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lit another cigarette. I chuckled briefly at the thought of giving myself lung cancer. Maybe he'd just let me die of my own folly. It was then I knew that the terror was getting to me. I was starting to crack under the pressure of anticipation.

"Why can't you just show up already?!" I yelled to the mountains, "Let's get this over with!"

I checked out the windows on all four sides of the cabin. It must have been the tenth time I'd done so since it had gotten bright enough out to see. Clearing, road, river, forest. And mountains all around.

There was no one there. I was safe for at least a few more minutes.

I never thought I'd go this way. Hiding in a hole, far away from everyone I love. Don't we always say, If I knew I was about to die, I'd want to spend that time with my family'? What a great person I am, knowing he's coming for me, and I didn't even say goodbye to Brenda.

But, if I could somehow get out of this death sentence, there would be all the time in the world to make this up to her. We could kiss and cuddle on the beaches of Monaco. We could salsa in the streets of Santo Domingo. We could chow down in Hong Kong. I would take her anywhere, give her anything, if only I had the chance. If only I could get away from him.

I knew there was no chance of that. I knew he'd find me. I'd been the one he wanted all along. All the others were just stepping stones on his way to me.

And soon, sometime today, he'd have me. Then it would be all over.

I snuffed out my last cigarette. I picked up the gun and slipped it into my pocket. The sun was up, now, and it was time for a walk.

I knew it was foolish to lock the cabin's door. It was already warm out, and today promised to bring the full heat of summer, so all the windows were open. But I couldn't resist the urge to make myself feel like I was making the place secure. So he couldn't sneak up on me.

I walked down to the trail that ran along the river. If I followed it far enough, I'd come to the peak of some unnamed mountain. If I went the other way, I'd eventually come to Lake Ontario. Brenda and I had made that journey for our 5th anniversary. How long ago that was now.

I walked along the sandy path, following it down, past titanic boulders overgrown with lichen. Into a copse of pine, I went. I walked beside a towering cliff face, with little rivulets streaming down. I came, at last, to the ancient wooden bridge. It was a mere 50 feet of grayed wood that spanned a shallow ford. It had been there as long as I could remember,

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