A Night to Remember
written by:
Thesandman

A Night to Remember

By: Thesandman

It hadn't been just one of those days, but it had been one of those months! Brad Peterson had worked as an Advertising Executive for the past two years. He had moved up in the organization rapidly. At thirty-three, six foot one, with what could only be described as boyishly handsome features, he had achieved phenomenal success in a reasonably short period of time.

He had almost single-handedly saved the Evans-Account this past month. But it had required many hours late into the night. Though far from being in the kind of shape he'd been in younger years, Brad was considered quite the catch by a number of women he had known. Certainly the late-night fast-food take-outs hadn't helped. The small little paunch he carried, a constant reminder that he'd best take control of his eating habits.

It was widely known that the firm had an executive cabin situated in the mountains near Mirror Lake. As a reward for special efforts, or as a perk for entertaining clients, the cabin was made available for those who liked to spend a little time away in the ruggedness of the mountains. Mirror Lake was certainly known for it's superb fishing and hiking areas, but as it was an expensive piece of real estate in which to own property, there were few cabins. This gave the additional comfort and enjoyment of real privacy and seclusion.

Brad was already clearing off his desk in anticipation of an elongated weekend retreat. As it was about a two-hour drive, he had some final last minute details to attend to, home to pack, and then with luck, would reach the cabin shortly before nightfall.

He planned on spending two days all by his self. A chance to hike, to fish perhaps, but mostly to simply spend some time reading and relaxing away from the past month's intense pressures. The woman he had been semi-dating, though for pleasure more than anything else, had been invited to join him sometime Sunday.

With a smile on his face, Brad told Alice, his Executive Assistant to knock off early and headed home to finish packing. Brad was really looking forward to the weekend along with the scenic drive up to the lake.

As he left the building, heading towards his car in the parking lot, he noticed that the skies hinted at the possibility of an oncoming storm.

"Oh well," he thought. "I always have enjoyed a good lightning and thunderstorm." Even the darkening skies were welcome, more than what they otherwise might have been.

It had taken a little longer than Brad had anticipated to finish packing. Though he knew the cabin had a well-stocked bar, any other supplies would have to be purchased. Glancing at his new Rolex, he realized that he'd be arriving at the cabin well after dark. But even this didn't hamper his mood. Besides the ample supply of alcohol, he also knew that a rather extensive video library awaited him with a wide variety of some pretty hard-core X-rated videos. It was also rumored that some very private video's existed which remained under lock and key for V.I.P viewing only. He wondered if the set of keys he carried included access to those.

"Guess I'll find out soon enough" he said to himself.

Brad had just reached the mouth of the canyon when the storm finally broke. There was a 'Last Chance' grocery and gasoline store on the corner. And though the cabin was less than thirty miles away at this point, the winding tricky curves would cut down his travel time. He saw no need to stop. He had everything he needed. And with the onset of the storm, he also surmised that the weather conditions might delay him even further.

At first his windshield wipers easily handled the rain as it fell. But as the skies darkened, as the first peels of thunder and lightning began, the rain intensified to the point that Brad was forced to slow down. The wipers were barely allowing him enough time to see clearly up the gradually winding road. It was fortunate that the road was little traveled. Brad had seen only one other vehicle, an old light blue pick-up truck that had passed him a few minutes earlier from the opposite direction.

As he drove, his mind began to wander. He was driving safely enough for existing conditions and with no other traffic on the highway; he could once again indulge himself with fantasies for the weekend. He thought of Amanda, or "Mandy" as he called her. She worked at the same ad agency he did, and had on one or two evenings helped him with the Evan's account. But that had not been the only thing she'd helped him with late at night either. He was in the process of imagining her sweet lips sucking his cock when he was suddenly jerked back to reality by what he thought was a deer crossing the road.

Brad slammed on the car's brakes, barely avoiding the deer. The car fishtailed briefly until he brought it back under control again. For a second, he wondered if he had in fact actually hit the animal as he'd heard, or imagined hearing a slight "thump". As the rain was now more a deluge than a simple downpour, Brad wasn't real excited to have to go outside to have a look. But he felt he didn't have any choice in the matter either. He put his hand on the door release when suddenly the pounding of someone on the passenger side window startled him. He turned, half expecting to see some wild crazed deer trying to gore the side of his car. Instead, Brad sat with disbelief as he starred into the face of a beautiful young woman pounding on the window. Almost immediately he reached over unlocking the door.

"Oh thank God!" the drenched mystery woman stated as she climbed onto the seat beside him. "I didn't think anyone would be coming up this road with the storm and all".

"Are you O.K?" Brad finally managed to ask her. " I almost hit you back there!"

"Oh no. I'm fine really. Just soaked."

Brad noticed her for the first time. She was beautiful! Even with long dark stringy-wet hair, and mascara running all over her face, she was still beautiful. He saw her shiver, noticing that her blouse was clinging to her skin. Two very hard pointed nipples testified to the fact that she wasn't wearing much of anything to guard against the weather. He handed her his parka from behind the seat.

"Here, wear this," he offered. "What in the world are you doing out here dressed like that anyway?

She was already in the process of removing her wet blouse as Brad handed her the jacket. But as dark as it was, he could hardly see much anyway, figuring she knew that too.

"I was on my way up to my family's cabin," she began. "And then suddenly, out of nowhere, this deer suddenly appeared in the headlights. I hit the brakes, but hit the deer and spun out of control. My car went off the road down that embankment back there."

Once again Brad asked her. "Like I said before, are you alright?"

"Oh, I'm fine. Really. Just a little shaken up is all. And wet."

Brad couldn't see her smiling, but he heard it in the sound of her voice. In it, he could tell how truly grateful she was for his having stopped.

"Maybe I should go back and have a look at your car."

"Not necessary, it's a wreck. That's for sure. But I can get a tow-truck up here in the morning. Right now, I just need a lift up to our cabin, and a little more heat if you wouldn't mind."

Brad obliged her, turning on the interior heat full blast.

"There are some fresh towels in that bag there in the corner," he said pointing over his shoulder at the back seat. "Your welcome to use one of those to dry off with."

"Oh thank you. That really would be nice. I really am soaked!" She half turned to reach over the seat when a bright flash of lightening lit up the inside of the car. Though she was wearing the jacket, she had not zipped it up. Brad caught a glimpse of one of her very full rounded breasts as she leaned over retrieving the towels. He couldn't believe his good fortune at running into her like this, realizing he didn't know her name.

"By the way. My name's Brad Peterson."

"Vicky. Vicky Ellis," she replied. "And once again, thank you so much for stopping!"

Brad put the car back onto the road, and they began the drive even more slowly up the canyon. "Why on earth are you out here by yourself anyway?" he finally questioned.

"Well, for starters, it's my birthday. I just turned twenty one."

"Congratulations"

"Thank you. Secondly, I've invited several of my friends up to my parent's cabin for the weekend, you know, sort of a celebration. Anyway, I wanted to come up before hand so as to open the place up and air it out, you know, clean it up a little before they arrive."

Brad nodded his head in understanding. "And then the storm hit."

"Exactly. And then I hit the deer."

"And then I nearly hit you."

"Exactly!" she laughed saying.

Brad couldn't help but notice that even with the heat going full blast, and her having at least removed her soaked blouse that she was still shivering. "How far away is your cabin?"

"Oh...it's about five or six miles further up from here."

Once again she began to dry her wet hair with the towel she had taken from the backseat. With the little bit of illumination from the dashboard lighting, Brad looked briefly in her direction. She still hadn't zipped up the jacket she was wearing, and her breasts were clearly seen as she sat leaning forward drying her hair. He wondered briefly if she knew he could see her. Wondered if she was in some strange sort of way, thanking him for his having stopped for her. He quickly put that notion out of his mind however. After all, she'd just turned twenty-one, and her generation was even more open-minded about nudity and things like that than his had been. Brad had to force himself to keep from looking at her, keeping his eyes on the road. The rain may have let up a little from its earlier deluge, but it was still raining pretty hard.

"We should be there pretty soon," he offered. "Then we can get you out of those wet clothes." Brad realized how what he'd just said might have sounded to her. "Oh, I'm sorry...I didn't mean...."

"No need to apologize," she said laughing. "I need to get me out of these wet clothes too. There!" She suddenly pointed through the windshield of the car. " It should be just around this next bend, there's a turn-off, then a bridge over the river up the drive to our property."

Brad saw the turn-off shortly after that. But as they started up the slight incline to where the bridge should have been, he was forced to once again slam on the brakes.

"Holy shit!" he exclaimed as they came to a jarring halt. He quickly rolled down his window to look outside just ahead of where the car had come to a stop. The bridge was gone!

"Oh wow! We were lucky. It looks like the river's washed out the bridge." Instead of peering out her own window, Vicky leaned over across him to have a look. He felt her more than saw anything of course, but knew that her breasts had grazed his arm as she leaned over him.

"Damn. Now what am I going to do?" she stated. "We obviously can't get across the river with the bridge out, and I don't know if I can even find a safe place to cross in the dark!"

"Well. I guess you'll just have to spend the night with me." This time he laughed before offering up another unintended innuendo by way of explanation. But she had already caught his implied tease and sincere offer of help.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to do that!" she finally responded back. "My friends aren't due until the afternoon anyway. And hopefully by that time, this storm will have let up, and I can find another way to cross the river."

Brad told her how he'd first help her to get her car towed back in the morning, and then secondly, how they'd find a way to get her up to her cabin.

"What I really want to do more than anything else is get into something warm and dry. And then, if you don't mind, I'll help you fix us something to eat! Oh...and since I AM twenty-one, I could really use a drink too!" she added.

"So could I," Brad thought to himself. "So could I!"

By the directions he'd been given, he knew there was no chance the river had washed away the bridge to the Agency's cabin. It was on the opposite side of the road. Immediately ahead was the turn off, and Brad electrically opened the gate as he'd also been instructed to do as they turned up the long drive.

"We're here," he announced unnecessarily. "I'll get us as close as I can to the door, then we'll rush inside. I think I've got something you can slip into, and then we'll see about those drinks and something to eat."

He was able to maneuver the car just a short distance away from the cabin. Unfortunately, it was still far enough away that both of them would be soaked before either of them reached it.

"Run?" Vicky questioned. And then suddenly bolted out her side of the car.

Brad grabbed what he could easily carry, racing behind her, only reaching the door seconds after she did. Until he could figure out how to get the generator going, all they had for light was the flashlight he had thought to bring along.

"Here. Use this," he said handing it to her. "See if you can find a lantern or something."

Vicky spotted a pair of lanterns sitting on the counter. "I think this has already been anticipated," she announced. "There are two of them over here. And a box of matches too!"

Brad quickly joined her, and in seconds had both lanterns lit. "Here, take this bag and go upstairs, see if you can find something warm and comfortable to wear. I'll see about getting a fire going, and then we'll hunt down those drinks and eats."

He watched her ascend the stairs to the upper level of the cabin carrying one of the lanterns. The soft glowing light from it cast an eerie aura about her as she climbed. It was like watching an apparition floating in the air. Vicky soon disappeared from view to where the bedrooms were, and Brad finally took a few moments to acquaint himself with the interior of the cabin.

Along one entire wall stood an enormous fireplace. A neatly stacked pile of freshly cut wood waited to be used. It was a large 'A' frame structure. He'd managed to see on the short run up, that a balcony ran all along the outside of the unit. Inside, the layout was spacious and rustic. Just in front of the massive stone fireplace was a conversation pit, filled with oversized pillows and even a real bear rug covering the floor. The kitchen was behind them as was the bar which Brad had already taken stock of as being fully supplied with everything imaginable. A spiral staircase led upstairs to the bedrooms. Two were adjoining if needed, and could be opened into one large bedroom area. Brad could only imagine what that might have been used for. A separate bedroom was situated nearer the back, but had the open bonus of being half in and half outside of the cabin, enclosed only by a screened mesh to keep out the bugs from otherwise spoiling the whole affect. During the winter months the room could be completely sealed off against the elements by a concealed panel that expanded from within the wall and ran around a track so as to wall off the opening. Brad hoped the weather would certainly improve, as it would definitely be a lot more fun if they were able to enjoy that particular feature of this place. It was then that he caught himself in his thinking. "By they," had he been thinking about his girlfriend, or about Vicky sharing it with him? Though he had caught the thought, he wasn't sure which one he'd honestly meant. At that moment he heard Vicky coming back down the stairs.

"So, what do you think?" she asked.

She stood above him about half way down. She'd obviously removed her soaked jeans, borrowed parka, and now stood in nothing more than one of Brad's long sleeved flannel shirts. Dropping her arms, they both had a good laugh as the sleeves fell well beyond her fingertips.

"It's a bit big for me. But it was also about the warmest, most comfy thing I could find to wear."

"You look great!" Brad complimented. And he noticed that though her hair was still slightly damp, she had managed to dry it sufficiently so that it hung more naturally, accentuating her perfectly molded face. Likewise, she had repaired the mascara, and though she had a more natural look, he confirmed to himself just how beautiful she really was. He watched as she finished coming down the last few remaining steps. He noticed how her long legs looked, just ending beneath the tail of the flannel shirt. He caught himself wondering how little else she was wearing...if anything. Brad reached her side just as she got to the bottom of the stairs, handing her a drink.

"Not sure what you might prefer, but thought this would at least warm you up for starters."

Taking the wineglass he'd offered, she clinked it against his.

"Thank you. It's perfect. But I really think that you need to be getting out of your wet clothes too," she stated.

Not wanting her to misconstrue any more remarks, Brad simply smiled, excusing himself to slip past her. Surprisingly, she didn't move out of the way as he'd expected. Instead, she moved towards him and before he realized what was even happening, she kissed him. He felt her immediately press herself against him. Her wonderfully firm full breasts now rested comfortably against his chest. Their kiss lingered, he actually felt a little light-headed and dizzy by it. It was Vicky who finally broke the kiss. Brad was not sure he would have been able to if she hadn't.

As he had managed to get a pretty good fire going by the time she had returned, she led him over and down into the conversation pit. Once there, she quickly unbuttoned his shirt, helping him to remove it, tossing it off to one side.

"I thought you said you were hungry?" Brad managed to haltingly ask her.

"I am. But not for food at the moment," she smiled saying.

Even Brad had to admit given the circumstances; he normally would have tried to take advantage of the situation. But there was something about her that was intoxicating. If he'd barely had a sip or two of wine, he might have tried to blame it on that. But simply in kissing her as he had, he had become drunk with desire for her, unexplainably so. She was after all twenty-one. As such, he was content to allow her to lead him along in whatever direction she had in mind.

Having pulled him down onto the floor, she sat astride him, saddling herself near his knees. With the backdrop of the fire burning warmly and brightly behind her, she began to deftly unbutton the buttons of the flannel shirt she had borrowed. For Brad, it seemed like an eternity of time passed as each was opened, revealing more and more of her charms. At last, as the final barrier was breached, she shrugged off the garment with a simple gesture. He was tempted to stare directly at her fully exposed breasts. But he gazed into her eyes instead.

Whether it was from the flickering light of the fire, or the dancing shadows around the room, coupled with the intense excitement of the moment, he didn't know, or fully understand. But as he gazed into her eyes, he saw twin pools of tiny flittering lights, almost like stars in the sky and felt his self drawn to her unlike any other woman he had ever known or been with before. Only then did he finally dare to look at her. Almost as if he had to double check to make sure she was really there. He could not believe this was really happening to him. Here he was...alone with a beautiful woman that he had only just met. The softness of the fire's light the only source except for the occasional erotically added light of the lightening just outside. Even the peel and rolling waves of thunder seemed to add to the atmosphere that had been created.

This time, he pulled her to him. Once again losing his self in their kiss.

"It's strange," Brad thought briefly. "I don't remember feeling this way kissing someone." He kissed her more deeply, content to simply do this. But she escalated the situation by placing one of his hands against her breast. Even this sensation was overpowering. As he cupped her firm rounded tit, he caressed flesh that seemed to have a life of its own. His hand felt tingly as he touched her, his fingertips seemed super sensitive against the softness of her skin.

Vicky slid even closer against him and though still wearing his slacks, positioned as they were, had it not been for the clothing that separated them, Brad knew without a doubt that he would have slid into her heated opening. As it was, the sensation, the heat of her somehow permeated the covering of material that separated them still. He had the sensation of losing body heat as she drew it away from him sitting as she was atop of him. Her womanhood was sucking at him from below in a way that was causing him to shiver, and yet respond with a greater need towards her desires.

Finally, Brad began kissing downwards, tasting the softness and aroma of her neck, biting it in quick little nips, intermittent licking's and kisses as though drawing a stitched line of progress upon her flesh. He reached the gently sloping curvature of her breast, lingering there even longer. Kissing her, drinking in the fragrance of her heated and aroused passions, his desire rapidly grew.

As he drew her in, savoring the texture and feel of her hard tipped nipple, his own nipples seemed to suddenly intensify with the sensation as well. He was even forced to stop to look down at him self, expecting that Vicky was in some way touching or caressing his. Maybe that would explain why he was experiencing such erotic thrills. Vicky sitting astride him as she was, had both arms slightly braced behind her, her head tilted back, allowing him unrestricted access. Her beautiful breasts thrust forward, were the only other direct contact against him. Yet, the sensations continued, and he swam in its pleasure.

Amazingly he was more than content to continue just as they were. Alternately cupping and caressing each breast separately, while kissing and sucking the other. He could not imagine or recall a time when he had been satisfied in simply doing this.

Reluctantly, Brad watched her as she seductively, if not playfully slid away. Brad even attempted to reach for her, not yet ready to let go of that moment. However Vicky had other ideas. Reaching down, she unbuckled his belt, and slowly began unzipping his fly. Not even once did her eyes turn away from his. Again, those twinkling pools of dancing light seemed to capture him as their eyes met. Mesmerized, he felt himself being lifted upwards, almost as though floating on air as she easily and effortlessly removed his clothing. First his slacks, and then his boxer shorts. He didn't even know at first that she had really done this, for it had been more dream- like in a way. That was, until the electrifying bolt of electricity suddenly surged up and down his entire body as her hand sought him out, caressed and playfully teased his erect throbbing penis.

Brad had certainly enjoyed similar pleasures in the past. Had even joked with friends how if a hand-job was done correctly, that it would be a toss-up between that and a good blowjob. But the vulgar comparison of that to this was as different as night was to day. Her touch was not merely pleasing and self satisfying, but seemed to awaken nerves he had not known existed. Her mere touch, the finger tracings as she explored him, lightly, softly, as though redrawing every shape, every inch of him, was near enough to cause him to feel orgasmic. In his mind, he fought for control, fearful that he would not and thus lose himself far too quickly for the moment!

His eyes felt like they had been glued shut. The pleasure so intense that he was unable to open them, to look at her, which he wanted, needed to do. So it was that he was caught, totally unprepared. He felt then, the softness of her lips suddenly surrounding him. Frantic, he panicked with the worry of releasing his essence inside her sucking mouth. He fought for control, striving, fighting against the weakening ability of his resolve to succumb to her soft sucking manipulations.

Just at the moment he thought all was lost, just teetering on the edge of ecstasy and pleasure, he felt her releasing him, again distancing herself, moving away. Only then was he finally able to open his eyes. She had moved away, though not far away. He looked at her, and thought that she seemed to shimmer, but saw the light of the fire as danced on the sheen of her skin in an erotic display of lights and shadows. Wantonly, she beckoned to him, openly displaying herself to his staring eyes.

It wasn't just her pussy that he was looking at either. But her sexual being. Somehow he knew that. He had often delighted himself in the foreplay of caressing and teasing a woman's cunt before. But again, even this vulgar term could not do justice to the beauty of what he was gazing at. For it was far more than a cunt or a pussy, it was rapture incarnate. He seemed to lose himself in the maze of her lips, how they folded and intertwined upon one another, he was immediately reminded of the often used term of a woman's pedaled lips, opening, blooming as a soft budding rose. This is what he saw, a blooming flower, the faint trace of female dew shimmering upon her in its silky soft surface. It called to him, inviting him to taste her, to partake of her nectar like a bee to her flower. As though hypnotically controlled, he seemed to float towards her, his lips again kissing and tasting her essence, maddened by his desire for her as he began lapping at her with his tongue. Brad delighted in chasing every hidden fold, looking for her creamy dew... the manna that fed his hunger for her.

He heard her, but her pleasured voice seemed a thousand miles away. As his tongue danced inside her, as he caressed and lick-nipped her tiny hard clit-nub, he heard her gasp, and relished in her intake of breath. Once again she seemed to draw him even further inside herself. He had the uncanny sensation of melding with her, becoming a part of her, apart of her own flesh. As he sucked her, and licked her, the normal lubrications he had known previously with other women, were there, but somehow... hers filled him with an awe that seemed nearly life giving. Her juices coated his tongue, filled his mouth, and covered his own flesh, which once again tingled with a strange sensation he could not comprehend or explain away in simple terms. He knew only that he needed more of it, more of her, more of whatever it was her pussy was producing and giving to him as he devoured her fiercely.

Just when he felt that Vicky was on the edge of some mind-numbing climax, he felt her touching his forehead, pushing him away, and at the same time, extricating herself from beneath him.

Sweat drenched his face and hair, the saltiness stinging his eyes as the beads of perspiration dripped into them. But it was the sweetness of her that he tasted. Almost pleadingly, he looked towards her a sense of awe and wonder on his face. Her saw her standing above him, again that almost shimmering effervescence, as she smiled. For Brad, time seemed to stop. That smile, her smile transcended her beauty. It made her even more beautiful if that was possible. Above him she stood like a majestic Goddess. Her twin, perfectly sculpted breasts once again inviting him towards her, each one heaving with each intake of her breath. The soft nearly invisible patch of pubic hair between her legs now shut off his view as though a door had been closed, covering it, protecting it. Staring at her as he was, his cock stirred with a more, near painful throbbing need for her. It awakened him back to reality and again he reached towards her, and this time she came to him.

This time Vicky seemed to float above and over him. He felt her weight press finally upon him while on his back and could only watch as she lowered herself ever closer. He saw her hand, spreading herself, once again revealing the exquisite garden of her womanhood, but only briefly, for she engulfed him deeply and completely in one intensely satisfying capture of his penis.

Sure, Brad had fucked several women. Like any normal man, he reveled in the sensations that a woman's soft lubricated pussy could do to a man's cock. But this was beyond that. The warmth, mingled with the electrifying sensation of such a soft silkiness, the likes of which he had never experienced, threatened again to take him over the edge far too soon.

Vicky moved above him with slow deliberate strokes as she smoothly and effortlessly impaled herself upon his erect shaft. The walls of her vagina enveloped him, seemingly alive, kissing him tenderly like a hundred sucking mouths. Adding to this, the erotic smell of her seemed to increase and implode within his mind. All of his senses seemed on the verge of some cosmic overload. Her heat from within bathed him in a bewilderment that was indescribable. Her lubrications coated and caressed him like bathing in a sea of oil, for it was not just his cock that seemed coated and covered, but his entire body seemed to slip and slide somewhere inside her. It was simply not his penis that filled her now, but himself. It was not simply a stiff cock sliding in and out of her, but his entire being. Even the sounds of their lovemaking seemed intensified. Her breath became his. Their hearts seemed to beat in unison one within the other. Even the lubricated sounds of their coupling, became as lapping waves upon some deserted beach. Once again he looked into her eyes, and he saw the soul of her staring back at him.

In an instant, he was a part of her, as he had never been with any woman previously. Somehow he shared her thoughts, her feelings. His cock throbbed and danced inside her, each penetrating thrust causing him to soar higher and higher in a sea of ecstasy and wondrous exploration. Brad found himself reaching heights of pure pleasure and arousal never before experienced. All the while his eyes locked with hers, searching her out. Her penetrating gaze, imploring him, eagerly urging him on to their mutual and final destination.

It happened without warning. Brad had always known of course when his orgasm began, always enjoyed that split-second notification before the first powerful spurts of his ejaculation occurred. He often held that moment, albeit briefly and allowed the orgasm itself to delay until the impossibility of it overwhelmed, overpowered him.

This then, unlike any climax he'd ever known or experienced caught him completely and totally by surprise. He felt her release simultaneously, felt the dam of pleasure break somewhere far up inside her. Wave after wave of pleasure consumed him, rolled over and through him, carrying him away with it. Every fiber, every nerve within his mind, body and soul seemed to explode in a shower of brilliant bright-white stars, thousands, perhaps millions of them exploding all around him. And with each spasm, with each hard felt ejaculation of pleasure, he felt her, and felt hers as well. Brad floated in a never-ending sea of bliss and tranquility. He lost all sense of time and purpose. He lost all sense of himself.

Brad awoke to the sounds of happily chirping birds. For a moment, he though he was dreaming.

"Too soon to be morning," he thought. For in his mind, they were just seconds from having climaxed together. Only then did he fully and completely open his eyes.

It was indeed morning. The soft dying embers of the past nights roaring flame were all that remained. Half expecting to find Vicky lying comfortably still asleep next to him, he rolled over. But she was not there. Glancing up, he immediately saw the strewn piles of their discarded clothing. The flannel shirt having fallen, crumpled and somewhat entangled from last night's lovemaking lay next to him. Brad picked it up, immediately caught the scent of her still lingering upon and within the fabric. He quickly looked about, calling out her name.

Frantic, Brad had searched the entire cabin. Even after he had discovered that her clothes were missing, he still looked around the area for her. Eventually, he surmised that she had either gone in search of help for her car, or more than likely, as there was still plenty of time to call and get a tow-truck, that she had gone to her parents cabin instead.

Brad recklessly found himself speeding down the canyon in the direction of her cabin. Reaching the turnoff, he stopped pulling up to the fallen bridge. The water had indeed slowed to a much more manageable, and traversable level. With no other options before him, Brad made his way carefully across the ruined bridge, something that would have been dangerous at best the previous evening. Now at least, in daylight, it was easily seen that it could be crossed on foot.

He had gone only about an eighth of a mile when he saw the cabin. But what he saw surprised and alarmed him. He ran. From where he had stood, it was obvious that all the windows in the cabin had been purposely boarded up. No doubt from winter's harshness, and in some effort to protect it from damage. What concerned him however, was how the front door hung, obviously broken, hanging by a thin nearly pulled free single hinge. He could not imagine Vicky's dismay at coming up and finding their cabin in such a state of disrepair. Worse, he wondered if something might have happened, if some wild animal might have forced entry inside.

" Or had someone else been staying there, and caught her unexpectedly coming in?" he wondered becoming even more fearful for her safety.

Brad nearly crashed through the door in his haste to find her. Calling out her name, "Vicky? Vicky? Are you here Vicky?" Brad waited, listening. Nothing, no sounds of any kind, so he began to search for her. The place was a mess. Obviously she had her days work cut out if indeed she was planning to have friends over for the weekend. Dust covered the furniture. Obviously the place had not been used or stayed in, in a very long time. Brad quickly realized that Vicky must have known that. It was one of the reasons she was coming up ahead of everyone else. She had needed time to clean and ready the place for her friends.

"Her car!" Brad said aloud to himself.

No doubt it was filled full of her clothing, and perhaps cleaning materials. Items that she had needed when coming up here in the first place.

"So why didn't she wake me so I could help her?" he asked himself. No doubt after the past evening, she was either having second thoughts about what had happened between them, or...being a typically young woman with more energy than he certainly had even at thirty-three, she'd gone off to get a head start on things by herself.

Brad quickly made his way back to his car. And with a more cautious intent, drove somewhat urgently down the canyon road, all the while keeping an eye out for her. Nearing the point where he could only best guess where she may have gone off the road, he looked even more intently for her. Additionally, he also looked for signs of a recently struck deer carcass, or smeared, dried blood across the road. Though any signs of that could have easily been washed away with all the past nights rain.

When Brad figured he was well past the point where he had first encountered Vicky he sped up, heading down the canyon road. He now could only assume that she may have possibly hitched a ride and had gone all the way down the canyon to the grocery and gas station below in search of help or a tow-truck.

Within minutes, he rounded the last curve of the canyon. Only two cars sat in the parking lot. One of which looked to be the same light blue pickup truck Brad had seen on the road the previous evening.

He braked to a hard stop. As he entered the store, he saw it was poorly lit, and it took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the stores interior. One gruff looking middle aged man stood behind the counter reading a newspaper as he walked in. Brad quickly approached him.

"Excuse me. Perhaps you can help me. I'm looking for someone." Brad was surprised at the "worried" edge and tone of his own voice. He quickly gave a general description of her to the guy behind the counter.

"Ask him," the owner said pointing. Only then did Brad see the second person who had obviously been sitting there all along. He sat in the far corner of an area that looked to be a makeshift dining area. He was hunched over a cup of coffee, smoking a cigarette. Brad approached him and began his inquiry all over again. But the stranger stopped him.

"Yeah. I've seen her. Not last night, or even this morning for that matter. But I've seen her yes."

"So what the hell does that mean?" Brad angrily questioned.

Only then did the stranger's eyes soften with understanding. Brad even saw him begin to tear up as he began.

"I've been coming up here every year now for three years running. You see, three years ago, I came up to go fishing. On the way up the canyon one night I ran into this young woman. She'd been in an accident..."

Brad felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise in disbelief...

"I thought I had hit her myself, but as it turned out, she'd hit a deer just a short time earlier, and her car had apparently gone off the road. Anyway, I gave her a lift back to my place to spend the night, especially as the bridge to her folks cabin had been washed out by the storm." The stranger had to pause momentarily, collecting himself, but began with an obvious quiver, taking a great deal of effort in doing so before continuing.

"Came down the canyon in the morning looking for her. Never did find her. But I did learn a lot more about her, as now you will. You see she died in that accident, but not that night, but seven years before that even. And I'm not the first guy to have found her wandering on the road. Nor will I be, or perhaps you be the last. I've been up here every year since...on her birthday. The day she died in that horrible crash."

He told Brad about the wreck and once again indicated the storeowner who stood listening and watching the two of them talking. "They never did pull her car out of the river. You can still see it, rusted out, smashed between two large boulders."

Brad wondered if he'd forced the issue, "What might have happened had he gone down to look at her car, would she have disappeared? Or did she already know the outcome of that decision not to?" he considered.

"One or two others have come, and like me, have either come back looking for her, every year, or have simply disappeared and never come back here again. So I guess...last night it was your turn. And I guess, like me, or like some of the others, you'll have to decide for yourself what you're going to do. All I can say is, if it was for you, anything like it was for me, it will always be a night I will never forget, a night that I will always... remember."

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