Chapter 1A

It started raining about three in the afternoon. I looked out the window of the building I was painting momentarily to watch. The weatherman on the radio had made several comments so far today that there was a "winter storm warning" in effect, but it was supposed to hold off until later that evening. Typically, the weather heads were usually off by a few hours, so I didn't know what to expect. I went back to my work, waiting for five o'clock to get here so I could get home before what ever was going to happen happened. At least if I was home when it hit, I may have the next day off due to snow.

"Johnson, Williams, Martinez," the foreman's voice called from down stairs. "Get your asses down here." He bellowed.

"What's that fuck head want now?" I said under my breath as I closed the paint can and dunked my brush in my water can. I went down stairs just in front of Martinez, but no surprise, being the ass kisser that he was, Johnson was already down there looking at me with a "shame on you for taking too long" look on his smug puss.

"I got an important announcement," the foreman began by putting his clipboard down and taking the stub of a cigar out from between his teeth. "You guys get your shit cleaned up, and get outta here." He barked, "There's a storm coming in, and it's going to be a real bitch." He looked out of the open front door. "If, and I mean if, this thing gets really bad, don't kill yourselves getting in here tomorrow." He smiled with tobacco stained teeth. "Wouldn't want you princesses to get into a wreck or anything. Now get outta here, and be careful driving home."

I went back up stairs, got my brushes cleaned up and put everything back in my bag. Told the other two guys that I'd see them in the morning if I could get here, ran through the rain, and hopped in my truck. "This should be some drive home." I mumbled to myself as I started the engine.

I pulled out of the, dirt parking lot, with tires spinning mud everywhere. This little, afternoon storm was becoming a force to be reckoned with and if the sky to the west was any indication this squall was building a lot of steam. After a short hop on the freeway, I exited, turning down the long, winding road that lead to my place. I live off of the beaten path, and I like it that way. Just me and the dog, and nobody else, and I've lived that way since I got out of prison. About nine years ago, I did a three-year beef for rape and aggravated assault, and now I have to register as a sex offender for the rest of my life. Living off the beaten trail makes that easy. No nosey neighbors to worry about and no gossip. I really didn't do what they accused me of doing, but I'm sure no one believes that, being that there aren't any guilty people in prison.

I exited the freeway and was almost home when I saw a hooded figure in the middle of the road. I slammed on the brakes and swerved over to the left hand side of the road, sending my truck into a spin. It finally stopped, just short of sliding into the ditch along the roadside. I sat frozen behind the wheel, not sure if I'd stopped, or was still sliding, and waiting for the impending crunch that I thought I was going to hear. I shook my head, and looked out the windshield at the figure now lying in the road. I jumped out of the truck into the torrent of rain, feeling it pelt my skin like tiny shards of ice. "Are you all right?" I screamed over the din. I reached down and lightly shook the figure. "Hey!" I yelled again, "You ok?" I didn't get a response. I gently turned the figure over and the hood of the raincoat fell back revealing a woman's face. She was out cold, but shivering. I scooped her up off of the wet roadway, and carried her back to my truck. I laid her down in the passenger seat, and then climbed in, put the truck in drive, and started back towards town.

I needed to get her to a hospital was my first thought because she was unconscious, that made it an emergency. "Miss?" I shook her lightly, trying to revive her. The raincoat she was wearing flung open, and she was nude underneath. Her milky white breasts heaved in time with her breathing. Her toned body shuddered at the sudden burst of cold air. I tried my best to cover her back up, wondering what the hell a beautiful woman was doing in the middle of November, out on an abandoned stretch of highway, that basically lead to nowhere. I strained trying to see the road in front of me through the mixture of snow, and rain that made it almost impossible for the windshield wipers to keep up and was like trying to drive under water. All at once I had to slam on my brakes to keep from hitting a tree that had fallen across the road. The sudden stop made her shift in the seat a little, and the raincoat fell open again, making it hard for me to keep concentration on what I was doing. Very suddenly the weather turned from an icy rain to snowing very hard and with the road blocked, I didn't have many options left. I spun the truck around, and started heading for my cabin.

We pulled up the short gravel driveway a short time later. I pulled the truck as close to the door as I could, scooped up my houseguest from the front seat, and carried her through the door. I laid her down on the sofa, took her cold, soaked raincoat off of her. She was gorgeous, lying there uncovered. Her breasts were perfectly shaped with quarter-sized areolas. Her nipples were stiff in the chill of the cabin's air. Her pubic hair was blonde like the hair on her head and trimmed in a neat "V" shape just above her sex. Her legs were long, lean, and with the exception of a few bruises here and there she seemed to be in all around good shape physically. I'd estimate her age to be early to middle twenties. I caught myself looking at her when she started shivering again. I covered her up with a comforter trying to get her warm, and then set about the task of starting a fire in the fireplace. When that was done, I checked on my guest, and then went to the kitchen to put on some coffee, and warm up some stew I'd made the night before. I went to the bedroom, and found a pair of sweat pants, and a sweatshirt for her to put on when she woke up.

On my way back out to the kitchen, I checked on my nameless visitor again. She had stopped shivering, but was still unconscious. I put my hand on her forehead, she seemed to be running a fever and she stirred at my touch. I went on to the kitchen and got a cup of coffee, turned the stew down to simmer for a while and went back into the living room. I sat down, clicked on the TV to see what the storm was doing.

A few minutes later my mysterious guest stirred, moaned a little, then sat straight up on the couch. She looked around in terror.

"Hold on Miss," I held my hand out. "You're ok."

"Who are you, where am I?" She said in obvious terror.

"My names Jeff and you're at my house." I tried to sound as soothing as possible. "I almost hit you with my truck." I explained, "You were walking around in the storm, do you remember?"

She looked at me with a curious, trying to remember what happened look. All at once, she stammered, "Did you find anyone else? Oh God, tell me you didn't find anyone else!" She yelled out, and then started sobbing.

I stood up, walked to the couch and put my hand on her bare shoulder, which she jerked away from like my touch had burned her. "No ma'am, there wasn't anyone else around that I saw." Now I was curious. Who was she expecting to be there and why did she not want me to find them.

"Good," she said. The news that she was alone when I found her seemed to calm her some and she looked around to try and gather her bearings. She looked below the comforter. "Was I naked when you found me?" She pulled the comforter up close to her neck, trying to cover herself more than she already was.

"You had on a raincoat. It was drenched, so I took it off." I looked away sheepishly, as I didn't want her to know that I really liked what I'd seen under her raincoat, and looked probably more than was necessary. "I just wanted to get you warmed up, that's all." I tried nervously to re-assure her.

She pulled the comforter tightly up to her neck, as if to hide completely from the world around her. "Do you have any clothes I can wear?" She finally asked, a little of the tension starting to dissipate from her voice.

I gathered the clothes I'd laid out on the back of the couch and handed them to her. "They might be a little big on you, but they'll do the job." She smiled as she accepted them. "Are you hungry?" I asked disappearing into the kitchen to give her enough privacy to get dressed. "I've got some stew."

"That sounds good." I heard her say. "How long has it been snowing?" I picked up the two bowls of hot stew I'd prepared and headed out of the kitchen. "Are you decent?" I asked before heading through the door.

"Yes," she said, "it's really coming down out there."

She was standing next to the window, the sweat pants and shirt hanging on her small frame. "It started just after I found you on the road." I handed her a steaming bowl.

"How long have I been here?" She walked back over to the couch, a far away look in her eyes. "And where is here?" She sat down, stirring the hot thick liquid.

I sat down in my chair and did my best to explain where "the middle of nowhere" actually is, but what seemed to calm her down even more was to find out that it was about thirty miles from where I picked her up. "We've been here about two hours." I concluded.

"That's a lot of snow for two hours." She gazed once again out the window twisting to look down the road as if she expected to see someone coming.

"Miss, are you expecting anyone?" I asked her. "Even if there was anyone else around where I found you, they couldn't have followed us through this storm."

She looked at me, tried to manage a smile, and started eating the stew. "You just don't know, Jeff, is it?" She suddenly looked slightly panicked, her brow furrowed like she was about to cry. She sat back down on the sofa, "You just don't know." One knee bounced up and down uncontrollably and she was shoveling food in as if she hadn't eaten in days.

"Miss, are you in some kind of trouble that I should know about?" I asked as delicately as possible. "Is someone after you?"

She stopped eating and looked at me as if she were trying to decide whether or not I was worthy of the information she was concealing. "Laura." She stated.

I looked at her, a questioning look on my face.

"My name," she said. "It's Laura." She went back to eating her stew, slower this time. "My ex," she went on. "He just won't leave me alone." She finished her stew, set the bowl on the table, and stared out the window, sobbing quietly.

I guess I was thankful to have at least that little bit of information. I didn't pressure her for any more information. I finished my stew and set my bowl on the coffee table. I was completely at a loss of what to do. I wasn't used to having women crying in front of me, unless I caused it to happen, and I didn't do anything in this case. I wanted to say something, "you can stay here as long as you like." I couldn't believe that it came out of my mouth. The last thing I wanted was for a woman to be living with me for any length of time. I'd grown accustom to my life alone, not to mention that it was a woman that got me thrown in prison for three years of my life.

I was in college majoring in communications. I realize that it's not a Nobel Peace Prize winning field, but it was going to get me a decent job when I graduated. I met this girl at a party, and she came on really strong. One thing led to another and we wound up in my room. We fucked like bunnies all night long, and I thought she was into me. Somehow word got back to her father that she'd been a less then his little angel, and she cried rape. Of course, her father being the influential guy about town that he was, got the prosecutor to basically railroad me right into a prison cell. After all, his daughter wouldn't consent to something like that. Now, I'm a painter for a subcontractor that's a total ass and ain't got the brains God gave a rock.

"Thanks Jeff," she snapped me out of memory lane, "but I'm sure that he'll find me here eventually." She said staring out the darkening window.

"Well, I'd better get some more wood." I got up and headed for the back door. "The bathroom is in the bedroom there. I put clean towels on the rack for you. Make your self at home."

She looked at me and managed a little smile. "Jeff?" she said and I turned to look in her direction. "Thanks." A tear fell from her sad eye, making a trail down her soft cheek.

I simply smiled at her, nodded, and then went through the door towards the woodpile. When I came back in with an armload of firewood, she was gone from the couch. I heard the sound of running water coming from the bedroom, and figured she went to take a shower. I stoked up the fire and cleaned up the dishes from the coffee table. I sat down in my chair, flipped to the weather channel and got comfortable. The talking heads were saying how this storm is going to probably break all records for snowfall, and maybe temperatures. The storm was turning back on itself, and looked like it was going to stay a while. The seven-day forecast had just flashed on the screen and it was filled with snowy days.

A brilliant flash of light out the window followed by a loud explosion, then, the power went out as a transformer down the road blew up in a shower of colorful sparks. I got up out of my chair and went to the mantle for the matches to light the several oil lamps I had stationed around the house when I heard the scream coming from the bathroom. I grabbed a hand full of matches instead and ran into the bedroom.

"It's ok Laura," I tried to reassure her. "The power just went out. I'll bring a light in here, just give me a second." I told her through the door.

"Ok, just hurry" she replied shakily, obviously terrified at the sudden darkness.

I returned to the bathroom door with an oil lamp that I'd lit, and tapped quietly on the door. "Laura, its me, I've got the light." I turned the doorknob, and opened the door slowly, letting the tiny room flood with light before I entered. When I finally entered, she was crouched in the bathtub, her knees to her chest, like a small, scared little girl that was desperately searching for comfort. "It's ok, I'll set the light right here, and leave you to your shower." I tried not to look directly at her. She picked her head up a little and peaked at me with one eye, as if to make sure that it was really me that she had heard. Once she realized that it was actually I that had entered the room, she lifted her head up, let out a gasping, sighing sound that signaled relief. She nodded her head, looking up at me with sad eyes. "I'll be out in a minute." She stuttered, obvious fear in her voice.

I returned to the living room, stoked up the fire, and lit the remaining oil lamps, giving the room a warm appearance. Laura came out of the bathroom, a towel in one hand trying to dry her long blonde hair, wearing the sweats that I'd provided her. "They are a bit big, but they're comfortable." She sat down on the couch, as far away from me as the small sofa would allow, continuing to rub her hair with the towel.

"Sorry, I don't have a blow drier." I said, immediately feeling a little silly. "Even if we had power, I don't have one." She stopped what she was doing, put the towel in her lap, and looked down at her now fidgeting hands.

"Jeff" she finally said. "You've been so nice, and so sweet, but I need to be getting out of here." She looked out the window again, a distant look on her face. "I've probably already put you in more danger than you know." She started sniffling and a tear streaked down her cheek. "He's out there looking for me, and if he finds me here, he'll..." she stopped.

"Laura, listen to me." I leaned forward in my chair, my hands clasped in front of me. "There isn't anyone looking for you tonight, in this storm." I tried to reassure her. "Even if there is, you're not leaving here in this weather. You'll freeze to death." I sat back "If the storm lets up tomorrow and the roads are passable, I'll take you where ever you want to go, but tonight, you're staying here." I stood and walked to the window. "By the looks of this storm, we'll both be here a few days at least."

I looked back at her sitting on the couch to see her sobbing into her hands again. I went to the couch, sat next to her, and put my arm around her shoulder, gently pulling her closer to me. "You're going to be ok." I reached for her chin, and pulled her face up to look at me. "I promise. You'll be ok." She looked at me, with eyes wet with tears, but managed a weak smile as she put her head on my shoulder.

We sat on the couch for some time simply feeling the warmth of two bodies touching. I gently stroked her head trying to add comfort to her obviously uncomfortable situation. I heard her breathing slow, and become steady. Her hand on my chest, her head on my shoulder, she'd fallen asleep. I wasn't sure if it was her weariness, or that she felt safe in my arms, but it felt good to me never the less.

I shifted my weight, and gently laid her down on the couch. The fire was getting smaller, and I needed to get some more wood. I slipped quietly out the back door, filled my arms with wood from the pile, and then slipped back into the warmth of the cabin. I stoked the fire, covered my guest, and decided it was time to turn in for the night. I blew out all but one of the lamps in the living room and went into my bedroom, leaving the door open.

I'm not sure how long I'd been asleep, but a loud noise outside, followed by a shrill scream from the living room woke me with a start. I reached under the bed for my bowie knife, and bounded into the living room wearing nothing but my boxers to find Laura crouched behind the couch like she was hiding from something. I turned and looked out the window, and saw where the noise originated. A large tree limb had broken, and crashed down in the yard, narrowly missing my truck. The limb must have made a tremendous snap when it broke, followed by the loud thud when it hit the ground. This was the noise that woke us.

I set the knife down on the hearth, and went to Laura's side. "Hey," I touched her shoulder. "It was just a tree limb falling." I tried to lift her to a sitting position. "The cold just made the limb snap, that's all." I sat her up, and her arms went immediately around my neck, hugging me close.

She laughed a little into my shoulder. "I feel so stupid." She admitted. "Like a scared kid." She broke her embrace, and we stood together. "Man, he's got me runnin' scared now." She nervously laughed again, making a fist and walking around in a small circle. "How sure are you that he isn't out there looking for me?" She looked into my eyes.