Shifter Mountain

by Annora Soule

  "How is it possible that a Country and Western singer out of Nashville is 'the 'Man-in-the-Mountain'?" Daryl asked.

  "Old Man Cowell said he was born here," Cephas answered. "Then his mother took him away when he was young. Daddy told me about Rufus Lawless when he was 'the Man-in-the-Mountain.' But then he died and no one took his place. Until now."

  "Well, Kay's a bitch for letting another man take your place at her table. Cookin' for him and all that."

  "Kay's a pathetic cow. And I'll put her out pasture soon enough. I've got her land, her moonshine, all that's rightfully mine as her husband."

  "The moonshine I get, but there's no money in this land," Daryl said. "There's no coal, and nothing else that makes a mountain worth much."

  "Don't be a dumbass. We've got more ginseng growing on this mountain than anywhere else in Appalachia."

  "Well, yeah, but it's still not as lucrative as coal."

  "Alright, genius, let me tell you something else. There's no coal all right, but there's coltan. It's worth more than coal these days, and nobody's tapped it yet."

  "Coltan? What the hell is that?"

  "It's a metal ore they use for computers. Right now Apple and Microsoft and other companies get it from Africa. But it turns out, we've got it right here buried in Scopes Mountain. Right under our feet."

  "So what do we do?"

  "We've got to stop this Lawless fella before he transforms fully," Cephas said. "Before he knows who he really is. He's still vulnerable."

  Cephas' body trembled as he went into a shift. The air around him shimmered and suddenly he morphed into a hawk, soaring upward above the treetops.

  "You shouldn't be trying to fly!" Daryl yelled after him. "It's too dangerous. It's one thing to be a panther with that injury, but it's a whole other thing to be a bird!"

  "I'm fine, goddamn it!"

  Cephas' shoulder did hurt, and he really had to favor that particular wing over the other. But he was a tough son-of-a-bitch, and he could do whatever was necessary to take care of business.

  His brothers then each followed suit, shifting into hawks, and catching a high wind and wheeling over the production crew down below. They flew overhead the whole way, following them up the mountain, towards its most picturesque and most unreachable point.

  When they reached the holler and the production crew settled in, Cephas, Daryl and Johnny alighted on opposing tree branches, high up in a spruce tree.

  Below, in a makeshift tent, Gina was finishing up Kay's makeup.

  "We're just at 3 p.m. now," she said, "Which means some good light up here. Can't shoot with the sun overhead at noon. Too glaring, and unflattering. Okay, now take a look at yourself."

  Gina produced a large handheld mirror for Kay. When Kay saw her reflection, she gasped.

  "It doesn't even look like me!"

  "Sure it does! It looks like you with makeup, is all. And you have some great bone structure. I barely had to use a contour stick on you."

  "What's that?"

  "It's a base makeup that you use to create shadow when you need to invent bone structure when there is none. Well, everyone technically has bone structure, but some people's faces are, to put it mildly, uninteresting. Not yours, though!"

  "My eyes look really....blue."

  "Well, they are blue, sugar! But now they pop out with the contrast of the eye shadow. Have you never worn makeup before?"

  "I wasn't allowed to growing up, and then I just never learned how to do makeup when I got older."

  "Well, some people thinking painting your face is only for people who have something to hide — like they're hiding behind some kind of mask. Not me. With makeup, now people can really see you. All I did was enhance what you've got. No shame in that."

  "It feels weird to have this goop on my lips."

  "It's not goop!" Gina laughed. "Well, it kind of is. It's lip-gloss. And with that lip liner, ohmygod do you look like you've got a mouth that would make a man beg for mercy. Sorry for the nasty talk, but that's really how men think sometimes."

  "How would I make a man beg for mercy?"

  "Uh, you know, the things that...a woman can...do with her mouth?"

  "Like, talk?"

  "Never mind. You want to get dressed? Then I've got a robe to keep you covered and dirt-free until it's your shot."

  "Could I have some privacy?"

  "Uh, no. Sorry can't oblige. I have to make sure everything fits right."

  Kay froze. She looked down uncomfortably. Then she finally stood up.

  "Something wrong?"

  "You're going to see something if I get dressed in front of you, and if you could — don't ask me any questions about it."

  It was a strange request, but Gina already was well aware that Kay was not someone who was comfortable with herself.

  "That's fine. I'll keep my focus on what we're here for. And I won't ask."

  Gina gathered the ensemble she had pulled together for Kay, while Kay got up the nerve to start stripping down. When she got down to her bra and panties, she turned away to make sure she didn't see the look on Gina's face when Gina turned around.

  What Gina saw almost made her drop the clothes that were gathered up in her arms.

  Kay's entire torso, front and back, were bruised. Her upper thighs also were black, blue and green. And not all these bruises were new. Gina knew this, because many years ago she herself had been the victim of domestic abuse, until she got away from the man who was beating her.

  So Gina knew enough not to question her, or push her on the matter, if she wasn't ready to discuss it with a stranger. But she couldn't entirely ignore it.

  "Okay, I said I won't ask questions. But we've got a practical matter to deal with here," Gina said. "Some of this might show on camera. We've got a long skirt here, but it's meant to blow in the wind, so there might be a choice flash of your thigh."

  Kay looked alarmed.

  "I can't - I can't show my body like that!"

  "It's harmless, not a porn shoot," Gina said. "Look, not to worry. That's what body makeup is for. I've got stuff that's used to cover up tattoos. If you trust me, I can make all of this look like it never happened. At least for the rest of the day — for the rest of the shoot — you will look like this never happened."

  Kay started tearing up. Her chest heaved as she fought to hold back tears.

  "Just trust me."

  Gina sent a message to Bob that she needed another half hour. Bob sent a message back that this was fine, since they were filming sequences of Jordan alone, singing and playing his guitar.

  Gina worked gently and patiently, and before the half-hour was up, Kay appeared to not have a single bruise on her body. Gina then angled a full-length mirror for her, so that Kay could see the result.

  "I don't really look at myself in the mirror much," Kay admitted. "In fact, I don't know when is the last time I looked at my body when it was nearly naked."

  Kay was amazed at the mirage that Gina had created. That her skin looked untouched.

  "You really are an artist," Kay said softly.

  Gina then helped her get dressed. She had selected for Kay one of her own dresses, with a subtle ruffle and crochet edging. It was a soft cream, which highlighted Kay's natural medium-tone. The skirt was definitely going to blow in the wind, Gina thought happily.

  "We call this a 'cantina-style' dress," Gina said.

  "I haven't worn this in years," Kay replied.

  "Well, the scoop neck, and the way it fits around your rib cage, is going to show off what the Good Lord gave you, that's for sure?"

  "Oh my God, you're right — my boobs look huge!"

  "You say that like that's a bad thing."

  "What am I wearing for shoes?"

  "You're not. That's why we gave you that pedicure. We gave you French toenails because on camera we want it to look like you've had NO pedicure. Just cute feet."

  Kay shook her head. This was all beyond surreal to her.

  When Kay and G
ina exited their tent, from high above Cephas didn't even recognize his own wife at first. He peered at them with disinterest, and then turned his gaze back toward Jordan, and Bob who was directing him.

  The two women headed over just as Bob called "Cut!" on Jordan's scene.

  When Jordan saw Kay, he felt a knot in his stomach and had to put down his guitar before he dropped it. He stared at her more aggressively than he meant to as he walked over.

  "Girl, you're a 10," he said.

  "What do mean a 10?" Kay asked.

  Jordan realized she really was that innocent when it came to how a healthy, well-adjusted man thinks of a woman he's desperately attracted to.

  "On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being tops, you are the 10," Jordan explained.

  Kay felt butterflies in her stomach.

  "So what do we do now?"

  "Well, first they shoot you, probably walking through the meadow, standing over the overhang, etcetera. They're going to want you to have certain facial expressions — looking moody, looking lost, looking sad, sometimes look happy. It's all acting. Just go with it."

  "I think I can do that," Kay said. "At least I will try."

  "Trust the camera. And trust the director. It will come out right."

  "And then?"

  "And then they're going to shoot us together."

  "Okay."

  Kay's shoot went more smoothly than she thought it would, although sometimes she felt goofy. She realized that she spent most of her life feeling sad, but today she was now starting to have so much fun that it was hard to look sad on demand. Who would have thought that she could be really happy about anything? But she had been happy for two straight days now, since Jordan Lawless showed up in her life.

  "Okay, you two," Bob said, catching Jordan and Kay grabbing some coffee on a 15-minute break. "It's time for the money shot."

  "The money shot?" Kay asked Jordan.

  "He thinks this next sequence is going to be the best part of the video."

  "Should I be nervous?"

  "Nah."

  The crew set their scene with the wide expanse of the opposite three peaks in the background. Kay wasn't sure what to expect at all, but Jordan guided her every step of the way.

  "Okay, here's the thing. Don't laugh at me. But I'm going to hold your hand, bring it close to my lips, and then I'm going to lip sync a bit."

  "Why would I laugh?"

  "Good — don't."

  The film crew started rolling, and Jordan did exactly as he said he would. His recorded version of High on a Mountain played in the background, and he mouthed the words to her as he looked into her eyes with total adoration.

  Right at the point where he reached the phrase "High on a mountain top standing all alone...", Kay broke her promise. She bust a gut and started giggling uncontrollably.

  "Cut! Cut!" Bob shouted, shaking his head.

  "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! This is so cheesy!" Kay exclaimed.

  "I told you not to laugh at me!" Jordan retorted.

  "You've got these dopey, basset hound eyes!" Kay teased. "And, please, you don't really look like that when you're singing. You looked like a normal human being the other night, and now you look like a puffer fish gulping for air!"

  "Ouch!" Jordan said. "My ego has just totally deflated."

  Secretly, Jordan was amazed to see her laugh so openly for the first time since he met her. If it took him looking like a total fool to get her to laugh like that, then so be it.

  Bob stepped in.

  "It's a fantasy, Kay," Bob corrected her. "Although, she's right. You were overdoing it a bit, Jordan. Although...hey, whose camera was directly on Kay?"

  The crew was rolling three cameras. One on Kay, one on Jordan, and then one on them both.

  Bob went over to replay the footage of Kay alone.

  "You know, this isn't half bad," he called over to Jordan. "When she's alone, you can't tell she's laughing at you. She just looks really happy. It's a sad song mostly, but there has to be some moments of levity. We can use it probably."

  Bob walked back over.

  "Okay, enough of Jordan singing. Let's just get some interactive shots. And we'll guide them slow. Jordan, remember the script."

  "What do we do now?" she asked.

  "Well first," Jordan said with a slight smile, "I'm going to take you in my arms like this."

  He slowly wrapped his arms around her waist, but he didn't pull her in too tightly. Kay caught her breath at his touch, and she stiffened up a bit, without meaning too.

  "Relax. We'll just stand here for a second while they film it."

  The three cameramen rolled their footage, then one of them gave Jordan a nod.

  "And then, I'm going to turn you around like this," he said. Jordan guided Kay until he was essentially spooning her from a standing position. The cameramen were all moving now, changing their angle.

  Jordan rang a finger down Kay's right arm, and then back up, sending a feverish shiver down her spine. Then he turned her back around, nearly nuzzling her neck. He grazed her forehead with his lips, now making her really nervous.

  Jordan could feel the effect he was having on her. Having established that her husband was a no good bastard, he did not feel one bit guilty about moving in on her like this.

  "It's just acting," Jordan lied to her, in an effort to get her to relax.

  "Right, right," she said hoarsely.

  "Now, I want you to put you arm around my neck."

  "Ah, okay."

  Bob interjected.

  "This is looking really good folks, keep it up."

  "Should I kiss her, Bob?"

  Kay totally froze when she heard that.

  "Yeah, a few times. Give her a soft quickie, then one that lasts a little longer. You can nibble her neck a bit, but since this is rated PG-13, no obvious tongue please."

  "Oh my God did he really say that?!" Kay blurted out. "No tongue!"

  "Why, did you want some tongue?!"

  "Don't you talk to me like that, I'm nervous enough."

  "Don't be nervous, when I kiss you, it won't hurt a bit."

  In addition to the entire production crew, Kay and Jordan's feathered observers were still stationed high up in the spruce tree, also keeping an intent watch on their romantic theatrics.

  The three Mandrell brothers bounced and swayed slightly on their respective branches, as they waved in a high breeze.

  Daryl's hawk eyes were sharp, and they fixated on the female he saw below, making him a little curious.

  "Why the hell do they have a chubby in a music video?" he cawed to his brother.

  "Huh?" Cephas responded.

  "The girl — she's a little large for a video vamp."

  Cephas hadn't really noticed. He was too busy leering at Lawless.

  That's when he turned his attention to the woman. A hot anger started to singe his mind, all the way through his feathers.

  "Goddamn — that's Kay. He's got my wife down there and he's all over her!"

  Below them, Kay was about to be kissed properly by an adoring man for the first time in her life. The fact that she had an audience heightened the experience for sure, but within seconds, she forgot the whole world. In her mind, there was only Jordan.

  When his lips first caressed hers, she wasn't sure how to respond, so she just stood still. She felt his breath slightly, and then she relaxed. He pulled her close into him, and she started to respond by parting her lips.

  "No tongue, remember," Jordan teased her with a whisper.

  Suddenly, a dark and heavy weight rained down upon them. Cephas had descended upon the twosome in his hawk-form like they were mice and prey. His talons clawed at Kay's hair, and then he snapped at Jordan with his beak.

  "Cut! Cut!" Bob shouted. "What the hell! Get that rabid bird off them!"

  Two crew members came at Cephas and shooed him away.

  "Are you okay?!" Jordan asked Kay in a panic. "Are you hurt?"

  Kay ran her fingers through her hair, chec
king her scalp for blood.

  "No — I think I'm okay."

  "That had to be your husband," Jordan said in a low tone, so no one else would hear.

  "Yeah, it had to be."

  Cephas had disappeared at this point. He flew back up toward his brothers.

  "What the hell did you do that for — in front of everyone?!" Daryl yelled at him. "You should have waited until he was alone!"

  "Yeah, well, you try watching some other man kissing your woman right in front of you."

  "We need to get out of here," Johnny said.

  The three brothers flew off, careening high above the spruces, descending lower and lower until they reached the creek where Daryl had first followed Jordan in the form of a Hellbender. Once they alighted on solid ground, they shifted back into human form and headed home.

  Chapter 10

  Kay had removed all her makeup, washed her face, and changed out of her dress. She would wait until morning to take a shower, because she wanted to enjoy the rest of the evening without the obvious presence of the bruises that her husband had mottled her body with over the past months.

  She had felt something rise up in her that day that she didn't know quite what to do with. She had felt desirable. And she had felt desire.

  The object of her desire was within walking distance, back at the other cabin. She had an almost irresistible compulsion to go to him, but it would be a very bad idea. The shoot today had been really a fantasy. Pure fiction. Although at times she felt that Jordan Lawless really was attracted to her, she didn't think he would feel the same way when he got back home to Nashville.

  She paced around her living room. She had a shot of moonshine. She even walked out the front door and stood on the porch, staring up at the moon, daring herself to take a chance. Then she walked back inside and tried to go to sleep.

  But she lay wide-eyed in her bed. Sleep would not come. If she dared to go to Jordan, she'd have to walk past the film crew camped outside the other cabin. They would think she was a loser. They would immediately know that she was throwing herself at a celebrity, like a pathetic, needy fool.