As the car rolled down the hill Cora could only wish that Frank was all right. The car rolled to a stop at the bottom of the hill and tilted slightly. Cora squinted her eyes to see what is going on as the moon had gone behind a cloud. She could see movement at the bottom of the cliff. A body appeared to fall out of the car and a voice shouted out “Cora, it’s me Frank, Nick’s dead.” His voice echoed throughout the valley. “Now quick, run back up to the street and flag down a car” Cora quickly grabbed her purse and ran to the road side. A car could be seen in the distance, traveling quickly. As Frank started his ascent up the cliff he did not notice what was going on behind him. Nick had slowly rolled out of the car and pulled himself behind the rock that lay beside the car. He hid himself away out of sight.
A couple days later after the whole ordeal, Frank and Cora went back to living somewhat normal lives. They survived the court case, claiming them of trying to kill Nick but got off on it being an accident and were now happily living with the insurance money. With no idea that Nick was still alive and trying to gain strength at the bottom of the hill. He lay behind the rock screaming out for anyone to hear him. He was burned badly from the accident. There was no one around. The tall cliff face worried Nick as he wondered if he would ever get out of there. The car still lay on upside down. Pulling himself back to the car he searched for any sort of food or medical supplies. Luckily for Nick, Cora was always worried about something happening to him on long business trips, so she packed a first aid kit and food in the trunk. Opening the first aid kit he wrapped up his burns. He could hear a car coming closer to where he was lying. Yelling at the top of his voice
“Help. Down here”
He could hear the car slow down so he continued to yell.
“Help”
The car slowed down and stopped. Nick breathed a sigh of relief. Help at last. This was only a trick as he heard the engine roar again and travel off into the distance. He continued to yell hoping somebody would hear him. He knew there was a dirt trail that followed the road and maybe somebody was walking along there. Yelling again he noticed a figure appear at the cliff edge. Nick’s vision was burly due to the accident and could only make out the small tender figure. As they approached Nick noticed she was an African woman, dressed in a long flowing white dress, bare feet and a small bag. She knelt at his side. She lightly touched Nick’s leg. He felt the touch serge through his body.
“What happened” she asked in a concerned tone.
“I was in a car accident. My wife ran of with my kitchen hand” Nick replied quietly.
“That is terrible. Let me go find you help”
She stood up and left Nick, turning to assure him she was coming back. Nick thought he was dreaming. There were no woman of colour around the area or so he thought. It seemed strange that she would travel all this way and offer her help to a stranger. Hours went by and she had not returned. Nick thought it to good to be true so he decided to try to move himself or at least stand. Pulling himself closer the car to use as support he lifted himself into a sitting position.
More cars drove pass but none could see the accident from the cliff side. It was starting to get dark and no sign of the mystery woman. Had it been a dream. Nick was desperate for anything. Pulling himself up again he managed to stand up on two legs. They didn’t seem to be broken, he applied some pressure. He let out a scream of pain and fell to the ground. They burns were worse then the thought. Night fall had arrived and Nick knew it would be to dangerous to move with rocks and crevices all around the area. Propping himself against the car door he fell asleep. He dreamt of the young woman coming back to him and saving him. He was woken throughout the night by the sound of wolves howling and the noises of the wind whistling through the car. Deciding it would be safer in the car he crawled in and lay on the roof. Closing the door he fell back asleep until morning.
When Nick awoke he saw the door had been opened and a bag laying at his feet. Sitting up he reached for the bag. This hurt his legs so he pulled himself out of the car. The sunlight shone brightly and he had to shield his eyes. He could see the figure again but didn’t trust his eyes but she was gone again by the time he had wiped his eyes.
“Hello?”
There was no reply. He pulled himself out of the car and tried to stand again. She appeared out from behind the car. She was still dressed in the same clothing from the day before.
“Where did you go?’
She looked at him and started to cry. He fell sorry for her and beckoned her to his side.
“I went to find somebody but there was no one that would talk to me.”
Clasping at his side, he caressed her back and comforted her. She shook in fear of what would happen to her in this new place. Her first encounter with a person and she was unable to help him. She was only young and didn’t know much of the outside world. Travelling miles to make a new life for herself she was taught nothing of the land outside. Nick moved his legs around a bit. She saw that the bandage had come apart, revealing the burns from the accident. She got up and looked around. There was a small bowl and some water in the kit Cora had packed. She looked out into the wasteland before them to see if there were any natural ingredients she could use. There was some cactus and bits a dead grass lying around the place. Taking the knife from her pack she cut the cactus open and removed some of the liquid from within. It was cool to the touch and must have some healing properties to it. She mixed it in the bowl with some water and applied it to Nick’s leg. They cool soothing ointment felt wonderful on his legs and let a sigh of relief.
Meanwhile Frank and Cora had spent days back at the hotel wondering what became of Nick’s body. They hoped nobody would see the car from the cliff otherwise they would be in trouble. Cora was coming into her pregnancy increasingly as the days went by and thought deep down that her child would never know it’s father. She didn’t tell Frank of the horrible state she was in as he would leave her. He was a free spirit and wasn’t going to be tied down by a spouse and a child that wasn’t his. She was going to try anything to change him. She cleaned and tied the hotel waiting for guest to arrive. The occasional person would ask about Nick. She had rehearsed her answer. He was abroad on business and was unsure when he would return.
Days passed and Nick was still revealed that she had decided to stay with him a nurse him back to health. There was enough food in the trunk to last a couple of weeks so they knew that they wouldn’t starve. They could draw water from the cactus and coming into winter it started to rain more at night. Nick left the bowl out in the rain and collected water. During the long nights alone in the car they would talk. Nick taught her the new technologies that he was so used to. He taught her of the vast world and what was out there. New countries were just waiting to be explored. They huddled together to keep the warmth in the car. She was afraid of the thunder and lighting one night and Nick told her that it was just God’s way of letting lose. She was interested in learning more about God. Where she came from there was nothing like what Nick had taught her. She worked in a rice field with her older brother and younger sister. Her parents had been killed by people she did not know. They came in the middle of the night and dragged her parents outside. Standing them against trees the aimed an object at them. She remembered a loud bang and her mother falling to the ground. She started to run but was held back but a large man. Next the man holding the objet pointed it at her father and another loud bang. He slummed to the ground. Trying to stand up there was another loud bang and he collapsed. Not getting up again. She was thrown back into the hut and footsteps heard running off into the forest. Her brother went after them with his spare. He did not return.
She told him years later after her sister died while working in the rice field she was walking along the beach. A large canoe like vessel was out in the cove. It was like a canoe but much bigger and made from the same material of the object that killed her parents. She decided that there was nothing left for her on the island and what harm could it do to swim over and climb aboard hiding beside a large wooden crate. As Nick was listening to her compelling story he filled in the blanks as best as he could. He told her the objects were rifles and killed people with bullets. The large canoe was a ship and made of metal and wood. It travelled across the ocean to new lands. He told her she had arrived in America, the land of the free. However America was going through the Great Depression and the American Dream was a nightmare. People were questioning all the maxims on which they had based their lives including democracy, capitalism, individualism. Nick spoke strongly about these issues and explained them to her. When she asked him about it he got himself worked up so she let the subject go. Times where changing and they weren’t getting any better. She thought about that for sometime and wondered if she had made the right choice leaving home. Days went by and she continued to nurse Nick back to health. During the day she would help him stand and walk again. Each day they would try a little further and was able to make it to the base of the cliff. Late one night they heard a car stop at the cliff edge. The lights shone out into the valley. Nick grabbed her and ducked behind the car. He did not want to be rescued. Even though he had money, a house and what he thought was a wife he was happy. He kept the news that he could walk now and his burns had almost healed from her as he was enjoying the time alone, away from the outside world. Each day he would share he experiences of the new world and tell her of the amazing things that were out there for her to try.
As the weeks went by Cora had been granted a divorce on the terms that Nick had not returned. Frank was over the moon and wanted to marry her as soon as he could. They decided to take a trip down to the beach and have a relaxing day. Packing up the car they set off. There was only one road that lead to the beach which passed the crash site. They slowed down and got out of the car. Cora shook in fear of what she would see in the valley. Creeping slowly to the edge she peered down. The car was still over turned. Grass and bushes had started to grow around the car. For a minute she thought she saw something move in the bushes. She yelled out to Frank who came running over.
“Look. Down by the car. Something white.”
He rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. it was a white dress floating in the wind. They both carefully climbed down the cliff and made their way over to the car.
“Hello?”
Cora stood back as Frank walked toward the backseat door. The bowl and bag were lying on the roof.
“Come here” he yelled to Cora.
She ran over carefully avoiding the rocks. Looking in she saw the items and the white dress. It wasn’t hers as she didn’t pack any of her clothes in the car. Maybe it had flown in from the wind and got caught or a drifter was using the car as shelter. She knelt down and looked in the bag. A sharpen rock and some flax was wrapped up in it. She beckoned Frank over to have a look. He looked in the bag and noticed something he had seen before on his travels. The woman that worked in the rice fields used these to cut the base of the plants. Cora heard a rustle behind her. Turning sharply she saw Nick standing there with a naked woman.
She collapsed at the sight of Nick standing there. Frank went to approach him. Nick stepped back and grabbed her hand. Frank saw Cora coming around and helped her to stand.
Nick to the opportunity and pounced at Frank. They rolled around hitting rocks and cactus’. Cora could only stand and watched as the two men she loved fought. The woman covered herself with her dress and picked up her stone. She remembered Nick’s face from years ago. He was the man that held her back when her parents were murdered. She got into the brawl and repeatedly hit Frank over the head. Moments later he stopped moving and lying on top of Nick. Nick pushed him off and stood up. Cora screamed out as Nick ran towards her.
“You killed him”
She hit his chest over and over. He grabbed her arms and threw her to the ground. Walking over the Frank he picked up the young woman and walked off with her. Cora’s cries could be heard around the valley. Making their way up to the car hey got in and drove off. Never to see Cora again.
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