Turn Darkly

by Heather McVea

  Strapping the armband with her iPhone in it around her arm, Regan plugged her ear buds in. The trails were rated a moderate difficulty so she anticipated a brisk run, and hoped it would help with her frustrations over missing Lily.

  Jogging onto the trail, Regan was surprised at how disappointed she was with not seeing the beautiful woman. After all, she hardly knew her. If she were honest with herself, though, it had less to do with Lily than Regan’s general feelings of isolation since arriving in the remote area.

  She had maintained a small but intimate group of friends throughout her years in college, and was missing them, in addition to all the flexibility and variety living in a larger city afforded her. With the exception of her occasional exchanges with Lily, and seeing Jason at the observatory, her social interactions since arriving in Howell two weeks ago had been rendered nearly non-existent.

  Rounding a bend, and increasing her speed to traverse a slight incline, Regan was resolved not to throw herself at a practical stranger. She reasoned she had little to nothing in common with Lily, and loneliness wasn’t an excuse for throwing herself at someone.

  “Regan!” The sound of Lily’s voice broke through Imagine Dragons’ Demons, causing Regan to stop and scan the area. Lily was descending from above Regan on the trail, a broad smile on her lips.

  Regan pulled her ear buds out, and took several deep breaths. Not only had she been moving at a fairly quick pace, but seeing Lily in a pair of slim fitted tan shorts, and a snug white tank top caused her breath to catch.

  “Hey, Lily. Fancy meeting you here.” Regan wiped at the sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand.

  Lily’s eyes narrowed. “Really? Because I wrote down when I was coming.”

  Regan winced. “Right. I meant since I missed you at the trail head - it, it’s cool that we ran into each other anyway.”

  Lily nodded, a slight smirk on her face. “I see.” She looked around, and then back at Regan. “So, better than the highway?”

  Regan nodded. “Absolutely. Thanks for recommending it.”

  Lily smiled, and the two women looked at each other for several awkward seconds before Regan managed to speak. “Are you heading back down?”

  “Yes. I have to be at the restaurant by ten, and need time to get showered.”

  Regan hoped her disappointment wasn’t too obvious. “Sorry I was late.”

  Shaking her head, Lily walked past Regan. “No apologies needed. We didn’t have anything official on the books.”

  Regan looked up the trail, and then back down at the retreating woman before deciding she could run any day, but the opportunity to see Lily outside of the Last Stop was rare.

  Taking several quick strides, Regan caught up to Lily. “I’ll walk down with you.”

  Looking at the ground as she walked, Lily frowned. “Were you done with your run?”

  Regan shrugged, and in spite of her resolve from only moments ago, said what she was thinking. “I’d prefer your company.”

  There was a slight stutter in the dark haired woman’s step, but she didn’t say anything as the two continued down the trail.

  “You work at the observatory?” Lily asked as they came around the last curve before returning to the parking lot.

  “I’m there for two months, and then I’m going back to College Station to finish my dissertation, and god willing, they’ll give me my doctorate.”

  “What are you looking for?” The woman stopped, and looked at Regan, her light blue eyes intense and focused.

  Regan’s mind went blank as she tried to concentrate on the conversation, and not the contours of Lily’s neck and collar bone. “Dark matter.”

  “What’s that?” The woman began to walk again, Regan falling in next to her.

  “It’s matter you can’t see.”

  “Then how do you know it’s there?” Lily asked as she chewed nervously on the inside of her lower lip.

  “That’s an excellent question.”

  The two reached the edge of the parking lot, and Lily turned to face Regan. “Do you have an excellent answer?” The woman joked.

  Regan laughed, and hoped she wasn’t about to sound too much like a nerd. “There is a lot of space out there.” The woman pointed to the sky. “So planets and stars and comets and all of that are spread out.” She pulled her hands apart to demonstrate, and was pleased to see the grin on Lily’s face.

  “But the way the objects act - specifically react to each other - isn’t proportional to their gravitational pull in relation to their distance from each other.” Regan paused, worried she had just crossed the nerd line, but seeing the interested look on Lily’s face, continued.

  “So it’s been hypothesized there is something between the objects. Something that isn’t reactant to light, but we know is there by how it affects the objects around it.”

  Lily nodded as the corner of her mouth turned up slightly. “That’s kinda of - well, sad.”

  Regan cocked her head to the side. “How do you mean?”

  Looking down, Lily kicked at the dirt with the toe of her hiking boot. “Something you only know is there by the impact it has on the things around it.” She looked up at Regan. “It’s like saying someone only exists because you react to them.”

  Regan nodded. “I hadn’t thought of it like that, but yeah, kind of tragic.”

  “You should teach.” Lily smiled. “You clearly enjoy the subject, and have a knack for explaining what I guess is a pretty complicated topic - even to us simpletons.”

  Regan scoffed. “I wouldn’t describe you as a simpleton. I’ve considered teaching, but the research field is more lucrative.”

  “I wouldn’t think anyone would go into astronomy for the money.” The dark haired woman looked suspiciously at Regan.

  Shrugging, Regan looked down. “Good point. The truth is I have an opportunity to work at an observatory in the Canary Islands after this, and depending on how that goes, I’ll see.”

  “I’ve always thought the way lives are structured - especially careers - is odd. We’re asked to dedicate ourselves to one path when there are so many roads ahead.” Lily shook her head. “How can we possibly know the right one?”

  The woman looked off in the distance, and Regan thought there was more she wanted to say. Instead, though, Lily turned her head back to the woman in front of her. “Two months then, and you’re leaving?”

  The sadness in Lily’s voice caught Regan off guard and she could only manage a slight nod of her head in response. Lily sighed, and walked toward the dark blue Ford truck parked next to Regan’s van.

  “Wait up.” Regan trotted after the woman. “Do you want to do something sometime? Maybe dinner in Marfa?” In spite of its small size, the town was likened to Austin with its unique eateries and galleries. It was also home to the Hotel Paisano, the location where the 1956 movie Giant was filmed.

  Lily pulled her truck keys out of her front pocket, and unlocked the driver’s door. “I’m pretty busy with the restaurant.” She got into the truck, rolled the window down, and then shut the door. “I usually only get two mornings a week off.”

  Regan put her hands on the window frame, trying not to sound too eager. “Last Stop closes at six. We can be to Marfa by seven.”

  “I can’t.” Lily started the truck. “Thanks anyway.” Putting the truck in reverse, she rolled back slowly, giving a confused Regan a chance to step back.

  Watching the truck disappear down the nearly deserted road, Regan couldn’t get a grip on Lily. She seemed interested in, at the very least, a friendship, but then refused a dinner invitation that would have afforded them more time to get to know each other.

  Deciding to finish her run, Regan jogged back onto the trail, wondering if there was something to Trent’s warning about getting too attached.

  ***

  It never ceased to amaze Regan how completely dark the West Texas night sky was. Hundreds of miles from any large urban area, and nearly a hundred miles from the nearest mid-siz
ed town, meant driving the state highway between the observatory and Howell was like being in a giant kaleidoscope. The stars were incredibly vivid, shifting, and seemed to go on forever.

  The vastness of the sky, even as a child, had always made her feel calmly insignificant. She took comfort in knowing there was so much beyond her, and an almost infinite space that would go on long after she - and the Earth - were gone.

  It was nearly three in the morning, and Regan wished she had just continued the nap she had started at her desk at the observatory an hour ago. Though still convinced not staying on site was the best decision, she had grown tired of the forty mile round trip four times a week.

  She was imagining a hot shower, and slipping into her bed when she caught movement to her left. A split second later something darted in front of her van. Regan swerved, the passenger side tires hitting the rocky edge of the shoulder. Regan barely managed to steer the van back onto the road before bringing the vehicle to a full stop.

  Taking several deep breaths, Regan’s hands shook as she reached behind the driver’s seat to retrieve her flashlight. Pulling the hazard light switch, she opened the door and stepped out onto the deserted road.

  It was a first quarter moon, and that, along with the glow from the van’s headlights and flashers, cast the surrounding plains in dimly lit shadows. Low lying shrubs and rocks took on eerie shapes, and Regan strained her eyes trying to focus, worried one of them might be the animal she nearly hit.

  Though the darkness was not absolute, the silence was. The crunch of gravel under Regan’s feet as she walked to the passenger side of the van was exaggerated in the stillness.

  “Shit.” Focusing the flashlight on the front passenger side tire, the woman was dismayed to see it was shredded. She was still five miles outside of Howell, and the prospect of walking in the dark didn’t appeal to her.

  She was going to have to change the tire herself. Walking to the front of the van, she flipped the latch on the spare tire case that was mounted to the front grill of the vehicle.

  Tucking the flashlight in her back pocket, she lifted the thirty pound tire up and out of its compartment. Rolling it to the side of the van, she underwent the arduous task of changing the tire. Pressing the Indigo button on her watch, she was pleased the process had taken her less than twenty minutes.

  As she lifted the damaged tire into the case, the sound of scratching on the rocky edge of the road came from behind her. Turning around, she could see something was moving twenty yards off the road, and just beyond her line of sight. It looked like some sort of large dog or wolf.

  The gray wolf had once been prevalent in the West Texas desert, but Regan had read it had all but vanished over the last thirty years. So her brain told her the odds of a wolf staring back at her in the darkness were slim to none.

  Her mind raced, and she remembered the numerous warnings of mountain lion sightings since she had arrived three weeks ago. Grabbing the flashlight, she scanned the area. She was suspicious a lion would be bold enough to come up on a vehicle, but she had read reports of the animals absconding with campers’ pets, and in one case, a small girl left unattended near a rest stop.

  Her back against the van, she moved along the vehicle. Regan shined the beam of the flashlight out into the darkness, the scratching sound still filling the silent night.

  Regan slowly became aware of a loud pounding sound, and realized it was the sound of her own heart beating rapidly in her ears. “Go on!” She yelled into the night. “Get out of here!” She waved her arms in the air, and tried to make herself look larger by spreading her legs shoulder width apart as she gestured.

  A low growl came from the darkness, triggering a shot of cold fear up Regan’s spine. Her arms were frozen over her head as her eyes tried desperately to see what was making the menacing sound. The scratching sound multiplied and the growling now surrounded her.

  Oh god, they’re circling me.

  Regan’s legs were shaking as she reached to her side, trying to find the passenger door handle. A burning sensation skittered across her left side as she found herself face down next to the van. Scrambling to her knees, a massive weight crashed into her, and she tumbled backwards down the shoulder of the road.

  Landing on her back, her head struck a small rock. Her eyes flew open, and for a split second the magnificent spance of starry night sky drowned out the terror gripping her. Sitting up, a spike of pain shot through her head. Regan was vaguely aware the growling had escalated to what sounded like dogs fighting as barks, howls, snarls, and yelps echoed in the distance.

  Her flashlight had come to rest several yards away, and its beam of light caught the darting of gray figures to Regan’s left. Then, as if time slowed, one of the figures stepped into the light, and Regan gasped.

  A gray wolf at least five feet long, was standing staring at Regan, its eyes glowing an iridescent yellow. Time skipped forward, and in a blink of an eye the animal lunged toward Regan. Instead of attacking her, though, the wolf tackled one of its brethren to the ground as a second wolf came toward Regan from behind.

  Scrambling to her feet, Regan was confused by how slowly her legs were responding to her command to run. The air seemed thick as she struggled up the embankment and onto the road. Shaking her head side to side in an effort to clear it, she immediately regretted the action as a stabbing pain ran between her temples, triggering a wave of nausea.

  Regan pulled herself into the van, still stifling the urge to vomit. She started the engine and focused all of her remaining energy on getting herself safely home.

  Ten minutes later, Regan pulled up in front of the camping store, and stumbled into the shop and up the stairs to her room. After locking the door, she collapsed on the bed, the room spinning around her.

  In a moment of lucidity, she realized she must have a concussion from the fall, and forced herself into a seated position on the bed. Regan stood, and reaching the kitchen sink, splashed water on her face. Running her hand along the back of her head, she was relieved to find no blood.

  Regan retrieved her phone out of her back pocket, and placed it on the counter before beginning to strip off her shoes, shorts, t-shirt, and undergarments. Walking to the shower, she turned it on, allowing the water to run cold before she stepped into it.

  Shivering, she forced her head under the water, and her thinking immediately felt clearer. Bracing her hands on the sides of the stall, she let the water cascade over her head and down her back, the fear from earlier lessening.

  Regan refused to acknowledge how significant the peril she had been in was. She intrinsically knew, though, she could have been fated for something far worse than the cuts and bruises that peppered her legs and arms.

  ***

  A loud pounding broke through the fog of sleep as Regan rolled over on her side. Her mouth felt like dry cotton, and though she rarely drank, she imagined this was what a hangover felt like.

  The brightness in the room told her it had to be past eight, and she wished it and the pounding would go away.

  “Regan. Are you up?” Lily’s voice came from the other side of the door, and Regan thought she must be imagining it. In the three weeks since she had been in Howell, the dark haired woman had never even come into Vera’s store, much less up to Regan’s room.

  “Regan?” The woman’s voice was verging on hysterical, and Regan’s muddled mind was having trouble figuring out why.

  “Hold on.” Grabbing the side of her head, Regan cringed as the mere act of speaking triggered a blistering headache.

  The knocking stopped as Regan slowly got out of bed. Looking down, she realized she hadn’t gotten dressed after her late night shower, and grabbed her red terry cloth robe from the foot of the bed before shuffling to the door.

  Flipping the lock, she cracked the door to find Lily standing there. The woman was dressed in a pair of black runner’s shorts and a cobalt blue fitted t-shirt.

  “I woke you.” The dark haired woman frowned.

  Nod
ding, Regan stepped back, and gestured for the woman to come in. “No worries. I needed to get up.”

  Lily came in and stood with her hands clasped in front of her. “I can come back.”

  “No, no. Just be warned, I had a rough night, and might not be the sharpest tool this morning.” Regan walked to the kitchen and began prepping her French press for some much needed coffee.

  “Are you okay?” The concern in the woman’s voice caused Regan to pause before plugging in her electric kettle.

  “I nearly hit a wolf driving back last night, and then I got a flat.” Regan didn’t want to tell the woman about the growling pack, or how it seemed like the one wolf had saved her. She wasn’t sure what had happened versus what the blow to her head had triggered.

  “Jesus. Were you hurt?” Lily stepped toward Regan, but then seemed to think better of it, and continued to linger near the door.

  “Peachy.” Regan poured the ground coffee into the French press, and flipped the electric kettle on. “Coffee?” She looked at Lily who stood quietly near the door. “Oh, sorry, did you need something?” Regan walked across the room, and sat on the edge of the bed.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” The woman now stood in front of Regan.

  Running her fingers through her tussled hair, Regan yawned. “Evidently.”

  “I thought we could go for a hike, but it looks like you need to rest.” Lily knelt on her haunches in front of Regan. Even in her slightly dazed state, Regan couldn’t help but notice the woman’s perfectly shaped legs.

  “Can you give me a half hour, and I can meet you downstairs?” No matter how crappy she felt, Regan wasn’t going to skip an opportunity to see Lily.

  Smiling, the woman stood. “Sure. Come to the restaurant.” She walked toward the door, and before leaving, turned to Regan. “I’m glad they didn’t hurt you.”

  Regan’s brain was moving slower than usual, and it wasn’t until she was pouring her coffee nearly five minutes later that Lily’s comment struck her as strange. They?