Twisted Love

Chapter 2 - On the Edge

Tip toeing down the hallway she stopped and pulled a small but powerful flashlight from a side table drawer. She looked up into the mirror above the table and smoothed down her long blonde hair. Jay's goodnight kiss had smudged her pink lipstick. Not much she could do about that now.

At the front door, she pulled out her cell phone from the pocket of her jeans and checked the time and how much battery she had left. Only twenty percent battery and it was after midnight. If Rebecca woke and didn't find Mattie home, she would surely call to check on her.

Brandon was still there exactly where she'd left him.

Mattie made her way down from the porch to his side. She held up the flashlight and, before she could say a word, Brandon turned and started towards the road.

She flipped on the flashlight and carefully followed him as he made his way across the yard and down a slight embankment onto a mostly level, but quite winding road.

They walked in silence for a while. Mattie was grateful for the silence; she wasn't sure what to say. This was beyond an awkward situation. Had Brandon seen her kissing Jay on the front porch? Did he know she had started going out on dates a few weeks ago? He might, they shared a handful of mutual friends. Had Brandon finally gotten over her and started dating someone at his college? If so, no one had mentioned it. So many questions were swirling through her head.

There were only a couple homes on this end of the rural road and as they walked by one of them a porch light flashed on, and the front door opened. She could see the outline of old Mrs. Johnson in the doorway.

"Who's out there!" The old woman demanded.

"It's me, Mrs. Johnson. Mattie from next door."

"Child, what are you doing out this time of night?"

"Just taking a walk with a friend."

Mrs. Johnson called out, "You be careful, there's no moon out tonight."

Mattie waved the flashlight back and forth and yelled back, "Don't worry. I have a light, and we're only taking a short walk."

Rebecca occasionally went to visit the old woman, but Mattie had found her unsettling. Mrs. Johnson had a way of looking at you, more like through you, that always freaked Mattie out. She also had a habit, right in the middle of a conversation, of turning and talking to... no one. Blank air. The old woman was harmless really, but a bit touched in the head.

Mrs. Johnson made a loud huff noise before she finally went back inside with a bang of the front door. The old woman had left her porch light on.

They walked on, around a bend, until the dark swallowed Mrs. Johnson's light. A dim glow from the town lights came into view and then as they continued walking disappeared. The road was the old highway, made redundant by a modern interstate. The pavement was long gone, and only a few houses up in the mountains kept it open at all. It meandered into the mountains looking for the path of least resistance over the rough terrain.

They walked on and that cold wind blew past her a second time, carrying with it a shiver of unease. She questioned again the sanity of walking after midnight in the darkness with her ex. A sudden flash of movement from the side of the road drew her attention, and when she swung the light, it caught a pair of yellow eyes glowing at them from the underbrush. It could be anything, a raccoon, a javelina, a coyote, or even a cougar. The desert came alive at night, filling with predators on the hunt.

Brandon finally spoke. "Mattie..." Brandon said her name then paused.

She waited for him to continue. When he didn't, she stopped and shone the light in his direction.