BLACK ICE

He didnt know how much of a lead he had on them . The beautiful young woman in the back seat looked scared . He had been caring for herthe last three weeks . Frequently moving . Staying one step ahead of those seeking her . He was travelling about 60 mph . in his old restored shelby cobra mustang . The weather was cold with a sready drizzle of rain mixed with sleet coming down . He was coming up on an overpass when he realized the cars coming from the other direction werent throwing up spray behind them . "BLACK ICE" he thought as his wheels lost traction and he started skidding across the highway . "turn in the direction of the skid' he remembered but his attempts to correct were too late He could hear her scream as they slid down the bank on the other side of the highway , hitting a small tree hard enough to bust the radiator . "Are you all right" he asked looking back at her . She appeared stunned but unhurt . She nodded and said "yes' in that little girl voice she sometimes had . He couldnt believe how much he had come to care for her in the short time since her father had hired him . She had once had access to information that could prove dangerous to certain people . She had no such information , but the people after her wanted to make sure of that . He reached into the cramped back seat and scooped her up , looking around for cover . They were near a small lake surrounded by trees . he ran with her toward the trees . When he reached the side of the lake he spotted an old fishing shack with a tin roof a few hundred yards down the shore set back in the woods . "Take her there and rest and get warm" he thought . "think of our next move' . When they reached the shack the door was unlocked and he pushed in still carrying her . Inside was an old cast-iron four poster bed already made up with extra blankets lying at the foot of the bed . He laid her down on the bed and covered her up , lit an old gas lantern he found hanging on the wall , and set it down beside her on a small table by the bed . "Looking deeply into her eyes he asked "Are you sure youre okay?" . She looked into his eyes and saw the love and concern there . She had been aware for some time how his eyes seemed to follow her everywhere she went , and how they travelled from her face , down her body , and back up to her eyes with that hungry wolf look she had come to enjoy putting there . She wanted him just as badly as he wanted her , but there had been no time as yet to explore those feelings . There was a small fireplace set in the wall , but he decided they could not risk a fire . He knew those after them could not be far behind . "Stay here" he told her . "Im going to try and drape some limbs over the carand maybe it wont be spotted" . He took out his pistol to make sure he a a round chambered and the safety was off . He walked to the door and went out without looking back . whatever it took they were not going to get her . As he neared the car he saw a flashlights beam coming from the woods where they had abandoned the car . "Shit , theyre here already" he murmured softly to himself . He would have to take care of this now . Before they had always come in pairs . He assumed it would be the same this time . He crept closer and could hear two voices speaking low from the vicinity of the car . He took up position behind a large oak tree , picked up a rock he found at the base of the tree , and tossed it about 10 feet to his left .Immediately , a shot rang out , and he fired off a round about three feet to the right of the muzzle flash . He heard a grunt , and then something heavy hitting the ground . "Maybe ive just evened the odds a little bit""he thought as he took cover from the fire his own muzzle flash had drawn . It became quiet and he listened intently for any sound . "Best to stay put and let him come to me' he thought . The seconds ticked slowely by as he waited for the other man to reveal himself . Suddenly , he heard a soft footfall directly behind him . "Oh shit' Ive let him get behind me ". Even as he turned he heard three shots fired in rapid succession . He finished turning around in time to see the other man fall first to his knees , then forward onto his face . She was standing behind the man < holding the .25 caliber automatic he had bought for her when this first started . Her face wore an expression of horror and disbelief that turned to relief when she saw he was okay . "I couldnt leave you out here alone " she said softly , as he walked to her and gently took her arm and led her back toward the shack . "Im glad you came" he said in wonder of the woman that she was . Suddenly the rain began coming down in torrents . By the time they got back to the cabin they were both soaked and half frozen . He began immediately to build a fire with the kindling and small logs laid out by the fireplace . "I dont think we will have to worry about anyone else tonight" he said . "Take off your wet clothes and get under the blankets and i will lay them out by the fire to dry" ."You too" she said . "I didnt just shoot someone so you can die of pneumonia on me"As he turned to her she was pulling off her top to reveal a black , lacy , underwire bra that pushed her breasts up invitingly . She stripped off her jeans to reveal black bikini panties . She came to him and helped him take his shirt off , then got down on her knees and helped him work his jeans off . As she stood , her face was flushed and her breathing came heavy . She looked at him and his excitement was plainly visible . he grabbed the back of her hair and pulled her head back slightly as he kissed her fully on the mouth . "I must have you"he said as he pressed against her . They stumbled toward and fell onto the bed still pressed together . They took each other slowly at first and as passion rose went at each other hard . Urgent with need . Later as they lay quietly holding each other , she told him "Never leave me". Both question and statement . He felt his answer inside . He and seen and loved the little girl who lived inside her as he loved the woman that she was . "I will always be at your side" he said . "now ive got to call your father in the morning and let him know i wont be bringing you back to him". "Good" she sighed as she drifted off to sleep . "sometimes these decisions are made for us" he thought , as he drifted off to sleep himself ,"And i would not have it any other way".

THE TRINITY

professionally , he was a scientist . he was actually only sure of two things . there was a god and it was not him . but he had seen and experienced miracles and there were no small ones . the flight of a bird or a bumblebee . the fragrance of a flower . the formation of a living being inside its mother . he believed in the trinity . but his trinity consisted of god , magic , and science . god was magic and science was magic revealed . " the big bang theory " . the universe was expanding and would one day begin to contract . his first thought was not of science , but rather that he was living in the heartbeat of god . the opening phrase of a book he had picked up in college resonated in his mind . " look to the book of nature brother . it bears the stamp of deity " . he was not seeking medals or acclaim . his search went deeper . to be worthy of his gifts .

barely wanted

he hitchhiked out of chico , ca . with his tent , sleeping bag , and his pit bull "aces". he spent the first night still in california , so he decided to bury his i . d . the next morning as he had a couple of misdeamor warrants current in the state . once safely out of state they will not extradite you back for a misdemeanor . he had a thought as he buried his i . d . that some archeologist might dig it up much later and ponder the significance . anyway , just use a name easy to remember , keep the first three digits of your s. s. n. { these identify the issuing state } , rearrange the rest , and you are who you say you are "i find sometimes its easy to be myself . sometimes i find its better to be somebody else" {dave matthews band} '' so much to say" . ah , the road . i think more people picked up the dog than the man . i dont blame them . theres no guile in an animal . theyre open in their desires .went all the way to naples , fl . lost "aces"to traffic . she loved to ride in cars , but didnt realize they could kill her . he still treasures the friendship . took care of the warrants later . much harder to replace the i . d .