. An older female nurse ran behind them yelling, “Stop!”
“I got dibs on James.”
“I’m voting for Delmar.”
Bets ran the gamut along the hall, and Raylyn covered her mouth to hide her smile as she stared over her shoulder and approached the nurses’ station.
Gerty held a phone to her ear. She looked up, smiled, and motioned Raylyn forward. Gertrude Garrett was fifty-five years old and known as one of the toughest nurses in the hospital.
Gerty hung up the phone, clasped her hands together, and asked, “Morrison, what are you doing here?”
Raylyn swallowed and dug out her transfer papers.
Gerty studied the sheet, leaned back in her chair, and laughed in delight. “I can’t believe it. After all this time, I finally get you. Nancy said she’d never give you up, but now I’ve got you.” She clapped her hands. “We need to get you settled. I can’t have you changing your mind.”
She led Raylyn to a cluttered desk. “Just pile these up in the corner, and I’ll go through them later. Today you can start with five rooms. Next week we’ll look into adding a few more.”
Raylyn dropped her bag under the desk and fought her rising panic.