Country Charm

Chapter 1: Damsel in Distress

" Fifty dollars and five cents." Glenda relayed giving me my total as she had rang up my groceries, beer and cigarettes. I was currently standing at the counter of the old local country store in the next town over from where I lived. " Did you want to put that on your tab or is it gonna be cash tonight Mr. Trent?" Glenda asked as she flashed me her fake pearly whites. Glenda was an older woman approximatly in her sixtys who owned and ran the store on her own as her husband had died of a heart attack five years ago. She was one of the sweetest older women I knew, but she always seemed to send shivers down my spine the way she was always flirting with me. I couldn't say for sure and neither did I want to know if she was serious as just the thought of it always left me feeling queezy.  

" Well why don't we do a half and half, that way I can put some away for safe keeping." I answered.  

" Sounds good handsome." She replied. " Hey Trent buddy boy, did you get any haying done today, you know they say there is a nasty storm coming and we farmers ain't going to be able to do shit for days." A familiar voice rang out as I heard the bell above the door chime. And yet here was another person that sent shivers up my spine. " Rusty you leave that boy alone will ya." Glenda reprimended. 

" Eh I ain't letting him bother me none, he seems to think that I just started farming yesterday, but we all know who sold more hay last year." I shot. Rusty was a farmer like myself who thought that he would one day own my daddy's farm that I inheritited because I didn't know shit about farming, but of course Rusty wasn't the brightest crayon in the box either. It didn't matter how many years in a row I sold more hay and corn than he did, he thought that because he had more cows and sold more milk that he was the better farmer and had high hopes that one day he would knock me out of business, but I knew that it would never happen for as long as I lived. " Alright Glenda, you have yourself a nice weekend." I offered as I walked out causing the old door to creak in the process. I threw my groceries on the back of my old ford truck, before I slowly turning my glance to the road as I spotted an unfamiliar vehicle driving by occupied by a man and blonde haired woman and wondered what would bring such a lovely new sports car to the area. Bakerswood and my neighboring town of Charlesville were layed back in the woods and about ten miles from any main highway. It was definatly farm country out here inwhich we didn't get many tourist unless they were family. I shrugged my shoulders and hopped in my truck, not giving the unknown vehicle another thought as I turned up my radio and tuned into Jason Aldean.

I got lost in my thoughts of my ex-wife as the words of the song black tears started playing. The song seemed to describe my ex to a T. For many years I had blamed myself for leaving her behind as she refused to come live with me out on a farm when my Daddy died. She said that her life would always be in the city where she could make her money just by dancing and being free so I did what I had to do, and I set her free. It didn't mean that it didn't hurt, but I knew that there was nothing I could do especially now since she had moved on with her boss. I slowed my truck as I spotted the same vehicle coming towards me that I had just watched drive this way when I was at the store. I was hoping that they would stop so that I might ask them if they were lost, but instead it sped up and flew by me doing about fifty miles an hour. Once again shrugging off the vehicle and shifting the gears of my truck, I once again was driving at my normal pace. I made it about two miles down the road when my brain once again sent my body messages to down shift and break as my eyes landed on White fabric blowing in the wind on the side of the road. I pulled up leaving my truck in neutral, putting on the E-brake before jumping out and walking over to check out what was in the white sheet wrapped with some sort of string. "MMMMM MMMMM MMMMMM" I heard what sounded like a muffled sound of attempted screams. " It's okay, hold on now just a minute. " I informed. " I just need to cut this twine or whatever it is off so I can get you out of there." I relayed as I pulled my knife out curious to know who was wrapped in side. I got the twine cut and gently started unwrapping the sheet as the subject started thrashing. " Hey now, it's okay, I'm not going to hurt you." I attempted to sooth causing them to slow their movements down. My stomach flipped as I finally got the final layer of sheet pulled away exposing a blonde haired woman whose face was covered in all sorts of bumps and bruises. Her eyes even though black, blue and swollen expressed a look of horrified as grey duct tape was wrapped around her mouth several times. " Listen sweetheart, I don't know how you got here, or who did this to you, but I would certainly feel more comfortable if I could help you get out of this mess in a safer setting. Whoever did this is certainly a psycho path and I don't have my gun on me right now, so I don't want you to feel any unsafer than you already do and I realize that you don't know me from Adam, but I am going to lift you up in my truck and bring you up to my place okay?" I quickly rambled as I looked for a reaction to my confession. I smiled as she slowly nodded her head giving me the go ahead. " Damn, are your feet bound too, just like your hands?" I inquired as I sat her up in my truck and she tipped over towards the door. She nodded her head again and I knew I needed to think fast. alright I am going to push you over this way like so and I want you to do your best to use your muscles to hold yourself there while I get this door closed alright?" I explained. She nodded her head again so I quickly gave her a gentle push before shutting my truck door fairly quickly. I picked up the sheet and twine, tossed it behind my seat incase she wanted to press charges on the coward who did this to her and that way she would have evidence hopefully she wold just let me handle it the way I wanted.