she feared the most.
Lost in thought, April had no idea how long she’d been walking along the edge of the cliff. Foggy patches had sneaked unnoticed across her path. She shivered. Having grown used to the arid climate of Arizona, she’d forgotten how quickly fog could occur here at this time of year.
Ahead, she spied an old friend: a massive rock, shaped significantly like a huge turtle. A wistful smile tugged at her mouth and stilled her steps. She’d spent many hours perched on that humpy “shell” watching the bay for pods of killer whales, but the rock was a mile from the house. She hadn’t meant to walk this far. Promising herself to come back one day soon, she reversed direction.
The return trip seemed somehow longer, the path more precarious. It was the swirling fog and the increasing breezes, she told herself. As she picked her way along, the wind whined across the precipice, touched her with ghostly breaths, and escaped into the trees beyond, whispering through the gnarled timbers like a moaning phantom.
Then she heard it. “A-a-pril-l-l-l….”
The fine hairs on the nape of her neck prickled. Was it some trick of the wind?
Nearby, a twig snapped. April spun toward the woods at her side, feeling her heartbeat triple. “Is someone there?”
No answer. Was it an animal? The island teemed with nocturnal critters. A deer perhaps? Or a mother raccoon scavenging food for her babies? Yes, that was it. She willed herself to relax, fighting the urge to walk faster. Her imagination was too good, too open to suggestion.
Then she heard it again. Low. Eerie. Riding on the breeze. “A-a-pril-l-l-l….”
And something else. A heavy footfall. Crashing through the trees at her side. Coming closer.
Alarm put wings to her feet. Running parallel to the woods, she fled along the precipice as fast as the limited light and the slick ground allowed. Her pulse thudded in her ears, simulating the resounding tide. She heard only the wind and surf. Was it following her?
April glanced over her shoulder. It was too dark to tell. She swung back around and lurched ahead.
Her feet struck loose pebbles.
She pitched forward.
Off balance.
The wind knocked from her lungs as she landed half-on and half-off the edge of the cliff. A thunderous splash exploded from the dark void below her, and briny spatters of water reached to graze her face. She felt herself slipping . Dear God, she was going to die. April flailed the air. Her fingers caught something leafy. A bush. She grasped for dear life, kicking and pulling, relinquishing her beige flats to the water abyss.
At length, she managed to wrench herself to solid ground. Fear and pain dissolved in the joy of being safe, alive. For precious seconds, April savored the dank smell of the earth, thinking it the sweetest odor she’d ever encountered.
The then the sound came again.
“ A-a-pril-l-l-l….”
Although her breath burned in her lungs, April staggered to her feet and stumbled on. A few minutes later, she was forced to stop again. The ground ahead was a mixture of gravel, broken seashells, and sand. It would flay the skin off her bare feet. She’d have to take her chances in the woods. Her frantic gaze searched the section of cliff she had just traversed, seeking any sign of her pursuer . Good. So far she was alone. At least through the cover of the trees, she could travel slower and incur less injury.
Before she could stir, the clouds parted, illuminating a figure on the path about a hundred feet behind her. The wind carried off her startled scream. It was a man. A man she knew.
Why was he chasing her, deliberately trying to scare her? For a split second pale gray eyes met aqua eyes, then the churning clouds squelched all light. April stood stock-still with her heart threatening to explode inside her chest.
Was the man Thane or Spence?
She ducked into the trees. Right now it didn’t matter who was chasing her, it only mattered that she get safely back to the house.
Lost in thought, April had no idea how long she’d been walking along the edge of the cliff. Foggy patches had sneaked unnoticed across her path. She shivered. Having grown used to the arid climate of Arizona, she’d forgotten how quickly fog could occur here at this time of year.
Ahead, she spied an old friend: a massive rock, shaped significantly like a huge turtle. A wistful smile tugged at her mouth and stilled her steps. She’d spent many hours perched on that humpy “shell” watching the bay for pods of killer whales, but the rock was a mile from the house. She hadn’t meant to walk this far. Promising herself to come back one day soon, she reversed direction.
The return trip seemed somehow longer, the path more precarious. It was the swirling fog and the increasing breezes, she told herself. As she picked her way along, the wind whined across the precipice, touched her with ghostly breaths, and escaped into the trees beyond, whispering through the gnarled timbers like a moaning phantom.
Then she heard it. “A-a-pril-l-l-l….”
The fine hairs on the nape of her neck prickled. Was it some trick of the wind?
Nearby, a twig snapped. April spun toward the woods at her side, feeling her heartbeat triple. “Is someone there?”
No answer. Was it an animal? The island teemed with nocturnal critters. A deer perhaps? Or a mother raccoon scavenging food for her babies? Yes, that was it. She willed herself to relax, fighting the urge to walk faster. Her imagination was too good, too open to suggestion.
Then she heard it again. Low. Eerie. Riding on the breeze. “A-a-pril-l-l-l….”
And something else. A heavy footfall. Crashing through the trees at her side. Coming closer.
Alarm put wings to her feet. Running parallel to the woods, she fled along the precipice as fast as the limited light and the slick ground allowed. Her pulse thudded in her ears, simulating the resounding tide. She heard only the wind and surf. Was it following her?
April glanced over her shoulder. It was too dark to tell. She swung back around and lurched ahead.
Her feet struck loose pebbles.
She pitched forward.
Off balance.
The wind knocked from her lungs as she landed half-on and half-off the edge of the cliff. A thunderous splash exploded from the dark void below her, and briny spatters of water reached to graze her face. She felt herself slipping . Dear God, she was going to die. April flailed the air. Her fingers caught something leafy. A bush. She grasped for dear life, kicking and pulling, relinquishing her beige flats to the water abyss.
At length, she managed to wrench herself to solid ground. Fear and pain dissolved in the joy of being safe, alive. For precious seconds, April savored the dank smell of the earth, thinking it the sweetest odor she’d ever encountered.
The then the sound came again.
“ A-a-pril-l-l-l….”
Although her breath burned in her lungs, April staggered to her feet and stumbled on. A few minutes later, she was forced to stop again. The ground ahead was a mixture of gravel, broken seashells, and sand. It would flay the skin off her bare feet. She’d have to take her chances in the woods. Her frantic gaze searched the section of cliff she had just traversed, seeking any sign of her pursuer . Good. So far she was alone. At least through the cover of the trees, she could travel slower and incur less injury.
Before she could stir, the clouds parted, illuminating a figure on the path about a hundred feet behind her. The wind carried off her startled scream. It was a man. A man she knew.
Why was he chasing her, deliberately trying to scare her? For a split second pale gray eyes met aqua eyes, then the churning clouds squelched all light. April stood stock-still with her heart threatening to explode inside her chest.
Was the man Thane or Spence?
She ducked into the trees. Right now it didn’t matter who was chasing her, it only mattered that she get safely back to the house.
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