Edward Kendrick

When Hugh Mathews decides it's time to get out from under his tyrannical father's thumb and away from the life he's been living, he does it in a big way. Packing what he'll need to survive in the wilderness, and with only his dog, Orion, for companionship, he heads into the mountains. When they find a abandoned cabin, Hugh begins the arduous task of repairing it, as well as hunting for food and everything else they'll need to stay alive.<br><br>Soon after, Ansel Jeffries, a nature photographer, arrives at Hugh's cabin, seeking an abandoned mine he wants to photograph. After talking with him, Ansel sees the potential for a story in what Hugh is doing -- and why.<br><br>Ansel convinces Hugh to let him tell it, meaning he'll be living at the cabin with Hugh. When he moves in, will what becomes friendship between the two men grow into more?

Off the Beaten Path

“Exactly. You’re old enough to make your own decisions without being afraid of what he thinks. You spent two years becoming a drone, as you put it, because of him and your fear of his reaction if you struck off on your own and did what you wanted to. Well, now, you have. Let me tell your story so he gets the fact that you are more than his—”


“If you say puppet,” Hugh broke in. “Not that I can dismiss the word out of hand, because I know you’re right. I was. All three of us are.”


“If you let me do this, maybe your younger brother will see it’s possible for him to become his own person, as well.”


Chapter 16