SHADOW OF A RECLUSE 

By Tessa Harvey


    The girl yelped and fell backwards, sliding a few metres down the rocky slope. Pebbles slithered after her. Barking, the little dog followed, scrambling to the young woman.
    She lay at an odd angle. The pebbles stopped rolling and there was silence. Hunter swore and scrambled down to where the young hiker lay, noting with alarm the little wild, white daisies near her head were flecked with blood. The dog glared at him.
    Hunter drew his leg back to give it a good kick and a wobbly voice said, "You do that and I will kick you where it hurts." The man stared. "Nobody speaks to me like that! Ever!" 
"So, time someone did, you big lout. Help me up!"
    Hunter drew out his mobile phone. Maybe he could get a signal though it was intermittent up here. "Nothing. Fine! Where are you hurt?" 
"My head." Gingerly, Hunter checked the girl's limbs. "I'm Marie." The girl spoke more softly. The man looked at the gash on the back of Marie's head. Aghh!" he thought, "why me?"

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