The Veil

Chapter Forty-Two

My recently free hand flew to my chest as I took in the sight of the man stood almost right in front of me, he was so close I could see the colour of his brown eyes even in the darkness. 

"Jesus, sorry." I mumbled and took a step back, my breathing unable to return to normal though as panic started to course through my body. 

I'd barely ever seen anyone out in the forest, Lindsay seemed to be the exception lately, I occasionally saw hikers and walkers on the odd occasion, in the daylight. 

I didn't often venture into the forest at night, but I did sometimes and while it was the rare occasion I saw anyone in the day, it had never happened at night before. 

I glanced down and saw the light of my phone, I could see that the phone call was still going with Tom, it hadn't cut off. 

It didn't help though as the man was still just stood still, staring at me. 

He hadn't said a word or moved. 

"Are y-you ok?" I stuttered, getting more panicked as the seconds ticked by. 

"I'm looking for my wife." He said, his voice gravely and louder than I was expecting. 

I took him in and he did look like a hiker, he had on hiking boots and cargo pants. 

They looked dirty, like he'd fallen over a few times, his jacket was the same, ripped in placed. His short brown hair had mud dried into the side, a leaf or two clung to his shoulder. 

His face was tan and weathered, like he'd spent a lot of time outdoors in the sun. 

He had a New York accent, defiantly not from around here. 

Probably a tourist hiking, it was easy to get lost out here, especially since it wasn't a great hiking trail. 

"How long have you been looking for her?" I asked, my heart returning to a more regular rhythm, he was just a lost hiker, probably dehydrated and if he'd lost his wife, worried too. 

"I don't know." He said, his eyes leaving mine and looking passed me into the darkness. 

"Ok well, the best thing for you to do is head back into town and we can get the cops and rangers to help, it's a big area to cover yourself, especially in the dark." I said gently. He didn't look like he was listening to me. 

"I'm looking for my wife." He said again, glancing back at me. 

He was definitely dehydrated, the confusion made it clear. 

"Ok, well lets get you out of these woods and to the police station, I'll take you. My boyfriend-" I cut off, shit, Tom must be freaking out. 

I looked down at my phone a few feet away and I could see the call still active. Hopefully he could hear me. 

I moved around the man and quickly bent down to grab my phone. "Tom?" I put it to my ear as I stood back up. 

"What the fuck is happening?" He shouted down the phone, he was out of breathe, he was definitely running. 

"Calm down, I'm sorry, there was this hiker," I turned back to look at him but he wasn't there. 

"Oh shit." I gasped. Where had he gone, "Hello, Sir?" I shouted, he couldn't have gone far I was only turned around for a few seconds. 

"Lily!" Tom called down the phone, grabbing my attention back. 

"Fuck, ok I'm coming, wait at the boundary, I'm ok. But I'm getting off the phone, I need to call Todd." I said, my breathe lost again as I started almost running back. 

Stumbling around myself trying to find the man wouldn't help, I'd end up like him, lost in the dark, until the light returned I'd have no hope of navigating after him. I could at least get back and let professionals handle it. 

"Why do you need to call the cops Lily?" He asked, his voice laced with panic. 

"It's not for me Tom, calm down, just, get off the phone I'll see you soon." I hung up on him before he could keep me talking. 

I dialled the station, as quickly as I could, nine one one would be no good out here, the location system in Alaska was so outdated, that I'd probably end up connected to somewhere miles away, which would be no use.  

Dialling the station directly was the easiest way to be sure of connecting to our officers. 

"Chief Todd Wyatt." Todd answered after just three rings. 

"Todd, it's Lily Grace." I panted as I jogged on what I hoped was the right trail. 

"Hey sweetie, what can I do for you?" I heard him take a sip of what I assumed was coffee. 

"I need your help, I just ran into a guy in the forest our side of town, he looked really rough, he said he was trying to find his wife, he seemed really confused and dehydrated." I rushed. 

"What in the good lords name are you doing in the woods this late in these temperatures Lillian, you know better than that." Todd scolded me. 

"I know, I'm leaving now, not the point, the hiker and his wife need finding." I coughed as I tried to catch my breath. 

I could feel the trees thinning around me, I knew I was getting close to boundary and Tom. 

"I'll get the rangers out now, but you need to get down here I need more details." He said, sounding distracted now. 

"I'm coming." I confirmed before hanging up. 

A few minutes later I saw Tom, pacing at the boundary line, clearly anxious. 

It warmed my heart a little to know how much he cared about me. 

"Don't fucking do that again." He growled as he spotted me, but wrapped me against his body as soon as I was in reach. 

"I'm sorry, I just go so mad." I sighed. 

"Yeah I know, and you have a right to be, but is there need to age me fifty years while you get mad?" He questioned, kissing the top of my head. 

"I know, I suck, I'm sorry." I pushed my cold face further against his chest, trying to get feeling back into my nose. 

"What happened?" He asked, leaning his forehead on my shoulder, his warm cheek felt nice against my neck.

He always smelled faintly of oil after work, I liked it in a weird way, it as comforting. Like home. 

"There was this lost hiker, he'd got separated form his wife, it frightened me, but then I realised he was just lost. But when I grabbed my phone he'd gone. I've called Todd but I need to go down to the station." I said, squeezing him quickly before he pulled back. 

"Come on then." He let me go, keeping hold of just my hand.

I glanced back into the forest, hoping that the hiker had some how followed me, but nobody was there.