Page 1 of Her Mountain Man Grump

1

EMMA

I wake up with a jolt,smacking my head against the car window.

“Ow!”

The pain makes my eyes swim, and I blink back tears as I look around, my heart still thudding from the nightmare that woke me. I dreamed I was back in the desert, racing across the sandy plains. I couldn’t see who was chasing me, but I knew they were there; I could feel them, their eyes burning into the back of my head, getting closer and closer…

It was only a dream,I tell myself.You’re safe now.

Still, my pulse takes a while to slow down as I turn the car key and check the clock on the dash. It’s after midday, but my eyes are still heavy, every muscle aching. Turns out sleeping in a car isn’t all that comfortable, but I didn’t have a choice. I drove for eight hours straight yesterday, only stopping because I ran out of gas. Now I’m stuck here, with no money to refuel. All I have in the world is the dirty green dress I’m wearing and the stolen vehicle I’m sitting in.

With a sigh, I force myself out of the car, stretching my aching limbs. It’s a beautiful afternoon in Colorado. The sun is bright, the sky cornflower blue, but the air is cool and crisp,unlike the scorching summers I’m used to. A towering pine forest rises up to my right, and my car is parked on a grassy verge just in front of the tree line. The road curves past, winding down the mountain, and to my left, I can see a town nestled below, surrounded by jagged peaks that stretch for miles. It’s so different from the flat desert plains I left behind, and I breathe in the fresh mountain air, letting it fill my lungs.

I’m free.

Despite everything, I grin to myself. I did it. I really did it. But escaping from Scourfield was only the beginning—the real challenge is figuring out what to do next. I need money, which means finding a job as soon as possible. I’ll have to walk down to the town at the bottom of the mountain and see if I can convince somebody to hire me.

Is that how normal people get jobs?

I rack my brains, trying to remember the years before Scourfield, when life was a little more normal. But I can’t remember anything about how jobs work in the real world. I guess I was too young to think about it back then, no doubt assuming I had plenty of time to learn about the world and find my place in it.

I had no idea what was coming.

My heart quivers as I look down at the town. I’m pinning all my hopes on this place, and there are so many things that could go wrong.

“Come on, Emma,” I mutter to myself. “You can do this. You don’t have a choice.”

I lock the car and pocket the keys, casting my eyes back to the small green Honda as I walk away. Keeping the car is a risk, but I’m confident my theft won’t be reported. They don’t trust the authorities back in Scourfield, and the vehicle is well-hidden up here on this secluded mountainside, hundreds of miles away from where I stole it. But I can’t keep it forever. The car is thefinal link between me and my father, and that means it has to go. I’ll have to sell it. At least it will put some cash in my pocket.

How do normal people sell cars?

My mind is racing, and a sharp pain forms behind my eyes. There are so many things I need to do. It’s been a long time since I’ve had to think for myself like this, trying to solve problems and find solutions. My head aches with the effort, and the hollow pang of hunger in my stomach isn’t helping. But I force myself to keep walking, trekking down the winding mountain road toward the small town below.

Hopefully, someone there can help me.

I follow the road downhill for a couple of miles, keeping close to the tree line in case I need to hide. My throat burns with thirst as I walk, and I have to stop several times, convinced I’m about to faint. I haven’t had anything to eat or drink since I left Scourfield. There was no time to bring provisions.

Keep going.

One step at a time.

After another mile of walking, a welcome sound stops me in my tracks. Somewhere in the trees beside me, I can hear the distant rush of water.

Thank God.

I don’t hesitate. I hurry into the trees, desperately following the sound until I reach a glittering river. My heart soars at the sight of it, and I drop to my knees on the bank, like I’m about to pray. The water is clear and cold, and I cup it in my hands, slurping it greedily.

Once I’m satisfied, I start to wash my face, listening to the unfamiliar sounds of the surrounding forest. Birds chirp, branches creak, and the river bubbles softly, snaking through the trees like a sparkling ribbon. For the first time since I left Scourfield, I feel myself relax, the tension draining from mybody. Sunlight filters through the trees overhead, warming my skin, and I take a deep breath, turning my face up to it.

Crack.

The noise of twigs snapping splits through the air behind me. Instantly, I’m on alert. I whirl around, my heart in my throat as I look for the source of the noise.

Is it Father?

Did he find me?

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