by Sarah Holman
Quest for the Beast
Quest for the Beast
Copyright © 2015 Sarah Holman
www.thedestinyofone.com
Cover Design Mikayla Holman
www.thebubblegumballerina.blogspot.com
Author Photo by Christina Hastings
www.christinahastings.com
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the permission of the publisher and the copyright holder.
All Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual places, events, or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental or used fictitiously.
Dedication;
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Note from the Author
About the Author
Other books by Sarah Holman
Dedication
To Jessica and Julia Coggins
You are both beautiful on the inside and out!
Keep following God and pursuing what is right no matter what,
and never forget the transforming power of the forgiveness of God
Chapter 1
Cinderella’s eyes flew open. Only inches away, the prince’s eyes looked into her own.
“Such lovely silk slippers will be ruined in the water.” His voice was soft.
Cinderella turned her head away and tried get out of his arms, but he held her fast. “I never wanted you to see my scars. If only I hadn’t worn these stupid slippers.” She closed her eyes and waited for him to set her down, but he held her without wavering. Then…
“Adara!”
Adara jerked her head up from the book. “What do you want, Jasper? You know you don’t have to yell to get my attention.”
“Yeah, I kinda do. I said your name six times before you responded.”
Adara rolled her eyes at her brother. “You exaggerate everything.” She dropped her eyes back to the pages of her book.
Jasper snatched the book from her hands.
“Hey!”
“Maybe, if you spent less time reading fairy tales and more time in the real world you would realize I don’t exaggerate as much as you think.”
Adara grabbed her book back and hugged it protectively against her chest. “There is nothing wrong with fairy tales.”
“Except that you keep expecting prince chummy –”
“Charming”
“Whatever! To come and sweep you off your feet and take you to live in a magical kingdom. I have news for you: it isn’t going to happen.”
“This coming from my brother who has been moping around for the last two days complaining that nothing exciting ever happens here. At least I have exciting books and stories to keep me company.”
Jasper dropped onto the faded sofa beside his sister. “It is summer. Most of the guys I know at college are at the beach with their girlfriends, or are going on an amazing trip. Me? I am stuck at home with my bookish sister, no parents, no money.”
The siblings fell silent. They both missed their parents, both of whom were truck drivers and worked hard just to make ends meet.
If Adara were completely honest with Jasper, she would have admitted that she was bored with her books and couldn’t wait to start collage in the fall. She had wanted to get a summer job, but there were very few jobs to be had in Holloway, a tiny town on the edge of a massive state park. The little town only boasted two gas stations, a school, a mechanic shop, and a sporting goods gear store. She had planned to drive to apply at the Wal-Mart in the next town over, but the family car had broken and there would be no money to repair it until their parents returned in a couple of weeks.
Adara had made the best of her time off. Since this would be her last summer before starting college, she had reread Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tales as well as read some new fairy tale books she had found at the library. Her brother and most of her friends thought her very juvenile to be so obsessed with fairy tales, but they didn’t understand the deeper value that she found within the stories.
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” her mother had quoted, when trying to get her to do something other than sit and read.
Adara shook her head and turned back to her book. It was easier to shut everything out and read. If she didn’t read, her brother would pester her to watch a sci-fi movie or something else equally as dreadful.
“I may have found the answer to our problem,” Jasper said, standing once again.
“You found a job?” Adara looked up, wondering if there was another opening for her.
Jasper’s face wrinkled in disgust. He had always had an aversion to work. “No. I found us an adventure.”
“Really?” Adara lost all interest. She flopped onto her belly and started reading once again.
“Seriously, there is this guy that has been hanging out at Jake’s Gas and Grocery. He is planning an expedition and he wants some of the local fellows to come with him.” Jasper went into the adjoining kitchen and grabbed a bag of chips from the nearly empty cupboards.
“What kind of expedition?” Adara asked trying to find her place on the page.
“To collect a bounty.”
“Ummm hummm,” Adara intoned, finding her place and starting to read again.
“We are going to capture one of the most wanted thieves in the state; they call him The Beast.”
“Sounds dangerous,” Adara mumbled flipping the page of her book.
“Not really. The guy we are after is about to turn twenty-one, and he thinks he is safe and secure. He won’t know we are coming. It will be easier than taking candy from a baby.”
Adara sighed and set the book in her lap, making sure to keep a finger between the pages to mark her place. “If it is going to be so easy, why doesn’t the guy do it by himself? Better yet, why haven’t the police arrested him?”
Her brother dismissed her question with a wave of his hand. “This fugitive’s dad is well connected in the political community; they can’t run the risk. Nelson says that he doesn’t want to go in alone. He is willing to share the bounty with us if we help him.”
“How generous,” Adara said sarcastically. “How much is this bounty?”
“It is really big,” Jasper said, his mouth full of chips.
“How big is big?”
“Fifty-thousand?”
“So you don’t really know?”
If Jasper had feathers, they would have ruffled. “It is a lot, okay? Just get off my back and tell me where the camping gear is.”
Adara sat up straight. “Why do you need the camping gear?”
“We are hiking across the state park to get to the house this guy lives in.”
“Why?”
Jasper let out an irritated grunt. “Because that is how we have to do it. Nelson says the only way to sneak up on this guy is by going through the state park and through the back of his property. Once we get there and get the Beast, we will be able to just walk to the road and have the police pick us up.”
“You are not going without calling and talking to Mom and Dad.”
&n
bsp; “You sound like we are teens home alone!”
Adara stood, the book slipping from her grasp. “News flash, Jasper: we are teens home alone. You won’t turn twenty for another couple of months.”
“But we are adults and I am going.”
“No, you are not.”
“Yes, I am!”
“No, you’re not!”
“Yes, I am!”
“No, you’re not!”
“Yes, I am!”
Adara sighed. “Fine, but if you are going, I am going too.”
“We don’t want girls along.”
“Now who is talking like a sulky juvenile,” Adara said.
“Fine, but don’t expect us to help you over fallen logs or stop every five minutes for a potty break.”
Rolling her eyes, Adara moved toward the closet that held the long neglected camping supplies.
Chapter 2
Adara swallowed hard as the motley group came into view. She had known that they were going to meet up with a few guys, but she had hoped a couple of the nicer town boys would be here. Instead two of the rougher young men were there. Philip Gregory, a town troublemaker, and Colton Masters, whom everyone called Wolf.
“Jasper, what are you doin’ draggin’ your kid sister along,” called Philip, who was only a year older than Adara.
“She wouldn’t take no for an answer,” Jasper said, glaring at his sister
Wolf, spat into the ground. “We don’t want any females along.”
Nelson jabbed him in the ribs with his elbow. “You always want girls along. Besides, you were the one that dragged your retarded brother along.”
It was at this moment that Adara saw Chris, Wolf’s four year old brother who had Down-Syndrome. Somehow, she didn’t feel as uncomfortable anymore. She had always liked and felt sorry for Chris, having to live with Wolf, who was known for being wild and rough with his brother.
“What is going on here?” demanded a dark haired young man whom Adara had never seen before.
Everyone started talking at once and Adara took a step back.
“We don’t want no girl.”
“This idiot brought his sister along.”
“She’ll just slow us down!”
“Your retarded brother will do that well enough on his own.”
“Shut up!” the dark haired young man yelled. “I am the leader here, and I decide who goes and who stays.”
Adara looked him up and down. While he was handsome and well built, she was not impressed.
“My name is Nelson, what is yours?” He said, his gray eyes looking into hers.
“I am Adara,” she said softly dropping her gaze.
“Have you done any hiking?”
“Yes,” Adara said, still staring at the gravel path.
Nelson turned toward Wolf. “Why did you bring that kid along? Did you think it would get you an extra share?”
“My parents are out of town, and no one would watch him. If he gets to be too much trouble, we can throw him in a river somewhere, no one would miss him.”
Chris screamed and started to run away, but Wolf only laughed and caught hold of him.
Adara rushed forward and gathered the chubby little boy in her arms. “Stop it Wolf! You are scaring him.”
“He is just a worthless…”
“Shut up, they can both come. Girl, you take care of the youngster, got it?”
Adara wanted to protest, and say that she wasn’t Nelson’s to order around, but she knew that if she didn’t do it, they would make her stay behind, and Chris wouldn’t have anyone to defend him.
“Just keep hold of my hand, okay?” Adara said gently.
Chris nodded, wiping at his tears and took hold of her hand. The group started into the woods, using the well-used hiking path. Adara and Chris were soon far behind, but it didn’t bother her at all. From what little she did pick up of what they were saying, it sounded like their words and conversations were rough and nothing she and Chris needed to hear.
“I scared,” Chis whimpered.
“You don’t have to be afraid; I am here,” Adara assured him. “Let’s pretended we are on a quest.”
“A quest?” The little boy cocked his head. “What’s quest?”
Adara took a deep breath. She needed to distract both the boy and herself. They would be walking for a long time, unless the boys came to their senses and realized how silly and foolish they were being to go on a bounty hunt.
“I will tell you a story about a boy and his quest to rescue a maiden in a tower. Would you like that, Chris?”
The boy nodded his head, and the two walked hand and hand for the next three hours, Adara telling the story, dragging it out, adding little details to make it longer. She shared her canteen of water with the little boy and tried to ignore it when Wolf yelled at her to hurry up or when occasionally another would call out something disparaging.
Finally, Chris sat down in the middle of the road, looking exhausted, but said not one word in complaint.
“Tired and hungry?” Adara asked, sitting down beside him. He nodded, looking pathetic.
Adara looked ahead, but she couldn’t see the boys, they were far ahead. Sighing, she took off her backpack, grateful for an excuse to take a break. She pulled out some jerky and gave some to Chris and ate a bit herself. They drank the last of what was in the canteen, and Adara hoped they would be able to catch up with the boys so that Jasper would share what he had in his with them. She had not expected to have to share with a second person during the hike.
She put back on her backpack and reached down to take Chris’ hand.
“I can’t,” he whimpered.
Adara looked up, hoping to see one of the boys coming to see what was keeping them, but she didn’t. She stood, then picked up the boy, heavy for his age.
“I can’t carry you for long, but we will do our best.” She stumbled along for a few minutes, but the weight of her back pack and the boy soon became too much. She set him down and the two trudged on.
“What is keeping you?” Wolf shouted, the whole group coming into view. At least they had cared enough to come and see what was holding her up.
“Chris is tired.”
“Throw him in the river,” Jasper teased.
All the boys laughed, but Chris clung to her. Adara glared at them.
“How dare you? All of you are a bunch of jackals!”
This made them all laugh harder.
“Where do you get your insults?” Wolf asked. “You need to update your lingo.”
“And you are an old fashioned brute, Wolf. How can all of you frighten a child and think it is so funny you laugh?”
Some of them had enough decency to look away and seem a bit ashamed for the fright they had caused the little boy.
Nelson pushed forward and scooped Chris into his arms as if he weighed only as much as an infant. “Let’s get moving.”
Nelson started forward, without waiting for anyone.
Adara lagged behind, but kept her eyes on the little boy. While Nelson was not gentle, he didn’t drop the boy, and he carried him as if it wasn’t any difficulty at all. She wondered if he were being nice to the boy, or just not wanting him to slow them down.
“Try to keep up,” Philip called.
Rolling her eyes, Adara tried her best to keep up with their long strides, mainly so she could keep an eye on Chris.
Chapter 3
Adara thought the day would never end, but they finally stopped as the sun was sinking low in the sky. Her throat was dry, and she was glad to be near a stream. She filled her canteen and dropped one of her purification tablets into it, watching as the four men drank straight from the stream. She opened her mouth to say something but then decided against it. She figured that they wouldn’t listen to her no matter what she said.
Chris stood where Nelson had set him down, halfway between where Adara sat and the other boys drank. He looked between the two groups as if trying to decide what to do.
�
��Come here, Chris,” Adara said with a smile. Chris came and she held him in her lap as she waited for the tablets to do their work. As thirsty as she was, she knew it was dangerous to drink the water before it had been purified.
“All right, we’re going to make camp. And everyone is going to pitch in,” Nelson commanded. “Phillip, you lay out the sleeping bags. Jasper, you take Chris with you and start collecting wood for the fire. Wolf, you and I can start getting the food ready to cook.” Nelson and the others started on their tasks wearily. Adara felt as if she had been forgotten, but decided perhaps it was for the best.
Picking a flat place a good distance from the creek, she set to work setting up the tent she had brought for herself. Jasper had scoffed at her insistence on bringing her own tent, as he said they would all be sleeping outdoors anyway as there wasn’t a chance of rain, but Adara had known that rain was only one thing the tent kept out. The mosquitoes this time of year would be bad at night; she would want a tent that would keep out some of the insects.
She had gone camping many times with her father when she had been younger, so she knew how to do things. Still she struggled to put up the tent on her own. By the time she had finished, she was exhausted, and the smell of hot dogs roasting over the open fire tickled her nose. She moved toward the camp fire, unsure if she would be welcome or not. If she wasn’t, she had brought plenty of food in her pack.
“Look, the princess is going to join us,” Wolf mocked. “Off picking daisies while the men work?”
“Nah, she was setting up that dumb tent that she insisted on brining,” Jasper said.
“Why’d you bring one of them along?” Philip asked, pulling one of the crushed hotdog buns out of the plastic bag and inserting one of the roasted hotdogs into it.
Hungry and tired, Adara did not feel as if she had any civility left in her. “The tent is to keep the mosquitoes away at night. I have no intention of getting West Nile for this foolish mission.”
The three laughed, repeating her in falsely high voices. Adara turned to look at Nelson who wasn’t laughing. He stared at her. “Why did you come if you think it is a foolish mission?” He asked the question as if they were the only two around, his gaze not wavering from her face.
