Lands near Loch Awe, Scotland, 2020
The best thing about a guy trip through the Scottish Highlands was the absence of technology. Even after seven years of civilian life, Konnor Mitchell’s Marine training kicked in, and he had no problem orienting with or without a map, fishing, cooking on a fire, and sleeping on the ground.
Actually, the best thing about the whole man-against-nature thing was that it occupied his mind, leaving little time to think of his life back in Los Angeles or his past. With no cell phones, no TV, and no electricity, he had nothing to rely on but his brains, his muscles, and his best bud Andy.
“How much longer to the Keir farm?” Andy looked up at the sky. “The clouds are coming in darker than your best mood.”
A leaden sky hung above the dark-green pines and ashes like an iron ceiling. Nature around them stood still, as if waiting for something. Branches didn’t rustle, and grass didn’t waver. The air was humid and warm, full of the scent of forest and moss and something strange…lavender, though Konnor didn’t notice any around.
He glanced down at the map in his hands, and a flicker of a movement caught his eye. Something green flashed between the trees. He blinked but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Must be all the whiskey he’d consumed during the last week.
“We’re probably going to be soaking wet either way,” Konnor said. “It’ll take us until the evening.”
He and Andy had hiked along the loch up north towards the farm. The map showed there was a small ruin at the bottom of the glen behind them, and if they made their way back towards Loch Awe, they’d come to the ruins of Glenkeld, a medieval castle.
They’d interrupted their whiskey tour with what was supposed to have been a three-day hike. But due to their relaxed pace and drinking the samples of whiskey they’d acquired from several distilleries, this was their fifth day out already. Between setting campfires, assembling and disassembling the tents, cooking hot dogs on an open fire, and fishing in Loch Awe, they’d gotten carried away and lost track of time.
The trip was kind of a long bachelor party for Andy, who was getting married to Natalie, his girlfriend of eight years and the mother of his child. After the kind of childhood Konnor had experienced, he hadn’t thought it was even possible to be so deliriously happy, but Andy was a good man, and he deserved every happiness in the world.
Konnor was happy for Andy. But he had no idea how his friend did it. Perhaps others possessed the secrets to a happy relationship and how to be a good husband and a good dad.
Konnor certainly didn’t.
Andy frowned at the sky. “It might still pass,” he said, though with no conviction.
Konnor said, “Let’s hit the road. I need to call my mom.”
As much as he was enjoying this hiking trip, Konnor needed to get back to civilization. He knew how a thirty-three-year-old man needing to call his mommy might sound to some, but his best friend knew better than to make jokes about it. Konnor supported his mom financially, and it was most important to him that she knew she was safe and protected, that he would never let anyone hurt her ever again. Right before they’d gone hiking in the wilderness, he’d told her he’d leave the cell phone in the hotel but call her in three days.
Andy hurried after him. “Come on, bro, you’ve left her alone before. You were in the Marines for Christ’s sake.”
Having the most perfect folks in the world, Andy had no idea how it had been for Konnor and his mom. He’d never had to watch the closest person in the world to him be beaten to a pulp and not be able to do a single thing about it.
Konnor’s stepfather was dead, but he’d taught Konnor a valuable lesson that he lived by to this day. He could never let his guard down, never trust that those he cared for would be safe without his protection. As a child, he hadn’t been able to protect his mother, but he could do it now.
“Leave it alone,” Konnor said.
Andy nodded but didn’t look impressed. “If you say so, brother. You know, when we get back to LA, Natalie has a friend she wants you to meet.”
Konnor groaned. Here we go. At least every six months, Natalie wanted to set him up with someone.
“Andy…” Konnor said by the way of warning.
“I’m with you, man, but will you please go, just this once? Or she’ll drive me crazy.”
Konnor scoffed.
“Word on the street is you’re a catch. Successful business owner and apparently man candy.” Andy put air quotes around that. “Put me out of my misery, man.”
Konnor scoffed. “You’ll be more miserable if I go out with her once and never call her again, then Natalie will kill you. I’m not looking for a relationship. Never will be.”
Why would he? Every relationship he’d been in had ended up bringing pain to the women because of what they’d all called his emotional unavailability.
Andy clasped him on the shoulder. “After all these years, I still think you’re a puzzle.”
“There’s nothing puzzling about me. I’m simple. I have no intention of getting married or having a girlfriend. Ever.”
They walked in silence for a while. A soft whisper of leaves and branches rustling went through the woods, and the sky darkened even more. A small shiver ran across the back of Konnor’s neck.
Andy shook his head. “I will say one last thing. You’re miserable, and you know it.”
“I’m fine,” Konnor growled. “I’m great. I have everything I ever wanted.”
Thunder rolled in the distance, and they both glanced up to the dark-gray sky.
“Let’s get a move on,” Andy said. “Come on.”
He sped up, but Konnor didn’t. Seeing his friend moving off in the distance, he realized he needed a break from him for a while.
“You go on, Andy. I need to take a leak. I’ll catch up with you.”
Andy stopped and glanced at him with suspicion in his eyes. “Are you sure?”
Konnor sighed. “I’m sure the summer rain won’t melt me.”
“All right.”
Andy hurried down the track. Once he was out of sight, Konnor took in a lungful of air and breathed out. He didn’t really need to piss. The cold wind picked up, and the scent of lavender and freshly cut grass rushed by him.
Suddenly a woman’s voice broke the silence. “Help! Help!”
Instinctively, Konnor reached to where he usually kept his gun. But of course, it wasn’t there. The only weapon he had was a Swiss Army knife in his backpack.
He looked around. Andy was nowhere to be seen. Trees swayed, hissing in the wind, and leaves and branches flew by. One narrowly missed his eye and scratched his cheek. Thunder rolled closer, and the granite sky flashed with lightning. The storm was almost right over him. Was the woman stuck?
Rocks crumbled from somewhere behind him. Konnor squinted back down the trail but couldn’t see anyone. The wind brought the woman’s scream again. Or was it just trees moaning as the emerging storm assailed them?
The scream came again, and his pulse accelerated. It was coming from behind him, up the trail. He sprinted in that direction as fast as he could with his backpack on.
“Help!”
Trees and bushes flashed by as he ran. Twigs cracked, and pebbles rolled under his feet. The scent of lavender and freshly cut grass grew stronger. The voice was louder now, so the woman must be somewhere nearby, but he still couldn’t see who was calling.
“Down here!”
The voice came from behind the trees and bushes. Through the gaps, he saw the edge of a cliff. He stepped through the undergrowth and looked down a ravine that was about two hundred feet wide. It was as though an ancient earthquake had cracked the ground in half here. There was a steep, rocky slope of about twenty or so feet right in front of him. A few pines grew straight out from the rocks. The ravine was shielded by a steep slope on the other side. A creek flowed along the grassy bottom below. It looked fertile and cozy, like a small, secluded piece of heaven. Something about it was magical and mysterious and unreal.
Down in the ravine, a woman was sitting on a small pile of rubble and holding her shoulder...
