The Emerald Talisman (3 page)

Luke kept making excuses when I asked him to
fix the stupid thing. And for me to spend my hard earned money on
someone else's car when I was trying to save money for my own was
counterproductive. Shame on me.

I dug in my purse and found my cell
phone.

Dad is going to kill me.

This wasn’t the first time I’d run out of gas
and I’d promised it would never happen again. This would be the
third time I’d broken that promise.

The phone was off.

Oh no…

I pressed the “on” switch and it flashed “low
battery”.

My battery is dead too?

I dialed my home number.

Please have enough power for just one phone
call.

Before it started ringing, the phone
died.

“No way,” I muttered under my breath.

I flipped the phone shut and tossed it onto
the passenger seat. Through the front windshield I watched the
headlights of approaching cars and suddenly felt vulnerable.
Between each passing car, the road became dark – scary dark.

I had two choices. Either take the main road
home or the short cut through the woods.

The woods? Was I that desperate?

I shivered. I loved hiking through the woods
during the day, but at night the trees took on a life of their own
and creeped me out.

Then I imagined the alternative. The road,
dark and curvy, led to Ernie’s Pizza where I could call my dad. But
then I feared some weirdo pulling over offering me a ride so he
could kidnap me. I shivered again.

Slumping back into my seat, I sighed and made
a mental note: after I survived this, I was going to buy a cell
phone charger for my car.

Waiting in my car was definitely out, so I
let fate decide. Heads I walk on the road and tails – the woods. As
the coin spun in the air, I held my breath and waited with my palm
open to catch it. But like a sick joke, the coin bounced out of my
outstretched hand and fell onto the dark floor.

Terrified, I decided it would be safer to cut
through the woods. I didn’t have much with me besides my coat and
purse. I pilfered through my purse, removed the necessary items –
my wallet, keys and cell phone and tucked them into my coat
pockets. I didn’t want to be hampered by carrying anything extra,
so I locked the empty purse in the trunk.

I looked both ways, took a deep breath and
crossed the road towards the tree line praying I’d make it home
safe and sound.

As soon as I entered the path beneath the
huge redwoods, I could no longer hear the traffic up on the road.
My heart beat a little irregularly as my eyes adjusted to the dimly
lit trail before me.

Silvery patches of moonlight filtered through
the vast expanse of branches overhead and splashed light onto the
trail. It was actually a nice evening for a stroll. The cool air
smelled of dew as the tree leaves rustled in the evening
breeze.

Darkness enveloped me as I forged deeper into
the woods. I tried to keep my thoughts light and happy as my heart
pumped a little faster. The setting could have been a scene right
out of a horror movie, a genre which I faithfully avoided. I knew
one day I’d be in a similar harmless scenario that would only
terrify me by fueling my over-active imagination.

On the other hand, walking with someone, like
a cute boy, would make this whole scary ordeal into a romantic one.
I shifted my focus to imagine myself walking hand in hand instead.
Maybe he’d stop, look into my eyes and I’d get my first kiss.

The rustle of a fern next to me broke my
happy thoughts. I froze, stopping in the middle of the trail. With
wide-eyes, I searched for the source. I held my breath, straining
to listen for what seemed like an eternity, as the noise of
pounding blood filled my ears. I was ready to run if something
jumped out at me.

Nothing happened, so I took a little step
sideways. Still nothing, so I tried another step. Something
launched itself out of the bush towards me. I shrieked and shielded
my eyes as it flew by my face.

My legs folded underneath me and I balled my
arms around my head. The last thing I wanted was a bat or some
flying insect to nest in my hair. The air couldn’t come into my
lungs fast enough as I tried calming myself down, suspecting every
second I remained in this panicked state, precious years were
coming off the end of my life. I listened and heard nothing
further.

Mentally, I encouraged my legs to straighten,
but they were still frozen and starting to shake. My effort to
soothe myself wasn’t working. I took few more deep breaths.

You’re just being paranoid. You’re alone
and you know it. Nothing in this forest can harm you. Just get
home
.

My thoughts comforted me; my heart beats
subsided to a normal rhythm in response. I opened my eyes to focus
on my surroundings. The cricket’s soft chirping encouraged me to
stand up and keep going. The walk home was really no big deal. I
knew this path by heart. Ahead was the suspended foot bridge that
spanned the creek and I’d be home.

Courage replaced fear as I stood up, dusted
myself off and spotted the bridge’s lantern through the trees
gently swaying in the breeze. It softly beckoned to me, welcoming
me in the darkness.

Over time, the creek’s erosion created a
large ravine that wrapped around the great redwoods of the forest.
The cliff sides were covered with ferns, ivy and moss, making
perfect homes for little birds and other animals – the same animals
that were scaring the living daylights out of me.

“If you don’t bother me, I won’t bother you,”
I whispered.

I gently stepped onto the time-weathered
bridge, causing it to shutter and creak. The last thing I needed
was my presence alerted. I tried my hardest to keep my shoes quiet
as I walked across but it still moaned in protest.

Between the wood slats, I could see the moon
brightly reflecting off the water’s edge, rippling brilliantly in
the current. The gentle flow of the stream echoed in the caverns,
softening the noises I made. But when the wind picked up and
ruffled the ferns, it swayed the massive bridge.

My heart began to beat faster as the bridge
loudly groaned under the wind’s strain. Fear took over as I bolted
the rest of the way across, panting for air on the other side. An
animal, startled by my sudden wild movements, scurried into the
brush. I jumped.

It’s just another animal, Julia – don’t freak
out!

I took a deep breath and held it, listening.
Whatever it was seemed to be gone now. Annoyed with my constant
overreaction to every noise, I turned to face the last part of the
trail, determined to stop wasting time.

On this side of the bridge, the redwood trees
grew thicker making the trail harder to see in the moonlight. My
eyes adjusted as I looked down the cold and uninviting path.

I mustered up my courage and began to move
forward focused on my destination, ignoring the menacing shadows
and spooky dark caverns.

Something brushed my face.

“AHHH!
”
I yelled, as a spider’s web
clung to my cheek.

Hyperventilating, I swatted at the sticky,
gossamer wisps imagining a large, hairy spider crawling on me. But
as if the forest responded to my scream, suddenly everything became
quiet – eerie quiet. I stopped, afraid to make any noise whatsoever
and waited. Then an invisible wave of blood-lust washed through me.
I froze. I was no longer alone.

I held my breath and fought the panic,
looking around for where the feelings came from. I didn’t hear or
see anything, but I knew they came from someone dangerous and
close. My neck prickled as I sensed him staring at me with a
lecherous appetite, calculating his next move, like a hunter
watching its prey.

My heart raced harder. I needed to make a run
for it, but my legs wouldn’t obey. The crack of a branch sent me
sprinting down the trail, but the predator followed. Terrified, I
ran with all my strength as I felt the lustful desire grow into
mocking pleasure as he closed in on me.

I might have escaped, if it weren’t for a
protruding tree root that foiled my plans, tripping me. Amazed, I
landed on the soft dirt with a thud. But the momentum propelled my
body forward and I tumbled over the ledge. Feverishly, I grasped
for something, anything, to keep me from plummeting off the
mountainside. I felt a branch and grabbed it forcefully, holding on
for dear life and suddenly found myself, hanging from the
cliff.

Worried the branch would break, I searched
for a ridge to climb onto, my shoes slipping off the sheer rocks.
Looking up, I expected to see my attacker gawking at me, but found
no one. I searched with my senses to probe for their presence. They
were still there – the pleasure now a furious anger. I hoped it was
because my location kept me from their grasp.

My eyes were drawn to look into the shadowy
blackness below me when I heard the sound of shattering plastic. My
heart dropped when I realized my cell phone must have slipped out
of my pocket. I couldn’t decide what was worse, crashing down on
the rocks that destroyed my phone, or getting attacked by the
dangerous person above. Either way, without help, I was a
goner.

“Help!” I screamed into the night air.

The sound of my voice echoed through the
caverns followed by silence. I closed my eyes and reached out,
feeling for a kind soul to help and realized I was alone again.

Where did he go?

“Help!” I screamed again.

I waited in desperation and prayed someone
heard my cries – someone strong enough to pull me off the mountain
side before the psycho came back.

Please dear God.

Would this be it? Would I only live to
sixteen? My arms trembled, growing weaker with each passing second,
along with my determination. Was I going to die here? I thought of
my mother and wondered how my father would survive if he lost me
too. I kicked myself for not fixing my gas gauge.

“Please help me,” I called out, this time
with less enthusiasm.

I began to give up. There was no use. No one
would hear me or be able to save me now.

“Hold on,” I heard a man’s voice reply.

I blinked, astounded. Hope flooded my body
along with an outpouring of joyful tears while I clung to the
branch tighter knowing my rescue would be soon. I blocked out the
fiery burn in my muscles and concentrated my attention on the new
person above, my hero.

“Oh thank God,” I whispered.

He radiated courage and resolve which
bolstered my faith.

I waited for an offer of a rope, or a branch,
or something to pull me off the cliff when I heard a growl.

Fear consumed me.
It
was back.

I felt helpless as I sensed the two square
off – both confident – both ready for the kill. The cliff muffled
obscenities I thought I heard before a large thunder clapping crash
shook the cliff face. Dirt rained down on my head and I tucked my
body into a ball, resting my foot on another little branch
protruding below me. I didn’t want to get in the way if a body flew
off the edge. I worked to sort out the intermixing feelings,
frustrated I couldn’t see anything. They were fighting harder than
I’d ever believed possible. I closed off the noises and focused my
energy to depict who was ahead – good or evil.

A crack of a tree limb and falling foliage
forced me to open my eyes. A tree fell right above my head,
frightened birds flew out of the leaves and a cackle of laughter
echoed across the ravine – extreme happiness mingled with the
loathing hate. Selfishly, I prayed the fight would end in my favor
and quickly.

But then suddenly I heard something that
sounded like a sizzling firework and felt someone’s surprise turned
into fear… then nothing. The evil vanished. I breathed a sigh of
relief too soon as the branch shifted in the earth next to me.

“Hurry!” I cried, but it was too late.

I screamed as I fell, knowing I was about to
die.

. . .

3
– ALIVE

The last thing I expected was to have someone
catch me. I opened my eyes in utter dismay to find I was cradled in
the arms of the most handsome man I’d ever seen. He had to be an
angel; there was no other way to explain it.

“You okay?” he whispered worried.

Shocked, I blinked. Never in my wildest
dreams could I’ve imagined such a rescue. He plucked me
effortlessly out of the night’s sky with such precision. I wasn’t
sure how I felt.

I stared up into his eyes. They were oddly
familiar, but I certainly would’ve remembered if we had met before.
I grasped to find something articulate to say.

“You, you caught me,” I finally stuttered
out. “How did you…”

He put me down onto my feet.

“Oh,” I moaned.

Pain shot up my leg, starting from my ankle.
I grabbed his arm for support when all the fear and emotion bubbled
to the surface. Before I knew it, I’d thrown my arms around his
neck and sobbed shamelessly into his chest. He gently put both arms
around me, pulling me close. With his hand, he caressed the back of
my hair and sighed.

“It’s going to be okay. It’s over. You’re
safe now,” he said.

I couldn’t stop crying as I hugged him
tightly and began to feel weak as the adrenaline dissipated from my
veins. How close did I just come to possibly falling to my death or
worse, being attacked, or even murdered tonight?

I’m so stupid!

Patiently, he held me not seeming to mind as
I broke down. All of his feelings full of concern and tenderness.
It broke his heart to hear me cry.

I felt the need to gain my composure and
pushed back from him, wiping the tears from my eyes. My mind
buzzed, trying to piece it all together. Everything happened so
quickly.

“I…I ran and tripped and slid right off the
side of the cliff,” I said with a sniffle.

“Well, it’s over now,” he said in a soft,
soothing voice.