Under the Open Sky (Montana Heritage Series) (25 page)

             
“Well, Cinderella, it’s off to the ball,” she muttered to herself before grabbing her bag and wrap. The night had turned cooler meaning that a great many young women were going to be cold this evening.

             
Amanda descended the stairs carefully, her heels higher than she was accustomed to wearing. She paused mid-way down the stairs. Cade stood in the hall; Amanda’s brother and dad were hugging in front of him. She watched his gaze slide over her from head to toe and back up and felt her insides scramble. Now, if she was going to prom with him tonight…she would be excited.

             
“What are you guys doing here?” she recovered and resumed her path.

             
“Hey, pest, Dad called and begged us to come help him tomorrow. Wow,” he brother turned and stopped short. “You look amazing, Mandy. Dad, are you going to let her out of the house like that?” he teased them both. Amanda moved to hug her brother.

             
“Of course he is,” she responded. “How are you?”

             
“I was fine until I saw you,” he joked.

             
“Hey, Cade,” Amanda moved to hug him.

             
“Hey, Manny, you do look amazing. Have fun and be careful; okay?”

             
“I will,” she assured him with a smile.

             
“Let me see you,” Naomi appeared with her camera. “You look beautiful,” her aunt teared up. A knock on the door, made Amanda smooth her dress. She hadn’t been nervous until she found herself with an audience. Her father opened the door and admitted Chris inside. He paused and surveyed the crowded hallway a moment before his gaze came to rest on Amanda.

             
“Wow, Mandy, you look amazing,” he informed her.

             
“Thanks,” she smiled. He looked nice, but then Chris always looked nice. Tonight he wore a tux, his cowboy boots peaking from beneath his pant legs. He slid the corsage he had bought her onto her wrist and then posed for pictures as Naomi requested.

             
“Have fun,” her father kissed her cheek.

             
“Have fun,” her brother said it almost grudgingly.

             
“Say it like you mean it,” Amanda teased before she kissed her brother’s cheek.

             
“Okay, have fun!” her brother offered with exaggerated enthusiasm.

             
“I’ll see you all later,” Amanda laughed as she opened the door to leave. She allowed Chris to open his passenger side truck door for her and climbed onto the seat as gracefully as she could and still be modest. She supposed that would have been one benefit of the flowing floor length dress she had almost bought. It was a quite ride to the school where the prom was being held and catered by one of the local restaurants. To be honest, Amanda hadn’t exactly expected brilliant conversation when she had chosen Chris as her date. Inside, she quickly sought Jenny who was there with David and claimed a seat beside her.

             
“You look totally awesome, Mandy,” Jenny informed her.

             
“Thanks, you look great too,” Amanda complimented her sincerely. Jenny had chosen a long flowing dress in a deep emerald green that set off her hair and eyes. Amanda spent much of her night talking with Jenny, Chloe, and Dede. Chris kept mysteriously disappearing to return several minutes later. Amanda didn’t mind too much. She only danced two dances with her date early in the evening and a handful with others throughout the night. It was something of a relief when Chris suggested they leave early.

             
Amanda settled back into her seat and let her thoughts wander, her attention not really on where they were going. When Chris turned off onto the lake access road, Amanda frowned.

             
“Chris, where are we going?” she demanded.

             
“You said you were ready to go,” he glanced over at her.

             
“Chris, I like you well enough but I want to go home; now please,” Amanda insisted.

             
“Relax, Mandy.”

             
“No, Chris, I want to go home,” she reiterated.

             
Chris pulled the truck to a stop and turned the engine off.

             
“Chris, please take me home,” Amanda tried again.

             
“Come on, Mandy,” yanking her toward him, Chris grabbed her wrist and tugged hard. 

             
“Ow! I want to go home!”  Trying to pull free, Amanda yanked back.

             
“Damn it, Mandy, you have been playing games with me since last year and I’m over it!” Chris slid across the seat and pinned her to the corner of the truck. He had managed to grasp both her wrists in one hand. His kiss was rough, his hand squeezing her jaw painfully as he held her still. He tasted of alcohol; the realization caused Amanda to panic further. Had she realized he had been drinking she would never have left with him.

             
“Stop!” Amanda managed to wrest her jaw free of his grasp.

             
“Come on, Mandy, please, baby, you’ve been driving me crazy all night in this dress,” Chris ran his hand down her side. “That’s what you wanted, wasn’t it? To make me want you?”

             
Amanda, trying to free herself, squirmed. “That isn’t what I wanted. Let me go!”

             
“Just kiss me, Mandy. Is a little kiss too much to ask for?” Chris leaned forward to kiss her. Amanda turned her head; his kiss landed on her neck and made her shudder in revulsion.

             
“Please stop,” she begged around tears.

             
“You’re so beautiful,” Chris kissed her neck again as his hand ran along her shoulder to the strap of the dress. He tugged until she heard it snap.

             
“Stop!” she yelled and started pushing against him. She managed to get a hand free and struck out at him.

             
“Stop now, Mandy,” Chris managed to get her back under control again. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he said illogically.

             
“You are hurting me; let me go,” she pleaded.

             
“I’m not hurting you and there is nothing to be scared of. Now quit acting like I’m a monster and relax and enjoy yourself!” Chris snapped at her.

             
“Let go of me you bastard!” Amanda bucked against him, the two sliding further down in the seat as she struggled. Chris slapped her; shock rendered her momentarily motionless.

             
“That’s better, now calm down,” Chris grabbed her by the chin again and pinned her in place so he could kiss her. Amanda couldn’t stop the shudder of revulsion that passed through her but forced herself to still. When she felt his hand pushing her skirt up her leg it was all she could do not to fight. She waited until he tried lifting her onto the seat better to make her move; she bit his tongue as hard as she could.

             
“Ow!” he bellowed and yanked backward. Amanda twisted for all she was worth, and managed to break his hold as she grabbed for the door handle. Chris grabbed her right ankle and Amanda yanked hard against him, her shoe coming off in his hand. The door opened, Amanda clinging to it as it swung outward. Chris’s hand closed on her other ankle to try to pull her back. Amanda clung to the door and pulled against his hold for all she was worth, her free leg planted against the doorframe. Her foot slipped and he was left holding her by the foot. Amanda twisted until her shoe came off in his hand and she slammed to the ground below. Amanda scrambled from the truck on her hands and knees for several yards before she stood, her breathing labored from effort.

             
“Come on, Amanda, get back in the truck!” Chris barked at her, one arm on the back of the seat and the other on the dash as he glared at her.

             
“You leave me the hell alone,” her voice was shaking.

             
“Leave you alone?” a smile lifted his lips. “You really want me to leave you alone? Alright darlin’ have it your way. I’m gonna pull down the road a bit here and let you alone and we’ll see how you like it. When you’re ready to be reasonable you come let me know and we’ll work somethin’ out okay?” Chris yanked the truck door closed and scooted back to the driver’s seat. He threw the truck in reverse and spun gravel as he turned the truck around and sped down the road back toward the highway.

             
Amanda stood shaking violently for a moment before bile rose in her throat sending her to lean against a tree as she vomited up the steak dinner she’d eaten earlier. Amanda slowly righted and looked around the dimly lit clearing. She had to get out of here. She had no idea how far he had gone or when or if he might come back. The gravel road they had come in on was the fastest way back to the highway but was also where he said he would be waiting. The nearest houses were nearly all the way around the lake.

             
“Think!” she ordered herself as she shivered in the night air. She had no shoes, no purse, no coat and she had to get moving. She had been here a time or two before and made herself stop and picture the clearing in the day time. There was a trail; she didn’t know exactly where it went but there was a trail. Trails had to go somewhere, right? Amanda crossed the clearing and managed to pick the trail out of the under growth. It was darker under the tree cover but moving was her only option. Amanda stumbled along, the briars and twigs poking and scratching her feet. She should have skipped the prom; she hadn’t been looking forward to it anyway. She could be at home with her brother and Cade right now, catching up and joking; picking a fight with her brother just to watch his feathers ruffle. She wanted nothing more than to be at home right now.

             
Amanda brushed away her tears and stopped when she came to a fork in the trail. She had no idea where she was. One path moved off to the right, the other to the left. She wasn’t certain, but the one to the left felt right, though she really had nothing to go on. Amanda hesitated a moment longer and then veered left. It was so dark; she could barely see the trail. Only the hard packed earth beneath her feet assured her she was still on a path. A moment later she paused.

             
“Mandy!” Chris bellowed in the darkness back in the direction she had come from. “Mandy! Where are you, baby; come on I didn’t mean to scare you.”

             
Amanda hurried forward.  The sound of an engine gunning and spinning on gravel sounded off to her rear and left. Chris leaving the lake access road? She certainly hoped so. Knowing that she couldn’t be seen from the road, Amanda resumed walking.  She had no idea how long she had been walking or how far she had gone when she heard the sound of another engine, this one moving past at a rapid speed somewhere ahead of her.

             
Amanda saw a flash of light moving past ahead and realized she was close to the highway. The thought brought her both relief and fear. She picked up her pace, she would have to take her chances; she was stranded unless someone came along. Amanda made the highway and paused to look around the empty ribbon of black. The road was fairly sparsely populated this far out, she realized with a sinking heart. Well, she knew which direction town lay, she nodded; her chin rose. She was a Jennings, she could deal with this. Amanda stepped onto the rough asphalt and started walking. She would never have believed that Chris Atkins was capable of what he had tried. Never.

             
Amanda heard rustling in the bushes along the road and shuddered. Of all the animals they had here, most were harmless, she reminded herself. Amanda picked up her pace; her fight or flight reflexes already on high alert. A moment later she was running. It was dark, she was scared, and she was cold. She slowed to a stop a moment later and looked around again. How far was she from town? Was she even going the right direction? Around her an owl called in the distance and the trees rustled in the night breeze. Not a single sound spoke of human presence. Her breath puffed in the air and disappeared; Amanda hoped she didn’t do the same.

Sixte
en

             
Amanda began walking again, her feet hurting; her knees burning, and back aching from where she had slammed into the ground upon falling out of the truck. Several minutes later lights appeared in the distance. At first they were indistinct, but as she drew nearer she could make out the neon of beer advertisements and a street light on a gravel parking area. Even a bar was a welcome sight, she mused as she started running. She had slowed by the time she made it across the gravel parking lot and was limping as she pushed the door open. Every eye in the place turned to watch her as she entered. Amanda pulled at her broken dress strap self-consciously and moved to the bar.

             
“Can I use your phone please?” she requested, her voice still shaking, even to her own ears.