Stark September (Stark Trilogy Book 1)

by C. D. Bradley

  * * *

  The sun shone down brightly overhead as they drove higher up the mountain. Aspen and Hemlock cast great shadows over the winding road. They came to a clearing and the trees fell away, revealing a bluebird sky dotted with white clouds. The great valley below was visible stretching to the next towering peak. She drew in a deep breath and felt so free and alive. She reached her left hand up toward the sky between the kayaks and felt the wind on her fingers. Stark reached his hand up also. For a moment they rode along with the wind and sun dancing around their extended fingers. It was surreal. Kira closed her eyes and felt like she was flying. Stark took her hand and kissed her fingers. “We are almost there. We just need to make a little stop and get some provisions.”

  He pulled into a small store/gas station aptly called The Store. Kira giggled. She guessed if you were the only game in town you could call it whatever you wanted. The old white building had clearly seen better days. The walls, covered in peeling paint, held signs in various stages of disrepair advertising shell gasoline and Coca-cola. She got out, following Stark past an old sleeping hound who didn’t bother to get up and bark to alert his master of their presence. The rickety door stuck slightly and creaked loudly as Stark pulled it open, jingling the rusty bells. Kira stifled a giggle and smiled politely at the owner who was as ancient and dust covered as the store itself. She wondered how long the old man had been there and who had come first, the man or the store. He brightened when he saw Stark. She was surprised to see Stark round the counter and hug the old man. She couldn’t be sure, but she thought she saw a tear in the old man’s eye.

  “Ralph, this is my girlfriend Kira,” Stark said turning to introduce Kira. The man extended a weathered hand and took Kira’s.

  “So nice to meet you,” Kira said sweetly, a bit taken back by the fond exchange.

  “My pleasure,” the old and slightly toothless man replied. “Cookie’s got sandwiches and cold beer packed for you. You two be safe out there. The waters a little up from all the rain, may be a bit of a bumpy ride today.” Turning to Stark he said, “you look more like your mama every time I see you, boy. She sure was a beautiful girl.” As Ralph spoke, the creases on his face portrayed a lifetime of joy and sadness. His eyes twinkled but Kira could detect a longing sorrow as he remembered those who were long gone.

  “Ralph was my grandpa’s childhood friend. They grew up not too far from here.” He patted the old man on the shoulder as he spoke. “He and Cookie used to look after my mother in the summers.” Then pausing, “Where is Cookie?”

  “Cookie!” The old man bellowed, “Owen is here!”

  “No need to yell, you old fool,” Cookie cackled back in a slight German accent. The short silver-haired woman stood no more than five feet tall, Kira guessed, and walked with a mild limp. She crossed the floor to Stark and hugged him firmly. “How are you my boy?” she asked lovingly. She turned to Kira and looked her over. “A little thin,” she said, “but we can fix that.”

  Cookie hustled promptly off to the kitchen and returned with a dry sack packed thoughtfully with sandwiches and beer. “If you put these down in the dry storage of your kayak the beer will keep cold.” She said authoritatively.

  “He knows that, woman!” The old man retorted, giving her a playful look.

  “Oh, how would you know? You can’t remember where you left your teeth!” she spat back and grinned.

  Kira let a giggle slip at the exchange and couldn’t help but think that could be Owen and her one day. Through the mock battle their deep love was heavy and apparent. They were bonded together for life. They had seen a lifetime weathering every storm, celebrating each joy together.

  “Alright, woman, let them go,” Ralph said as Cookie gave them each one more hug goodbye and they climbed back into the Jeep to continue on their journey. “We’ll see you at the take out, boy.”

  Heading on down the road, Stark reached over and took her hand as they drove. The sun was fully in the sky now. He was in awe of how the light danced through the trees and across her beautiful face. He held each moment, each memory, wanting to keep them forever just in case. He let go of her hand as they pulled onto a bumpy path that led down to the river. He masterfully drove the jeep down the rutted dirt road to the put-in. He pulled to a stop, kicking up a cloud of dust on the dirt and gravel parking area.

  Kira could barley contain her excitement as she helped him unload the kayaks. They packed their gear carefully in the dry storage being sure to seal them in tight. Kira struggled to tighten her pfd. Stark laughed and came over to help.

  “Here let me help with that. Arms out,” he said, commandingly. He fastened the straps and pulled them tight.

  “That’s tight!” Kira squeaked. She couldn’t help but be reminded of the straps she had seen on Zoe in the video. Bound and tethered. Kira shook the thought from her head. Still, there was something about the restricted feeling in the vest.

  “Perfect” he said with a knowing smile and finished with his own. He fastened their helmets and prepared to launch into the river.

  “Are you ok?” He asked, turning to be sure she was ready.

  “Oh, I’m great. Let’s go!” Kira was filled with nervous enthusiasm. She realized that was becoming a trend with Mr. Owen Stark, always pushing her beyond her comfort zone to her very limits. The rational part of her brain blared a red siren warning. But her heart and every excited nerve ending squealed with delight and said go for it!

  Stark helped launch her into the water and then climbed in his own kayak and set out in front. Maggie rode in the front of his boat wearing a life jacket of her own. Kira was surprised at how still and calm Mags was riding in the kayak with Stark. The water was cold coming out of the bottom of the damn. The current was enough to take them with minimal paddling except to steer.

  Kira followed him to the right as they approached the first rapid. She could feel her heart pounding despite his promise that these were Class I-II rapids. She gasped as small waves broke over her boat and ice cold water spilled into her lap. The river was taking them swiftly on. The power of the rushing water was abundant. She did her best to steer and follow the line Stark appeared to be taking. She realized she was holding her breath as she followed him through the next set of rapids. Would it always be like this? A mix of fear and excitement? Kira couldn’t remember feeling so alive before meeting Owen Stark. Whats happening to me?

  A group of geese had settled in to an eddy off to their left. The geese honked loudly at the passing boats. Kira laughed when Stark acted like a goose putting his elbows out like wings and honked back at the geese. These little glimpses of a carefree humor reminded her that somewhere inside this guarded man was the boy he used to be. They followed the winding river on through the beautiful canyon and eventually came to a large eddy where the water was as clear and flat as glass. The river here was wide and had risen above plants with millions of tiny yellow flowers. Some were tall enough to break the surface of the water. The rest of the golden treasures lay just beneath the surface. The kayaks floated effortlessly over the submerged field of flowers as if they were flying. Kira trailed her fingers gently in the cool water brushing along the delicate petals. She had never seen anything so beautiful. The warm sun caressed her and all the world was quiet except the chorus of birds in the trees and the gentle breeze. She inhaled deeply, enjoying the fragrant honey-suckle growing along the banks. They paused in the flat water for a picture. Kira wondered if they could tuck this moment away forever.

  They made their way through several more rapids and Stark began to paddle toward a grassy meadow on the bank. Kira paddled hard against the current and followed him. He hopped out and pulled his kayak up onto the bank, then helped Kira out of hers. Once both boats were secure, he pulled out the picnic lunch and cold beer. They sat side by side on the bank of the river and enjoyed turkey sandwiches on sour dough bread smothered with peach preserves and crispy onions. Kira thought the flavor combination just might be genius! She shared nibbles of he
r sandwich with Maggie, who was nestled at her feet. She leaned against Owen’s shoulder. At this moment, the world was perfect. Kira looked up at Stark and caught him staring out over the water. His expression wasn’t happy and dreamy like hers. He looked intense and concerned. She could tell something was really bothering him.

  “Are you ok?” she asked tentatively. Warning bells went off in her mind.

  His look faded and was quickly replaced by a slightly forced smile as he looked down at her. “Yeah, I’m great. This day is perfect. I’m just wishing I could keep it.”

  “Who says you can’t?’’ Kira reached up and put her hand on his arm.

  “Lets get moving, OK?” He helped her up.

  After lunch they paddled on for several more miles. The rapids in this section of the river were slightly faster and a little rougher, but still manageable with their touring boats. Kira was starting to get the hang of maneuvering her new kayak. Her confidence rose slightly. Small channels and little islands allowed them to separate for a moment then rejoin each other further downstream. They made their way playfully splashing each other with their paddles. Kira shrieked as the icy water trickled inside her PFD. Up ahead she saw Ralph and Cookie standing beside the bank next to the Jeep. They had brought it down to the take out to pick them up.

  Pulling the boats out of the water, Kira turned to Owen. “Thank you for this,” she said. “It was a wonderful day!”

  “The day’s not over yet,” he said. “We still have a few more hours of sunlight.”

  They hugged Ralph and Cookie goodbye and thanked them for bringing the Jeep down to the take out point.

  “OK, so now what?” she asked, shedding her river gear and climbing into the Jeep.

  Stark finished strapping the kayaks on the top and started the engine. Feel like taking a little hike?” he asked mysteriously. He pulled the Jeep onto a rough and steep winding passageway that felt more like a 4x4 course than an actual road. A gentle mist and fog had risen out of the gorge. It gave the area a mystical feel. Kira, still wet from paddling, pulled her jacket tighter around her as they climbed the makeshift road. Finally they reached the top and a small clearing. Stark pulled the Jeep to a halt on the dirt lot and helped her out. An old sign marked a forgotten trailhead. Stark got their packs and gave her a head lamp.

  “What’s this for?” she asked, puzzled since it was still daylight.

  “The way back,” he said, smiling. They began their ascent through the slightly overgrown trail. Kira stayed close behind him. The forest was so dense she was surprised that they almost needed the headlamps in the day. They scrambled up rocks and over fallen trees. The terrain became rockier. She could tell they were nearing cliffs. They made it to a clearing and climbed out onto a rock ledge. Kira’s palms grew sweaty when she saw just how high up they were. They had managed to climb out onto a boulder that overlooked all of Colorado. Kira’s breath caught in her throat. The entire world lay before them. Mountains in the distant horizon cradled a great valley.

  Evening was setting in and the sky was a display of color. Distant pinks and blues swayed out from a blazing setting sun. The golden remnants of light illuminated wispy clouds below them. They sat side by side watching the sun disappear, saying goodnight to a perfect day. Stark reached out and set the rugged Pentax on the rock to capture their silhouette against the vanishing light. As the sun slipped beyond the horizon, Stark turned toward her pulling her close. He kissed her deeply. He thought of the first sunset they had seen together and how badly he had wanted to kiss her then. He had known better. He should know better now, but he never wanted to miss the opportunity again.

  Kira sat in the warmth of that moment. She didn’t want it to ever end. Sitting at the edge of the world, she felt inevitably safe in his strong arms. The joy and completeness of the moment was overwhelming. She had never imagined that she would ever be able to feel this completely happy. She turned to him as the darkness settled in around them and murmured, “I could stay here with you forever.” She nuzzled against his chest as she spoke. They held each other as the last rays of light slipped away.

  “As much as I would like that, I have a surprise for you. Off we go,” Stark said, turning on her head lamp and carefully picking her up and guiding her back to the trail.

  The way down was a bit trickier. Using their headlamps they moved slowly back down the trail and over the rocks. Even though he knew she was capable, he paused to help her through the steepest rocks. Eventually they arrived back at the lot where the Jeep and Maggie sat waiting for them. After taking a minute to walk and water Maggie, they loaded back up and set out again. To Kira’s surprise they did not turn back toward Fort Carson when they reached the main road. Instead Stark turned the Jeep toward Estes Park. Kira leaned her head over onto his shoulder and watched the stars. She drifted off to sleep.

  As Stark watched her sleeping, he wondered if this would be enough. Would he ever be able to walk away from this? He hadn’t known this sense of completeness in such a long time. Yet could he ever leave his team? At the end of the day, he knew he couldn’t.

  * * *

  “Wake up, Sleeping Beauty. We’re here”

  The softness of Stark’s voice woke Kira from her slumber. It was only 10:30 in the evening but she was exhausted after kayaking and hiking for the better part of 8 hours. She stretched and looked around. One look at her surroundings and she was wide awake. “Where are we?” Her mouth was gaping as she took in the magnificent white exterior of the charming old hotel. Large stone steps led up to a grand entrance. Kira shook her head, thinking it must date back to the early 1900s. She climbed down from the Jeep as Stark grabbed their bags and tipped the valet. “What about Mags?” Kira said, suddenly worried as Maggie jumped down beside her.

  “This is the Stanley Hotel.” He said, smiling at her concerned face. “Mags is welcome. They allow dogs here. Midge the innkeeper loves dogs, especially Mags. She even bakes her special peanut butter banana dog biscuits.” As if on cue, Mags ran ahead of them and up the old steps, her tail wagging. Clearly she knew this place well. Stark grabbed their bags and wrapped his arm through Kira’s. They walked together up the steps and into the grand lobby. They crossed the deep wood floor. The Elizabethan architecture and rich dark wood everywhere gave the hotel a warm, but slightly eerie, feel. Mags ran to Midge as she entered the lobby from an office just off the lobby.

  “Hey girl! You missed my biscuits, didn’t you?” Midge addressed Maggie and smiled genuinely. Her oval glasses and short reddish brown hair framed her face well. She bent and took a biscuit from her apron pocket and gave it to Mags. Kira noted that she was quite pretty for her age. Gauging by her hugs, she was a true dog lover. When she was finished with Mags, Midge stood and turned to Stark and Kira. “Owen, it’s so good to see you. It’s been a while. How have you been and who is this lovely lady?”

  “Thanks, Midge. This is my girlfriend, Kira. We’ve been playing in the river today,” Stark said, beaming. Kira couldn’t get over how all the people they met just loved him. It was more than his incredible good looks and piercing eyes. They all seemed to regard him as their long lost son. She also couldn’t escape the feeling of pride when he had called her his girlfriend for the second time that day. She grinned up at him and then looked back to Midge.

  “It’s so nice to meet you,” she said to the older woman. The woman squinted as she studied her. Kira felt like a bug under a microscope. She could feel herself shrinking under the scrutinizing gaze. Midge’s ample eyebrows furrowed deeper.

  “This one’s got a troubled soul,” she said quietly, and then paused for what seemed like eternity, taking both of Kira’s hands in her weathered ones. “But a good heart. She’s a lot like you, Owen.” She seemed satisfied with this and went to the front desk. She came back holding room key cards. “Got you a lovely king suite all set up with amenities for Mags. We were so excited when you called. It’s been a long time.” She smiled and patted Stark on the arm and Mags on the head before tur
ning and heading back to her work.

  Kira looked up at Stark with a puzzled expression. What the hell was that? “What’s with all the cloak and dagger?” she whispered as soon as they were out of range.

  Stark leaned in and said, in a low voice as they climbed the grand stair case, “Midge is a self-proclaimed psychic of sorts. Just go with it. It kind of adds to the charm of the hotel. It is supposed to be haunted after all,” he said laughing, and kept going up the stairs.

  Kira stopped in her tracks. “Um, what? Wait did you actually just say this hotel is supposed to be haunted? Are you shitting me?” Kira hurried to keep up with him. This has to be some sort of joke.

  Stark was still grinning when she caught up. “Nope. Stephen King wrote The Shining in Room 217. If that doesn’t make it spooky, I don’t know what does. The hotel was built in the early 1900s and there has been a death or two, which naturally lead to ghost stories.” He pulled her close, kidding her as they went down the hall to their room.

  “Great,” Kira’s sarcasm dripped off each word. “A haunted hotel where a master of horror fiction was inspired to write probably the scariest book about a hotel ever, now that’s romantic!” Although she definitely did not believe in ghosts, Kira felt herself shudder and scoot a little closer to Stark. When she heard him chuckle, she elbowed him in the ribs.

  “Hey, what was that for?” He asked playfully. The grin on his face revealed he knew exactly what it was for. They made their way down the long hall to their room. Kira couldn’t help but notice how, with a little imagination, she could picture the scary little twins at the other end and that poor kid on the tricycle. Well, it’s a good thing I got a nap in the Jeep. Probably won’t be sleeping much tonight.

  Stark paused and checked the keys. “This is us. Don’t worry, the rooms are beautiful,” he said. “This is an amazing old hotel. It just has an interesting history.” He handed Kira the key and she opened the door.