A Close Call

Abby had managed to sneak away from The Yeti, the wild man foraging for food to bring back to his cave. She managed to traverse the forest much better now that she didn't have the ice and snow slowing her down. Abby had just made it to a small clearing, stopping to catch her breath, before looking up again and letting out a gasp.

This wasn't a clearing. It was the road! She found the road! She could get back to civilization! She did feel a bit guilty about abandoning The Yeti (she really had to think about giving him a name), but he was a feral human and she wasn't. She just hoped he would understand.

Abby stuck out her thumb as she saw a old, blue pickup truck driving down the road, giving her best smile as the truck slowed down to a stop.

The driver, a lanky, bearded man in his forties eyed the woman up and down as he gave a gap toothed smile. "Two hundred ninety-five bucks!"

Abby's smile faltered a bit at the exclamation, before disappearing all together as she frowned at the yokel. "Do I look like I got any pockets on me?!" She asked in annoyance.

"No, Honey." The Yokel said with a smirk, "I mean, I'll pay you two hundred and ninety-five bucks!"

Now Abby was both annoyed AND disgusted!

"Ugh! I'm not some cheap bimbo, Pal!" Abby snapped, stomping her foot.

"Since when is the amount I'm offering 'cheap'?"

"Look, will you just give a ride to town or not?!" Abby shouted, losing her patience.

"Only if you get in my truck and - "

"If you can read, then read my lips, Bumpkin!" Abby said as she pointed to her mouth. "I. Am. Not. Going. To. Bang. You."

"Well then, you ain't getting a ride into town." The Yokel said as he went to start the truck again.

"Wait! Wait! Wait!" Abby desperately said as she grabbed the door's open window. She smiled again and asked, "Isn't there anything I can do that doesn't involve me, I dunno, doing that with you?"

"Well," The Yokel said as he scratched his chin, "there's one thing you could do."

"Name it!" Abby practically shouted.

"You can sleep with my wife." The Yokel replied. At Abby's look of the disgust, he added, "It's an open marriage. Plus, her birthday's coming up."

"Oh, forget it!" Abby shouted, putting her head in her hands. Looking back up, she growled. "Just get lost, you perverted, buck toothed, creep! I'll get someone else to pick me up!"

"Hey now," The Yokel said as he glared at Abby, "I don't take too kindly to you badmouthing me."

"Ooh! Whatcha gonna do? Fight me?" Abby challenged, mocking the man. "Please, Pops! I've been in the slammer for two years now, and I've been using the exercise equipment all that time! I can floor you're lanky ass in a heart beat!"

"Hmm, fair point. Why don't we even up the odds?" The Yokel asked as he reached down and pulled out a bowie knife, holding it up to Abby's neck. "Liking you're chances now, Sugar?"

"Not... Particularly." Abby said as she chuckled nervously.

"Good girl." The Yokel said as he lowered the knife a bit, "Good, good, good..." He looked up and gasped in horror, "LORD ALMIGHTY! What the hell is that?!"

Abby didn't need to even turn around as a large figure landed next to her, roaring loudly at the Yokel as he put his arm in front of Abby protectively.

"You're on your own, Girl!" The Yokel shouted, dropping the knife as he sped off down the road without looking back.

The Yeti growled as he saw the truck disappear over the horizon, letting out a huff once he was sure that he was gone. His expression softened as he turned to Abby.

"Mate Abby hurt?" He signed, a look of concern on the primitive man's face. "Road not safe! Man not safe! Man almost take Mate Abby away forever! Why Mate Abby leave? Mate Abby no love Me?"

Abby, however, was not paying attention to the wild man's frantically flailing hands, choosing instead to stare at the knife as a million thoughts ran through her head as her face went pale.

That man held a knife to her throat. She could've been killed! She never even faced murders or psychos as inmates, and the first time she met a person on the outside (well, a non-primitive and feral person), and she almost died! If The Yeti (she really needed to give him a name) had arrived just a fraction of a second too late...

Abby only snapped back into reality after she felt a strong yet gentle hand on her shoulder, looking up to see the concerned face of The Yeti, tears welling in his eyes.

"Mate Abby okay?" He signed, tears running down his face as he let out a whimper. "Why Mate Abby go? Mate Abby no love Me?"