Sarai Henderson's Blog, page 260

The Midnight Trail - Part Five

Part Five
Consciousness slipped in and out as my mind slowly came back to me. Before I could even open my eyes, my legs stirred, remembering the feeling of falling, but not landing. They weren’t broken, but my skin burned on my left calf telling me that something was wrong. I slowly opened my eyes, peaking into the sun.
Where was I? The ground around me was rocky, piled up on the ground like a fresh landslide from above. My body lay awkwardly on top of the boulders, with only a few small rocks scattered over my bare legs. The source of the burning was a large scrape on the outside of my calf. It was red and blood dripped down into my sock. It would heal, but I would have to keep it clean until I could get back to my car.
Pulling myself to a sitting position, I was able to get a better picture of what had happened. Above me, the rock that Chris and I had been standing on was gone. It now lay in pieces underneath me, a shattered mess of what it used to be. The river was close by, still bubbling, moving quickly down stream unaware that anything had happened. The sun was still high overhead, it was maybe two or three in the afternoon. I had lost a few hours, but there was still enough time to hike out before dark. It would be slow going with my leg being injured, but I could do it.
“Chris…” I called out wondering what had happened to the wayward young man. He didn’t answer. How could he have just left me here? Unless… My heart was pounding as I searched around the rubble frantically for any sign that he had fallen over the ledge along side of me. A few feet away I found him, his body limp, blood dripping from a gash in the side of his head, matting the hair to his skull. “Chris.”
My fingers were shaking as I searched for a pulse on the young man’s neck. His body was cold, but I couldn’t give up hope that he was still alive. He had to be alive. Patiently and quietly my fingers pressed against flesh, searching for the thumping of a heart beat. I nearly yelled with joy when I found it. Chris was alive.
There were a few rocks that had landed on his legs. I lifted them off him as best as I could, but with my hands shacking and the size of the rocks, it was hard to move them without causing more injuries, even to my own leg. Good thing Chris was unconscious or he would be cussing me out right now.
Slowly, I lifted Chris from his shoulders, trying to be careful with his neck, and dragged him from the rock pile. He came to rest in the shade of a large oak tree near the river where he would be shaded from the harsh sun.

What was I supposed to do now? I wasn’t sure of the severity of Chris’s wound, but I knew that he needed a hospital. He could die out here and there would be nothing I could do. My mind screamed as plopped myself down under the tree next to Chris. Tears formed in my eyes, threatening to stream down my face. This was the second time in my life I sat next to someone and was forced to watch them die. First with Jarod, now with this stranger and it was all my fault. I feared the release I was looking for on this dammed trail was never going to be found.
Sydney seems to be in a lot of trouble. Will she snap out of her self loathing and figure out a way to save Chris, or will she watch him die the same way she watched her brother die? Find out in the next installment of The Midnight Trail.

June Movies

I really don't know why I end up with these weird movies on my DVR, but this is seriously weird. I guess it gives me something to pass the time while I work around the house or sit on the couch with a sleeping two year old in my lap.
Our first movie is Deadly secrets or also known as confession (2005) I don't know why it comes up with two names. On my DVR its deadly secrets, IMDB its confession. Who knows.
Any way, this movie has a young Chris Pine in it, one of my favorite Chris' of course. He plays a troubled teen in a Catholic school who accidentally kills someone. Their are a lot of priests and a pretty girl in it. To tell you the truth, I don't even know what the pretty girl has to do with the movie. He visits her a few times but the dialog really doesn't add anything to the story that we don't already know and all Chris' character can say to her is, "I like your face." Who doesn't?

You can check out the trailer here on IMDB if you like. I would give this movie a 2.5 out of 5 stars. It was a good movie to play in the background while I was working, but kind of boring to sit through.



Next up, Forsaken (2015) - My husband actually rented this one from Redbox. It looked pretty good and we like new westerns so we thought it was a safe bet. Plus, who doesn't like Kiefer and Donald Sutherland?

It was a little corny. You have the young man who went off to war and his home coming wasn't a very warm welcome. The town he grew up in is in trouble and of course the only one who can save it is the ousted young man. I've heard this plot a million times before, but with that being said, we enjoyed it. At one point, I turned to my husband and said, "He's about to be Kiefered!"

If you're looking for a date night movie, maybe pick this one up and have a good time with the Sutherlands.

I would give this movie 3.5 stars out of 5. Just because the plot is predictable.

Watch the trailer here at IMDB.




Last but not least we have Up in the air (2009) It has a great cast like George Clooney and Anna Kendrick. Love them, but the plot was slightly depressing. Like a huge slight.

The two main characters in the movie are trying to figure out the best way to fire people. Clooney's character flies around the country and fires people face to face, while Kendrick's character has developed an online approach to things and everything just goes down hill. People cheat on each other and break up with each other and lives are ruined all over the place. It was actually kind of boring. I watched it while I was folding laundry and at the end I just wanted to eat a lot of sweets and cry.

The acting was amazing of course and the plot was something I had never seen before, but it just sucked the joy out of me.

If you like this kind of movie I would recommend it to you, but other than that, not my cup of tea.

I give this movie 2 stars out of 5 for its boring and depressing nature.

If you would like to watch the trailed, check it out here at IMDB.

These are the movies of the week. If you have a film that you think I would like, please send me an email.

Menu: Week 148

It was a tough week for the family. One of our six kittens unfortunately died. We tried everything to keep him going but in the end he gave in to his injuries and passed away. The boys took it better than I thought they would but it was still hard to tell them. The boys named him Zero because he had zero tails. We decided to bury him in the garden and grandma even provided a grave stone that we painted his name on. He was a sweet little kitten that was given a short lot in life but died in the arms of the vet, warm, fed and loved.

In better news, Finished the first edits for my book and got them back to the editor. I can't wait to see what she comes back with. I'm also holding my breath until I get to see my cover art. This wait is killing me. I'm usually a patient person, but the wondering and the unknown is getting to me. I want to know!

I hope you enjoy this weeks menu!

Monday
- Garlic Basil Chicken

Tuesday
- Pork Shnitzle

Wednesday
- Beef Stroganoff

Thursday
- Chicken Noodle Casserole

Friday
- Crispy Parmesan Chicken

Saturday
- Tuna Paninis

Sunday
- Dinner with the In-Laws

Garden Part Two

The garden is growing nicely. The tomatoes have literally doubled in size and we should have a small tomato growing soon.

The poor tomato that my youngest son had fallen on and broken is growing back, although its a little stunted. It will survive.

My husband and I picked up some green bell peppers and lettuce. We also got onion and garlic. They are growing nicely in the new cinder block box my husband made.

We also plan on making a potato pool. Its a kiddie pool that you grow potatoes in. Its going to be really cool.

I'm super excited to watch my plants grow this summer and hopefully harvest some veggies also.

The Midnight Trail - Part Four

Part Four
The young man and I stared at each other awkwardly for a few minutes before he said something to break the ice. “My name is Chris.”
He held out his hand for me to shake. Reluctantly, I took it. “Shelby.”
“Nice to meet you, Shelby.” Chris had a smile on his face that was bright and inviting. Not like something I would expect to be worn on a serial killer. I was beginning to second guess my instincts. Maybe this guy was just another hiker on the Midnight Trail? But then again, he could want to kill me the minute I turned my back on him.
To break the ice, I wracked my mind to find something to say so Chris wouldn’t start asking questions about my imaginary friends that weren’t coming up from the waterfall. “So … What’s up over that rock?”
I pointed toward the small path where the young man had snuck up on me moments before.       It was almost hidden behind a few ferns that were growing out of the side of the rock, but it was there and I wanted to know where it went.
“That path right there? Well, that’s where you find the best view of the mountain.” Chris spread his arms wide, like he was showing me the land beyond the rock. “You can see for miles. Where the forest meets the mountain and beyond. There is nothing like it.”
He spoke with a nostalgic tone, looking off into the blue sky and allowing the sun to warm his face.
“Will you show me?” I had forgotten about my serial killer theory. The only thing on my mind was the thrill of what was at the end of the trail. I thought I had seen it all, but little did I know that the trail still held secrets that I had come here to uncover. There was nothing that was going to stop me from revealing them all.
Chris led the way past the ferns and up the small trail. The rocks were tall and there weren’t many hand holds, or footings to pull myself up. Chris scrambled nimbly up over the edge, disappearing from sight. Just when I thought he had left me behind, he leaned down with his hand out to help me up on top of the rock. I gladly took it this time and scrambled up.
There was a small gap between two large rocks that was easily jumped and a few small pushes to push through before the blue of the sun came into view, but that wasn’t what I had come for. It was the next sight that took my breath away.
Before me lay the entire world. Evergreen trees as far as the eye can see. Below lay the river, white rapids rippling over its surface. The mountain stood grand in the background of it all, with its white cap and blue-gray skirt. It glistened in the middaysunshine.
“Oh wow.” Was all I could say.
“I told you it was a better view.” Chris stood next to me on the edge of the rock face, his hands on his hips like he was king of the mountain. I had to give it to him, this was the most amazing view I had ever seen.
I took a deep breath, taking in all that I could. Committing it to memory so I would never forget, but what happened next I would never forget either.
The ground under my feet quickly dropped out from under me. For a second I felt like I was floating, but then I dropped into nothing, falling as I tried to grab onto the rock face as it fell away. I must have cried out, but the sound was muffled by the bone shattering crack of rock on rock. I couldn’t say how long I was falling, but it soon ended and everything went black.   

Do you think that Shelby will survive the fall? And what happened to Chris? Check back next week to find out what happens.

Menu: Week 147

We had a great party over the weekend for my middle son. He turned six years old last week and he is supper proud of it. I took him to the store to pick up some food for his party and he told everyone that he passed that it was his birthday. Love that boy.

I took a long weekend off of work so I could spend some time with the family. We've been working on the garden again, adding more veggies and flowers. It is looking great now.

I hope you have a great week and enjoy the menu!

Monday
- Parmesan chicken and potatoes

Tuesday
- Crock pot taquitos

Wednesday
- Baked Ravioli

Thursday
- Loaded beef nachos

Friday
- Deep dish pizza casserole

Saturday
- Grilled burgers.

Sunday
- Tuna sandwiches

The Midnight Trail - Part Three

Welcome back to part three of The Midnight Trail. I wonder what Shelby has in store for us this week?
Part Three
With every step I took, the memory of Jarrod seemed further and further from my mind, but I knew that it would take a lot more than just a long walk in the forest to release myself from the guilt I felt. It wasn’t your fault, Shelby.I didn’t know why I was talking to myself, but the further I got from civilization, the more I answered my own questions.
The river beside me began to carve a deeper path in the forest bed. It widened and twisted forming small waterfalls and rocky outcroppings where the water ran white and quick around it. The sound quickly went from a quiet rippling to a rushing that seemed to push me on faster along the path, but the trail was becoming rocky and I thankfully found myself forgetting about my thoughts and concentrating on my footing.
I skirted along a cliff side that was only wide enough for one person to traverse. The trees loomed over head but the sun shone down into the ravine below keeping the air warm as I traveled.
With every passing hour, the trail climbed higher into the mountains. The path turned from dirt, to rocks, to slate that was flat and moved as my foot touched it, but the sun was almost over head and I knew that I was getting close to the end of the Midnight Trail.
As I turned a corner, what I had come here for was in view. The open air of the cliff side showed the beauty of my home state of Oregon. The vast wilderness that stretched out before me and the now raging river that flowed below gave me a sense of accomplishment. This was where the trail ended, on the side of this mountain, with a view like no other.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard a voice. I hadn’t expected there to be another soul on the trail. The empty parking lot hadn’t indicated other hikers and I was sure that no one had passed me on the trip up the mountain. Turning quickly, I nearly stumbled over my own feet to see who was speaking.
Sitting atop a rocky outcropping at the end of the trail was a young man with his blond hair cut short and his eyes as sharp as ice. His back pack was lying next to him as he sipped on a bottle of water. “I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
I tried to calm my breathing, placing my hand over my heart and bending my body in half to catch my breath. I waved my arm at him, “Don’t worry about it. I was just taken by surprise, that’s all.”
The young man, who couldn’t have been any older than I was, jumped down from his seat and came towards me holding out an unopened bottle of water. I gladly took it. “Thank you.”
“So, you hiking the trail alone?” The young man asked.
I stopped drinking the water, unsure what I was supposed to say. It had been a bad idea to come on the trail without anything to protect me from wild animals, but I hadn’t thought about needing to protect myself from another person. I decided to lie. “Nah, I hiked ahead of my friends. They were taking their time down by the water fall.”
It was at that point that I caught a glimpse of something in the young man’s eyes. He knew I had lied.


Who is this new stranger and does he pose a threat to Shelby’s journey? Make sure you come back to find out what happens next on The Midnight Trail.

The Garden

This would be the first year my husband and I have attempted to grow a garden. And I do say attempted. We are great at getting the seeds to grow with our indoor green house, but the minute we take them outside, something terrible happens and we kill all the little plants. We've drowned them, baked them and had the Blue Jays pick them out of the ground. The cats keep digging them up and there is a opossum that nibbles on the stocks. We just can't win.

Even thought we've had to start over on a lot of our little plants, w still have a few that have managed to make it.

Exhibit A
  We have tomatoes, spinach, lemon cucumbers, carrots and radishes. There are also a few marigolds to help keep the bugs away from my tomato plants. They are starting to bloom. I do have to admit that I almost fried those too by leaving them in the sun too long without water. They all survived and look great now.

Exhibit B
Our new baby plants that will need to be put in the ground. Pumpkins (That the birds keep eating) bell peppers, sun flowers, snow peas, water melon and corn. When they all get a little bit bigger, we will plant them in the ground.

 My Marigold and a giant tomato plant. Can't wait for it to start growing tomatoes.
 Squash and my pea tee pee that my husband built for me. I can't wait until the snow peas grow up to the top. 
This is a sunflower pyramid. It should look really cool once the sunflowers actually grow. 
This is the paving stone that my boys made me for mother's day. I can't believe how big their feet are.
This summer is going to be interesting. I can't wait to see what actually grows and gives us fruits and veggies. Or will the wild life in the woods behind the house kill everything in spit of how hard we try.

Menu: Week 146

Call me Grill Master! I learned a very important life skill over the weekend. I can now grill a burger on my propane grill that Jason bought for me. Don't ask me to use the charcoal grill yet, but maybe some day.

My sequel to my first novel Hunter, is coming along nicely. I have six chapters now in only a matter of weeks. I feel like its just flowing out of me. I guess there is something to be said for loving your characters and knowing them well.

This week is my middle child's birthday week. He is turning 6 and my husband bought him a bounce house for his party. He is super excited and so am I. I love that kid!

Enjoy this weeks menu!

Monday
- Pot Roast

Tuesday
- Parmesan chicken and potatoes

Wednesday
- Spaghetti

Thursday
- Baked Parmesan Chicken Nuggets

Friday
- Steak Fajitas

Saturday
- Ronan's 6th birthday party

Sunday
- Tuna Sandwiches

The Midnight Trail - Part Two

Part Two
The melodious sound of birds chirping in the canopy above complimented the early morning light. Once I had stepped through the gateway to the Midnight Trail, it was like I was in a whole other world. The light seemed brighter here, the birds sang sweeter and the shades of green seemed more vibrant. I couldn’t help but smiling at the joy around me.
The path wound its way through the underbrush, along a stream that bubbled with fresh water. I stopped for a moment and touched the surface with my finger tips. I hadn’t expected the cold shiver that ran up my back. It must have been runoff from the mountain nearby, but it was summer. I had thought it would be somewhat warmer, another surprise on the trail.
It had been an hour when I stopped for a break. The path had been fairly easy and well worn as it twisted through the forest. By my calculations I had already gone several miles and I was making good time. If I could keep up this pace for another hour or two, I might make the end of the trail before lunch time.
There was a fallen tree on the side of the path that beckoned me to rest on it. How could I say no to such an offer? I let my backpack rest at my feet and pulled my water bottle from its pocket. As I drank, the underbrush behind me began to rustle. At first, I didn’t notice it because it was so slight, but as it became lauder, my mind began to wonder what was coming closer.
I jumped to my feet tripping over my backpack and falling to the ground. From the sound of limbs snapping and the amount of rustling that was coming toward me, I expected a bear or a mountain lion, Bigfoot even to come charging onto the path. My heart raced as I tried to stand only to be surprised when a doe and her fawn jumped from the forest and bound across the trail to drink at the stream.
My heart nearly beat out of my chest when I realized that I was safe and Bigfoot hadn’t come to take me away to its hidden nest. “Get a grip, Shelby. Nothing out here is coming to get you.”
I told myself that even though I didn’t believe it one hundred percent. There was always something out there that was coming for you. No one was immune to it, not me, not even Jarrod my twin brother.
The day that he died I had found myself on the ground a lot like I was now. We were crossing the street in Downtown Portland, headed to the water front to partake in the festivities of the Rose Festival. The cross walk turned green, I stepped out into the street not noticing the car that had just ran the red light on the other side of the intersection. Jarrod pushed me out of the way just as the vehicle struck him. That was the last time I saw him alive. That was the reason I was here on the Midnight Trail, to try and forget that horrible sight.
I pulled myself to my feet and dusted the dirt off my pants. The feeling of ease was gone, replaced by the weight of my loss. This was going to be a long day.
Do you think Shelbywill ever be able to forgive herself for her brother’s death? Find out what excitement awaits her on the Midnight Trail.