Haven Hill: Chapter 5

By the author of The Widow in the Woods

Kate dozed fitfully in the armchair as the rain continued to fall, but now, thankfully, it was a soft, musical patter that always reminded her of those windchimes made of wood. It was the kind of sound you could fall asleep too, under piles of blankets, and gently cushioned by soft pillows.

Every sound that wasn’t the rain caused Kate to sit up and grab her pistol, instantly wide awake. An occasional tree branch falling in the forest sounded like gunshots. The plaintive call of some kind of animal in the woods sounded like someone screaming for help. An occasional gust of wind rattled the door in its frame, making her quite certain someone was about to come through the door she’d so carefully barricaded.

The noises came and went without any unsettling causes. Still, sleep was elusive and just after 5 am, Kate gave up and went to make some coffee and start her day, careful not to awaken her slumbering daughter.

She sat down on one of the chairs near the barricaded basement door with her notebook. The rain had given a reprieve and it felt oddly silent without the sound of it on the roof.

She was about to pack some pretty important bug out bags and she didn’t want to forget anything. Afterward, they’d laugh together at their overreaction, she was certain.

She jotted down the “pillars of preparedness” that she had learned about in Croatia, leaving space for notes. This was the best way she could think of to make certain the bags contained everything they needed for a long, uncomfortable hike.

• Water
• Shelter
• Fire
• Food
• Signaling/Communication
• Medical | Hygiene
• Personal Safety

She washed and dried both sawyer minis, leaving them to drain beside the sink. She broke her own rule and put two sealed water bottles in each bag. The rain ponchos and bivvy bags were in the bags, just as they should be, and her bag carried a small, two-person tent.

Each bag had lighters, and she shoved another one in each of her blue jeans pockets. A flint and steel Firestarter on a cord went around her neck to be tucked into her t-shirt. The waterproof matches were downstairs, and she wasn’t going down there for any money

There were already a couple of freeze-dried meals in each bag. From the pantry, she added packets of peanut M&Ms – always her favorite “survival” food.  She separated trail mix bursting with nuts, raisins, and other dried fruits into individual packets. It was only five miles and they could supplement with things they foraged, if necessary.

Her cell phone, useless as it was, was completely charged up, and a backup charger went into her bag. Maybe some place along the trail, they’d find service. Small, unbreakable mirrors were included to summon help (hopefully).

A quick inventory of their IFAKs (individual first aid kits) confirmed that each was fully stocked with a tourniquet, Israeli bandage, some clotting power, bandages for wrapping a wound, a folding splint, and Band-Aids in case of blisters. Kate added a bottle of Tylenol from her medicine cabinet.

Finally, she strapped her large knife to her waist and tucked the Glock at her front right – if she needed it, she’d need it fast. She peeked inside. Generally she didn’t go around with a round chambered, but today wasn’t an ordinary day.

The bags were ready. While Ariel slumbered on, Kate took a sharp kitchen knife and a cutting board to dice up the wild onions she’d collected yesterday and a bell pepper they’d brought with them. As they sizzled in the pan, she whipped six eggs into a froth with a whisk. Once the eggs had been poured into the pan, she put on the lid to let things cook thoroughly. After a quick stir, cheese from the refrigerator was added to the skillet. Four soft tortillas lay on the cutting board, and she retrieved a bottle of hot sauce.

Ariel stretched and yawned loudly from the sofa, awakened by the smell of cooking peppers and onions.

Kate smiled and instructed briskly, “Go brush your teeth and your hair – we’re going as soon as you’re ready.”

Barefoot, her daughter shuffled off to the bathroom, still yawning and shaking off the last vestiges of sleep.

Expertly, Kate filled each tortilla with the scrambled egg mixture and topped them with the appropriate amount of hot sauce. The parchment paper in the bottom drawer would work to wrap the burritos, and the aluminum foil would keep them warm for a bit longer.

When Ariel reappeared, her wild halo of dark hair had been tamed into two braids, and she had donned her socks and boots. Kate handed her a water-resistant jacket from the hook by the door.

“Coats in September?” Ariel inquired, lifting an arched brow.

“You never know if we might need them.”

Ariel said, “Oh, we almost forgot our bear bells!”

She turned to retrieve them, but Kate stopped her. “I think we should make as little noise as possible this time.”

Ariel froze for a moment, then nodded, squaring her shoulders with determination.

“We’re off like a dirty shirt,” Kate said.

“Off like a light switch,” Ariel replied dutifully.

“Off like a bucket of shrimp in the sun.”

“Off like a sweaty sock.”

“Off like a…..darn it, you got me,” Kate forced a giggle, and Ariel attempted a weak smile.

With that, they were ready to begin their journey.

There were a few different ways to get to Mr. Slocum’s house and Kate had all of them memorized for just such an occasion.

“I don’t think we should walk down to the road. We’ll be too visible. I know we’re probably being silly but…” she shrugged.

Ariel suggested, “How about the creek path?”

Kate thought for a moment – there were open areas around the creek, but it was more than a mile from the road. They wouldn’t be seen unless someone was explicitly following them.

“Good idea.”

Together, they strode down the hill in silence. The pine needles were still damp from last night’s deluge, but their hiking boots had sturdy grips on the bottom. It was a quick walk to the creek and the path beside it. The real problem was the mud. They trudged through it, but each step was laborious and required far more effort than normal. The squelching sound of their boots sounded as loud as a trumpet, making Kate cringe at their complete lack of stealth.

Wordlessly, Kate handed Ariel one of the breakfast burritos she had wrapped for the hike. The girl gratefully unwrapped it and took a huge bite. Kate took out her own burrito and took a slightly more reserved bite. The savory cheese, well-spiced eggs, and hot sauce melded into a delicious combination, and neither talked until they finished one of the breakfast burritos.

“If everything goes well, we should be there in a couple of hours,” Kate said, stuffing her foil and waxed paper into the front pocket of her backpack.

Ariel followed suit, placing her own trash in its designated pocket. “I’m sure it’ll go like clockwork.”

“Easy as pie,” Kate responded.

“A piece of cake.”

“Child’s play.”

“Like a walk in the park.”

“Like taking candy from a baby.”

“Like falling off a log.”  They both burst into laughter.

“No falling,” said Ariel through her giggles. “We have enough problems.”

The tension was broken for the moment, and they hiked on, detouring slightly to avoid muddy patches that would suck at their boots. Things seemed to be going smoothly, thought Kate, feeling a little silly. I was overreacting.

Ariel stepped off the path for a moment of privacy, and Kate scanned the area, looking for anything that seemed out of place. Aside from the path carved along the bottom of the mountain, it looked like the wooded area had been untouched by humans for centuries.

Kate took her turn behind the bushes and they set off again, beginning to relax into the meditative calm of the damp forest. The scent of wet pine trees wafted down, surrounding them with the pleasant, clean smell. The only sound was their footsteps crunching and squelching as they marched on.

The path was muddy and slippery. The creek was up due to last night’s rainstorm. The hike was more treacherous than normal, and even though they knew the trail well, both concentrated on stepping carefully.

It may have been that concentration that kept them from hearing the threat. Or perhaps the threat was moving through the woods like a ninja. Either way, they went around a bend and started up the next hill when…there it was.

In the middle of the path in a place where it couldn’t be an accident.

A wilted bouquet of sunflowers lay there, its stems wrapped in paper from a florist.

Kate stopped so suddenly that Ariel bumped into her. The giggle was cut short when she saw why her mother had halted. Ariel froze, the fear that had recently subsided assailed her again, filling her mind, making her incapable of thought.

Kate’s mind raced, searching frantically for a logical reason those particular flowers would be on this particular path at this particular time.

There was only one reason.

The memories came rushing back so quickly that Kate felt dizzy.

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