A STRANGER AMONG STRANGERS

Katharine could feel the tension leaving the back of her shoulders. An enormous weight seemed as if it was being lifted from her and her whole personality began to change. The New Age calming music coming from her tape player was exchanged for the loud boisterous sounds of late twentieth century Rock and Roll. It brought out her wilder freer side. She sailed along Interstate 10, singing at the top of her lungs as the city lights faded in the distance behind her.

She'd been driving for hours and was beginning to get really hungry. She hadn't stopped to eat all day. Opening a can of juice, she decided a quick stop at the next eatery was just what she needed. It would revive her and be enough to keep her going until she was well into the mountains. She'd stop somewhere closer to the cabin and fill up with gas. That way she wouldn't have to bother with that again until her vacation was over. Katharine liked being prepared and having things well planned out, right down to the last detail. Everything just seemed to run smoother that way.

A few more miles down the road she passed a sign advertising home style cooking at the next exit, only three miles ahead. Katharine eased the SUV off the exit ramp and followed the side road to a diner overflowing with 18-wheelers. Must be good food if all these truckers are eating here. She parked off to the side and walked into the diner. As she opened the diner door the smell of good home cookin' tantalized her. There was the overpowering sounds of a busy noisy diner drowned out with rockin' fifties music on the PA system. She knew from the moment she walked in the door exactly what she wanted to order. A nice chicken fried steak with lots of country gravy smothering the steak and the mashed potatoes. No diet or rabbit food while on vacation. That could ruin a good vacation.

Katharine found an out of the way booth and sat down on the cool vinyl seat. Looking out the window next to her table she became completely absorbed by the view of the mountains. The evergreens stretched for miles, getting thicker and thicker as they neared the top.

"You want to order something or just stare out of the window all night honey?" A tall heavyset red headed waitress was standing next to her table staring down at her.

"I, I'm sorry," Katharine stammered. "I didn't see you standing there."

The waitress laughed, "With this bright red hair of mine I'm kind of hard to miss. You gonna read the menu or you already know what you want?"

Katharine grinned back at her, immediately taking a liking to her. "I'll take a cup of coffee and chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes with lots of gravy and carrots."

The waitress quickly scribbled on her menu pad, "Okay honey. Be back with your coffee in a sec."

Having stuffed herself with the last bite smothered in gravy, she sat back and breathed a calm satisfying sigh. She slowly rose from the booth and left a nice sized tip for the waitress who had brought her three cups of coffee. As she headed for the cash register she felt a strange uneasiness overcome her and she shivered slightly. She'd always had a sixth sense about things and right now she felt as if someone were watching her. Glancing around the diner, she carefully scrutinized the room full of strangers. The cashier came back to the register just as her searching eyes came to rest on a table full of dirty rugged looking men. She quickly paid her bill and headed for the door. As the door closed behind her she couldn't help looking back over her shoulder. A cold eerie feeling engulfed her. Shake it off Katharine. You're getting paranoid again. There's nobody in there paying you the slightest bit of attention. Quit letting your imagination get the better of you.

She slid into the front seat and started her ignition. Pulling out onto the highway she let her apprehension fade into the background. The surrounding forest seemed to be calling to her. All she could think of now was getting to her cabin. The evergreen trees seemed as if they would never end as she passed one after another, until they were so many they seemed to become one gigantic green maze. All too quickly the evening darkness would be upon her and her green maze would become a darkened blackened tunnel. She didn't like driving at night, especially down unfamiliar mountain roads, but it would be nice to get to her cabin and get settled in. As she headed down the endlessly winding roads, the diner lights fading into the distance, she never noticed the two vehicles that pulled slowly out of the diner behind her.