Shaping Destiny Read Free Page A

while he gently smoothed back tangled
hair from across my forehead. “Leah, please open your eyes so I can
see if you’re OK. I promise I won’t hurt you. Don’t be
afraid.”
    His voice was kind and
confident, but I held much uncertainty about this mystery man. I
opened my eyes slowly to reveal piercing green eyes staring into
mine. With our stare unbroken he slowly sat me down on the grass
while he knelt in front of me. He had a medium build and messy,
short, dark brown hair. He wore the same black sweatshirt as
before. He was handsome, even with his brow furrowed.
    Like a rubber band
stretching to hold things together, I felt a need to draw this man
in. The need to know him was almost unbearable.
    “Who are you?” I
whispered. “How do you know my name?”
    He looked away. “I’m
sorry, I shouldn’t be here. I have to go.” He stood. “Go home now
and rest. Forget about what happened, and don’t say anything to
anyone. I know it doesn’t seem right to not tell anyone but please
trust me. You’re safe now.” He turned to go.
    I nodded, but no words
would come out as he jogged away.
    Go home, trust him, and
don’t tell anyone? What is going
on? Tears came rolling down my face. Now
being alone, crying was all I could do. So this is what the outside
world has to offer? Never having left my hometown, I guess I didn’t
know what to expect. I watched the news from time to time, but
realization never kicked in that I could be in danger.
    My father had sheltered
me, but I thought it was because I was the only girl born in the
whole Hawk family in over a hundred years. Stories were passed down
through generations that Great-great-grandmother had been an
outcast in her own town and was forced to relocate in Pagoda,
Colorado. She felt safe there, and it’s where she met my
great-great-grandfather. Our family line had been there ever since.
Father would never express why Grandma had to leave, no matter how
many times I asked. He would say, “You’re the first girl that has
been born since Great-grandma Hawk, and you’re very special. She
would be very proud of you. Girls are rare in our family. We love
you very much, Leah, so please be careful.”
    Grandmother’s story and my
father’s words came to me now. Sitting here in the grass I wondered
if Grandmother’s life was anything like what just happened to me
now. I knew nothing about her because of the lack of information my
father was willing to share, but at least I wasn’t forced out of
this town yet.
    Standing took more of an
effort than I expected. Being dragged on the ground and smashed
into metal was not at all comfortable. With a slight limp and a few
scratches on my hands and face I made it to the dorms again.
Remembering my agreement not to tell anyone what happened, I tried
to straighten my posture. Why was I doing
this? And why did I trust a total stranger? Thinking about him only
sent butterflies coursing through my body. Fear and gratitude are
what I felt for him. I feared him because I knew absolutely nothing
about him. For all I knew he could still be a bad guy. On the other
hand he had just saved my life.
    “Leah!” Jared said as I
came in the door and shut it behind me. “I tried calling you, but
you never answered. Gretchen said you went to get fresh air, but
that was over two hours ago.” He frowned and came closer to get a
better look at me, moving a strand of hair away from my face. “What
happened to you?”
    His caring tone made my
throat tighten. Tears threatened to overflow again, but I had to
keep my composure. How could I not confide in my best friend? I had
to tell someone and who better to tell than Jared?
    “I went for a walk . . . ”
A vision of beautiful green eyes came rushing into my thoughts.
Pushing them back I continued to tell Jared what had happened. “I
couldn’t get myself to relax, I just felt so jittery, but then I
saw . . . ”
    The mystery’s man’s kind
voice and handsome face appeared in my mind. He’d