Crucible of Fire Read online

  Despite the fatigue and sense of loss that had settled over him, Matt smiled. “Must be an interesting place where Jimmy lives.”

  She looked at him for a moment. “You never did say who you were talking to out there.”

  “Freddy.”

  She shook her head. “Not him. You were talking to someone else.”

  “No one else was there.”

  “There was, Matt. I couldn’t see him, but I could feel him.” She shivered. “I’ve never felt anything so evil in my life, but that’s what I felt out there.” She studied him. “You didn’t just feel it, though, did you? You saw it.”

  Matt paused a moment. “There’s a lot of evil out in the world, Angie. The things I see? You’re better off not seeing them.”

  She looked like she wanted to keep asking questions, but she didn’t. “My dad is hoping to keep you on. From what he’s saying, we’re going to have some of the cleanup contracts out here. It’ll be federal money, so that will be a good paycheck.”

  “That’s good news.”

  Angie locked eyes with him. “You’re not staying, are you?”

  Matt took a deep breath and let it out. He wanted to stay. The work was hard and clean, the kind of work that he best understood. He’d made a place for himself there, but he knew he couldn’t stay. “No. I’m not. I’m hitting the road in the next few minutes.” His wounds had already healed, a side effect of sorts of the mysterious force that had kept him alive those three months under the snow.

  “You don’t have to go.”

  “Yeah, I do.”

  “Why you?”

  Matt showed her a sad smile. “That’s one of the big questions I’ve been asking. Haven’t got an answer yet.”

  “Will I see you again?”

  “I don’t know.” Matt paused and looked into her eyes. “I’d have liked to get to know you better.”

  “I would have liked that, too.”

  Matt jerked a thumb over his shoulder at the four-wheeler. “I’m gonna take the quad back to the bunkhouse so I can collect my things, if that’s all right.”

  Angie nodded.

  “Take care of yourself.” Matt turned to go, but Angie caught his elbow and pulled him back. Then she stepped into him and covered his mouth with hers, kissing him long and deep and hard.

  When she broke the kiss, she turned from him and walked away.

  Matt got on the four-wheeler, freshly fueled, and fired up the engine. He followed the narrow, twisty road all the way back to the highway.

  The sun was just coming up in the east and Matt felt it warming his face through the face shield, but he knew only darkness lay out there waiting for him.

  About the Author

  Mel Odom lives in Oklahoma with his wife and children. He’s written dozens of novels in a variety of fields and many based on popular television shows and role-playing games. He currently teaches in the Professional Writing program at the University of Oklahoma.