For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Please Note: This story happened a number of years ago.
It was summer, but not hot that’s for sure. However, it was still pleasant enough to try a short hike. But this time the hike would be a bit different than others. I wanted to do a night hike. There was going to be a full moon and completely clear sky so a night hike would be fun. I figured. I should know better. For some reason I keep thinking my hikes would turn out normal. Like hikes do for other people.

I stopped at my favorite restaurant for supper before getting ready to go hiking. Krissy asked why I was there so late in the day, so I told her my idea. I didn’t mind telling her because I knew her parents wouldn’t let her come with me since I was going to be gone all night. Krissy thought it would be lots of fun so she went to ask her mom. Her mom told her she needed her Dad’s permission.
She asked him and he came over and sat with me, just staring at me. “You want to take Krissy on a hike all night?” he asked. I tried to clarify that a bit and said she asked if she could come, but yes, it would be all night. He then smiled and said it was fine with him. It was summer, but the nights were getting longer now, so we had about 6 and a half hours of darkness ahead of us.
We left about an hour before darkness would cover us so we could get through the worst part of the hike while we could still see well. Then we came to an area of Jack Pines where there was little undergrowth just as it was getting dark. The moon was just coming up and provided some wonderful light for us. That moonlight shining through the pines gave us a sort of an eerie wonderland for our hike. Krissy was holding my hand, very tightly, as we walked, but she kept commenting on the beauty of the scene before us.

I knew where I was going since I had been here before, though during the day. Amazing how different things look at night. Next we came to a spot where we had to go down the side of the hill we were on, cross a small stream and climb another hill on the other side. Both hills had an easy slope to them so it was easy walking. During the day.
However, as we got further down the hill the moon’s light was hidden and it was quite dark. I had my flashlight though, so that helped. Krissy suggested I should try calling owls. They are not too vocal this time of year, but I tried anyway. On my third call I got an answer from a Barred Owl, one of our big owls, and it wasn’t far away. It finally came flying in and landed in a tree about 30 feet away.
Having my flashlight gave us a good look at the owl. He didn’t seem to like it however, and flew off once more. I called again when we were down by the stream. This time it was a wolf that answered. Krissy didn’t like that part too much. But I told her the wolf was far away and I wouldn’t call anymore. We easily jumped the small stream and were soon climbing the hill on the other side.

The moon’s light was soon shining on us again and that eerie landscape returned. We kept walking through the pines with their long, twisted shadows stretching across the moss covered rock. Then I got that feeling of being watched…
To Be Continued.
©2024 Steve McLeod.
When Kat and her Wildcats arrived back at the house, all of the town’s police force was there. The Wildcats parked around their vans so they couldn’t get away quickly and then they went inside. As they came in the front door, some of the cops were just coming into the living room from the kitchen. “We put that gal’s body in the basement like you said Chief,” said one of them, “anything else?” “You talk too much!” barked the Chief. “What body are you talking about… CHIEF?!” demanded Kat as she stood right in front of him.
She deliberately put that emphasis on ‘Chief’. One of the cops that was standing close to the Chief grabbed Kat’s arm, a bad decision for sure. Kat grabbed his arm and flipped him on his back onto the wood floor, hard! Another cop then went for her, but she kicked him in the stomach, then one kick to his head and he was also down. Another cop pulled his gun and was immediately shot by Alizea, though not killed. Then all of the girls had their guns out and disarmed the remaining police.
“Now then Chief, back to you,” said Kat, “let’s go look at this body you left us in the basement.” Down they went and two of the cops opened the lid of the casket. It was a young woman with one of Mac’s knives stuck in her chest. “That knife belongs to one of those gangsters in town,” said the Chief, “he must have killed her.” “How do you know the knife belongs to one of them?” asked Kat. “We found it in his room at the hotel and his fingerprints are on it,” said one of the cops. “You idiot!” yelled the Chief.
“Let me get this straight Chief,” said Kat, “you found the knife in the gangsters room and left it there, of course, so he could use it to kill this woman who worked for Harder. Then you find the body and assume this gangster did the killing since it is his knife. Then you put the woman’s body in a casket and plant it out here for the PI to find so he will think it was the gangster and they will get into a big fight and kill each other. Then you and Harder can continue business as usual, except for the fact that you forgot to include us Wildcats in the picture.
Now, if you really thought she was killed by one of the gangsters, you would have her body put in the morgue and you would go arrest the murderer.” “We are going to arrest him!” barked the Chief again. “With these pathetic men you have?” asked Kat, “Why, you can’t even handle us little girls. How do you expect to fight those big, strong gangsters?! And why bring Jazzy’s body out here?” “Because this is where her sister lives,” he replied, getting more nervous by the minute.
“Liar!” yelled Kat, “That is not how real police do things. Now, get back upstairs!” Once back upstairs Kat told the police that they could leave and she would contact the gangsters to let them know the cops were coming for them. “HA! You can’t contact anyone from out here!” laughed the Chief. “I’m a ghost, Chief,” said Kat, “I can do what I want and you can’t stop me.” She then disappeared in front of him and reappeared behind him.
“I’m behind you Chief,” said Kat, tapping his shoulder. He nearly jumped right out of his shoes! She then disappeared again and everyone saw the big chandelier swinging and Kat reappeared hanging from it and swinging around she knocked 3 of the cops off their feet. She then disappeared again and reappeared standing in front of the Chief. She then punched him hard in the stomach and his eyes got a bit bulgy and he turned a bit reddish.
“Hmm, you don’t look so good Chief,” said Kat, “perhaps you should go home and lie down for a while.” All the girls laughed. The girls then moved their vans so the police could leave, and leave they did, very quickly! Kat had Rusty send a message to Tiger so Matt and his Knight Riders would be ready. We passed the cops as we were on our way back to the house, they were driving rather fast and almost went off the road as they passed us.
They went straight for their office and picked up more guns, including shotguns, then went back to the restaurant since they saw the motorcycles were still parked out front. After passing the cops we stopped and I asked Sigrid to come to our car, which she did. I had her sit beside me and said I had some bad news to share. She figured that already when Midnight didn’t want to talk about his information at the restaurant. She asked if her sister had been killed. I said she had been.
“Excuse me for not crying,” she said, “but for 2 months after my family was killed that is all I did, cry, every hour, every day. I doubt my body can produce tears anymore. I am just too cold now, I have no feelings left.” “That will change as time goes on,” I said. I then took her hand in mine, but she left her hand open and would not close it around mine. She just looked at my hand as I continued to hold hers. She then folded her hand with mine and held it tight.
“There are things I haven’t told you,” she said, “Jazzy went with Harder willingly, she was going to be his new secret girlfriend and she was excited about that. My parents worked for Harder too. Mom was his secret girlfriend for 2 years, Dad didn’t know, but he was furious when he found out. That is why Harder killed my family and kidnapped me to work for him. He had a big man working for him and he would punch me until I did what I was told. I had no choice, it hurt so much. Finally I escaped…”
That is as far as she got, then she put her head on my shoulder and began to cry uncontrollably. We all wanted to turn around, head back to town and get Harder right then. But we had to be patient if we wanted to put him in prison. Somehow I think he will end up in a grave instead. Kat was listening to everything through Jennifer, though the other girls could not hear what was going on. We arrived at the house and everyone went inside except Jennifer, Sigrid and myself, we waited a bit longer.
She finally stopped. “I feel so weak and tired,” she said. “You have not been eating or sleeping properly for a long time,” I told her, “now you need to listen to your older brother and start doing things right.” She looked at me and pouted. “Are you supposed to be my older brother?” she asked, still pouting. “I would like to be,” I said, “if you will give me a chance.” She looked at me and gave me just a tiny smile. “Deal,” she said. Back in town it was looking like there would be a big fight…
To Be Continued.
©2024 Steve McLeod.