Scene One of
Chapter Five
Jada fled like a
blind woman in the darkened forest. She dodged trees that materialized only
seconds before she avoided colliding with their trunks. Twisting. Turning.
Stumbling. David—gripping her tighter when she lost balance.
She panted and
ran on. The two evil men shot Hadjira. She and David could be next. Their lives
depended on distance, swiftness. How long they spun in and out of the trees
seeing nothing but eerie, wavy, pole-like structures she didn't know.
Then at the next
curve in their makeshift path, David grasped her shoulder, nudging her down
behind a massive boulder. His arm encircled her, sheltering her as she gasped.
They waited.
The silence was
only broken by the echo of a night bird's song. No dreaded footsteps sounded.
She flinched at the low repetitive drone of a frog and gripped harder on
David's hand. She longed to ponder the prayer she'd offered to God, but fleeing
from the enemy dominated her mind.
A whooshing
sound carried on the soft breeze. David's voice.
"What?"
she murmured.
"I don't
think they followed us."
"I… I hope
you're right." She tried to gulp down the persistent flow of emotion, but
instead she moaned.
"Jada?"
"They shot
Hadjira. I don't know if he's dead. Should we go back?"
David tightened
his hold around her. "I never saw actual combat in the army, but some of
my buddies described the horror of the battlefield." He drew her nearer
his chest. "My job is to protect you right now. I'm sorry you had to see
that."
"I'll never
forget. Never," she squeaked. "Are we going to die?"
"Shh. I'll
do everything I can to keep you safe."
"What are
we going to do?"
"Let's
listen a few more minutes. Let me be sure they aren't following us."
Though Jada's
eyes were open, she only saw darkened shadows. A dull ray of light from somewhere,
she didn't know where, illuminated the black forest. Nearby, bushes and rock
fragments covered the ground. Next to the boulder, more trees swept high into
the night sky, like sentinels watching over them.
A soft breeze
cooled the perspiration on her forehead. Her thudding heart slowed a fraction.
A sharp cramp in her leg made her squirm.
"It's too
dark to go farther. We don't know what kind of creatures we could encounter—or
the lay of the land. Ravines or drop-offs. We should stay here until the first
light of dawn then find our way out," David suggested.
"But what
about Black Cap and Chunky? What if they come after us?"
He smoothed his
hand over hers. "We'll take turns listening. The other can sleep
awhile."
"O…
okay."
David's presence
offered warmth and safety, and he wanted to protect her the best he
could—something she'd never sensed from Jeff. Though he'd said he loved her, he
cherished something more—his career. Nothing like near-death to shed light on
one's perspective.
Jada settled
down, sitting next to the rock then leaned her head back. She shivered, not
from the cool air but from the terror that wrapped its icy tendrils around her.
"I was so scared. I didn't know if we would die—like the driver," she
whispered.
David sat next
to her, sliding his arm around her. "Let me tell you a story." His
voice was barely a whisper. "A year ago, in Germany, I was in the field on
a training mission. My job was to set up communications in the area—a trial
run, if you will. But a grass fire ignited and smoke filled the air."
"How did it
start?"
"Somebody
was probably smoking and tossed their cigarette on the ground. The fire moved
fast, and suddenly, I realized it was heading toward a truck filled with
ammunition. The only thing I could do was get to the vehicle and move it before
the fire got there or else the truck would explode and set the complex on fire.
People would've died."
Jada sat up
straight. "What happened?"
"I wasn't
sure whether I'd live or die. I breathed a desperate prayer to the Lord that
the truck would start, and I could move it away in time. I could've gone up in
smoke right along with that vehicle and the missile site as well."
"But you're
still here," she whispered.
"Yes."
His voice seemed to drift on the cool night air. "God gave me strength
when I had none of my own, like now."
"What
motivated you to take the chance?"
He ran his hand
through his hair and stared straight ahead. "My father, I suppose. He died
a year and a half ago in a car accident."
"I'm so
sorry. So you wanted to honor his memory by showing bravery?"
"No. Not
that." He took a deep breath. "My father let me and my mother down
more times than I could ever count. He never treated her with respect or paid
much attention to me." He stared at her. "I never want to be that
kind of man. That day in the field offered me the chance to be more."
Jada snuggled a
little closer to David. "I've only known you for less than a day, but I
have no doubt you're an honorable person."
"We've been
through a lot together." He took both of her hands in his.
She straightened
and gritted her teeth until her jaws ached. "What if they come looking for
us in the night? They could have flashlights. They could shoot us dead like
sitting ducks."
Backcover blurb:
David Maguire's
tour of duty in Germany is over, and he's returning home to Oak Mountain,
Alabama in search of a job. After a long flight from Frankfort, he shares an
Uber with Dallas resident Jada Atwood.
Jada Atwood, a
registered nurse midwife, is on her way to a medical conference in Queens. If
only she could live up to her father's legacy at the hospital where she works,
she could prove worthy of his reputation. Marriage awaits yet her fiancé has
yet to offer a ring.
When the Uber
driver must make a stop to pick up a passenger at a Queens shopping center, two
men who robbed a nearby bank commandeer the Ford as a getaway car. But when
they discover two passengers, they have to get rid of the extra baggage.
After the
kidnappers murder the Uber driver, David and Jada fear for their lives. Will
they find their way home or die in a Pennsylvania forest?
Short blurb: A
kidnapping and vicious murder leave David Maguire and Jada Atwood with few
options—remain in the clutches of their abductors or attempt an escape. But the
attraction they discover for each other could change their lives. Will they
find their way home or die in a Pennsylvania forest?
The Long Way Home https://tinyurl.com/y96rzy4w
About
June Foster
June Foster is an award-winning author who began her
writing career in an RV roaming around the USA with her husband, Joe. She brags
about visiting a location before it becomes the setting in her next
contemporary romance or romantic suspense. June's characters find themselves in
precarious circumstances where only God can offer redemption and ultimately
freedom. Find June at junefoster.com.
Purchase link: https://tinyurl.com/
June's website: junefoster.com
