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

Ansel watched with some amusement. Hugh looked like a kid right then, as he pulled the fish through the water then onto the edge of the stream. If he’d had his camera with him, he’d have told Hugh to pose with it.


“Dinner for all of us,” Hugh said as he gripped the wriggling fish tightly while Ansel removed the safety pin hook from its mouth. As soon as they were certain it was dead, Hugh took out his multi-tool toskin, behead, and gut it. Orion watched, woofing disappointedly when Hugh tossed the remains into the stream.


“Sorry, dog,” Hugh said. “You know the rules.”


“Meaning he waits until it’s cooked, I presume,” Ansel said.


“Yep. Cooked and deboned. One thing I’m not set up for is taking care of a sick dog. Or, as far as that goes, a sick or injured person.”


“We should check your book to see if it lists medicinal uses for plants,” Ansel suggested.


“Good idea. Do you want to keep trying to see if you can catch a fish?”


“Naw, I’m good—and starving. Let’s make dinner.”


Chapter 26