A chill wind blew across the gas station lot as Jack pulled out his phone, relieved to see he still had a signal. He was deep in the countryside and there were some final phone calls to make before heading into the true no-man's land of the mountains. He pulled up his calling app, switched to his address book and tapped on the entry for his agent.
As he waited for an answer, Jack paced about. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose before putting his spare hand in his pocket to conserve warmth. The sweater and jacket he was wearing had served him well so far, but he would need to put on a heavier coat before continuing. It would only grow colder as the roads elevated.
His short, dark blonde hair waved in the breeze as his deep blue eyes peered into the distance. The accomplished writer was in his late thirties, yet he didn't have the typical writer's body. He'd managed to stay relatively fit, partnering his long sessions at the keyboard with regular visits to the gym. Jack did mostly cardio and light weights, which kept him trim, healthy and vibrant.
After several rings, a deep, familiar feminine voice spoke into his ear.
"Jack! I wasn't sure I'd hear from you again before your disappearing act. How's my favorite author?"
"Doing fine, Margo. Just thought I'd check in before I get out of cell range."
"About to head into the mountains?"
"Yep. I just gassed up. Taking off as soon as I make a few calls."
"Got everything you need?"
"I think so."
"You know how cold it is up there, right? Did you bring enough warm clothes? Oh, and food! I told you they only serve breakfast, didn't I?"
"What are you, my mother? Yeah, I read the website before booking the trip. I got clothes and enough staples to last me a while."
"
A while
? What if it's not enough?"
"Then I'll make a trip down to get more food. This gas station has plenty of stuff."
"Ugh... I can see the headline now.
Famed Author Dies of Food Poisoning!
"
"Oh, stop it. And I'm not
that
famous."
"You're my biggest client, so please be careful."
"I will. Look, can you do something for me while I'm gone?"
"What do you need?"
"Give Emily a call now and then. You know how she gets when I'm away."
"Sure. I'll check in on her, but it's you she wants to hear from."
"I'm calling her next. I'll be in touch when I can, but once I get
the spark
back, you might not hear from me for a while. Assuming I get it, that is."
"Of course you will. You always do. I'm sure your mojo is waiting in the mountains."
"Thanks, Margo. For everything. I'll see you next month. Hopefully with a first draft in hand."
"You'd better" she quipped playfully. "You're welcome. Enjoy your getaway, Jack. Call me if you need anything."
"Will do."
He smiled and ended the call. With a quick scroll through his contact list, he found his wife and tapped her name. Jack raised the phone back to his ear and looked to the horizon. He admired the towering mountain peaks in the distance. The phone on the other end rang only twice before being answered.
"
Hello
? Jack?!?"
"Hey beautiful."
"I'm so glad you called! Did you get my text with the weather update? They say it's definitely going to snow in the higher elevations where you're headed. It's making me nervous. Is everything OK?"
"Yes, I got the text. Everything's fine. I'm about to head up. Won't have any service on the mountain. Just the phone at the B&B. How are you this anxious already? I've only been gone a few hours."
"You know how. I worry because I love you. And I'm already missing you..."
"I love you too, honey. I'm sorry I have to do this again, but you know how it is. This is my process. When the juices aren't flowing, I gotta get away for a while."
"I know. I just wish you had picked somewhere less out of the way."
"It looked perfect on the website. Margo talked to the owner before recommending it. Apparently. the lady who runs the place is a big fan. She cleared the calendar just for me."
"
A fan
? Why didn't you mention that before?!?"
"Relax. I'm sure it'll be fine. If I get
Annie Wilkes
vibes, I'll head right back, I promise."
Emily let out an exhausted sigh. "Don't even joke about that! And
be careful
on those roads! Go slow, especially if it's snowing."
"Of course. This jeep is kitted out for the mountains, so I should be good to go."
"Call me as soon as you get there."
"As soon as I'm there and settled in, I will."
"Okay... I love you!"
"Love you too, babe. These trips always fly by. I'll be back before you know it."
* * * * *
A half hour dragged by as Jack drove up cold, gray roads with increasingly worn markings. The yellow and white lines had been painted so long ago, they were barely visible for long stretches. As he headed into the higher elevations, it was easy to see why the road got so little attention. There was no traffic. It seemed almost no one drove into this barren country.
And why would they? There was no ski resort at the end of this long, twisting highway. No grand view or famous hunting ground. Just a cozy bed & breakfast and endless wilderness atop a thoroughly ordinary, yet somewhat precarious mountain range. There was nothing else for dozens of miles if the pictures and maps online were accurate.
The road and the weather grew increasingly treacherous the farther Jack drove. He reduced speed as gusting snow flew at the windshield and the path's sharp turns took more skill to navigate. The radio, his only companion on the drive, grew fuzzy and began to fade in and out between bursts of jarring static. He cursed and killed the broadcast. He was left with nothing but the howling wind, the swish-swish of window wipers and the purring engine of the rented Jeep Grand Cherokee in his ears.
The half hour of driving stretched into an hour and beyond. Jack grew increasingly frustrated as the weather grew even worse. The online map had implied the drive should take only forty minutes. The gas attendant said it might be an hour if the weather was bad. He was well past that now.
Just as he was beginning to entertain the idea of turning around, the snowfall thinned and began to clear up. He emerged at the highest point on the lonesome road, which grew increasingly slender and narrowed into one big lane. The light of day shone through the clouds and illuminated the snow into an almost blinding white.
After several more turns, Jack saw his destination in the distance and breathed a sigh of relief. A thin column of smoke rose from a large chimney into the crisp mountain air. The large, two story building stood out prominently from the half-frozen trees and blankets of fresh white powder. The SUV labored up the cold, muddy trail, completing its long journey and crunching to a stop just before the building's entrance.
A set of stone stairs led up to the establishment's long wrap-around porch. A large sign hung over the entrance proclaiming the estate's name boldly: '
HECATE HEIGHTS
.' Mounted on the support beams leading up to the sign were two iron-framed, glass enclosed wall sconces that lit up brightly with three bulbs each. Even in the light of day, they shined like bright torches.
'Finally...'
Jack killed the engine and stepped out of the vehicle. He shivered instantly, bristling at how much colder it was on the mountain than where he'd been eighty minutes ago. He opened the side door and back hatch, pulling out several pieces of his luggage. Just as he was loading himself up, he heard a door open and the sound of boots clomping across the porch.
He looked up to see a woman in a long, black leather trench coat descending the staircase. Its color was matched by her shoulder-length hair, leather pants and the shiny boots that covered her feet and trailed up her toned calves. Jack's brow lifted and his eyes grew as big as silver dollars as he got his first glance at the owner. The cowgirl hat aside, she looked like she'd just stepped off the set of
The Matrix
.
"Hello!" she said with a wave and a smile. The surprisingly tall woman strode around the vehicle and directly to his side. Even in riding boots with only one inch heels, she almost matched his height. "Mr. Fleming?" she asked, holding out her hand. "It's a real honor."
He nodded and shook her still-warm glove. The woman's leathery grip closed around his bare palm with impressive strength. It took him by surprise, but he played it cool. "Please, call me Jack. You must be Ms. Doyle?"
"Wendy" she replied with a beaming grin, confirming their mutual discard of formalities. "Can I help carry in your things?"
Jack was about to decline, but stopped before making a fool of himself. Dismissing his hostess, a woman who was accustomed to a much heartier mountain life than he was, would be silly. Nor did he particularly want to make three or four trips back into the cold. Instead, he stood aside and gestured to the remaining boxes and bags.
"By all means. Thank you."
"My pleasure" she purred. Within seconds Wendy was leaning into the jeep and loading herself up. "After this, you'll need to pull around and park by my vehicle. I'll plug in your block heater."
"Ah, yes. The rental agent mentioned I might need it. It gets that cold up here?"
"The temperature dips very low at night" she explained. "Without the heater, there's no guarantee your engine would start up again." Wendy offered him a toothy grin. "Wouldn't want that to happen."
* * * * *
The fireplace roared as Jack sat and observed his surroundings. The lobby of the B&B looked much like a hunting lodge. There was lots of wooden furniture, animal furs, a few trophies mounted on the walls and a stonework chess set sitting on a barrel between two empty rocking chairs. The only thing that looked out of place was Wendy.
Now that she'd taken off her long leather duster and hat, she looked more like some kind of goth fetish model. She sat opposite him, her arms and midriff bare as a shiny halter top rounded out her full leather attire. Jack found it difficult to place her age. She had the bearing and confidence of an older woman, but if she was older than him, she looked amazing for her age.
Buxom curves filled out her gripping leather ensemble. Thick thighs, an hourglass waist and well toned arms spoke to a woman who got plenty of exercise in the thin air of the mountains. Her bright green eyes shimmered in the light of the fire. Jack found himself gawking at her, in spite of himself.
He sipped his coffee before nodding thankfully and setting it down on the table between them. She drank deeply of her own cup and smiled wide, staring back at him.
"I still can't believe you're here. You probably get this a lot, but I'm your biggest fan."
"Oh- Thank you! That's very kind."
