The Hunt (Forgotten #1)

Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

T he sun’s rays brushed Kaliah’s face as she slowly opened her eyes with a deep yawn. She didn’t expect to sleep as well as she did after yesterday’s debacle.

She’d taken a chance with Otis by accepting a ride with him because she’d had no other choice. But true to his word, he drove her back to Brianna’s car and allowed them to bring their suitcases along. Otis even promised to have a tow truck pick up Brianna’s car first thing in the morning.

Were any of them grateful that she’d found someone to help them? Of course not. In fact they fought over who would sit in the cab and who would be in truck’s bed. Otis finally made the final decision with Kaliah and Sasha sitting up front and Nicole and Brianna in the back.

Sasha complained about the smell of the truck the entire drive into town. Despite the rudeness of the other three, Otis remained gracious and took them to the bed and breakfast where they were greeted by a kind middle-age woman who introduced herself as Trudy.

Kaliah thankfully got her own room and she didn’t care how the other three sorted out their sleeping accommodations.

She stretched her arms above her head before sliding out of bed. Her room had its own private bath and she was grateful to shower and complete the rest of her hygiene in peace.

As she stepped out of the bathroom fully showered, she gazed out the window and noticed a waterfall in the distance. That explained the rushing sound of water she thought she’d imagined last night. The scene outside was like a picturesque fairy land with a pond that seemed perfect for fishing surrounded by a thicket of trees decorated with gold, red and brown leaves. It was the picture of a perfect fall day.

Since Kaliah had no plans to continue the trip with the other three, it occurred to her that she could stay here for a few days. Serenity Falls didn’t seem to be a big town with a lot of activities but it felt peaceful. Some much needed relaxation didn’t sound like a bad idea.

Inspired by the beauty of the land, she sought out her phone to snap a picture. There was still no service but at least she could use her camera.

Feeling refreshed with this new resolve, she headed downstairs. The style of the bed and breakfast was Victorian, from the vintage picture frames on the walls with people she assumed were relatives, to the antique furniture and decorations.

Even the gold and black floral wall paper reminded Kaliah of an era long gone by. There was almost a museum like feel to it.

The heavy scent of bacon filled the air causing her stomach to growl and Kaliah remembered she hadn’t eaten since yesterday morning. Following the delicious scent, she halted when she spotted a woman dusting one of the vases in the hallway.

It was the same woman from the night before. She turned with a bright smile on her face. She wore a flowy floral dress. And her iron gray hair hung loosely around her shoulders giving her the appearance of a flower child from the 60’s.

“Well, good morning, dear. I hope you slept well.”

Kaliah nodded with a smile. “It’s one of the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a while. The room was very nice, by the way. It reminds me of a vintage home I’ve seen in a magazine.”

Trudy’s lips curled. “Oh, thank you, my dear. Some would say it’s a bit old fashioned. This house was decorated by my grandmother after all. I used to love staying here as a little girl, so when she passed, I couldn’t bear to change a single thing.”

“Oh, so this is a family run business?”

“I suppose you could say that. My mother didn’t have much interest in running the bed and breakfast so she took off to parts unknown the first chance she got.”

“Just your mom? What about your dad?” Immediately realizing the how rude and intrusive her question was, Kaliah apologized. “I’m sorry. That’s none of my business.”

Trudy waved her hand dismissively with a laugh. “It’s fine, dear. Nothing wrong with a little healthy curiosity. My father, rest his soul, lived and breathed Serenity Falls from what I’ve been told but alas he passed shortly after I was born.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine. They say he was a wild one, my father. He died as he lived and that’s the way he wanted it.” A wistful smile crossed the older woman’s face.

It was an odd way to describe a parent’s passing but it was none of her business. “Oh,” Kaliah said for lack of anything better to say. Just then, her stomach twisted, accompanied with a loud gurgle. She clutched her belly in embarrassment.

“Excuse me.”

“Oh my, you must be hungry, dear. I wasn’t expecting any of you ladies to be up so early and I was hoping I’d have breakfast ready before you woke up. Follow me to the dining room. I just took some biscuits out of the oven and they’re cooling off. I can bring them out to the table while you wait for the rest of the food.”

“Thank you so much, that would be great. You don’t need any help do you? I notice there aren’t any other people here at the inn.”

Trudy smiled. “We don’t get too many outsiders so it’s just me running this little operation. But that’s so sweet of you to offer. You just sit tight and I’ll go get those biscuits.”

Outsiders? What an odd way to describe visitors to this the B&B. Kaliah shrugged. Maybe it was slip of the tongue. She supposed they didn’t get that many customers considering she didn’t notice any signs along the way when Otis brought them in to town. In fact, he’d taken them down what appeared to be a dirt road to get into town.

Kaliah didn’t have long to contemplate the weirdness of Trudy’s words before the proprietress returned with a tray of steaming biscuits surrounded by an assortment of jams and butter.

“Mmm, this smells amazing.” Once again, Kaliah’s stomach growled.

Trudy chuckled. “Help yourself, dear. I just made a fresh batch of my jams along with some apple and honey butter.”

“Oh my gosh! This looks so good.”

“Have as many as you’d like. I’ll be out shortly with the rest of the food.”

Kaliah waited until Trudy disappeared into the kitchen before grabbing one of the flaky concoctions. They were still warm to the touch and the savory scent made her mouth water. She sampled a bite and she nearly melted in her seat. It was heaven on her tongue. It was buttery with a hint of sweetness and one of the best things she’d ever tasted.

She polished it off in three bites and took another one off the plate, this time cutting it open and spreading apple butter on one side and a dark blue jam that appeared to be made from blueberries on the other. She then placed them together like a sandwich.

Her eyes rolled to the back of her head when she tasted her concoction. By the time Trudy returned with a cart full of food, Kaliah was on her third biscuit.

Trudy laughed. “I see you’re enjoying the biscuits.”

Kaliah grinned between chews. “I was hungry. I haven’t eaten since yesterday morning.”

“Oh, my, that sounds awful. Have you and your friends been stranded that long?”

She lowered her lids, ashamed to admit they’d left her in the car while they ate lunch. “No, we actually left from New York early in the morning.”

“Oh, wow, New York? How exciting.”

“It’s really not as exciting as it sounds. We’re from a small town in upstate New York. It’s not the glamorous New York you see on television.”

“Maybe not, but I’d love to hear about it.” Trudy began to load the table with more food than Kaliah or five other people could eat. There was a plate of pancakes, French toast, sausages, bacon, scrambled eggs, toast, and assorted fruits.”

“This is all looks so good, Trudy, thank you so much. Please tell me you’ll help me eat some of this.”

“I’ve already had some coffee and oatmeal. I may have something later but I’ll sit with you while you eat and you can tell me a little bit about yourself.” Once Trudy finished laying out all the food, she wheeled the cart to the corner and then took a seat across the table from Kaliah.”

“You cooked all this food for us? Are there any other guests here?”

“Just the four of you. I suppose I got a little carried away because I don’t get many guests at the B&B.”

“Oh really? How do you stay in business if you don’t have a steady flow of customers?”

Trudy placed her elbows on the table and clasped her hands together. “Oh, you needn’t worry about me, dear. The town takes care of me. But enough about me, I’m not that interesting, I’d like to hear about you. What brings you and your friends to this area?”

A sadness that she’d temporarily pushed away after dealing with all the drama the previous day came back full force. She lowered her fork and bowed her head.

“There’s nothing really interesting about my life.”

“A pretty little thing like you? I find that hard to believe. I bet you get into all types of adventures.”

Kaliah, shook her head. “That’s very kind of you to say, but no. I basically go to work to a very boring job, I come home, watch some television, go to bed and then start over again. I like to read and crochet for fun.”

“There’s nothing wrong with a peaceful life. Things are pretty quiet around here at Serenity Falls. How about spending time with your family and friends?”

“Honestly, I’m not super close to my family. I’m the typical middle child and my siblings are excellent at everything they do. At least that’s what my parents constantly tell me. I’ve been accused of being boring which is why I’m an afterthought to them most of the time. As for my friends…well, we were supposed to go to Green Springs for the annual Halloween festival because it’s a huge deal but I learned that they only asked me to come along because someone else dropped out.” She shrugged to give off a nonchalance she didn’t quite feel.

However, to her chagrin, a tear spilled from the corner of her eyes which she hastily wiped away. “Maybe it’s for the best that the car is out of commission because I don’t have to spend the week pretending I don’t hear their sly remarks about me or act as if it doesn’t bother me when I’m excluded.” Kaliah didn’t know why she was telling this stranger her life story as if she was on a psychologist’s couch but there was something comforting about this woman.

Trudy stood and walked around the table to take the seat next to her. She patted Kaliah on the shoulder. “Don’t waste your tears on those who don’t deserve them. Besides, I have a feeling that your life is about to change.”