Went Missing: A Sam Nolan Novel by Chris Riley

Author:Chris Riley [Riley, Chris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Published: 2024-02-08T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 20

Sam was up the next morning before sunrise, stoking the fire and boiling water for coffee and for breakfast. Within minutes, he had a combination of dehydrated eggs, sausage, and pancakes ready to serve. The breakfast was much larger than Sam normally preferred, but he had his guest’s appetite in mind.

The woods seemed to come back to life at the sounds of Sam’s movements throughout the camp. From the nearby forest, there came the occasional rustle of a small critter and the sporadic dripping sounds of the night’s moisture falling from the trees. Soon, the morning sky revealed itself. It was a gray curtain, hard and dense, and it carried with it the sure promise of rain. In the near distance, a woodpecker worked persistently at the trunk of a sugar pine. And down on the lake, the loons were singing their lonesome melodies once again.

Lou Pine woke up shortly after the food was ready. He tended to Sally, then sat at the fire across from Sam as they ate their breakfast. They made small talk for a while, discussing the weather, and of hunting, before revisiting the tranquility that came with spending time in the wilderness, and how that spared them the hassles of the civilized world. Sam disclosed to Lou that, like him, he too had been living off the grid.

“My home is in the hills of the Gila Wilderness,” Sam said.

“Is it a lean-to like this one here?” Lou asked. “Or do you have a cabin down there?”

“Neither,” Sam replied. “I live in a cave.”

Lou chuckled. “A cave?” He set his empty plate on a rock and smoothed down his beard. Then he took out his pipe, loaded it with tobacco, and lit it. He took three short drags, laughed again, and said, “Well, I suppose it can’t get no more primitive than that.”

“It’s a good place,” Sam replied conversationally. “Known about it since I was a kid.” He gestured to the old man’s plate and added, “You want some more food?”

Lou shook his head. “No, thanks… I figure I’ve eaten plenty enough. Between last night and this morning, I may soon have some weight to get rid of.”

Sam smiled, humored by the thought. Like him, the old man was tall, wiry, and lean. It appeared he had none of the padding common for a man of middle age or older.

“Besides,” Lou said, “I’ve always been in favor of living a simple life. And less food in my diet is one way of keeping things that way.”

Sam nodded in agreement. “I suppose I know what you mean.”

They talked more about their simple lives as Lou cleaned out his pipe and put it away. He got up from the fire and stretched, then walked over to Sally and loaded the mule with the pack gear. He came back to the fire to get his sleeping equipment.

“Well, Sam,” he said, “I guess I’ve taken up enough of your time.”

Sam stood and helped Lou pack up his things. He didn’t want to seem pushy, as he enjoyed visiting with the old man.

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