What the hell? What was that? Better yet, who was that? I had looked out my back window based on a feeling and I saw someone run across my backyard. Living in the middle of nowhere, I knew no one would have been back there, let alone anywhere near me. Closest neighbor is well over a few miles down the road and if anyone visited, they would have knocked. This person though, they had run straight into my barn. My dog hadn’t noticed, of course he’s about as useful as a sack of potatoes. Max was dead asleep on the rug as I walked outside. Flashlight in one hand, I carried my rifle with the other. Never hurt to be prepared, especially when you live alone. I’ve only had to threaten someone with my gun once, haven’t seen them since. Good thing too, because if my ex showed up drunk again, he would be carried off my property on a stretcher, or in a body bag. Yeah, I attract the weirdos. Lucky me. Sliding the barn door open with my foot, I held my rifle up and aimed with the flashlight inside. “Who’s there?” The light travelled from stall to stall, along the rafters, and to the pile of hay in the corner. “Don’t move!” There was a body lying on the hay. The short black hair was my first clue, at least my ex wasn’t back, but the bright red gashes running down his back terrified me. “Oh my God! You’re hurt!” That sounded like the understatement of the year. When his arm moved, I saw smaller marks covering the rest of his skin. What happened to him? It looked like he had gotten into a bar fight then thrown down a ravine to be tackled by a bear. With my gun at my side, I approached him. His hand shot toward me, my feet freezing in place. Holy crap he moved fast! While holding his hand out, he hid his face from me. “It’s ok.” His muscles tensed and I saw his black eyes, narrowed on my weapon. Placing my gun on the ground, I prayed that it wasn’t a stupid move. “I want to help.” When his arm dropped, his body fell toward me. Crap! He’d passed out. Now how was I supposed to get him inside? The guy was twice my size! Yeah, I may have been five and a half feet, but he was easily over six and half, closer to seven, and he was ripped. What could bring down such a strong man? Taking some rope, I tied it to my rifle so I could carry it on my back. Thankfully, I had a wheelbarrow and managed to get the guy in it. After a solid half hour, I had him face down on my couch. Max sniffing his hand. “Back off boy, give him some air.” Max’s tongue flopped out. Of course he would be amused. Grabbing a towel and a bowl of warm water, I pulled up a chair, and started cleaning those gashes on his back. They were huge, going across his shoulder blades and half way down his back. Poor guy. What could’ve happened to him? I did notice that his hair wasn’t black, but rather brown, and very dirty. Wiping the towel down his cheek, I smiled, his features were so sharp that he was gorgeous despite the layer of grime that was now passed on to my couch.
Hearing him groan, I pulled my arm back. “Hey? You alright?” His eyes shot to me and he quickly twisted to face me. Holding my hands up, I showed that I wasn’t armed, except with a now red towel. Max had his tail wagging. Stupid dog would never be any kind of help. The man glanced between Max, the room, and me. My wonderfully unkept cabin living room; remind me to clean everything later. My cabin was small, a living room that had the kitchen along the side and two other doors, one to my bedroom, the other to the bathroom. Small, quaint, but all I need.
“Who are you?”
And he speaks and a beautiful voice did he have, rich, smooth, so perfect it surprised me. “Um, hi?” His brow furrowed. “Oh, Jessica. I’m Jessica. And, um, you ok?” I held the towel between us and his eyes glanced at it. “I was trying to help clean you up and, what are you doing?” He had sat up, rubbing the back of his neck, and rolling his head before standing.
“Where am I?” He walked over to the window, closing the blinds, repeating for the others in the room and kitchen.
“Middle of nowhere Montana. Great Falls is a good two hours west along the river.” Tightening the hold on the towel, I followed him as he walked though my cabin and into my room. “What are you doing?”
“Do you have a place where I can wash up?”
My eyebrow rose. “A bathroom?”
“Yes, that.”
Weird. I pointed to the door next to my bedroom. “In there.” Nodding he walked past me into the bathroom, again looking around. Did he get a bump on the head? He was acting as if he had never seen a bathroom before. “Need help?”
His brow furrowed again as he looked from the sink to the shower curtain. “How do you bathe? The basin is too small.”
“Basin? Dude, it’s called a shower.” I pointed. “Here.” Stepping around him, I turned the knob. “Left for hot water, right for cold. Push the handle down to turn it off. Got it?” He just stared at me. “And here’s an extra towel.” It was difficult maneuvering around him in my already small bathroom. So when I opened the bathroom closet door, it felt like I had trapped us. His massive frame filled most of the already too small space and it was nerve-wracking how close he was. Grabbing one a towel, I put it on the toilet next to the shower. “I’ll let you be then.” And I left, desperately needing air. Again, what the hell? Ever since he woke, I’ve felt in awe of him. There was something different about him. Hell, I still didn’t even know his name! Stupid. I should at least know who’s wandering around my home. Max trotted over, his floppy tongue lick my face as I pet him. “Love you too boy.” I heard the shower curtain sliding around and shook my head. “Going to be a late night.” Going to my kitchen, I set myself to work; if I was to have a guest, best be nice. There was already some tea and juice in the fridge, but what to eat? Fruit? Or was he more of a carnivore? Maybe just snacks? Screw it. I’ll slice up some apples and if he doesn’t like them, more for me.
On my third apple, I heard the bathroom door open. Looking up, I dropped my knife onto the cutting board. “Holy…” My hands flew to my eyes. He had stepped out of the bathroom without the towel wrapped around his waist.
“Do you have clothes I may borrow?”
I nodded. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll get you something. Oh Lord…” Keeping one hand up, I blocked him from my vision as I wandered into my room. Was he blind to how good he looked? Because I certainly appreciated it. The only things I could find was an oversize sweater I liked to wear during the colder months and a pair of sweatpants that my ex had left. They’ll have to do. He was waiting outside my door. Smiling and keeping my eyes up, I handed him the clothes. “Get dressed.” Then I shut him in my room. Yeah, definitely going to be a long night. When he came out, I was relieved he didn’t need help.
“Thank you.”
I shrugged. “How’s your back? Do I need to bandage it?”
“It’s fine.” The way his face fell as he spoke said otherwise.
“Hungry?” I picked up the plate of sliced apples.
“Yes, thank you.” Taking the plate, he ate quickly. Okay then, very hungry. Grabbing a glass, I filled it with iced tea and took a seat on my couch. As I watched him, I wondered. Who was he? Where did he come from? How did he end up here of all places? Holding the last apple slice, he walked toward me, sitting on the couch. “Here.” He held the apple to me. “I neglected to leave more for you.”
“It’s fine. You were hungry. I cut them for you.” Pulling the piece closer, he nodded slightly before eating it. “I never asked, but what’s your name?” Crossing my legs under me, I watched him expectantly. As if his next words were more important than I would realize.
“Michael.”
I nodded before taking a sip of my drink. That was anti-climatic, but a name is more than what I had before. “Can I ask why you were in my barn?”
“I would prefer you not ask.”
“Ok… then what happened?” His brow furrowed. Placing my glass on the table, I reached over and held his hand. His eyes focused on my hand covering his. Whatever was going through his mind eluded me, especially since he was a blank slate most of the time. “Take all the time you need to recover. My home, as small as it may be, is your home.”
Turning his hand over, Michael’s fingers closed around mine. “Thank you very much, Jessica.” I smiled, wanting to believe that he was getting comfortable around me, not counting the incident earlier, that was just awkward.
The following morning, I woke to the wonderful smell of coffee. Hmm… coffee. Coffee? I sat up. I know I didn’t set my coffee maker. Jumping out of bed, I swung the door open. Surprised that Michael was standing in the kitchen, mug in hand, and my French-press with freshly pressed coffee sitting on the counter. Last night was real? And here he was, standing in my kitchen. It smelled so amazing too. “I think I made it right. You do like coffee?”
Nodding, I stepped closer. When was the last time I used my French-press? Laziness had eventually grabbed me and I’ve used my coffeemaker instead. “Yeah. When did you get up?” I glanced out the window. The sun was just peering above the horizon, which I couldn’t see very well because of all the trees, but after a few years here, I’ve learned a few things, thankfully. Then I glanced at Max, who was comfortably sleeping in front of the fireplace.
“Earlier.” And another clear answer. Great. I hope this wasn’t going to be a thing with him. Michael did look better in the sunlight though. His skin was nearly glowing and I really wanted to run my fingers through his hair, which looked much better now that it was clean. Noticing my staring, he looked at me, raising an eyebrow. I quickly distracted myself by turning and opening the fridge. First thing I saw was the bowl of berries I had picked a couple days ago. Perfect. I had eggs as well and bacon! Score! Good breakfast! “How long have you lived here?” Random question.
“Since I graduated high school. My father inherited this cabin from his father and I’ve always loved it. We would come out here during the summers and he taught me the tools of survival and living off the land. I, however, had internet installed and the electricity, but I still love being in nature. Since I’m taking online classes, I don’t need to leave my isolated paradise. But that’s the long answer,” I chuckled awkwardly, “I guess I’ve been here about five years now.” Grabbing a pan, I turned on the stove. “What about you? Where are you from?” Michael stayed quiet, his eyes focused out the window. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” I smiled. The view from this window looked out toward the river. With the sun still low and rising, there was a glow that made this place ethereal.
“It is.” He looked at his drink, a distant memory playing in his eyes. Deciding not to question, I tasked myself with cooking the bacon and eggs. “May I?” Sucking in a breath, I tried not to jump when his arms came around me to take the pan’s handle in one and my hand holding the spatula in the other. His body was pressed against my back and I didn’t want to push him away. The warmth radiating from him was welcoming. However, the knock on my door demanded my attention.
As I slid out of Michael’s hold, I noticed how tense he had become. His hand held my shoulder, stopping me. Slowly shaking his head, I guessed Michael didn’t want me to answer. Shrugging his hand off, I turned. Being out here, the only visitors I had were the few people I cared about and the rare lost hiker, or hunter. If someone needed help, I’d help. When my hand covered the door handle, I heard Max growling. I shushed him, but he stood, trotting over to me. Fine, I’ll let him greet our guest. Opening the door slightly, I smiled. “Morning.” The two men standing there didn’t seem too friendly and my smiled faded. One had his arms crossed and his blonde hair was disheveled. The other had a grin plastered on his face that made me a bit nervous. Plus, for being out in the woods, they were surprisingly clean. Quickly glancing behind them and seeing no car, warning bells started going off. “Can I help you?
The man’s eyes glanced at Max then focused on me. “A friend of ours went missing. We were wondering if you’d seen him.”
My brow furrowed. “What does he look like?”
“Tall, brown hair, strong. His name is Michael.” Yep, warning bells now screaming sirens. “We need to find him quickly.”
“Well, if I see him, I’ll let you know. Is there a number I can call you at?” Something about these men were beginning to scare me and I wanted them gone. Let alone them showing up asking for Michael, who hasn’t even been here for a full day.
The blonde seemed irritated and his scowl hasn’t disappeared, but the other reached out to give me a business card. “Here you go. Listen, he’s dangerous, so if you see him, don’t approach, and call me immediately. We wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”
“Ok. Thank you Mr.,” I looked at the card, “Lucas?” He nodded. Weird, there was no last name listed on the card. I felt my eyebrow raise. They were confusing and creepy.
“We’ll see you soon, Miss.” He smiled and they both turned to leave.
After closing the door, I stared at Michael, who was off to the side, out of sight from the door. Holding his finger to his lips, he told me to stay quiet. Shrugging, I went back to the bacon and eggs, which were about to burn. Max sat by the door, staring at it. Questions began swirling around me. Who were those guys? Was Michael really dangerous? What were the odds that three random people would find my property? Turning off the stove, I piled the bacon and eggs on a plate and berries in a bowl. Two glasses of juice and it was time to eat. I whistled and Max came over. Tossing him a piece of bacon, he was a happy dog. “Jessica, don’t believe them.” Michael had been watching me. Certainly my thoughts read easily across my face.
“Well, you did just show up.” I tried to smile, lighten my mood.
Running his hand through his hair, Michael stepped closer. “I still want you to believe me, not them. I’m not your enemy, Jessica.”
“Ok then,” I sat at the table, fork in hand, I pointed it at him, “Spill. Why were you hiding in my barn?”
Sitting across from me, Michael rubbed his face. “I was running from them.”
“What about your back? How did you get those cuts?” The sympathy filled my face. “You doing better?”
“I’m fine. Those,” his brow furrowed, “Those are something you shouldn’t worry about.” His head tilted, his focus going elsewhere. Taking a bite of my food, I watched him. Michael seemed more in tune with the world around him. There was something special that made him unique. Max’s head perked up. “Is there a back door?”
“No, just the front. Why?” Grabbing my hand, he pulled me toward my bedroom, the door closing just as I heard wood splinter and break. Before I could protest, Michael’s hand covered my mouth and I heard them. Two sets of feet moving around my living room. Lucas said something, but the exact words eluded me. I looked to Michael, then Max who had his teeth bared at the door. Silently moving to my window, he slid it open, helping me climb out with him following.
“Michael!” I froze, turning to see Lucas’ form in one of my living room windows. Michael’s hold on my wrist nearly knocked me off balance when he pulled me into a run. Whatever Lucas and his friend wanted with Michael, Michael wanted nothing to do with them. I heard glass break and my first thought went to me cleaning up their mess and them not paying for whatever damages they caused to my property. Geez, I must be more like my father than I had realized. Michael, however, had us running through the forest, dodging trees and branches. From what I knew of the area, he was making his way toward a waterfall down river. Hearing leaves crunch behind us made me run faster. Whoever they were and the fact Michael was running, I was certain I didn’t want to be caught by Lucas. “Michael! Get back here!” The voice was deeper, meaner, almost demonic. Michael’s hold tightened briefly. My heart was racing, both from fear and a sever lack in exercise. If we got away, I was going to make it a point to run more. Trees cleared and I saw the cliff. Oh hell no! I slammed my feet into the ground, forcing Michael and I to stop.
A quick glance behind us and Michael, wrapped his arms around me. “I need you to trust me.”
“Um… what?” Picking me up, he ran for the edge and jumped. I screamed. This was it, we were dead, so very dead. Splash. Water? Water! The waterfall! I was too scared to notice the falls and remember the pool at its base. Michael kept hold of me and swam, surfacing behind the crashing water. There was cave here? Cool! Gasping for air, I looked out. The entrance was small, covered by the water. We could still see out, but everything was distorted. I looked around. The cave stretched back a good ten or fifteen feet, enough to hide us. When my eyes landed on Michael, I let a few questions fly. “What the hell was that? Who are they? What are you? Are you insane?” His hand clapped over my mouth, silencing me. I heard them nearby and saw movement along the water’s edge. My jaw tightened, there was no way I was going to talk now. We waited, still as stone.
It took a good while, but Michael believed they were gone, his hand dropped from my mouth and I heard him sigh. “You alright?” I nodded. “Good.” His arms tightened around me. “I’m sorry. I should’ve told you they would come.”
Leaning back, I looked up at him. “Who are you, Michael?”
“I’m an angel, Jessica, and those were demons.” My eyebrows shot up, surprised. Ok, I just entered the Twilight Zone. Angels and demons, they don’t exist. “Think about it, please. The marks on my back you saw, their voices yelling at us. I didn’t want you placed in a dangerous situation knowing what I was, for that, I was wrong. I see that I should’ve told you sooner.” His eyes stared through the water.
“So you’re Michael? Like the Michael?”
He chuckled. “No, I’m not the Michael. I’m just a humble angel who fell from heaven.”
“Holy crap.” He gave me a funny look. “Sorry! I shouldn’t talk like that, should I?”
“I’m not going to say anything about it. As to what’s happening. I believe we should stay here a little while longer.” Nodding, I agreed. I needed the time to process what I just heard. Michael, an angel, and the other two, demons. So, since Michael said he fell from heaven, I guess that meant he’s a fallen angel. Then where does that leave me? I’m just a girl and her dog living in the middle of nowhere. Max must still be back at my cabin, if not, hopefully he would be nearby when I returned. Dog may be useless, but he was still my friend. My home was peaceful, then last night happened. Whatever was ahead when we leave our hiding place, I could only hope that Michael and I can overcome it. If I had my rifle, I could go all sniper on those demons. Until then, holding on to Michael and his arms wrapped around me was enough.
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