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

“We’re going to need a new one soon,” Ansel said. “Maybe down by the stream.”


“So we can use it as a sort of bidet, when we run out of napkins.”


Hugh shivered. “In the middle of winter? That’ll be fun.”


“Or not,” Ansel agreed with a laugh.


Once inside the cabin, they hung their coats on nails Ansel had pounded into the wall close to the door acouple of days earlier. The cabin wasn’t warm by normal standards, although after being outside it felt almost toasty. Still, Hugh tossed a couple of small logs onto the fire before they settled down in front of it.


“Maybe I’ve mentioned this before,” Ansel said. “Probably, actually. Anyway, I never would have imagined I’d end up living like this. Camping when necessary, while doing a photo shoot is one thing, because I packed what I knew I’d need to last me until the shoot was finished. Spending my days figuring out how to survive on nothing but what we can get from nature is a whole other thing.”


Chapter 30