4.

Allie had never taken such delight in personal isolation.

The sporty Nissan Altima they'd rented whipped around the curves as they approached the resort. It took another half hour to get from the town of Mars Hill to Wolf Ridge. A twisting road off the highway became more and more tangled the higher they got into the mountains. Allie could count on one hand how many houses they passed. Soon they arrived at a quaint gatehouse with a lane on each side to enter and exit. Morgan told the elderly man moving as slow as turtle the address for where they were staying and what name it was under. He gave them a pass to stick inside their car and then pressed a button to raise the gate. His smiling gaze never left them as they drove off waving at him.

Suddenly there were cabins all around them. The directions Morgan's phone was giving her took them up a paved road, winding of course and feeling like one lane. They soon arrived at the top and drove by a hotel and a large mountain lodge that was a combination pro shop for the golf course and a restaurant for the resort. Half a dozen cars were parked outside even though it was definitely not golf season.

"Think we can pick up some men there?" Morgan joked.

"Yes. As long as we bring walkers," Allie said.

The directions led them to a dirt road that meandered on the other side of the mountain. Down a bit then up again, then turning around and then driving around and up and then back down.

A cold sort of gloom hovered over Allie, and she didn't think it was the temperature.

"Is that thing really working?" Allie asked.

"I hope."

It took them right to a road heading upward at a sharp incline. The house had its number on a wooden sign at the top of its plunging driveway. It was a quaint little cabin with a tin roof and a smiling grin of a front.

"Can I just live here the rest of my life?" Allie asked.

"Maybe we will, don't jinx us," Morgan said, backing up and then slowly heading down the sharp gravel drive.

Once outside, the wind feeling colder than it did at the Asheville airport, Allie followed Morgan as she searched the winding deck that wrapped around three-fourths of the cabin.

"They said it's under a mat that says 'Welcome' but I don't—oh, here."

Morgan looked underneath and then found the plastic bag with the key inside it. She held it up so that Allie could see she'd found it.

"Just like they said," Morgan said.

"Glad they didn't forget."

"Yeah, me too."

The key worked for the front door just right outside the driveway. It creaked open and the musty air inside greeted them with a choke and a cough.

"Smells like my grandparents," Morgan said.

"Smells like freedom," Allie said, walking in and embracing their remoteness.

"It's very quaint," her friend said, walking around and taking it in.

It's very me very now very necessary.

"It's perfect, Morgan."

A smile and a flip of the hair and an assured glance.

"You don't know how happy I am to hear that," Morgan said.

"Me too."

Allie hugged her, then they proceeded to check the rest of the place out. This would make such a beautiful temporary shelter from the storm of the life they'd just left. Temporary being the word. Sooner than later, Bernardo would know and would come to this place. But for now, he wasn't there. For now, maybe, just maybe, Allie could sleep halfway decently.

On a side table near the front door, an elaborate chess board with handcut wooden pieces sat waiting to be used. Allie picked up one of the black pieces and was surprised by how heavy it felt.

"You know how to play?" Allie asked Morgan.

Her friend glanced at the board and then shook her head. "Uh, no. But I'm willing to learn anything with enough alcohol."

Morgan placed the handbag she'd brought in on a table while Allie walked to the back of the small cabin. She glanced outside one of the windows and saw something black streak by.