Daring!

Silly. Ridiculous. Not outstanding. I wrote this short story for my sister, who enjoys reading, for her birthday. I tried my hand at romance… Okay, I not that good at it. I just need a little practice, but I am on my way to be a millionaire romance author. 😉 Just kidding! You’ll see. 😂

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Daring

              Dick Sterlfield flipped up the tap on the small coke can, as he swallowed a huge mouthful of food.

              “Dick, do you really think that it’s okay?” Amy Patterson asked with a concerned look.

              “It’s just you and me. Just like all the time. Nothing more than a date. I just want to show it to you. We don’t have to be there long, anyway.” He reassured her with a pat on her delicate hand.

              “Okay…” Amy murmured, still unsure.

              Amy watched as Dick ate the last bit of his club sandwich, then motioned for her to get up; they were about to leave.

              As Amy trailed behind Dick, she observed the tall stature of his body: thick shoulders, large chest, and muscular arms. He had black curly hair, emerald eyes, thin lips, and a clean-shaven chin. Amy sucked in a deep breath as she felt the butterflies in her stomach roar.

              It will be fine. She told herself. Why am I so worried anyway? I’ve gone with Dick a numerous of times. It’s no big deal. Then why are you so worried? I’m not. You are. The war began within her.

              By then they had reached the car. Dick scrambled to open her door to his black and blue corvette.  

              “So, where exactly are we going?” Amy asked as she slid into the fine leather seat.

              “It’s a surprise.”

“But you said—” Dick smiled and gently closed the car door.

              Dick ran around the car, jumped in, and purred the engine to life.

              “Oh yeah, baby!” He slammed the car into reverse and practically flew out of the parking lot.

              “Are we in that big of a hurry?” Amy laughed.

              His jolly smile and laugh left his face. “Yeah, it’s important.”

              Silence invaded the sports car and soon the reached the edge of the city. They drove into the depths of the thick forest, by then Dick had slowed the car considerably. They were going up the mountain. The lush area sprung forth with greenery.

              “It’s so beautiful.” Amy whispered, enjoying the scenic views around her.

              Dick opened his mouth to say something, but wisely chose not to stir up anything, especially since they were so close. He wanted her comfortable. He needed her comfortable.

              A few miles up they neared a small expanse; sunlight trickled through the trees above, creating a golden dance floor below. Dick eased the car on to forest floor and parked.

              Amy didn’t wait for the engine to stop before she got out. Spinning around, she tried to get every angle.

              “Oh, Dick, this is so lovely.” Amy uttered, afraid to ruin the soft noises of wildlife.

              Dick nodded, but clearly this wasn’t what he intended to show her. He motioned her to follow him, as he headed toward the trees.

              “We’ll be there in probably fifteen minutes if we hurry.” Dick said.

              As they traversed, they approached a calm opening. At first it almost seemed like nothing, but as they drew closer, it was actually a sheer cliff. A few drops from a little stream, beginning somewhere above, filtered into the mossy vegetation growing upon the rock.

              Amy reached for Dick’s hand. “Dick, I’m so glad that you brought me here. It’s beautiful.”

              He took her hand and tenderly lead her to the edge, where they sat down; the view was gorgeous.

              Amy glanced at Dick, taking her eyes away from the scene before her. She had never seen him so quiet. So thoughtful.

              He turned to her; his nervous look sent shivers into her spine.

              “I just want to let you know how much I love y—”

              A rustle from behind and a cocking of the gun stopped him midsentence. They turned to see a group of five men, each with a gun in their hands. Pointed straight at them.

Amy instinctively edged closer to Dick. They both rose to their feet, teetering over the cliff of eight hundred feet.

              “Don’t you move, or we’ll shoot, and you know how it feels to be shot, eh, Sterlfield?” A man in the middle calmly stated.

              Dick glanced at Amy; his face was grim, and she could see a hint of worry in his eyes. He said nothing.

               “Well, aren’t we lucky to find you here. Huh, men?” The boss man mockingly asked. “And, better yet, he brought his sweetypie. Let’s see how much he loves her, eh?”

              “Validar, you should be more careful in what you say. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you Priscilla Andrew has a BULLET tracking her at all times. Right now, I can wink an eye and she would be gone. No one would ever know, except you, of course.” Dick countered.

              What was Dick talking about? Surely, he was bluffing, buying more time before their quick deaths. No one would know if they were tossed of the cliff. 

              Amy noticed a fleeting look of fear flashed across Validar’s face. “You are bluffing. I can tell.” He was no longer laughing.

              “I’m not.”

              “You are.”

              “Not any more than this is bluffing.”  Dick flicked his wrist. Suddenly a small explosion erupted from behind the Validar’s men, knocking them to the ground. All except Validar. He was startled, but soon he became rugged. But Dick had already withdrawn a gun from his jacket and aimed it directly at Validar.

              Dick slowly walked toward Validar. Amy stepped to follow, but he stopped her.

              “You know, if you weren’t so fast, you’d be dead right now.” Validar fumed under his breath.

              “Stop talking, Validar.”

              “DICK!” Suddenly, Amy screamed in terror.  Dick whirled around; a man, with a knife to Amy’s neck, stood holding her.

              “Too bad you didn’t know we had backups.” Validar let out an evil laugh, talking to Dick’s back.

              Dick felt the familiar searing pain of a bullet breaching his skin, under his shoulder; then another and another. Validar had shot him three times and they weren’t normal bullets either; they were spiked. Once a spiked bullet burrowed through flesh, it released long pricking legs in the skin. Not only that, it contained a pain enhancing poison. Dick groaned. How could he have made such a foolish move?

              The searing pain sent him to the ground, but he could still see Amy.

              “Knock him over the edge, quickly, we got to get out of here before the police come.”

              His vision was fading and so was his mind. He barely felt as boots kicked him over the rock and toward the edge. Then he was falling…falling…and falling.

 “Dick—” Amy’s voice was cut off as the man knocked her out.

*******

Dick slowly opened his eyes. He couldn’t remember where he was or why his body was experiencing such throbbing, but then it all clicked.

  All around him were trees or at least the tops of them. He then realized that he had fallen into such a tree.

He had to get out of here. He had to find Amy. He knew Validar wouldn’t have killed her– he never killed women. 

Dick worked himself from the branches and onto the ground. He could feel the bullet holes in his back, but why weren’t they bleeding profusely? He whipped his jacket and shirt off and glanced at his back. In three places he had giant bruises, but nothing more. No holes. Nothing.

He understood and let out a laugh.

“Thank you, Father! Thank you, Jesus!” He sent his prayer heavenward. He was wanted alive. He had been protected or healed for a reason. He was now sure it was his mission to save Amy.

He put his jacket and shirt back on and glimpsed at his watch; it was broken. But based on the sun’s movement, he had only been unconscious for only a few hours.  

Validar couldn’t have gone far, and Dick knew exactly the location of his headquarters.

He began to run.

*******

Amy’s head felt like it was about to explode. She opened her eyes. It was dark and dank. Amy found herself sitting on the cold floor; her hands tied behind her and her feet chained to the ground.

Where am I? She wondered. Then bare memory struck her.  Dick was dead. Gone. At first the tears wouldn’t even come; it was so hard to believe. But when it finally sunk in, her quiet weeping echoed in the empty concrete room. 

All of her will was gone. Living without the love of her life was worse than dying. Why hadn’t she been killed too. Instead, she was left alive in a locked room without food or water.

“Oh, Dick, why?”

*******

Dick swallowed. He was finally in the lair, but where was Amy? He cocked his gun; enemy territory surrounded him, and it wasn’t exactly safe.

The police were outside the building, encircling all of Validar’s known team. Dick had gone to ahead to find Amy and get her out of the way. The problem was Amy wasn’t anywhere. Two days had passed since she had been captured; surely, they hadn’t moved her. Hopefully.

Dick had searched everywhere within the concealment of the shadows. The only other place she could have been was the attic, which was too inhuman, considering the heat and small spaces. But it was possible.

Dick panned the area and crept silently toward the back of the building, the location of the attic door.

When he got there, the door was locked, key padded shut. But that didn’t bother Dick, he had already reached into his pocket for his tools and in three seconds the pad was opened. He entered cautiously, his prodding eyes searching everything. As he wandered up the stairs, he kept his eyes out for cameras and pressure-plated alarms. Once he reached the top, one lone door stood at the end of the hallway of air-conditionings. 

Crossing the distance quickly, he opened the door, which wasn’t locked.

The room was empty except for a frail form laying on the floor. It was Amy. Dick hurried to her and kneeled down. She was pale; too pale and looked as if she hadn’t eaten in days. Lifting her head, he felt for her pulse. Faint but still constant.
              “Amy.” Dick whispered, stroking her hair. “I’m so sorry they did this to you.”   She stirred slightly but didn’t awaken. Despite the lack of food and water, her sleepy face glowed with beauty. Dick wouldn’t have minded sitting there forever just gazing at her stunning features.

Gently kissing her cheek, Dick scooped her up in his arms, only to realize that her feet were chained to the ground. Finding the keyhole, Dick quickly picked it.

Once she was free, a sudden roar of fire flickered at the end of the room. What had happened?

The small fire spread insanely fast; not leaving Dick enough time to ponder the occurrence. Must have tripped a trap. He thought, just as he left the room with Amy in his strong arms.

“I got to get you out of here.” He said to her, as he quietly slipped down the stairs.

Once he was at the bottom, Dick glanced back. A roaring heat blazed from behind. Dick had to get out quickly, but a fire blockade was scattered across the hallway ahead somehow. The only exit lead straight to Validar’s men, not an ideal place to go. Clearly the fire wasn’t just an accident; it was planned. Forcing whoever had dared to rescue Amy to face the consequences.

              He burst through the door, with his head ducked, and into the headquarters, going for a surprise entrance.
              Thankfully, he had ducked quickly enough, because two men had been standing at the door with ready punches. Validar stood in the middle of the room, his other men surrounded him.

              Swiftly turning to see the intruder, Validar stared in surprise as he saw no other than the man he had killed two days before.

              “You again, Sterlfield. How is it that you have risen again?” Validar seethed.  

              “Stop! Right where you are!” The loud police chief yelled. He had come in at just the right time, with a group of men behind him.

              Validar’s back was toward the police, but he quickly turned with a drawn gun around. Only get to a hearty kick in the back by Dick’s foot, which sent Validar flying onto his chest.

              “Come, boys, let’s round them up.” The police chief commanded, with a smile on his face.

*******

              Amy opened her eyes to a crisp white room. She couldn’t remember where she was.

              The door creaked inward and a woman in a white suit walked in.

              “You’re finally awake.” The nurse stated.

              “Am I in the hospital?” Amy asked, completely confused, but able to identify her surroundings.

              “Yes. If you feel alright, may I ask some questions?” She pulled out a clipboard from the cabinet.

              “Go right ahead.”

              The nurse asked several questions. She turned her page.

              “Do you remember anything before you fell unconscious.”

              Amy turned stone cold. She could recall every detail. Every hour in the dark room of her captivity. Every word Dick had said before he died.

              “Yes. I remember.”

              “Do want to talk about it?”

              “I am not really feeling up for it.”

              “Okay. I’ll check in on you a minute.” The white suited nurse left the room, leaving Amy to the awakened grief.

              She sensed tears drizzle down her cheeks. How will I ever live without Dick? I needed him. I loved him.

              She sucked in. Her sorrow would have to wait. Once she checked out of the hospital, she would probably be questioned by the police, and then she would be able to go home, to grieve her heart out.

              Amy wiped her face and looked out the window.

              The door opened. Another nurse probably. Amy felt too weak to even look.

              “Amy?” Dick’s strong voice echoed into the room. She whipped her head around, and there was Dick. Deep concern was in his eyes, and he looked worried.

              “Dick? You? How…? You were dead?!?” She stuttered, amazed.

              “I’m fine.”

              “They shot you.”

              “Healed.” Dick came toward her bed; his handsome face sparkled a smile.

              “Oh, Dick.” Amy tossed her legs over the bed and rose to get up. Stars glittered in her eyes and the cables connecting to her body stopped her from getting too far. Amy’s legs gave way, but Dick caught her in his arms.

“Dick.” Amy, unable to contain her emotions, burst into tears. “Oh, Dick, I thought you were dead.”

Dick held her close, comforting her.

“It’s okay.” He whispered into her hair.

Amy snuggled into his chest, as the tears subsided.

*******

“Where are we going?”

Dick and Amy were driving down the freeway. It had been three days since Amy’s hospital stay. Dick had picked her up a few minutes before from her house and set out without explanation.

“It’s a surprise.” Dick replied with a grin. Then a long silence followed.

“Dick, who were those men? And why did they want to kill you?”

Dick let out a sigh and hesitated before saying. “Those men were enemies. Enemies of this country.”

“But why did they attack you?”

“Because I work for this country.”

Amy now understood. Dick was probably under such secrecy so that he couldn’t even tell her what his real job was. She didn’t ask any more questions. 

“Here we are.” Dick said as he pulled into a parking slot at a fancy restaurant.

Once they entered, Amy felt totally underdressed in her dainty summer gown. The restaurant glowed with dazzling lights, large fixtures hung from the tall ceiling, and lovely tables.  

They quickly were seated. Dick looked restless and nervous; just like on the day Amy had been captured.

They ordered, but Dick could hardly keep up a conversation. Halfway through the meal, Amy, worried about Dick, asked.

“Is everything all right?”

“Uh…yeah.” He had been acting like that the whole meal. What was bothering him?

Dick still didn’t relax, but instead he grabbed Amy’s hand. “Amy, I was trying to tell you earlier, but then, you know what happened.” He looked at her passionately. “I love you. And I want you to become my wife.” It all gushed out, not planned at all, but then he enunciated his question more clearly. “Will you marry me?”

“Yes!” Amy nearly shouted. Dick pulled her into a romantic kiss across the table.

The waiter walked up, saw the couple, and awkwardly backed away with a smile on his face.

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Yep, pretty bad. But you know practice makes perfect. Or at least progress. 🙂 Thanks for reading!

It was good practice and just like we all need to practice writing, so also we need to practice godliness. Philippians 4:8-9 says “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”