Cassie was hysterical. A stream of curses and frantic ramblings as she checked to see if she was alright. Jared shook his head to clear it, and rubbed a trickle of blood from his brow. His head must have hit something in all the commotion.

He opened the door and got out of the car just to escape the noise from within. “Where do you think you are going! This is all your fault!” Cassie screamed.

The steady squeal of steam coming from under the hood of the Maverick told him very definitely neither of them were going anywhere unless it was by foot, which would be a good hour’s walk any direction, from here at the crossroads.

Jared saw movement under the car and he stopped. If the animal was only wounded it could be dangerous to approach. Deer or mountain lion, he had no clue what it was, just that it was big enough to render them immobile.

Suddenly he heard laughter, not ominous, just a good hearted laugh. “Well, looks like you hit me pretty good back there,” a deep soothing voice spoke.