A New Way Home

A late summer heat wave made the bike ride home from work brutal for Matt. The heat was not the worst part, the humidity was. The saving grace was the wooded path he took for most of the ride home. Unfortunately, Matt hit a small, sharp stone that pinched the tire just right and punctured the inner tube.

The wind while riding made the humidity and temperature bearable. Sweat formed on his forehead immediately now and started dripping into his eyes. Without a spare inner tube or the tools to change it, Matt was forced to walk his bike home. A few minutes after he started walking a hiker came from the other direction. She smiled at Matt and stopped when she noticed the flat.

“I can help,” the beautiful waif said. The girl, waif, had long blonde hair. Her frail stature made it hard for Matt to believe she could carry her backpack. Her soft features drew Matt into her. She handed Matt a bottle of water. The heat was getting to Matt so he accepted the gift. After drinking deeply he started to get dizzy. He struggled to stay awake to no avail. He sat on the ground and lay back, losing consciousness.

Matt could not tell how much time had passed since he fell asleep. It was still light out. His bike was fixed and in perfect working order. He kept thinking his name is Alisha. He felt and looked like Alisha. Then the rumors came back to him, rumors about a witch in the woods protecting travelers for a price. Alisha never paid much stock in paranormal mysteries, until now. His wife will sure be surprised when he walks in the door tonight. He has a story to tell.