A Dangerous Love

When Lisa emerged from her room dressed in casuals, Sarah looked up and smiled. "My, that certainly becomes you. Of course, everything does. Those jeans make your legs look so long."

Yancey was lounging against the kitchen door jam, his expression uncertain. When he spoke, his voice was controlled. "Going for a drive?"

She shook her head. Going for a walk - in the woods."

His response was typically different than she would have expected. His eyes twinkled with mirth. "Are you now? Which direction?"

She shrugged. "Does it matter?"

His gaze turned cool. "It matters. You promised you wouldn't go into the woods alone."

She turned her palms up. "Then go with me."

He hesitated, his expression turning wary. "Why?"

Lisa laughed. "Because you're the one who is concerned about my safety. I'm going for a walk. You can go with me or stay here. It doesn't matter to me. I came to the mountains because this is where I grew up - hiking in the hills. I miss that and I'm not going to be held back simply because you're afraid to have me wandering around on my own."

Sarah was watching him intently. When Yancey's attention diverted to his mother, she simply shrugged. Turning abruptly, she walked into the living area. A few minutes later the television was on one of Tammy's shows.

Yancey finally returned his attention to Lisa. "Well, if you want to go that bad, then go. I won't try to stop you. Just be careful where you go." He walked by her stiffly and heading down the hall.

Outside, she stood on the porch a few minutes, studying the mountains around them. The closest was in the opposite direction than the trail. She had tested her freedom and found it still intact - to a degree. As long as she didn't wind up at that building, her safety was of no real concern. She was tempted to try, but both he and Sarah would probably be watching. She sighed and stepped off the porch. Exploring would be left for another day. Maybe if he saw that she didn't go near the building, he would relax his guard. And so it was that she decided to go in the opposite direction. Peeking through the trees were some gray rocks - maybe a bluff. There were always interesting things around a bluff - sometimes even arrowheads.

She took off, noting where she entered the woods, and using a tall Sycamore tree as a trail marker. Once into the woods, she began to relax. The birds were silent, watching her to see if she was friend or foe. Eventually they began their chatter. She must be friend. A vague trail led up the side of the mountain to the bluff. It was likely a deer trail. So close, and yet she had never seen one in the yard. She followed the trail around the mountain on a gradual curving grade. To her right was a blackberry thicket laden with berries - mostly red, but some dark. That was a good place to remember. Fresh blackberry pie sounded good. Further ahead were some Gooseberry and Huckleberry bushes void of fruit. The wildlife had probably taken care of them. She shuddered as copperhead snake slid off a rock where it was sunning. Snakes were something that gave her the willies. A mouse she could handle - literally, but a snake was something different. It wasn't the venom she feared, although she was cautious, but the way the body writhed and slithered. She shuddered again at the thought. Best keep her eyes on the trail for any more footless friends.