Mystery Falls Read online

  Mystery Falls

  By

  Marilyn Phillips

  Copyright 2012 Marilyn Phillips

  Cover Design by Marilyn Phillips

  Cover Photo provided by Mihai Tamasila

  Smashwords Edition

  ***

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Disclaimer

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be distributed or reproduced in any form whatsoever without written permission from the author.

  ***

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty One

  PROLOGUE

  *

  IN THE FOREST SURROUNDING MYSTERY FALLS

  MID-AUGUST 2011

  Crouched down on a ledge high above the small clearing, the angel watched in silence as a young girl emerged from the trees. Each day now for several weeks, he had waited patiently for her to arrive. And each day... she had come. Following her with his dark eyes, as she slowly made her way to the fallen log lying by the edge of the stream which traversed the tiny glade, his focus became intent.

  “Aren’t you supposed to stay away from her?” Speaking in a voice not audible to human ears, the angel beside him reminded him that he was not alone. That today, he had been accompanied by a friend.

  Without altering his gaze, he answered, “Yes.”

  “Then why are you here?”

  He sighed softly. Sounding almost apologetic, he replied, “I wish I could answer your question in a way that made sense, but unfortunately, I can’t. All I can tell you is... I’m drawn to her in a way that I have never been drawn to anyone throughout my existence. And right now, there’s nowhere else I would rather be, than here, watching her.”

  The air around them fell silent, as for a moment, each took the time to ponder his own thoughts.

  Then, in a gentle whisper, his friend said, “You know he will condemn you to hell if he finds out.”

  “Forbidden to be with her, I’m already in hell.”

  Chapter One

  *

  IN THE FOREST SURROUNDING MYSTERY FALLS

  ONE WEEK LATER

  Fool! Fool! Fool! I chastised myself repeatedly as I stomped angrily back and forth beside the stream. How could I have been so stupid? How could I have allowed myself to be drawn into yet another argument with Claire, especially over something as trivial as to whose turn it was to do the laundry? I should have known better. But overcome by my emotions, I had not paused to consider the consequences before responding to her taunts. And as usual, our quarrel had ended in the same way they always did—with Claire reminding me of the loss I had suffered six years earlier. A loss so devastating that my heart still ached today.

  I stopped pacing.

  Finally regaining some control over my anger, I sat down on a fallen log beside the running water. Resting my elbows on my knees, I buried my face in my hands and tried hard not to think of the past, of that awful day when my life had changed so significantly. But the memories refused to be ignored.

  As they slowly forced their way back into my mind, I recalled the summer following my eleventh birthday. Determined to spend two weeks at summer camp, Claire and I had pleaded for hours, eventually managing to persuade our parents to allow us to attend. However, it was a vacation which had not had a happy ending.

  Several days into the second week, Claire and I had been hiking in the woods with a number of the other campers. Distracted and not watching where I was going, I had lost my footing and tumbled down an embankment. Injured and no longer able to participate in the camp activities, I was left with no choice but to call my mom and dad, and request that they bring me home.

  Setting out on their journey through the mountains to the camp site, neither one of them could have foreseen the tragedy that would befall them, the tragedy which had rendered me an orphan.

  To this day, I still didn’t understand how the accident had happened. How my father, an extremely capable driver, could have lost control of my mother’s car and driven over a cliff so easily. Many times I had asked my uncle to explain, but the response he gave was always the same, “Accidents happen, and sometimes, it’s best not to ask why”. I shook my head. It was a senseless answer, one which had always left me dissatisfied.

  Removing my hands from my face, I stared down at the ground beneath my feet, and not for the first time, wished that I could change the past. For years now, I had lived with... ‘If only’. If only I hadn’t insisted on attending summer camp. If only I hadn’t fallen. If only my parents had taken a different route. But they hadn’t. And now they were gone. And no amount of ‘If only’, would bring them back.

  Tears began to fill my eyes and drift down my cheeks. As I reached up to wipe them away, a disturbance in the undergrowth caught my attention. Turning instinctively, I watched as a small rodent scurried out from underneath a bush. Catching sight of me, it hesitated for a moment before darting quickly out of sight.

  I sighed and slipped from the log onto the grass. Hugging my knees to my chest, I balanced my chin on the peak they formed and stared into the stream.

  Mystery Falls, the small town in which I had spent all of my seventeen years, was situated on the edge of Clearwater National Park, Idaho. With a population of just over four thousand, it was a relatively small community, one where the inhabitants were open and friendly, and cared for one another in a way that was usually only reserved for family.

  Prior to my parents’ death, I had reveled in this warmth, but afterwards, I had found it suffocating. And now, apart from my closest and dearest friend Mia, I rarely associated with my peers. It was due to this self-imposed isolation, that I had found this tiny nook in the forest beside the stream—a place where I could come when I needed to escape from Claire and her spiteful remarks.

  Watching as the water bubbled over the rocks, I once again began to ponder the past. As children, Claire and I had been inseparable, more like sisters than cousins. But after the death of my parents, all that changed.

  With no other family remaining, Uncle Mike—my father’s twin brother—had not hesitated to welcome me into his home. Unfortunately, Aunt Carole had not shared his sentiment. Treating me with animosity I never understood, she soon made it clear that I would never be accepted as a second daughter. That for reasons known only to her, she would never be able to open her heart to me. At first, I had tried to ignore her hostility, making every attempt to win her approval. But when it became obvious that I would never succeed,
I stopped trying and simply chose to stay out of her way.

  Then one day, without any kind of warning, she packed her bags and left.

  Claire had been devastated. Not understanding why her mother had abandoned her, and needing someone to blame, she had chosen me. Somewhere in her mind, she had decided that I was the one responsible for her mother’s departure. And it was from that moment on, that the bond we had shared began to crumble.

  A strange rustling of leaves disturbed my thoughts for the second time. Thinking that it was only the rodent returning, I ignored it, until a low deep growl caused me to look. Not more than twenty yards away from where I was huddled, stood a large black bear. I had always known that they existed here in the forest, but up until now, I had never encountered one.

  Staring at the animal in fear, I felt my heart begin to race as tiny beads of sweat formed on my skin. I wanted to run, but recognizing how foolish that would be, I forced myself to remain seated. Pausing to consider my options, I finally decided that my best chance of survival was to move out of sight before it became aware of my presence.

  Keeping my focus on the creature, I slowly edged my way around the log and towards the rocks where I had left my backpack. Inside, I knew there was a can of pepper spray, and for once, I was grateful that Uncle Mike insisted that both Claire and I carry them for protection. Even though Mystery Falls had a below average crime rate when it came to physical attacks, he had been adamant that we would be able to defend ourselves should the need ever arise. Although I was sure it had never been his intention that I use it on a bear, I was certain that he would not object to my doing so now.

  Reaching the rocks undetected, I carefully slid the zipper on my pack open and pulled out the can. Shaking it to check its contents, I held it in a position ready to use. With no knowledge of what effect, if any, the deterrent would have on such a massive creature, I could only hope it would stop the bear long enough to provide me with a chance to escape.

  Watching the animal closely as it bent to take a drink, I tried to remember what I had learnt on the Discovery channel. Recalling that bears had a keen sense of smell, I began to pray fervently, hoping that I was downwind.

  Unfortunately, luck was not on my side.

  As a gentle breeze drifted past, I could see the bear sniff the air. Observing the beast as it turned to face in my direction, I knew immediately that my worst fear had been realized. That it had caught my scent and my presence had been discovered.

  With its dark brown eyes focused squarely on the place where I was hiding, it took a step forward... and then another. Pressing myself into the large rock against which I was leaning, I tried to inhale. My chest felt heavy, constricted. Unable to move, unable to breath, I began to feel my surroundings close in around me. Sensing that it was only a matter of time before I would lose all consciousness, I desperately tried to hold on as the bear moved closer still.

  Then, quite unexpectedly, a shadow crossed the sun’s path. Casting my eyes upward to see what had blocked the light, I stared in disbelief. Perched on a rocky ledge directly above me was a silhouette... a silhouette of a man. But he was no ordinary man. With large magnificent wings extending from his back and high into the air above him, he was undoubtedly—an angel.

  Strange thoughts filled my head. Was this it? Was I about to die? Had my short life come to an end? Had the angel come to take me to heaven? And then, before any of my questions could be answered, the darkness claimed me.

  ***

  Gradually returning to consciousness some time later, I wondered if I was dead. If maybe the bear had succeeded in killing me? But if he had, then why did the ache in my head, and the cold ground beneath my body, feel so real. Surely this couldn’t be heaven.

  Deciding that I was still very much alive, I slowly began to open my eyes. Blinking several times as they adjusted to the light, I was startled to see a stranger kneeling down beside me. Momentarily frightened by his presence, I tried to move away, only to be stopped short by a sudden sharp stab at my temple.

  Gazing down at me with the deepest blue eyes I had ever seen, he placed a hand on my shoulder. Speaking in a soft gentle voice, he said, “You hit your head pretty hard when you fainted so I suggest you take things easy for a little while, or at least until the pain and dizziness subsides.”

  Anxious and uncomfortable under his gaze, I stammered, “Who... who are you?”

  He sat back on his heels. Allowing one corner of his mouth to tilt upwards, he replied, “I guess... you could call me your savior.”

  “Savior...?” I whispered with some confusion.

  “Yes. Don’t you remember what happened before you passed out?”

  I thought for a moment. As an image of a large black furry head and brown beady eyes drifted into my mind, I murmured, “There was a bear.”

  “Yes,” the stranger confirmed.

  Lifting my head with extreme caution, I rose onto my elbows and searched the stream and surrounding woods for the beast which had threatened my life. But it was nowhere to be seen. Directing my eyes back to the man, I asked, “Where is it?”

  “It left.”

  “You chased it away?” I gazed at the stranger in disbelief. Even though he appeared to be strong, I didn’t think him a match for a large angry bear.

  With a slight smile playing on his lips, he replied, “No. I think when you collapsed it lost interest and wandered back into the woods.”

  Stunned, I mouthed, “Oh.” Then, as his words sank into my brain, I sharply added, “What! Wait a minute. Are you saying that the bear left because he thought I was... dead?”

  The man shrugged. “I can’t say for sure, but it certainly seems that way.”

  “Huh...” I grunted.

  “You sound disappointed. Would you have preferred if the creature had mauled you instead?”

  “No! It’s just... if I’d known that playing dead was all it would take to make the bear leave, I would have done so as soon as it saw me.”

  The man grimaced in a way which suggested that my response had displeased him. However, instead of commenting, he rose to his feet and walked to the edge of the stream. Staring into the rippling surface, he appeared to become lost in thought.

  With the ache in my head having subsided to a dull throb, I carefully pulled myself into a more vertical position. Resting my back against the wall of rock directly behind me, I took the opportunity to study the stranger through my lashes.

  He was tall, lean, with thick dark hair which fell to just above his shoulders. His face, almost flawless, portrayed confidence mixed with an air of arrogance. Gazing at him, I couldn’t help thinking that there was something different about him—something unique—something which made him stand apart from every other human being I knew. Wondering what that was, who he was, and where he had come from, I didn’t notice that his focus had changed until he spoke.

  “So, do you like what you see?” Clearly aware that I had been observing him, he made no effort to hide his amusement.

  The heat flooded to my cheeks. Directing my face down with the hope that he had not noticed, I stammered, “W...what?”

  “You were staring.”

  Although he had made no sound, I could sense that he had moved closer. Unwilling to risk meeting his gaze, I kept my eyes averted and whispered, “No I wasn’t.”

  “Yeah, you were.”

  Annoyed by the smugness I detected in his tone, I repeated more firmly, “No. I wasn’t.”

  Either aware of my discomfort, or deciding that the argument wasn’t worth the effort to gain my confession, the stranger breathed out a sigh. And then surprisingly, he turned the conversation in an entirely different direction. “You know, a young girl like you shouldn’t be wandering through the forest alone.”

  Casting my embarrassment aside, I looked up and saw that my senses had been correct. He had moved closer. Sitting on a rock only a few yards away with his elbows resting on his thighs, and his chin supported by the steeple his index fingers form
ed, he was watching me with an intense stare.

  Determined not to show the unease his open gaze caused, I said, “I can take care of myself.”

  He nodded towards the cylinder which was lying on the ground beside me. Adopting a cynical tone, he inquired, “What, with a can of pepper spray?”

  Guessing that it must have fallen out of my hand when I had fainted, I glared at if for a moment before snapping back, “Yes, with a can of pepper spray.”

  “And do you think it would have worked?”

  “I don’t know, but under the circumstances, I was willing to try anything.”

  His lips twisted into a grin. “Including passing out, so it would seem.”

  I frowned. In a tone that was quite demanding, I repeated a question I had asked earlier, “Who are you? And why are you here?”

  The smile vanished. “I don’t think knowing who I am, or why I’m here, is relevant.”

  “Why? Do you have something to hide?” I shot back. I knew I was being incredibly rude, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself. There was something in the stranger’s demeanor which set me on edge and made me behave in a way which was not normal.

  After a lengthy pause, he replied, “Maybe...”

  His response sparked my curiosity. Opening my mouth with the specific intention of attempting to satisfy that curiosity, I hastily closed it. Something in the dark blue eyes warned that it would not be wise to pursue that which the man did not want to reveal. Diverting my attention back to the stream, I began to wonder what he could possibly be hiding. What secrets did he possess that he did not wish to share.

  I was not far into my thoughts when he interrupted. “Why do you come here by yourself?”