What if?

Friends in low places

I didn't feel like talking when we got back to the house. I bid everyone a goodnight and walked up the stairs to my bed. I undressed and slid into some comfortable pants and let the sound of the wind rushing through the limbs of the trees outside my window. I closed my eyes wishing that the nightmares wouldn't come back and haunt me again tonight. I drifted off peacefully.

The feeling of blood running down my neck as the sound of maniacal laughter filled my dreams. Unable to say a word, unable to move. Why did he want me? I was nothing but a realtor in the wrong spot at the wrong time. In my dreams I try to move but my body doesn't cooperate. I look off in the dark distance and see a figure outlined it looks familiar but I can't place it. He walks confidently forward to meet my attacker. The dark stranger's face is obscured by shadows. This man is my last hope. My vision blurs from lose of oxygen and I drift into the darkness.

I wake up. Sweat covers my body as my hands tremble. I look around I'm safely lying in my bed looking out on to the ranch's sprawling estate. I get dressed in some dark washed jeans and a grey tank top and pull on the cowboy boots that Amy had given me yesterday. I slip on a black running jacket and head outside. The sun has just started peaking out from behind the mountains. I walk humming to myself. I walk for a bit until I reach a grove of trees. They have branches that hang down creating make shift benches. I climb on one of the branches and lay my head back. I watch as the trees shift in the breeze. Than I hear someone clearing their throat. I looked down from my perch. I'm met with icy blue eyes. I freeze.

"What do you want?" I ask trying to sound unfazed but my voice comes out shaky and unconvincing.

"Ma'am I don't mean to bother you. I'm David. I felt bad about how I treated you last night." He says gruffly

"Can I ask you a question miss?" He says bowing his head and kicking at the dirt

" Sure " I say quizzically not sure what to make of the very forward statement

"I know your name isn't Sam Hart..." He says

I look at him in shock. "What do you mean? My name is for sure Sam Hart" I say defensively.

"Ma'am no need to lie to me." David says as he raises his eyes to meet mine. "I served in the military and it was my job to spot lies. No offence but you are kind of bad at lying Miss Hart" he says with a small laugh

"Oh please don't tell anyone David!" pleading with him to keep the secret that is keeping me alive and away from all the danger that could be trying to find me.

"I promise I wont." He says, "We all have secrets that need to stay secrets." Casting his eyes back down to the ground.

I climb down and stand next to him.

"Thank you David." I say glancing over at him.

He looks over at me and a small smile hints at the corners of his mouth. We stood at the base of the tree for a few hours and chatted. He told me about his life and the adventures he had had in his lifetime. This man was about the most interesting person id ever met. We walked back to camp together and as he limped toward the bunkhouse I felt like I had finally found a genuine friend.

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A room lit by a single light and a window cast light on the rough face or the individual that sat in the chair. Empty alcohol bottles littered the floor. The pungent smell seemed to cling to everything in the room including the man. He stirred as the lock on the door clicked open. A man dressed in a fresh pressed suit entered. The man in the chair struggled to his feet.