Fate and Destiny

by Claire Collins

“And if he doesn’t?”

  Andrew’s faith in his family was unwavering. The thought that Matt would not be able to help had not even occurred to him.

  “He will. I know it’s not easy for you, but you have to trust someone.”

  Destiny’s inner voice was still screaming so loudly her head hurt. Her mouth didn’t speak the words roaring through her head. I trusted YOU. I can’t trust anyone else, and now I can’t even trust you.

  He was pushing her too hard. She wasn’t ready. Andrew couldn’t blame her, but she needed them, even if she wouldn’t admit it. He would allow her space for the time being. Cabin fever could be taking its toll.

  “I need to get firewood from the shed. If you’re up to it, would you like to join me for a short walk through the snow?”

  Shifting her gaze to the late afternoon sunlight streaming through the window, Destiny realized she had not left the cabin since waking up there.

  “I don’t have a winter coat.” Absentmindedly, she gestured towards the leather jacket hanging on the hook next to Andrew’s heavy parka.

  “No problem.” Rising from the floor and limping his way to the kitchen, Andrew pulled the cellar door open. Disappearing into the depths, he quickly came back up with a heavy hooded coat.

  “Can’t have too many of these lying around in the winter.”

  She rewarded him with a smile from her lips that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Waiting impatiently at the door, Shadow complained as Destiny put on Andrew’s parka while he zipped into the one brought up from the cellar. When the door finally opened, he sped out the door as fast as he could on his three legs. Every now then, he would attempt to put the fourth leg down to test its strength. Soon enough, he would be running after rabbits normally. Catching a scent on the wind, Shadow took off into the forest.

  Stepping past the threshold, Destiny inhaled the cool air through Andrew’s scarf wrapped securely around the lower half of her face. Sun glinted from the clean snow encasing the clearing. Trees bare of leaves clumped closely with fir trees, providing dense cover surrounding the cabin. Thick gray clouds rolled overhead, dueling with the sun for control of the sky. Her first glimpse of the world surrounding the cabin was breathtaking.

  “Should he be going into the trees alone? He can’t run very fast on that front leg.”

  “He will be all right. He knows to come back if he senses danger. However, I think you and I should stay close.”

  Slipping his arm around her waist, or at least where her waist should be under the heavy coat, Andrew pulled her to him, placing a kiss on her forehead near the cut which no longer needed a bandage.

  Having his arms around her was torture. Her heart developed a new crack, increasing the chances of completely breaking. If they could stay like this forever, she would shut down the parts of her mind insisting she was harming Andrew. She would lock those sections away into the recesses of her memory and continue with the fantasy life created in isolation on the mountain. Too bad it could never be anything more than a fantasy created in her own mind. Stepping back from Andrew’s embrace, her foot met with an icy patch hiding behind her.

  Unprepared for the lack of traction and caught off balance, Destiny reeled, grabbing Andrew’s coat at the shoulders. Her leg slipping out from under her as if it had a mind of its own. Luckily for her, Andrew had not released his hold on her. Bracing his feet, he somehow kept them both upright.

  “Whoa! Thanks for proving my point about staying close. I didn’t expect it so soon!”

  Eyes twinkling, Andrew didn’t release her until both of her feet were back on solid ground. His arms slipped from around her to comfortably take her hand within his, holding on securely.

  “If we take our time and be careful, we should be able to make it around to the shed and back without serious injuries. I don’t know if either of us could stand to lose anymore blood this week.”

  Nodding, Destiny allowed him to hold her hand as they cautiously made their way to the shed. Each of them took turns slipping on the icy spots while the steady one braced them both.

  Her eyes adjusting to the lack of bright light reflecting off snow, Destiny surveyed the interior of the building. The shed was big enough to hold a boat. Stacks of boxes lined one wall, and cords of wood lined the opposite wall. A myriad of swimming gear and snow equipment leaned against and occupied most of the remaining space. Her eyes followed the stacks of boxes and shelving clear up to the ceiling.

  Eyebrows raised, her jaw dropped. Suspended from the ceiling on hooks and ropes was a rowboat. She took a quick glance at the man sorting through boxes. Could he really be that predictable? Aware of her, Andrew paused in his perusal of the stack.

  “Are you laughing under that scarf?”

  Embarrassed he caught her, Destiny shook her head, afraid to open her mouth, keeping the laughter capped by her lips. Giving her one last suspecting look, he resumed his task. She took the opportunity to inspect the items in the shed. A pair of skis leaned against the corner, a sled propped up in front of them. Disappointment seeped through her.

  “I can see you like to ski. I am surprised you don’t have a snowmobile though. Especially for times like this when storms come through.”

  “Love to ski. Don’t you?”

  Andrew placed a box near the door before coming to stand next to her.

  “Never learned.”

  “Why not? You don’t know what you’re missing. The feel of the snow sliding under you. Trees and scenery flying by. I always feel free when I’m skiing down the slope.”

  Of course she had not learned to ski. Andrew wanted to kick himself. He watched her profile, enjoying the delicate lines of her face revealed as the scarf draped around her neck. He was bothered she would not look at him even though he was standing right next to her. She kept her eyes straight ahead on his skis, not even bothering to respond to his idiotic question. He wondered if he would need a doctor to surgically remove his foot from his mouth.

  “I’ll teach you.”

  She looked at him then. Curiosity in her eyes, her mouth set in a firm line.

  “Teach me how to ski? Why?”

  “So when we come here after this is all over, you and I can ski together.”

  He thought he saw a faint glimmer in the depths of her eyes; it disappeared before he could verify it had been there at all.

  “Maybe you could teach me to ski then.”

  That will never happen. The thought slammed into her as swiftly as the trace of hope she felt when he spoke of them together after this was all over.

  “You can’t teach me until your leg heals anyway.”

  Your leg will heal but my heart won’t. Shaking her head to dispel the unwanted voice from within, she turned away from Andrew, moving to the doorway of the shed. He followed her, confusion written across his face. He would know the truth soon enough and realize it was for the best.

  She held out her arms for the box Andrew held. Taking it from him, she waited while he selected an armful of wood to carry back to the cabin. Before she stepped from the shed and into the cold air, Andrew dropped the wood on the floor, then reached up and positioned the scarf back over her face, tucking the ends securely into her hood. His hands dropped to rest on her shoulders.

  “I do own a snowmobile. I also have a Jet Ski and an ATV. They are all on trailers down at Matt’s place. He uses them sometimes for work. And the rest of the time, he and my cousins use them. I didn’t get a chance to go get them yet this trip. If you want to go out on the snowmobile, I will go down and get it or have Matt bring it up. Just say the word.”

  She nodded her understanding since the scarf would have muffled any words. The lump in her throat didn’t help any either.

  The pair used even more caution to navigate their way back to the cabin since they could not lean on each other for support over the slick spots. Andrew put more weight on his wounded leg than he would have liked, but he needed the extra stability to keep himself from falling. Destiny’s tennis shoes didn�
��t have any traction at all. Passing by the Jeep, almost to the cabin, Destiny focused on the truck. Andrew cleaned the snow from it earlier. It shone in the sunlight despite the mud and dirty snow that remained.

  The hulking black vehicle was another reminder that civilization lived beyond the cabin. Without realizing what was happening, her tennis shoe met with a block of ice under the loosely packed snow and Destiny found herself lying in the snow. Other than her bones shaken by the fall, the only thing hurt was her pride. Andrew appeared in front of her, bending over her to inspect the damage.

  “You okay?”

  He extended his hand, the firewood dropped when she yelled as she lost her footing.

  Taking his hand and using hers against the snow to keep her weight distributed, she shakily rose to her feet.

  “Just surprised. The snow drift was like a big pillow.”

  Concerned, he ran his hands around her arms, verifying for himself she was intact. “You sure? I can carry you back.”

  Shaking her head, she dusted the snow from her jeans and coat. As her hands brushed over the pocket, a set of keys fell out. Andrew scooped them up from the snow.

  “Don’t want to lose those. Matt has a spare set, but we may not want to wait for him to bring them up here.”

  As they reached the door, Andrew laid the wood on the ground and opened the door for Destiny. Shadow was not in sight. Destiny returned to stand by Andrew after depositing the box on the counter in the kitchen.

  “I can see his tracks, but I’m not sure where he went to.”

  Pointing out the disturbed snow, Andrew pursed his lips and split the air with a sharp whistle.

  “He’s probably stuck in a snow pile and can’t get out with that bad leg.”

  Andrew glanced at her. Destiny didn’t catch his eyes, keeping her sight on the spot where the tracks led into the woods. If she looked at him, she would not be able to stop the tears wanting to fall. They stood side by side in front of the doorway, waiting a few moments to see if the dog emerged from the tree line.

  “That’s long enough for me. I’m going to go follow the tracks and make sure he’s okay.”

  Andrew moved towards the trees. Looking over his shoulder, he smiled at Destiny.

  “Stay in the cabin, or at least close by. I don’t want to go looking for you too.”

  Remaining where he left her, Destiny watched until Andrew disappeared into the woods. Her heart raced, increasing in rhythm, alternating between thumping and cracking completely. The tears she refused to shed while Andrew could see now flowed freely down her cheeks.

  Mentally, she shifted into survivor mode. Don’t think anymore, just act. Moving swiftly, unaware of the wetness on her cheeks, her feet tread confidently across the snow. Removing the glove, hand unzipping the pocket, keys appearing. Pressing the button on the remote to kill the alarm and unlock the doors. Into the truck, key in the ignition, eyes scanning the trees for the dog or man. No thoughts, only reactions.

  The engine roared to life, the sound amplified through her ears but not quite registering within her brain. No turning back, foot on the brake, shifting into drive. The tires slipped but held enough to propel forward. Rolling, still no movement from the trees. No black dog barking. No handsome man trying to stop her. Her vision blurred, blinding her for a moment with selfish tears. Her mind tried reasoning with her to stay, but the torturous ripping of her heart urged her to keep going. Wiping her hand across her face, clearing her eyes, she drove down the driveway, keeping the tires in the tracks created by the plow truck.

  On the curve, the truck slid again, she turned into the skid and the chains gripped. In the rearview mirror, the cabin disappeared and everything surrounding the truck became unfamiliar. This was not her home. Not her cabin. Not her driveway. She didn’t even really know where she was. Or where she was going.

  The driveway ended at a road cleared going down, and buried in snow going up. Despite the chains, which were a new idea to her, the truck still spun on the icy patches. Having never driven on snow or ice before, it took all of her concentration to keep the truck in line with the road. Easy on the brake, especially on the downhill parts, basically coasting, prepared for the numerous times the truck threatened to lose control. On a whim, she unzipped the other outside pocket of the coat, hoping Andrew kept his wallet there. Money for gas would certainly help her get farther.

  Her hand gripped around the heavy steel. Recognizing the item as a pistol, disappointed it wasn’t cash; she withdrew her hand, leaving the weapon in place.

  Her fingers fumbled with the heat control, distracting her from the road ahead. Not that there were any other cars to watch out for, and only for a second. A warm blast streamed into the cab, her eyes shifting back to the road. In that split second, the road curved sharply to the right. Still reacting instead of thinking, her foot slammed on the brake. The truck becoming a sickening attraction in a carnival as it spun out of control. Gripping the wheel, steering into the turn, then steering into the skid. Nothing helped.

  The top heavy truck slid right over the edge of the road, Destiny scrambling to grab onto anything, ready for the feeling of rolling over completely or flying off a hidden cliff. Her body hadn’t shut down simply because she wanted it to, now her brain screamed she would suffer horribly. During the spin, she lost all sense of direction, not sure if the truck was going off the road facing the cabin or down the mountain.

  Hands still on the useless wheel, the truck tilted forwards then sideways. Unable to brace herself, Destiny’s head crashed into the window. Her bruised brain shut down, sending her into the scary black place that was becoming too familiar.

  18.

  She might have been out for a few seconds or a few hours. Her vision blurred, then cleared before shimmering again. The ache in her head was nothing compared to the thumping from the first time she cracked her skull against the rock. She was such a fool. She didn’t even make it down the mountain far enough to be able to hitchhike out. The sunlight was gone, either low on the horizon and hidden by the trees or blocked behind the angry gray clouds. Either way, the interior of the truck was dim.

  Lifting her head slightly away from the cool glass, the vents in the dash blew hot air into her eyes. Squinting, she reached over to flip the heater off. The truck was still idling. Glancing out the window, relief swept through her. She was not teetering on a cliff or smashed against the side of the mountain.

  The truck sat harmlessly in the ditch where the road curved. Sitting up straighter in the seat, she glanced around. The truck faced up the hill towards the cabin, the tires spinning uselessly over the ice filling the ditch. Switching the gears into reverse, then back into drive, the tires still spun, finding no solid ground to grip.

  Groaning, Destiny leaned forward, resting her head against the steering wheel. How far could it be to get to the town? A mile? Maybe two? Maybe ten. With night quickly taking over, she would freeze to death before she got anywhere. She couldn’t stay in the truck. Andrew would find her. He was probably already looking. He would not understand why she left.

  Time to turn the brain back on and start thinking. Andrew said there were cabins all along the mountain. Each of them must have a fireplace. She could scavenge useable wood and trek down the mountain first thing in the morning. Retreat back to Vegas to get the evidence that would free her. An invisible clock in her mind warned time was running out.

  Switching off the engine, she left the keys in the ignition. Andrew would locate the truck. Apparently, it didn’t actually hit anything during the loss of control. He would be able to have it towed out and taken back to his cabin. The truck became a beacon alerting him to her presence and she needed to get as far away from it as she could. Unbuckling the seatbelt and opening the door, she stepped out into deep snow, her shoes sliding on the same ice patch the tires sat on. Holding onto the truck, she made her way up the side of the embankment and onto the road.

  She gave up trying to walk, opting instead to slide down the road
. If she got just a little traction under her feet, she could take a quick step, pushing off, then stiffening her legs and sliding. She’d seen movies where kids used the same technique on frozen ponds. She understood why they did it. The movement would actually be fun if she could turn her brain off again. It wouldn’t let her. Every part of her mind was working overtime, thousands of thoughts and fears racing through at the same time. Aggravating the concussion didn’t help and the fear of falling and hitting her head caused her to be cautious in her slides.

  Maybe another bump to the head wouldn’t be so bad. She could turn it off permanently that way. Through all of the hard knocks of life, she had never thought of giving up before, but now she had lost everything. No job, no home, no future. Wishful thinking and childish fantasies were simply not enough to live on. When she made it back to Vegas, at least she knew where she could get a job and make some fast cash. Many women there chose that path. The ones who didn’t end up strung out on drugs, beaten, or murdered seemed to be okay.

  Another slide, traction, two steps, slide. Concentrating on where her feet were and what they were doing, she almost missed the figure coming out of the woods towards her on the road. Catching sight of the movement from the corner of her eye. She stopped, mid slide, stumbling as she regained her footing. Breathing deeply, her first thought was of Andrew. She could take whatever he could dish out. She just had to lock away her heart. In the dim light, the figure approached. Her heart escaped its cell to beat in her throat as she realized it was not Andrew coming towards her, but Doug.

  It couldn’t be. How did he get up here? Where was the sleazy guy? Unable to breathe or speak, her heart stopped, resuming the pace in triple time. Dizzy, her legs weakened, threatening to drop her to the ground. Doug’s hands were up, his face slack as he ambled towards her. He had been smart enough to wear deep treaded hiking boots, allowing him to walk across the frozen road almost normally.

  Finding the last of her resolve buried deep within her, she forced her arms to move, quickly opening the pocket of the coat and drawing the pistol. Shaking violently within, she was amazed to discover her hand was steady as she pointed it directly at Doug. She had no idea if the thing had a safety or if it was even loaded, but Doug wouldn’t know either. He stopped within a few feet of her.