Gazing out the window, I watched the headlights of his truck slowly fade into the darkness. At that moment, a sense of foreboding washed over me as an eerie presence surrounded me.
What was I thinking of—moving to a strange country with a near stranger?
David sneaked up from behind, wrapping his arms around my waist. My body stiffened.
“You seem lost in thought. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah,” I replied hesitantly. “I just felt a weird sensation.”
“It's been a long day; maybe you're just tired.”
“Maybe.”
“You’re all tensed up,” he said, his hands sliding up my back as he began massaging my shoulders.
I wasn't in the mood to be touched. I wanted to be left alone. I needed some time to sort out my sudden feeling of déjà-vu.
“What did Slim say to you?”
“Why do you ask?” His hands stopped moving and remained still. They felt heavy at the base of my neck.
“I thought I heard him say something about a wife.”
“If you must know, he said you look like my ex-wife.” He took a step back, releasing his grip.
“Which one?” I asked, immediately thinking I shouldn’t have.
“It doesn’t matter,” he snapped. Walking away, he went into the kitchen area.
“So, he’s met your wife before?” There was a momentary pause.
“He saw a photo of her a long time ago.”
I stood at the window, collecting my thoughts. I heard a cabinet open and the clanging of a spoon against a cup.
“You’re right; it’s been a long day. I need to change out of these clothes and get some sleep.” I turned and reached for my luggage.
“The bedroom is around the corner behind that half wall. I'm going to make some tea. I’ll be in shortly,” he replied.
I entered the tiny bedroom, quickly changed into my pajamas and walked back into the kitchen. I wanted to apologize to David for asking too many questions and upsetting him. I didn’t want us to go to bed angry.
He was leaning against the small counter, sipping his tea, staring off in the distance. I went over to him.
“Want some?” he offered, holding the cup out to me.
Reaching for it, I took a sip and then tried to give it back to him.
“Drink some more; it’ll help you sleep,” he pushed the cup toward me.
I took a few more sips. It didn't taste like much and was kind of weak.
“Okay,” he said, taking the cup from me. “I’m going to clean up. I’ll be in shortly.”
I smiled, feeling a bit better that we ended the night on a happier note.
After washing my face and brushing my teeth, I crawled into bed. As I waited for David to join me, I felt it again, that strange sensation. I had hoped by the time morning came, my anxiety would have disappeared.
The next morning I woke up to a glass of orange juice by the bedside. Rubbing my eyes, I sat up to take a sip and soon heard David mumbling in the background. I arose from bed and with glass in hand padded into the living area and over to the kitchenette.
Dressed in his boxers, David was scrambling eggs and had his cell phone in the crook of his neck. When he turned around, he saw me standing there.
“Okay, my friend,” he spoke into the phone, “we’ll be ready.” Pressing a button, he set the phone on the counter and smiled at me.
“Good morning, sunshine, did you sleep well?”
“I tossed and turned for a while, trying to get comfortable, and then I had a very frightening dream.”
“Oh yeah, what was it about?”
“I don’t remember all of it, but I was trapped in a shack in the middle of nowhere. I kept screaming, but no one could hear me.”
He didn’t say a word as he grabbed two dishes from the wooden shelf above him.
I wasn’t sure if I should tell him the worst part of my dream—about the body lying on the ground near the shack—a woman’s dead body.
“Thanks for the juice,” I said, raising my glass in the air.
“Nothing better than fresh squeezed to start your day.” Spooning a handful of eggs on a plate, he slid it in front of me.
“Toast will be up in a minute, and Slim will be here in an hour to pick us up.” He turned to the small pot of coffee and poured himself a cup. “He’s letting me borrow his truck for the day. We’ll need to make a quick stop and drop him off at his farm.”
“Okay.” I took a bite of the eggs. They were loaded with cheese.
“So, I have a little surprise for you.”
“Another one? So soon? You’re a man full of surprises.” I forced a smile.
David held my gaze, staring at me over the rim of his cup. His dark eyes suddenly appeared darker, penetrating through me and sending a chill up my spine.
18
David
The look on her face when we pull up to the house is priceless. I remain silent while she takes in the surroundings, anticipating her thoughts. When we exit the vehicle, we walk side by side along the long gravel pathway.
It’s a beautiful day; the sun shines bright in the mid-morning sky. A handful of large puffy clouds off in the distance hint at a possible rain shower later this afternoon. In the jungle, the weather changes throughout the day. The various microclimates are one of the reasons I chose this place. I like variety. As they say, variety is the spice of life.
“Who lives here?” she asks, as we draw closer to the wrought iron gate that separates us from a second walkway.
“We do,” I reply boastfully.
“What?” Her eyes widen and her mouth drops open. “You can't be serious.”
Unlocking the gate, we continue along the stone paved trail leading up to the front door.
“This place looks
