The Darkened Highway

The Darkened Highway Chapter Eight

I woke up to Happy licking my face. My eyes were still blurry, but I thought my ears heard a man's voice. I wiped my eyes, clearing them to see a figure. For a moment, I thought it was that wild animal from last night. A few more moments and my vision cleared.

"Ben!" I cried.

"Hannah! What happened to you? I searched for you all night!" Ben said.

"I got lost here when I went looking for Happy."

"What, that makes little sense? What happened to all your clothes?" Ben said, taking his shirt off and helping me into it.

"I dunno, some enormous animal attacked me, ripping my clothes up. Happy must have scared it away. He stayed with me through the night."

Ben looked up, noticing the eerie tree I lay under. In the semi-light of the morning, it somehow looked even more strange than it had last night. The morning sun revealed just how big this ancient tree was. It dwarfed the others in height and thickness.

"What are you talking about? Happy ran after you yesterday, and I followed. We lost you after a while."

"How? Happy run into the forest. He was chasing something."

"Listen, what was the animal that attacked you?" Ben questioned.

"It was too dark to see it. But it was huge. I dunno what would have happened if Happy hadn't come back."

"Hannah, Happy was with me all night. We couldn't find you anywhere. I only found you just now after Happy picked your scent up again."

For a moment, my thoughts were stunned, and I struggled to believe what Ben was saying. He must have been mistaken or panicked because he couldn't find me. Happy was with me almost the whole time.

"Maybe he went back and forth between us yesterday, trying to lead us back together."

"No, babe. We were searching for you on the other side of the highway and I dunno how you got to this side. It was sheer luck we picked up your trail."

"I can't explain it either," I said.

"Let's get you back to the RV motorhome. Are you hurt, anyway?"

"Just my right inner thigh. It scratched me there."

Ben looked it over, checking my wounds. All he found were five thin lines that looked nothing like it had last night.

"I swore it was a deep gash last night!" I affirmed.

"Honey, we'll see more about it back at the RV motorhome."

I nodded my head, still shook up about things. The hike back to the RV motorhome was long, and Ben carried me most of the way. How had I run through all this brush and rocks on the ground without cutting my feet up? Ben was silent most of the way. I'd gone so far into this forest. It took well over three hours to reach the Highway. From here, we walked at least five miles back to the RV motorhome. The walk back was almost awkward. My mind fought to wrap my head around what had happened, what I had seen, and what Ben had told me. Was I going crazy?

As we made our way to the motorhome. I noticed the cabin door to the living area was open. Ben noticed it and stopped walking abruptly.

"I know it was. Before I left this morning, I closed the door. I must have forgotten in reality. My mind was a mess, and I had to find you as quickly," Ben said.

"Yeah, I guess so," I said.

"Let me check things out first."

"Oh, okay."