The Impostor, A Love Story

by Tiffany Carmouche

  “I don’t want you girls riding in the dark. We really have to pick up the pace.”

  “Pick up the pace? I already feel weird traveling through the shadows on this giant horse, and you want me to go faster?”

  As the words left my lips, Chris kicked his horse and galloped off. Emily’s horse followed. My horse just stopped. Chris and Emily were soon out of sight.

  “Misty, come on.” I tried kicking her harder, feeling so guilty doing it, but the noises grew more intense now that I was alone in the woods. Chills crept down my back. The trees that greeted me in the day seemed to have a different personality at night. The shadows cast faces upon the bark—almost coming alive.

  “Go, Misty, go,” I begged her. I tried kicking her again. “Stupid horse.” I couldn’t believe they’d left me. I had no idea where to go. It seemed we only went down this one path, but maybe we turned somewhere. I had just been following, my attention on the views and on the horse.

  “This is not the time to stop, girl. Let’s go.” I tried yanking the reigns. Misty grew restless, yet she still wouldn’t move forward. The feeling of being watched grew even stronger. Silence. Only the sound of the dusk, the sound of my breath, of my horse’s breath, the sound of night.

  My head darted in the direction of a snapped twig. I realized I was not alone. Many things prowl in the Alaskan wilderness—bears, wolves, . . .killers?

  “Come on, Misty, let’s go. Where the hell did they go?”

  “Emily,” my pitiful voice cried out.

  “Emily!” She wouldn’t leave me here alone to die. I finally got Misty walking again.

  Every noise seemed to echo. I heard more tree branches being broken under the weight of something. I turned. What lurked out there?

  All of a sudden, something spooked Misty, and she stood on her hind legs, bucking me off her back. I crashed onto the ground, landing in a patch of leaves. Misty raced off without me. I laid there for a moment in disbelief.

  I was in the woods—alone. Soft footsteps crushed the dry leaves as if trying to go undetected. What did we really know about Chris? Maybe he was trying to separate Emily and me so that he could kill each of us.

  We were about an hour from Anchorage, in the woods. A vision flashed into my head—running through the woods, tripping over a dead body. Chills went up my spine as my mind played tricks on me. If I screamed would anyone hear me?

  I turned, focusing on the shadows surrounding me and saw them. The moonlight caught the eyes of something peeking out from behind one of the trees. They were human eyes. I lay motionless and searched the forest. Where would I run? I cautiously rose to my feet. The eyes were gone. I heard another noise. My body jolted around.

  “Chris?” My voice quivered, knowing that the serial killer hunted his victims. No one returned my call. “Chris?” My scream became frantic as I turned in each direction of the sounds coming at me. I stared closer and again saw the eyes peering out at me. Shrieking at the top of my lungs, I sprinted deeper into the trees. Stumbling on an exposed root, I hit the forest floor. From the ground, I watched for the eyes. Where was he? My breath was erratic. The thumping sound of my heart invaded my ears.

  “Emily?”

  Trying to stand, I found my ankle entangled in the branches. Trapped. The footsteps crept closer. I struggled to free my foot.

  “Emily! Chris!” I screamed. The figure edged closer, still hiding in the shadows.

  “Chris! Emily!” I broke some of the branches, but vines tangled around my foot and prevented an escape. The figure came closer. I yanked at my foot, trying harder to release it.

  Frantically, I screeched, “Help! Help!” Tears drenched my face. The man seemed to stalk like a panther, taunting me as if playing a game.

  “Help me!” I screeched, hoping someone heard my cries.

  I screamed again hysterically as I thrust my foot, trying to loosen the binding of the branches. The image grew larger, about to over take me. Out of fear, I closed my eyes.

  “Nicole?” someone spoke. The voice sounded familiar. “Nicole, is that you?” My pulse screamed through my body. I looked up.

  “Steve? Thank god! Oh my god. Oh my god. Did you see someone? I think someone was watching me.”

  “What are you doing here? What did you do to yourself? It’s almost dark. You shouldn’t be here alone. Why are you out here alone?”

  “The stupid horse threw me.”

  “That’s terrible. Are you all right?”

  “I’m stuck. I don’t know how, but I can’t get out.”

  “Here, let me help you.” He took a hunting knife out of his pack. The blade glistened in the moonlight. I shook as he approached me.

  “What . . . what are you doing out here?” I tried to hide the terror in my voice.

  “Camping. Randy is setting up camp. We’re going hunting in the morning.” He got closer. My eyes focused on the jagged blade as he moved toward me.

  Alone. Afraid. I grabbed onto the forest floor as if I were holding someone’s hand for protection.

  He stuck the blade into the branches. I gasped as he cut the vines. I was free.

  “Oh my god. Thank you so much.” I wrapped my arms around him, giving him a hug. “I was so scared.”

  “We need to get you home. It’s getting dark. Come back to camp with me, and I’ll get the truck.”

  Just then, I heard it—the sound of angels. A hard, deliberate thumping noise sprinted straight for me. I hoped Chris would appear with Emily.

  “Nicole,” Chris called out.

  “Chris,” I sighed.

  “Thank you, Steve. It seems my ride has returned.”

  “Okay, if you are sure you’re okay.”

  “Thank you again.”

  He slipped back into the darkness of the trees and out of sight as Chris got to me.

  “What happened to you?” Chris held the reigns of my horse in his hands. But where was Emily? I began to wish I hadn’t let Steve go.

  “She bucked me off.” I didn’t want to get back on. I could still feel the bruises from my fall.

  “You have to listen to me.” Chris jumped off the horse to help me on mine. “We gotta get back to Emily. I don’t like you all being alone in the dark. Listen to me, I’m serious,” I nodded as he continued. “We are going to be going downhill, fast. It’s dark and you will not be able to see the branches. Remember how we laid back on the horse when we were going downhill?”

  “Yes.”

  “You have to do that. Lean back and grab the mane. You will not be able to see anything, and if you lift your head, you could get hit by a branch and get a concussion—or worse. Trust your horse, lay back, and hold on with your thighs. You have to lay back.”

  “I can’t even get my stupid horse to trot,” I mumbled under my breath.

  “You ready?”

  “I . . . I guess.” With that, he swatted the back of my horse and Misty darted off. She raced downhill so fast I thought I’d fall off. Shit! The trees branches swished over my head as if they were trying to decapitate me.

  Lay back. That is what he said to do—lay back and don’t die! Traveling like a roller coaster in the dark, I had no idea where we were going. I had no idea when we were turning; I just heard the branches pass over me like they were taking swings at my head.

  Hold on Nicole, hold on. My ab muscles felt tight. Before I knew it, the ground leveled out and I could sit upward. Misty continued bolting toward the barn, so I leaned in.

  Da dada, da dada. The hooves’ echo had a certain beauty to the rhythm. Da dada, da dada. We would soon be safe. Da dada, da dada. I could see Emily up ahead. Da dada, da dada. Could that be the barn? I proceeded closer. Oh shit how do I stop? Seriously how do I stop? Da dada, da dada. Misty kept running. Doesn’t she see the fence? What do I do?

  I could see Emily up ahead. As we came closer, I realized I had never stopped a sprinting horse before. I pulled the reigns like in the old movies. “Whoa.” I leaned back. “Whoa, Misty.” It worked. She slowly
broke her stride, and soon we were walking through the gate. I was alive.

  We entered Chris’s sister Amber’s room, turning to admire its beauty: the poster bed with the netting, the balcony overlooking the mountains, and the huge garden tub. It felt like a spa. We freshened up before the long drive home.

  Entering the living room, we walked over to Chris. He had a fire going and a glass of wine waiting for us. The buzz I felt a little earlier in the day was quite gone, and even the fear that had consumed me had disappeared. I could now laugh about it.

  “I thought you were going to kill me when I was out there in the dark. I was sure you were that serial killer everyone is reading about in the papers. I actually thought for a moment you had separated Emily and me on purpose.”

  “So I look like a serial killer to you?” He seemed amused. “You do need to be careful out here, but you’re with me. And I assure you, I will not do anything to hurt you.” He turned to Emily, focusing on her eyes, “And that goes for your heart too.” He leaned in and kissed her.

  That night, I told Jess about the beautiful mountains and the horse that looked like a unicorn.

  “A unicorn!” I could hear the excitement in her voice. “Can I ride one when I get to Alaska land?”

  Chapter Eleven

  We had worked all day, but a few of the waitresses called in sick for the night shift, so Brad asked if we could help cover the evening shift as well. We didn’t have to, but he said it would help him out a lot. We agreed even though it was slow.

  Katie, one of the waitresses at the club, arrived for her shift around four. She approached me, grabbing my arm to pull me aside. Her short, blonde, sassy hair bobbed as she gestured.

  “Oh my god, girl. Dylan has got a thing for you.”

  “What do you mean?” Why would she say that?

  “The other night at Brad’s house, he was asking questions about you all night. Barbara was so pissed. She was all over him, and he wouldn’t have anything to do with her. You know how girls always come onto him? He ignored all of them and kept asking, ‘Do you think Nicole will show up?’ And yesterday, when you didn’t come to work, you should have seen him. The guys were teasing him about it. He could have had any girl, and all he did was talk about you. You have to stop being so picky and get you some. He is hot.”

  “It doesn’t make much sense to me. He’ll be leaving soon. The band’s only staying for one more month,” I reminded myself as I spoke the words.

  “It isn’t like you are going to marry him. Just have some fun. All you do is work. You should at least go out with him.”

  I thought about it for a moment. When he kissed my cheek in a bar with people cleaning, people leaving, people bustling through the place, it seemed like there was only the two of us. I could so easily disappear in his eyes, in his arms, in his kiss. Red flag! I don’t need the distraction or the broken heart.

  “We’ll see,” I told her, but I had already made up my mind. I went to take an order from a table.

  Katie had a suspicious grin on her face as she used the phone at the bar. She hung up the phone, giving me a smirk. What the hell was that all about? It wasn’t long after Katie’s mysterious call that Dylan came through the door of the club, arriving hours earlier than his set. Walking over to the hostess, he soon had a table in my section.

  Damn. We only had five customers, so I couldn’t pretend I was busy or anything. I swallowed, straightening my apron as I approached him.

  “How can I help you?” I tried to act as if seeing him didn’t mean anything to me, but I was pretty sure that I was doing a terrible job.

  He handed me a single red rose. “I thought about nothing but you last night.” He ate me up with his intense warm eyes.

  “You have hundreds of girls screaming your name each night.” I knew it was just a line.

  “I want to be with you, though.” Taking my hands, he drew me closer to him. “I want to be with you.” His fingertips tickled down my arms. Each time they did, he hypnotized me with his sensual touch. Chills covered my body. Even my scalp tingled. He sat before me, his mouth at the perfect height for me to kiss him as he brought me in close to him. I focused on his soft, luscious lips and bit down on my own, trying to hold myself back. How I longed to kiss him. How I longed to . . . instead, I pulled away.

  “You’re going to get me fired.”

  “So take off.” God his smile was so sexy.

  “What kind of girl do you think I am? You think I’d leave work to sleep with you?”

  “Who said anything about sleeping with you? I’ve got four hours before I have to go on. Let’s get out of here. We can do anything—you decide. I’ll take you to dinner. You need to eat right? We can go to a movie, we can go for a drive, or you can come to my place. I’m actually a pretty good cook . . . whatever you want to do. Come with me.”

  I felt the thumping intensify in my chest. “I can’t.” I removed my hands from his, stepping away.

  “You can.” He stood, startling me as he picked me up, cradling me.

  “Brad,” he called out, “clock her out—I’m kidnapping her.” He carried me to the door like it was a threshold.

  “I can’t.” I repeated, “Dylan, I really can’t.” He didn’t listen. He left the building with me in his arms, bringing me over to his car.

  “Dinner, just dinner—you have to eat. You have been here all day, and as much as I love Brad, the food here is not the best. I insist.” He gently put me down next to the car, then took his jacket off and wrapped it around me. I stared at him silently, as he buttoned it up. He swept the hair off my shoulder and straightened up the collar.

  What the hell was I doing? One voice was cheering, “Wahoo!” The other voice screamed, “You idiot! Run!”

  He stood so close . . . his cologne filled my nose with its sweet, sexy smell. As he reached around me to unlock the door, his cheek brushed against mine. I unconsciously placed my hands on his biceps—so firm, so hard—and lost my breath. I licked my lips. If I leave with him I may . . . I swallowed. It had been so long since I had been with a man. I gently pushed at his body, but he didn’t move. I was trapped against the car, but I secretly enjoyed being captured.

  “Dylan,” I bit my lip again and tried to regain my composure. “It’s really complicated. I’m just getting over a really bad relationship.”

  Dylan gazed into my eyes and gently touched the outline of my face, trying to get me to abandon my uncertainty.

  I hesitated.

  “I . . . I . . .” I shook myself out of my trance and took in a deep breath. “Listen Dylan, I really don’t want to waste your time. I’m going to be honest with you.”

  He just stared into my eyes as I spoke.

  “I’m not the kind of girl you go out with. I’ve seen the girls you date, and I’m not like that.”

  “Look, Nicole.” He grabbed my hands again, stroking them with his thumbs. “Ever since we met last month, I have been watching you with people, not stalker-crazy-like, well maybe a little, but you’re not like other girls. That’s what I like. You’re always smiling and always treat everyone so well—like giving that little girl your coat. Brad said I have no hope, but I had to at least try. I want to spend some time with you.”

  He was good. I could see why girls fell for him so easily. I wanted to believe everything he was saying, but I knew I’d end up getting hurt.

  “I can’t. I have to work tonight. A few girls didn’t show up for work, and I told Brad I’d stay and help out.”

  “All right, fine.” He adjusted his stance as if it would help him win the negotiation and again pulled me close to almost whisper to me. “Tonight you can go back in there, but tomorrow….tomorrow you are mine. All mine.” He brought my hand to his lips and gently kissed it. “You take off work and spend the day with me tomorrow. Brad will let you. I’ll talk to him. We’re not playing tomorrow, so it will be perfect.”

  “What about Emily? I never go anywhere without her.”

  “We can
bring her. That’s fine.”

  “I’m not going to sleep with you, Dylan.”

  “Did I ask you to?” He stared into my eyes again.

  Sex had to mean more than a night of passion. Ronald and I had used protection, and still, Jessica was born. I didn’t want to make love to someone unless I knew the man would be a good father—in case something happened. It was more than just a night of passion, because I knew it could alter the rest of my life.

  “Just one date, Nicole. I won’t bite. Give me a chance. I won’t pressure you to do anything you don’t want to do.”

  Anything I don’t want to do . . . that was the problem.

  I tried to hold a smile back, but it took over my face. “Okay, Dylan, one date.”

  “That wasn’t so hard now, was it?” He grabbed my hand and led me back inside. Right before we walked through the doors, he brought me close and pressed his forehead against mine.

  “I know I’ll have to behave myself with you, Nicole. I will. I promise.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Dylan pressed his finger over my mouth as if to say,

  “Shh, I just want to be with you.

  If you’re not ready then I will wait.”

  ~The Impostor

  Later that evening in the bar, I set beers on a table in front of me. “A Corona, Yuengling, and a Blue Moon.” As the customers paid me, Carl handed me an anonymous red rose.

  “You got an admirer,” one of the customers concluded. He had seen Carl approach me with at least twelve or more. I blushed more with each rose.

  “Carl, did Dylan put you up to this?”

  “Young lady, he’s the one that’s been sending you stuff all month.”

  “What? Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “He told me not to.”

  “He sent me the little chipmunk?”