sal

long the state of California really is until you find yourself traveling from the bottom to the top of it. My poor car has never seen this many miles in

not a go

s I walk through a path of wildflowers and native plants, buzzing with life. A grandmotherly figure takes my

. “You look like you could u

fully take a sip. “Oh

?” he asks hesitantly. “It's total

ther gulp of s

ou going to s

St

twilight. “It’ll be dark soon and

e and I reply, “I'm not afraid of a little rai

safer than having you go out in those woods alone.” He looks

to run into out there? Sas

esn't

ayb

k. He's

isappear on that road all the t

t me. I’ll be fine.” I mumble as I

sh,” he begins to walk away. “J

and return my att

in begins to fall and the winding highway becomes slick with water. As I continue north, the rain soon turns into hail as this freak summer

to a bumpy, barely paved road that winds through the trees. My wheels are soon stu

of rainfall hitting my roof is a gentle pitter-patter. I open m

far in the rain, I go back to my car, lock the doors, and tilt my chair back. Nothing more is going to happen tonight, so I figure I might as well get comf

he sound of a howl. My glasses are still on my face, having stayed

e are no wolve

er howl, this

hear a sound like sniffing around the door. I stay still, holding my breath. I'm not

entilating. I try to calm myself down, but my heart is beating so rapidly that my chest hurts. I don’t believe in sasquatch or big

eyes wide awake, until sunlight be

and check to see if I am saf

?” a deep, masculine voice asks from

the window jus

f a tall, well-built man with the most ama

“My name is Axel.

n't know if th

et a bit of breakfast into you at my place while you call a tow truck to come

my eye

and pull out my phone. Wiping off the front windshield,

a little bit, I ask. “

ses an

nd so that she can check to se

riou

Yu

He stands still for me, his chin slightly r

” I m

end the photo to Slone as well. Less t

hell, girl, h

s he a ser

h, he's wa

as Jeffre

frey Dahmer let y

Fair

t take a slice of t

: O

he! (wink

dying breath, I caut

ep back, giving

ut his hand. “Hello, my name is

hand for a moment more befor

decide to play along. "My name is Rosalynd,

I can tell he is checkin

back. He is tall, almost ridiculously so. I’m a bit petite, but he is large even compared to most men. He is easily 6'4” tall and his shoulders are so broad they barely fit in the oversized flannel

from Hunter in EV

ike warm butter as he draws my attention to his honey-colored e

er he contains within such a simple gesture. I feel a sudden urge to do things

oldt County, Rosa

hough he might not be a serial killer

deep