Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 23191 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23191 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
“What?!” I scream as he drives away, leaving my Louis Vuitton suitcases in his dust. “Come back! Please!!”
He doesn’t stop.
My heart beats frantically as I watch his truck disappear down the steep road that we just drove up.
He just left. Like that. What a jerk!
I have to call another Uber.
Oh shit.
There’s no reception on my phone. I try and try, but getting nothing but a frozen screen no matter what I do and no matter how high I hold it.
“What do I do?” I ask no one in particular as I look around in horror. “What the heck am I supposed to do now?”
A landline.
The word just pops into my head.
“Yes!” Maybe there’s a landline phone in the cabin. I can call the lodge and offer them a gazillion dollars to send someone to pick me up. I’ll leave this place, stay in a gorgeous suite, and leave all of this behind me. It will be nothing more than an amusing little anecdote I can tell at some fancy Manhattan parties.
I just have to… go in.
Gulp.
I take a deep breath, wrap my sweater around my head in case there are any bats hanging from the ceiling that are thinking about getting stuck in my hair, and slowly shuffle over to the porch.
With my phone’s flashlight on, I carefully step over the rotting planks of wood and head to the front door. It’s off the hinges and just leaning against the open doorway. Of course, it is.
I lift it and lean it against the cabin.
“Hello?” I say nervously as I look around the dark place, flashing my weak phone light around. “Anyone home?”
There are freaking plants growing inside this cabin. All the water leaking in from the ceiling mixed with the rotting leaves and it’s created a whole ecosystem in here.
My hopes for finding a working landline diminish by the second.
I still haven’t stepped foot in the place. Not sure I’m going to either.
When I flash my phone’s light into the corner and see eyes reflecting back at me, I scream.
And run.
And curse.
A lot of cursing.
I curse the scammer who listed this place, the driver who left me hanging, and most of all, I curse myself.
What was I thinking? Really?
I thought that I would become one with nature and have a spiritual awakening. This is anything but!
I’m still breathing heavily with my heart pounding as I grab my suitcases and head for the road. I don’t care if I have to walk all freaking night, I’m leaving this place. I’m not staying here for another second.
I drag my two big heavy suitcases down the dirt road and I never look back.
After an hour, I’m dying. My shoulders are killing me, my feet hurt, I’m hot, sweaty, hungry, cranky, and one of the wheels on my suitcase broke off, so I’m half dragging, half rolling it down this stupid mountain.
Just when I think that I might not make it, I see a dirt road turning off this cursed road and my body perks up.
“Is that…?”
There are fresh tire tracks in the dirt. Could it be?
With nothing to lose, I head down the road.
“Oh my god!” I whisper when I see the cabin coming into view a few minutes later. “Oh, fuck yes!”
It’s the log cabin from the photos!
The nice luxurious one with the beautiful wraparound porch.
It wasn’t a scam. It’s all real!
I leave my suitcases on the dirt road and run the rest of the way, squealing in joy as my brown hair flows in the wind behind me.
I’m so happy that tears flow down my cheeks.
I run right up to the front door and pause when I see the address. It’s different from the listing, but that’s just a clerical mistake. This is the house! My house for the week!
The door is unlocked, so I head right in.
“Hello?” I call out as I kick off my shoes and look around.
It’s beautiful in here. Absolutely perfect.
This place is getting five stars from me as soon as I can get my hands on an Internet connection.
The owners left a sweater on the chair beside the kitchen table and some food out, but it’s not a big deal. They didn’t clean the coffee pot either—it’s half full—but I’m not about to complain about little things like that after the last place.
I just head straight for the huge bathroom with the giant walk-in shower, stripping my sweaty clothes off along the way.
I’m butt naked by the time I step on the warm tiles.
“Yes,” I whisper as I open the glass door of the shower. “Fuck, yes!”
I turn on the warm water, step under the huge rain showerhead, and moan as I start the best shower of my life.
Chapter Two
Duncan
“What the hell is that?” I mutter to myself as I pull onto my private road and see the strange sight before me. “That’s a new one.”