ds with "Where you heading to?" It was only the second thing he'd said to me, as he started up the eng

in and unwavering he sounded. Over the rain it was impossible to make out the lyrics to the song coming through the r

of smoking tobacco, it reminded me perfectly of my grandfather's old pickup. Back then, these trucks were the fabric of society. You drove your produce into town, hauled wood around your farm, or packed in your family for the trip to Sunday morning church. It seemed like he tried to take care of it: he probably took the same kind of care with all of his belongings, but age w

are you going?" I asked, wi

was just weary, or maybe he didn't lik

e?" We had to be at least 20 miles away from the city, but maybe there was a town

er season already? Or maybe this man hunted something else. I almost wished I had paid more at

meekly ask, "Oh ..

as his eyes ran from my crotch to my face. "Maybe." I couldn't control

wer. It was a look that intimidated me to my core, but at the same time thrilled me just as much. I thought it best not to ask him any more questions for fear of tempting his temper. From the

es falling over me, I was captivated in the presence of this man. This man, silent and steely as stone, had my rapt attention, like cult leade

times, the forest receded quite a bit away from the road side and it gave us beautiful views of meadows and small forest creatures. To my right I saw an entire family of deer, flocking together from somewhere behind us, fleeting beside the t

a little further, up the steepest hill that we had come to yet, and as we crested the top of it, we could see the lights of the city like a million diamonds. The city was gorgeous, no doubt about it, framed by the vast coastline of the Willamette River.

re accumulated over years of real labor. His shoulders had a strong build, and his face projected that he was probably in his mid-30s; although the salt and pepper hair indicated he'd been through a lot in his life. He definitely was a good looking man. His chiseled cheeks and jawline wrapped in his beard made him even more appealing in a grizzly way. He had hairy forearms, with his ripped plaid shirt and sleeves rolled up to his bulging biceps. His

ff at any second and you don't know what would trigger it. One slip, and you'd be punished for something yo

t then he moved, adjusting himself, and I could tell that he wasn't even hard. His package was massive and thick: it spanned from the top of his z

for being so kind to me and partly needed to get my mind off of the goods I was just seeing, honestly hoping he hadn't noticed my glances. "I don't know what I would have done without you." It w

me to take you?" Glancing at him sideways, because I was afraid to get caught under his direct stare, I coul

or how I planned on paying for it. Max had driven off with everything I owned. It wasn't much: a backpack of cl

ight?" he asked me, with a mix o

, but I

rn at the first stop light, too far away from the city for any pe