The best kiss ever. Angie tried to keep her mind on the road. Her eyes were fixed on the red light in front of her. But her mind was twirling because she just had the best kiss ever. She knew to keep herself composed. Behave; do not show too much interest, she kept telling herself. Just go to bed and do not call him for 3 days, she told herself.
Don’t call him, was her goal for the day. It would not be wise to appear enamored and she knew it. Angie called her mom, updated her day planner, and began her Saturday morning house cleaning as usual. But her ultimate goal of not calling Milford was not far from her mind. She thought about how cute his name was and daydreamed about one day calling being called Mrs. Milford. How sophisticated it was for him to be called Milford , which was his last name. Her Little Garage apartment was perfect for a place to live for her while she finishes collage. Yet, it only took about 20 minutes to clean and she was in desperate need for distraction.A small blinking light on her cell phone reminded her that she had forgotten to switch her phone back to ring. She had forgotten to make a plan concerning how to react if he calls. The call had come from a number that she did not recognize. The voicemail light began to blink. Her belly fluttered as she listened. “Hey, it’s uh me — . Milford, the guy with an old man’s name. Sorry, uh call me on this number when you get a minute. As soon as you get a minute, sorry.” She had not formed a plan for this. Taking a few breaths to help her maintain her composure. She called the number.
Immediately he began to babble. He said, “I wasn’t going to call you so soon, because people say it is best to wait 3 days, Thing is something seems to have forced me. Sorry — .. I mean something came up. Not just cause that was the best kiss ever. Oh my God, did I say that. Well my friend had a baby, or his wife did a few weeks ago. Me and him — — were going to go hiking today but the kid has a cold. So you want to go?” It took her a second to catch her breath. Yet, the word yes, popped out.” Oh yeah where?” she asked. “Over by Lakeview Park, I talked to a guy who owns 200 acres out there. There is a river that no one seems to know about.” Thing is I really want to do this today and It is 10 o’clock already, can you be ready by 11. You do not need to bring anything I have water and everything just wear tennis shoes for sure. Angie, was able to hold her composure throughout her reply. “Okay”, she said. “It really means something that we both are outdoorsy” he said. “Ok, I am wasting time, see you in an hour”. He hung up as she replied, “okay”.
Equipped with new running shoes and lip liner, Angie sat and debated the likely hood that this might be Mr. Right. He was just as silly as she was. She almost skipped the two steps from her Love seat sofa to the front door when he knocked. I have my step dad’s truck today he said. My car is much more comfortable but we’re going to the woods. She giggled a bit and he shot her a sneaky grin as he took her hand a led her down the walkway to the old rusty Chevy truck parked in front of her apartment.
The ride was bumpy and she felt a little relief as they passed the entrance to Lakeview Park. He asked if she need to stop and use the bathroom. He said, “It will be a long ride before we are close to civilization. I love being free all the way out there; he said “She knew that he was interested in wildlife. He was so thoughtful as well. He turned on the radio and popped in a Duran Duran C. D. and she thought that she was in Heaven . The odds were not in favor of finding a Man who shared so many of her interest.
The C.D. Played twice before they reached a clearing. “Perfect”, Milford declared as he jolted the steering wheel and sped over to the edge of the clearing, nearly slamming on the breaks to stop the truck. Angie said. “What was that about?” He said I am so sorry I am just so excited. Let’s walk fast and see everything we can as fast as we can. Angie, May have been having the time of her life but she was already out of breath and they had not even gotten out of the vehicle yet.
He was almost sprinting Angie was struggling to keep up as he jumped over a fallen tree and she was only able see his head. “Hey”, she yelled and he jumped back over. She stopped and tried to catch her breath. He said, “I must have gotten the wrong impression, I thought you were a hard core hiker.” She gave an excuse ” I am thirsty”. “Good” Milford replied we should be at the river soon” .
At this point Angie realizes how misguided this so called hiking trip was. He told her not to bring anything and did not bring any water. Why would he do this? She wondered. Why would anyone break so many wilderness survival rules and simply call it hard core hiking. She had learned much about explore the wilderness from her over prepared grandfather. Most of all she knew never to be without a source of safe drinking water.
She had lost her since of direction and focus on gaining it back. Yet, her potential Mr. Right began to sprint back toward this undiscovered river. Her breathing began to stabilize as she made a split second decision to follow Milford. She had no idea which way to go and simply thought it would be better not to be alone.
She caught up to Milford. He was sitting cross-legged, holding a baby diamondback rattle snake. She stood still in front of him and focused on the sun. It was going down. Milford was petting the snake and she decided not to start an argument with him. She simply stared. “I know you would understand me.” Milford glared. Angie took a chance. She said, “The sun is going down.” Milford put the snake down and tightened his muscles. He stood up, and moved toward her till there was about an inch between them.
She spoke first this time. “I understand now” She said. It brings us closer to Earth.” We are a team now and I am a part of this, you have been alone but you are smart and know to let me help. Trust me” She said. Milford moved his had to her face so quickly that it seemed that he was going to slap her. But she did not flinch and he did not hit her. Instead he grasped her cheek and rubbed her face. The move was more horrifying than the expected slap on the face. And it continued as he leaned over her and began to nibble on her mouth as though a he was going to soon bite her. Tears rolled down her face. This kiss was with the same person who just last night made her week in the knees. I have a surprise for you he said.
He moved and pointed. Do you see it, He asked. There sat a cabin. They walked toward it each step in sink. “I will see if anyone is home and you look around. She wandered around the cabin looking for a water source. She began to hear the sound of a stream and about 10 feet from the cabin was a small stream. Cold on her face and tasted like purity. It was like refuge. Ang — he yelled. We cannot go in here these people are hunters. They many come back and kill us. We will have to stay outside. She wanted to argue but was unable to find sufficient sickness within her imagination to combat his Idea that hunters would shot them for finding refuge.
“we need a big fire” He said. Did you bring matches? She asked . Terrified at how he might react to this question she added the “Mil” at the end to sweeten what she imagined her would take as an attack. “of course I did ,” He replied. Angie managed to control for the next few seconds and sweetly suggested that they both look for dry wood around the cabin. She scouted around and found enough for a small fire.
Loud banging noises were coming from the front end of the cabin. Milford was pushing a sofa out of the front door of the cabin. “What are you doing?” She asked. “Saving your life my love” He announced as if the wooden porch he was standing on was a Shakespearean stage.
She decided to play along, but asked another question anyway. “Why, do we need that?”
It took a few sounds of him rotating facial expressions until he settled on one that seemed more demonic than human. He straightened his body into a posture that seemed fitting for a Greek God, There standing center stage on this dilapidated porch of a , probably abandoned, cabin his words stared to form,” If you expect for anyone in the world to see who we are to each other” Then be began to scream, ” You got to listen to me.” We need a big fire.” You have wood to start and I have a sofa to fuel”
“I am sorry baby.” He began to calm himself. “I can do this, I can do this I can do this, I not upset Ang I just don’t want you to get cold. I have an idea; I will make it up to you. We will make fire with the wood and watch the sunset sitting on the sofa. Then, when it is dark we will burn the sofa so that we have heat all night.” Angie, Imagined this and was unable to contain her bladder. She had been waiting for the right time to find a place to use the bathroom and the time was never right. She also never found time to search the cabin for food or sighs f whether of not people were still staying in it from time to time.
She placed the wood in a pile and asked him for the matches. He laid his back pack near her feet and she opened it to find a large box of matches and only matches.
They angled the sofa to face the setting sun and took their shoes off to dry their socks. He held her and talked of all his plans for the future. He spoke about building a house in the wilderness and growing his own food. He told her he had seen her a few times before in the caf© that her uncle owns and thought how soft she looked. It was hard for her to hide the fact that she had urinated on herself due to fear of him. She spent this time attempting unsuccessfully to calculate an excuse.
Darkness came slowly. Mil as she was now calling him popped off the sofa with an announcement. “It is time to dig a hole.” He walked behind the cabin and returned with a shovel and a look on his face as though he had discovered his own brilliance.
He started to dig, Angie did not say a word but he explained how he was digging a place to put the sofa so that the wind would not put out the fire. It took a while. When he was finished the place was about 3 inches deep 3 feet wide and 6 feet long. He then used the shovel to put the wood burning fire in the center of the hole. He stared to sing and was so enamored with his accomplishments he said” I will build us a house one day.”
He inched the sofa on top of the hole and sat down behind it, wrapping his arm around Angie. Angie began to hear the sound of a large animal of persons. Milford didn’t notice at first but just as the sofa began to burn he heard this continual noise and began to panic. “Run he told her. Run it is the hunters. She said nothing but did not move he threw her onto the ground and at this point human voices began to accompany the sounds. “We must have a plan “Angie said. ” I will take the shovel and go around back you stay here and listen so that we can find out where they are”. He agreed she took the shovel as he took two steps toward the burning sofa.
She swung really hard, but not too hard, Just hard enough really. Milford collapsed onto the ground, and landed in what seemed to be the safest position possible. There was some blood but it was a reasonable amount. Angie realized she need to find a place to urinate as she stepped away she said.” Sorry baby”
