The Stranger in the Woods by Kiersten Modglin

Author:Kiersten Modglin [Modglin, Kiersten]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-04-10T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

Later that evening, Arlie and Mason sat at a corner booth in the diner at the edge of town. Arlie was picking at her plate of broccoli, trying to ignore her ever-growing headache. "I mean, it's crazy, right? It's got to be just a coincidence."

"I don't know," Mason said, taking a drink from his cup. "It's a pretty big coincidence if not."

"What do you think, then? Do you think I'm in danger?"

"No," he said quickly. "I would never let anything happen to you."

"You can't promise that, Mason. I can't let you put yourself at risk for me. Not when we don't know who we're up against."

"Hey," he whispered, taking her hand. "It's going to be okay."

"You don't understand. Tomorrow is October thirteenth. If anything bad is going to happen, it'll be tomorrow."

"But why?"

"It's Founders Day," she said, not wanting to explain.

"What's so bad about Founders Day? I know everyone here seems to be afraid of it, but it's just a day…right?"

"No," she said, her tone ominous. "Founders Day is cursed. Everything bad that happens in Crimson Falls happens around Founders Day. It's definitely not just another day."

He let out a stifled laugh.

"What?" she demanded.

"Oh, come on. Cursed? You can't be serious."

"I am serious, Mason. It's not a joke. Ask anyone. People here…they go crazy around Founders Day. It's dangerous. And now I've got a potential stalker to boot." She rubbed her forehead. "I should've never brought you here. Not now. It's not safe for you."

"Arlie," he said her name firmly, trying to get her to stop rambling, "I'm fine. You are going to be fine. We're going to make it through tomorrow, and you'll see that this is just all some insane coincidence. I promise you. I won't let anything happen to you. You don't have to protect me. I can take care of myself."

She shook her head. "That's what my husband thought, too. I begged him to stay home every Founders Day. But he never listened, and then he got cocky. He thought he was safe that day because he worked outside of Crimson Falls." She felt small tears forming in her eyes. "I can't lose anyone else…not after the way I lost him. I don't think I'll survive it."

He stood up, moving to her side of the booth and cradling her in his arms. "You aren't going to lose me. I'm here, okay?" he whispered, his lips moving against her ear. "I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere."

He pulled her away from him, kissing her softly. Her tears rubbed onto his skin, his hands in her hair, and for a moment—the first moment in a long time—she felt something in her heart telling her that maybe, just maybe, everything was going to be okay.

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