Hale stared at the TV in disbelief, he hadn't done anything of the sort, of course. Here was his face planted on a show that reached all corners of the US and even, perhaps, a certain Mrs. Cornelius. Shit, Hale thought, there was a reason that his land lady was acting so damn strange. He obviously couldn't stay here.
Hale leapt up from the chair dumping the last half sandwich onto the floor. He rushed out of the living room and took the stairs up to his room two at a time. He could already hear the barking of the blood hounds and the yells of the police as they combed the area for him. He shook his head as he darted into his room, it wasn't happening yet. Looking around for a stunned instant at his belongings, Hale then jumped to throwing and stuffing his things into the duffel and back pack that he arrived with. It didn't take long.
He again stood for a moment rocking on his heels. There really didn't seem to be much of any place for him to go, but then his eyes landed on the window that led out onto the roof. He swiftly yanked it open and crawled out, his back pack momentarily catching on the frame. Moving as quietly as he could, Hale ran in a crouch to the back of the house. There were the dumpsters in the back and the down spout that he could climb down. Behind the house's small dirt parking lot, there was a wooded area that he could go into to.
He leapt out and landed with a crash on the top of the dumpster. The plastic lid gave under his weight and he plunged forward off of the suddenly uneven surface. Landing hard onto the ground, Hale muffled a groan. He lurched to his feet and sucked in his breath as he stumbled towards the inviting shelter of the woods. Though this was Arizona, this stretch of desolation ran up through the foothills of the Kaibab Plateau with its much more temperate climate. Hale had chosen this flop house on a whim, but now it seemed like it had been a very good idea.
He slipped into the shade of the trees and wished that it was dark, but that wouldn't happen for several more hours. Catching his breath, Hale looked around and then worked his way deeper into the forest. Normally, he would have thoroughly enjoyed wandering under the oaks and ponderosa pines, but now he paid little attention to them. His eyes carefully scanned the rugged terrain in front of him for roots and concealed rocks. There had to be some way out of this, Hale thought, there had to be some way that he could reason with the police. Hell, he didn't know how they could have even come up with his name at all.
"Hale," a voice said softly. The words were somehow harsh and grinding in the stillness of the woods. Hale jerked up short. He recognized the hollowness and otherworldliness of the tone.
"What the hell do you want?" Hale snarled.
A shadowy shape drifted out from a copse of willows. It left no perceivable trace on the ground and there was no sound from it as it came to a stop in front of Hale, "The police have already arrived at the house. This small acreage of woods will not conceal you from them for long."
"Tell me something I don't know!" Hale glared at the Specter.
"There is a cave that can hide you from them."
"Well? What the hell are we waiting for?"
The Specter moved off silently and Hale watched it for a moment. Then, with an irritated shrug, he moved as quietly as he could after it.It never ceased to amaze him, the Specter always showed up whenever it wanted to and rarely came when Hale asked it too. He had long ago given up trying to figure it out. What the Specter wanted from him, he didn't know or even really care that much about anymore. It was helpful from time to time, but it never answered any questions.
They moved rapidly through the trees and now and then Hale was forced to make his way around patches of briars that the Specter drifted through. It became apparent quickly that they were slowly making their way along the flanks of the hills and ascending slowly. It was rough going and soon Hale's hands were raw from catching himself and the knees of his jeans dirty. The Specter seemed unconcerned if Hale kept up or not, it was like it was just a hallucination taunting him.
