Forks

by A.E. Davis

twelve

  The resort’s floodlights were only a faint glow to help guide me through the dense fog as I made my way out to the car. Stopping, I reached in my purse to pull out my keys.

  Approaching footsteps sounded from behind, drawing nearer. I don’t know why the noise scared me but it did—really bad. Maybe it wasn’t the approaching footsteps as much as it was the scratching sound against pavement that followed the approaching footsteps. My keys clattered to the wet pavement. I bent over to pick them up.

  A low growl sounded. I looked up into the glowing eyes of a huge beast. That was it. I was done for. I kept waiting for my life to flash before my eyes as the beast continued to growl at me but it didn’t. And although my heart raged against my ribs trying to break free—I couldn’t get my feet to move.

  A sharp whistle sounded. The glowing eyes, shifted. A form materialized out of the dense fog. “Come on boy.” He patted his leg. A huge animal trotted over to his side. “Hey, you all right?” he asked, stepping forward into the stream of light from the resort.

  “Oh, it’s you,” I exhaled, relieved. Grabbing my keys, I stood up. “Is that a wolf?”

  He laughed. “No, he’s a Native American Indian dog.

  “A what?” I asked.

  “Never mind,” he said. “It’s just a certain breed of dog.”

  “Well it looks like a wolf to me.”

  “This is Bear.” He bent down and ran his fingers through the thick coat of fur.

  “Bear?”

  He patted the massive dog’s head. “Yeah, cuddles seemed a bit inappropriate.”

  “Yeah,” I laughed nervously. “I daresay that would be pushing it a bit.”

  “He is sweet though, want to pet him?”

  “Ah…”

  “Come on, he won’t bite,” he said.

  “He won’t?” I lifted my hand.

  “Not unless I tell him too.”

  I jerked my hand back.

  “I’m just messing with you.” He laughed. “Seriously, you can pet him.”

  “Nah, I think I’m good.” I shoved my hand in my pocket.

  “Suit yourself.”

  “I better get going, um…” I turned. “Thanks for looking out for me,” I said. I put my key in the lock and opened my door.

  “Yeah, you’re welcome.” He let out another sharp whistle and the dog swung its head around. “So will I see you Saturday?”

  “Ah…”

  “Come on,” he coaxed. “It’ll be fun.”

  “I’ve heard that before,” I muttered.

  “What was that?”

  “Oh, nothing,” I said and shook my head and climbed in my car.

  “Hey,” he called. “What’s your name?”

  I rolled down my window and shut the door. “Amber.”

  “Nice chatting with you, Amber.”

  “Yeah, you too…”

  “Lucky,” he said.

  “Lucky?” I repeated.

  “It’s a nickname,” he explained.

  “What’s your real name?”

  “Tell you what,” he said, grinning. “You come on the tour Saturday and I’ll tell you.”

  “Well, I see you haven’t left me much choice.”

  It was his turn to look confused. “Not following,” he said.

  “How can I turn you down…I mean the temptation of finding out your real name is …”

  “Oh, I get it.” He laughed. “That bad?”

  “Nah, it was a good try though.”

  “Did it work?” he asked with a hopeful look.

  I turned on the car. “Maaybee,” I said. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”

  Theatrically, he put his hand to his heart and made a thumping motion. “I’ll be waiting.”

  “Don’t hold your breath.”

  He staggered backward, mockingly wounded, and extracted an invisible arrow from his heart.

  “That was good,” I said laughing, pulling away, and heading for home.