“I’ll just be a minute.” Logan called from the bedroom. “There’s some drinks in the refrigerator, if you want; help yourself.”
Tom looked around and liked what he saw…cozy…nice place. He glanced at the fireplace and noticed some family pictures. Curious, he went over to take a closer look. One showed a smiling Logan with two people who must have been her parents. They seemed to be at some kind of graduation. High school? College? He wasn’t sure. She looked so happy in the picture and her parents looked proud…what you would expect. Nice family, he thought.
He knew her parents were dead but he wondered if she had any brothers or sisters. He looked at the other pictures, not seeing anyone else. He’d have to ask her about that, or maybe she would just tell him in due time.
A dawning acknowledgement that he wanted to know this woman better and anticipated a longer-term relationship hit him. Since Jenny died, he hadn’t been out with more than three other women.
Yeah, he admitted, he tried the dating scene but it just didn’t mean anything. He thought at the time it was because he wasn’t ready yet. Smiling, his thoughts racing ahead at a fast clip, slow down, guy! You just met this woman….
Re-entering the living room, “Ahh…that’s Mom and Dad at my high school graduation. Sighing at happy days long ago, clutching her camera, she continued, “I guess they were pretty proud of me… only child …” her voice trailed off.
He watched her expression change from dreamy happiness to abject sadness, remembering her loss.
“One can see here,” sweeping his hand around at the pictures and trying to lighten her mood, “they were…and I’m sure you were proud of them too.”
“Yes,” she spoke softly, remembering the good times she had shared with her parents, as well as all the happy memories they had here at the cabin.
And, the more she thought, the better she felt about her decision to stay here instead of going camping.
What happened on the way down, and the cold she felt yesterday, were just due to anxiety, nerves playing tricks on her…because she was returning to this place, and all its memories, after such a long absence? Maybe it was a fear of reminiscing?
No! How stupid is that! I love this place!
“Logan?”
Her reflections ceased.
Jolting her back to the present, Tom asked, “Are you ready for some hiking?”
“Oh! I’m sorry. I must have been daydreaming.”
Better than having nightmares, she thought as they prepared to leave.
* * * * *
A soft breeze brushed lightly across Logan’s face as she surveyed the beauty of the fall foliage in Brown County State Park. They had found an isolated area, not far from a trail, and had already taken one hike into the woods.
Tom had driven her to one of his favorite spots in the park and was delighted when she told him that this was exactly what she had in mind and that she remembered this as one of her favorite places to hike too. They had plopped down in a clearing to rest.
Bursts of gold, red, orange, and all the different hues of each, emblazoned the leaves and permeated the surroundings already rich with the deep, earthy colors of fertile ground. A variety of birds gaily displayed their bright and muted feathers as they gathered in trees nearby or flew overhead. Together, the scene painted a picture taken straight from the pallet of a Brown County artist.
Tom murmured, “I love fall.”
Gazing around at the colors of nature, “I agree. It’s my favorite time of year.”
Logan lifted her head up higher, taking in the panoramic view. She looked around and noticed Tom staring at her, embarrassed and touched at the same time.
Glancing at her watch, “I think I’m going to take another walk if you don’t mind.”
He knew she wanted some privacy. Nodding, he patted the ground. “I’ll be right here when you come back.”
Giving him a little wave, she took off on her own and a few minutes later she was deep in the woods in the middle of another bombardment of sensual delights. The colors of the leaves were so bright as to hypnotize her; the smells were pungently aromatic, the sounds soothing. She closed her eyes, giving total attention to the wonders of nature all around her, so vibrant yet subtle. Leaves rustled in the slight wind and she could hear the soft babble of a brook close by, water trickling through the rocks in the stream.
“Logan.”
Her eyes flew open when she heard a voice calling her name.
Whose voice is it? Tom? No, it doesn’t sound like him. My imagination? Questions raced through her with fervor, causing trepidation.
Looking around, cautiously at first, quicker as she became more desperate, she thought she saw something up ahead by a tree. Peering closer, she felt the first quickening of her heart and her pulse.
It can’t be! It looks like there’s something leaning up against the tree!
She blinked but it was still there.
No, it can’t be, she thought again.
But yet, it was there, a diaphanous form, and as it began to take shape, Logan found herself staring at Jake Turner!
She tried to scream. His face was so horrible! Already the ruins of death had invaded his soul and transformed him into an ugly image.
No longer denying the obvious, screaming this time, she realized that it had been him all along-in her apartment, in the car, in her parents’ cabin.
Feeling her legs grow weak, she heard footsteps approaching. Someone grabbed her. Startled, she felt another scream forming, but it was trapped, stuck in her throat, too afraid to come out.
“What’s wrong? I heard you screaming.”
Logan collapsed into Tom’s arms when she heard his voice, quivering and gulping back tears.
He held her tightly until her breathing became more regular and the tension left her body.
“I don’t know”, she finally said. “I… I think I saw something, but I’m not sure.”
“What did you see?”
Her eyes darted back and forth; her hands were trembling. “I…I saw someone leaning up against the tree. He was … awful.” A shudder ran through her body; Tom felt it too.
Taking a step back to look into her eyes, “Where did he go? Do you want me to go after him?”
But before she could answer, he saw something or someone out of the corner of his eye.
“Hey!”
The figure ran off through the woods.
He turned to give chase but Logan grasped his arms tightly.
“No”, she said, I…I guess I was wrong. It was probably just another hiker. Just forget about it. I probably scared him when I screamed,” making an excuse, hoping to lessen the tension…but it didn’t convince him.
In time maybe I can tell Tom about it…but not yet, no, not yet, she decided, walking away, oblivious to the fall wonderland that had captured her attention just a few minutes before.
He thought about the retreating figure, wondered who it was and why he ran. Logan might not realize it but this is a fairly remote place. Someone would have to be familiar with the area in order to find it…or, someone is following us, he theorized. Frowning, why would someone be following us? That doesn’t make any sense.
Shrugging his shoulders, it’s probably just a coincidence, he decided. Taking another look and hurrying to catch up with her, maybe she’s right-maybe she did scare the guy.
Wow! That was close!
Harry paused to catch his breath. He had followed Logan and Tom from the gas station, hoping to create an opportunity to meet up with them and explain who he was and why he was here.
I’ve really screwed up now! Logan saw Jake Turner’s ghost! Coming from the opposite direction, I saw it too! I don’t think that guy Tom saw it…but he sure saw me!
I wonder if he recognized me? If so, maybe he thinks I want to hurt her. Now what can I do? If I tell them why I’m here, they might not believe my story.
Harry continued to ponder questions and implications as he walked back to his car.
Jake knew Harry was there, and he was not happy.
Goddamn old man! Why did he come?
He knew the answer, of course, continuing to seethe, but smiling as he remembered the incident in Harry’s car. His heart had pounded so fast. Just a little more jolt and he would have been a dead man, same as Carl.
Yep, the look Carl gave just before the lift came crashing down was something to remember!
Considering the consequences for meddling too much, he thought, don’t try it, old man! A heart attack would be easy to cause and the next time it might be fatal.
“Yeah, you’d better just keep out of my way.”