Free Logan's Leap by JJ Ellis, TA Ellis Page A

different cabin.”
    “No,”
Logan stressed quietly. “I think it is about time I go back up there.” Jayna’s
heart ached at the sound of her friend’s voice. She’d never heard someone so
sad…or was it afraid.
    “Okay
son,” Travis said, shaking Logan’s hand. "If you need anything just holler.”
    Jayna
was deep in thought in the passenger seat when Logan appeared beside her. The
engine started and he pulled out onto the highway. She noticed him checking the
rearview mirror often.
    “Where
are we going, Logan?”
    A
sigh eased its way from between his lips. “My family’s hunting cabin.”
    “If
it makes you uncomfortable…”
    “It’s
okay, Sleeping Beauty. I’ll be fine.”
    Jayna
warred with herself. Should she push it? Or shouldn’t she? In the end she
decided to push on. If he was going to be moody when they were cooped up
together, she deserved to know why. “Why are you hesitant to go there?” she
asked softly. “I should know.”
    Another
sigh slipped between his lips, only the end of this one sounded like a whimper.
    “My
brother,” he murmured then cleared his throat. “My oldest brother, Ben, killed
himself at the cabin.” His voice broke. “My dad and I found him, and I haven’t
been back since.”
    She
looked away from him. “I’m so sorry Logan. Maybe we should go somewhere else.”
    “Like
I told Travis, it’s time for me to go back. You’re just my reason. A very good
reason,” he said reaching over to squeeze her hand. “Why don’t you take a hint
from your son and take a nap. We have at least an hour until we get there."
    Jayna
closed her eyes, thinking about how hard this was for Logan and about how she
would be the cause of his pain. Within a few minutes, exhaustion took over and
she fell into a trouble sleep.
     
    **********
     
    About
an hour later, Logan pulled up in front of the cabin. As he reached toward
Jayna, his hand abruptly stopped. A tremble had overtaken him and he felt cold
inside. After a moment, he was able to wake her with a light tap to the
shoulder.
    “Are
we home now, Daddy?” she asked sleepily. “I had a horrible dream.”
    “We’re
at the cabin,” Logan replied, shock evident in his voice. “Remember, the
cabin?”
    Jayna’s
eyes flew open in alarm. The brown orbs flashed around quickly before settling
on the concerned face of her friend. When she saw him, she settled back into
the seat and sighed. “I’m sorry, it all seemed like a dream.”
    “Hey,
it’s okay. I know I wish the threat to you and CJ was just a dream,” he
replied, opening the driver’s side door and stepping out. “Let’s get inside and
settle in.”
    “Is
it always so gloomy here?” she asked, looking around the shadowy landscape.
    “No,
no, it’s the time of day,” he replied. “The sun is hitting the trees just
right. The place is fantastic around noon.”
    “But
it…it’s so shadowy and dark,” she murmured. “Someone could sneak right up.”
    “They
would need to know we’re here,” Logan replied with a knowing smile. “Plus there
is dangerous wildlife in the area.”
    Pulling
the carrier from the SUV, Jayna turned and headed to the porch. Logan noticed
she constantly scanned the area as she moved.
    Opening
the back of the SUV, he started pulling the boxes out and headed toward the
cabin. As he stepped on the porch, he came to a complete and sudden stop. His
body began to tremble and his eyes glazed over. There in front of him lie the
body of his brother. The vivid image had him dropping the box and turning to
vomit over the porch rail. He could still see the blood splatter, the gore, and
the pool of blood beneath sixteen-year-old Ben.
    "Logan
are you okay?” she asked, concern coloring her words. “Poor baby, let me help.”
    “I’ll
be okay, just give me a minute,” he said, wiping his mouth. “When I stepped on
the porch, the image of Ben came back in detail.”
    "I’m
so sorry, this is my fault,” she cried. “You wouldn’t be