Jogging in the Arapaho National Forest was one of Vicki Suffolk’s favorite things to do. Today, though, she wondered if maybe it hadn’t been such a good idea. She had a very bad feeling that someone or something was following her.
It was the same trail she always took and one she had never seen anyone else on. The feeling coming over her was not one of regret that her private corner of the world had suddenly been discovered. This was a visceral feeling of being stalked.
She had already doubled back twice, trying to flush out whoever was behind her, but that hadn’t worked. Part of her mind wondered if maybe her imagination was in overdrive, but her instincts quickly shut down that dissenting opinion.
The one thing she had been taught was to always remain calm. The moment she let fear take over would be the moment she lost. That was easier said than done. Her heart was pounding and the adrenaline was coursing through her bloodstream. She could almost sense the thoughts of the thing pursuing her. It was powerful, hungry, and extremely cunning. It had to be a bear.
Unlike her beta-male, conspiracy-obsessed “boyfriend,” Ben, Vicki Suffolk didn’t have a problem with guns. While she kept hers a secret from him, she never went jogging, especially in a national forest, without it.
Unzipping her runner’s pack, she withdrew her Glock Slimline 36. It held six rounds of.45 caliber ammunition in a single-stack magazine. Would six rounds plus one in the chamber be enough?
She drew the pistol and turned to face whatever was pursuing her. The forest grew quiet, all of its creatures seemingly holding their breath in unison. It was as if someone had just hit the Mute button.
Was that really it? Or was her mind playing tricks on her? She waited, straining her ears for any sound of approaching danger. She peered into the forest around her, hoping to catch a glimpse of what was following her. She heard nothing and she saw nothing, so she did nothing.
She stood frozen for what felt like an eternity. Whatever was out there was patient, very patient.
A wind blew down along the path and teased the hairs on the back of her neck. Her skin, which had been covered with a thin film of sweat from jogging, was now cold and clammy to the touch. She could feel a chill spreading throughout her body.
The anxiety she was experiencing seemed to be playing itself out in the clouds above the tops of the trees. They were gray and telegraphed a rapidly approaching storm. A storm meant rain and rain meant acoustic cover for whatever was following her.
Taking her eyes off the path for a moment, Vicki glanced uphill. There was an abandoned miner’s cabin only a few hundred yards away. She couldn’t see it from where she now stood, but she knew it was there. It would keep her dry. It would also give her a tactical advantage over whatever was out there stalking her. Cautiously, Vicki made her way toward the cabin.
Fifty feet from the door, she heard a branch snap somewhere behind her. The rational part of her brain told her that if there was a bear back there, she’d never outrun it. All she could hope was that her shots would all find their marks and that seven rounds of.45 would be enough. She gripped her pistol tighter than she ever had in her life and picked up her pace. She needed to get to safety.
The trail gave onto a clearing beneath the trees. It was covered in pine needles and fallen branches. Up ahead was the abandoned cabin, its windows broken and its roof falling apart. Vicki didn’t want to look over her shoulder, but she knew she had to. If a bear was indeed after her, she’d need to turn and shoot.
Vicki risked a glance back. There was nothing there. No bear, no nothing. Part of her said she was overreacting. Another part, her primal instinct, screamed at her to run. Run!
Vicki listened to that primal voice and ran like never before. She barreled into the front door of the cabin and sent it exploding inward, almost knocking it off its rusted hinges.
As soon as she was inside, she slammed the door and flattened her back against it. Her eyes scanned the room for something to place against it. Something. Anything. There was nothing. The cabin had been stripped bare.
She knew she’d be no match for any bear that wanted to come through the door. She wouldn’t be able to hold it shut. She simply wasn’t strong enough.
Bolting to the other side of the tiny cabin, she slid to the floor and placed her back against the wall. If it came through the front door, she’d have a clean shot. It could come through one of the broken windows as well, though it would have a much harder time of it.
Sitting there on the floor, her heart thumping and the sound of blood rushing in and out of her ears like the ocean, she knew she had to calm down. She had to get control of herself. Deep breath, she thought. Start with one deep breath.
She took in a long, deep breath and held it for a count of three and then slowly, silently let it out. She counted to five and then repeated the process. From above the dilapidated roof, there was an ear-splitting crack of thunder. The cabin grew dark.
Outside, the wind moved the branches of the heavy trees. It also moved the cabin door. As the door creaked in on its hinges, Vicki Suffolk caught a glimpse of something on the threshold and her heart caught in her throat.