"Cravings Is a free short,
unedited story for the
visitors to Emery LaRue. This
story is strictly a work of fiction and the product
of the authors imagination.
"Cravings" is written with much thanks to my friend
Terri.
Deep in
the swamps of Louisiana
Terri stood on the porch of her newly constructed home,
listening to the sounds of the night and the Bayou. She
loved it here. She felt safe in the arms of the thick
trees and water that surrounded her. Like she had
finally found her place in the world. She had thought
she had it before. Before her life was turned upside
down.
In the city, she had been among the best at what she
did. A bodyguard to the rich and famous, as well as a
witness protection agent. When the client was of the
utmost importance, Terri was the first they would call.
She stepped off the porch and walked to the bridge she
insisted be built over the rolling river. Looking into
the murky water, she smiled at her newest friend.
"Snap" as she so fondly called him, was at least ten
feet of deadly alligator. She had made the mistake of
stepping into his territory while she had scouted the
best place for her bridge. When the reptile had burst
through a brush lining, the sandwich in her hand had
dropped from her fingers, but her feet had refused to
move. Snap had watched her, hissed a time or two and
slowly approached her.
After what seemed like a lifetime, he gulped down her
sandwich and turned away without a glance back at her.
"Hello, Snap." she said as he watched her from just
under the bridge, his mouth open and waiting. "No, I
didn’t forget you." she pulled a sandwich from the bag
of several she had made, and tossed it into his mouth.
Terri wasn’t brave enough to go any closer just yet. He
seemed content with the situation and never ventured
close to her or her home. If he became curious, he would
stand on the bank of the river, waiting and watching.
"Have I told you thanks yet?" she tossed another
sandwich. "I don’t understand why you decided we could
be friends, but I'm glad you did."
After the last morsel of food had been tossed, Snap sat
in the water, watching her, as if waiting for her to
speak.
"Am I that predictable?" she smiled, gazing out over the
vegetation that surrounded her. For the last few weeks,
she would talk and as if he understood every word, Snap
would calmly sit and listen. "You’re a smart one, ill
give you that."
Terri didn’t question her need to speak to the big
animal that could easily devour her in a minute. Though
she liked the safety that the swamp brought her, lonely
was always at her door.
When the company insisted she go into hiding for her
safety, Terri gave them no quarter. She had busted her
ass for the group for years, and since she would miss
out on the retirement, she cashed in on it early. The
shocked look they sent her when she told them were she
wanted to live was almost funny. After a debate, they
had hired out private contractors, and built her the
house in the swamp, along with every extra she could
imagine, and a sizeable amount in the bank. But that
didn’t lessen the anger in her heart and mind. Phillip
caused all this.
Terri’s eyes narrowed at the thought of the man who had
sworn to love her, and then nearly killed her. Not for
the first time she wished she could have just one more
crack at the son of a bitch. As if the memory alone
could affect it, the scar on her shoulder itched.
Phillip had been a client of the highest priority and
had specifically requested her as his guard. He was a
handsome devil, and even though now she knew he had
other motives, for a brief time, she had believed he
loved her. When it became clear he was actually a drug
lord, and was using her as a means to gain information,
she lead the team to bring him down. But not before he
had put a bullet in her shoulder and escaped with the
threat of her life on his perfect lips.
So here she was, hiding out in the swampy Bayou, but
oddly enough, she loved it here. Though her name had
been changed for all the obvious reason’s, she didn’t
practice the use. Who the hell would find her out here?
Not to mention, when she took the paddle boat around the
bend for her mail and read the name
Candy on the envelopes, she wanted to puke. Candy was a
fine name, but not for a woman used to carrying a weapon
and known for her skills with a knife.
"What do you think, Snap? Candy the name for me?"
As if he understood, he hissed and splashed his
monstrous head in the water.
"I agree."
Suddenly snap whipped around in the water, and slowly
sank below the surface.
Terri watched him, puzzled. He was acting very
territorial again, though he seemed to have accepted
her. The fine hairs on the back of her neck prickled,
and she knew she was being watched.
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