The Emerald Talisman Read Online Free PDF Page A

together. Everything happened so
quickly.
    “I…I ran and tripped and slid right off the
side of the cliff,” I said with a sniffle.
    “Well, it’s over now,” he said in a soft,
soothing voice.
    I looked up at the looming cliff face. I
could see what remained of the branch I clung to, twenty feet up.
It was even further to the top of the ledge where I initially heard
his voice coming from.
    I wanted to ask him how he got down to the
bottom of the cliff in time to save me, but felt too overwhelmed to
question him.
    “Are you hurt?” he whispered.
    I sniffled again. “I’m not sure.”
    My left palm began to sting. I opened my hand
to find a dirty, bright red scrape that ran the length of my arm,
past my elbow. The burning ache continued down the side of my body.
Lifting up the bottom corner of my shirt confirmed the injury ran
the length of my body. The wounds began to throb, along with my
ankle and I contemplated what to tell him.
    “Well?”
    I decided to be brave and not complain, until
I put weight on the other foot.
    “Oh, ouch.”
    “What’s wrong?”
    “My ankle…” I pointed to show him which
one.
    He bent down, pulled up my pant leg and
gently inspected it. I winced.
    “It’s starting to swell. Best if you stay off
of it. Can you climb on my back?” he asked.
    “Yeah?”
    My heart fluttered. I couldn’t believe I
actually intended to climb on his back. The whole thing seemed
completely surreal. How could this really be happening? I would’ve
thought this was a dream, but then I couldn’t deny the presence of
the stalker.
    “But what about…” I gulped and pointed
towards the cliff.
    “I wouldn’t worry. It’s gone.”
    “ It?”
    His comment sounded as if the stalker wasn’t
human.
    “Yes, I chased the animal away,” he
insisted in a growl. “Now climb on. I need to get you home.”
    The animal?
    I hesitated for a minute, contemplating his
comment. Could it really have just been an animal? The thought
boggled me but at the moment, I didn’t care. All I really wanted
was to get home where it was safe. I would ask him about it
later.
    With his help, I climbed onto his back. I
could feel his large muscles under his jacket and admired his nice
physique.
    “Ready?” he said.
    “Yes,” I said and hugged his neck.
    Nimbly, he charged his way down the ravine
along the mountain side. A path leading back up to the trail was
about 100 yards ahead of us. Keeping a tight grip on his neck, I
closed my eyes, enjoying the calming peace exuding from his body
and realized I was no longer worried. It was as if he’d wrapped me
in a warm comforting blanket and nothing in the world mattered. I
wanted to stay there forever.
    But suddenly he changed course and barreled
up the side of the cliff on a path unknown to me. I snapped out of
my new found utopia and squeezed tightly, feeling like a butterfly
hanging on for dear life, afraid I’d fall off. When I looked up, we
were level again and on the original trail.
    “Which way?” he spoke, barely out of
breath.
    I glanced behind us, but it was too dark to
see the path that led from the ravine to the trail. Furrowing my
brow, I wondered where this mysterious path lay hidden, as I knew
the trails by heart. Maybe we weren’t where I thought we were?
    “It’s that way,” I motioned, pointing him in
the general direction of my home.
    With ease, he carried me swiftly through the
dark. I clung to his back, but sensed his worry and inner struggle,
like he fought to control his feelings. I wondered why.
    Soon enough, we exited the woods and we were
on the road leading to my house. He relaxed and continued on
quietly, carrying me as if I were as light as a feather.
    The road was deserted, lit only by street
lights. The mudslide made the street into a dead end, so no one
drove down it unless they lived in the area. I was secretly
grateful. I could imagine what my neighbors would think seeing me
ride piggy-back on some guys back.
    Who was he anyway? And what