‘It’s bloody freezing.’
She dug icy hands into her pockets and regretted leaving her gloves in the car in her haste and bad temper. She hunched her shoulders up to her ears as the bitter chill seeped bone deep. Mean and sneaky, it found the gaps in the neckline of her coat and filtered through to send ripples of goosebumps over her flesh. Damn, but she should have worn more layers. She kept enough of them in her car, but her temper had got the better of her.
She brought her nose out of where she had it tucked in her coat as Domino shot by once more and breathed a sigh of relief that she’d had the sense not to follow the even steeper route up to Patten’s Rock.
Out of control, Domino flew down the hillside above her, clipped the side of her leg in his headlong rush and almost sent her over the edge of the path after him.
‘Shit.’ Her heartbeat spiked as she teetered on the edge, one foot slipping in the mud before she managed to pull herself back. ‘Bloody dog, no sense of personal space. No sense, full stop.’
She dragged in a deep breath. For her own safety, she slipped her hands back out of her pockets for balance, just in case the dog side-swiped her again and pushed her over the edge. She narrowed her eyes and peered into the blackness of the Gorge while Domino careered through the undergrowth.
In her next life, she wanted to be a dog. Wild and carefree, with nothing to worry about. Tough and energetic, just like Domino.
Fliss pulled her phone from her pocket and swiped the screen to check the time and then slipped it away again. She’d better get a move on before she couldn’t even see the hand in front of her face. Other than the muted sounds of birds settling for the night, the distant echoes of voices and the occasional excited yip from a dog in Dale End Park directly opposite her on the other side of the river, peace settled around her.
Head down, she powered on, away from the soft lights of the town, deeper into the murky woodland, accompanied by the comforting thrash of Domino charging around.
One foot suddenly shot from underneath her and she slithered down a short, muddy incline. Arms spread wide, her spine cracked as she jerked upright and then came to a slippery halt as she grabbed onto the short stretch of wooden hand railing.
Still on her feet. Just. Heart beating in the base of her throat, she bent over from the waist and blew out a gusty sigh. Perhaps she shouldn’t power on. Perhaps slow and steady was the means to stay alive.
Below her, Domino’s enthusiasm quietened to soft snuffles and the darkness closed in. Above her, leaves rustled, and twigs snapped. She straightened, held onto her breath to listen. Something else moved amongst the trees.
Attuned to the peacefulness of her surroundings, Fliss angled her head so she could hear better. She blinked to focus on the shadowy woodland and waited. If there were deer, she was about to lose her dog if he decided to sprint after them, but the likelihood of deer getting so close wasn’t too high, not even the bold muntjac. Not with the racket Domino made.
She sucked in a lungful of cold air, held it, her brow drawn low as she concentrated.
It didn’t sound like deer. Not unless a whole herd had descended on them. Not a badger either. They would have just thundered past, oblivious of their surroundings. Busy characters, they tended not to stop for anything.
This was different, more rhythmic.
She tilted her head to one side to better catch the sound.
Footsteps. Definitely. Heavy footfall coming straight towards her down the embankment, from the higher pathway leading from Broseley. There was no hesitation in the steps, some slipping, some sliding, but whoever was there had to be confident of their ability and familiarity with the terrain.
‘Hello?’ Fliss burst out, her voice sharp and demanding, full of confidence she didn’t feel.
In an instant, the footfall halted. A heavy silence descended from above, but Domino’s movements still gave her some reassurance. A big dog, she’d never felt insecure with him around, knowing he’d protect her.
Doubt sent small shudders through her as her teeth chattered against the cold. Fliss peered into the darkness above her for movement as she strained to pick up any sound.
Nothing.
Perhaps it had been deer, or a badger. Badgers made plenty of noise, but what creature would freeze at the sound of her voice? Most would make off through the undergrowth.
As the wind shifted and swirled around her, she picked up the clear sound of the twilight dog walkers on the other side of the river in Dale End Park. The acoustics of the area carried their voices up the Gorge, the long valley emphasising their muffled laughter and dog-barking as though they were right beside her.
She turned her head to catch the sound of Domino, quieter now, closer, while he snuffled in the wet autumn leaves, unconcerned by anything other than the scent he’d picked up. She should be reassured by his closeness, but she couldn’t dismiss the icy tingle which ran from her neck, down her spine and kept her still while she scanned the area above her and listened for something, anything.
Nothing.
‘Domino.’ Fliss hissed out his name as she stepped back to retrace her way along the path. She wasn’t yet halfway along, and she considered it may be better to go back, rather than deeper into the woods.
Spooked, she focused on the area above her, determined to detect some movement. Her heartbeat throbbed in the base of her throat. She hitched in fast snatches of air as thinly veiled panic skittered through her veins. She tried to regulate her breathing, held it for a long moment, while she listened for further sounds. Concerned more at the unsettling silence above her.
She turned her head at the crackle of leaves as Domino moved closer.
‘Good boy. C’mon, Domino. Good boy.’ With a hushed croon, she bent from the hips and kept her face upturned to watch for any movement, her head tilted to listen. She groped for the dog’s harness, soothing him while she stroked one hand along his smooth, warm body and took what comfort she could from his presence. With her free hand, she reached into her pocket for her mobile phone. Despite Domino’s closeness, her icy fingers still fumbled while she clenched her jaw and pushed back the flutter of fear.
Clouds skimmed over the full moon to blot out the light. The damned dark. Always the subject of her nightmares.
She swivelled on her heel, released the dog’s harness and swiped at the quick dial for her sister’s number as she strode back the way she’d come as quickly as the narrow path would allow.
As though he sensed her discomfort, Domino matched his pace to hers and trotted along two steps ahead.
The phone gave a sharp trill at the other end. The fierce glow from the light heightened the density of the surrounding darkness as it closed in around her. Determined to tamp down on the panic, Fliss snapped her spine ramrod straight as she edged her way back along the path and waited for her sister to pick up.
Just the sound of Jenna’s voice would give her confidence, although she was never going to admit to being frightened.
The signal slipped down to two bars and then dropped out.
From the sinister quiet above her, the dry crack of a twig broke through her thoughts and Fliss sobbed out a desperate gasp while she froze in her tracks to stare into the cloying blackness. There was someone there. Someone above her. Watching.
‘Hello. Is anyone there?’
Disgusted at the quaver in her own voice, Fliss held her breath and listened.
Silence.