Chapter 2
An impatient and curious crowd of shoppers shuffled uneasily under the bright neon lights. They were impatiently waiting in the checkout line for a disheveled young man to count out the exact coins to pay for his meager bundle of goods. An excited boy tugged on his mom’s hand and pointed to the pitiful figure leaning over the cash register whose scratched hands streaked dark red towards dirt rimmed fingernails. “He smells really bad.”
“Shush. That’s unchristian. Obviously, he is down on his luck.” She whispered.
“Or, he is one of those thru hikers.” Chirped an old farmer behind the mother and son. “I pick em up every year as they hitchhike into town from Snickers gap. Lord knows they come out of those woods looking half wild. I think my hunting dogs smell better after chasing raccoons all night in a rainstorm.”
“Either that or the Grateful Dead are on the road again” mumbled a white- haired grandmother wistfully staring at the scruffy young man.
Pocketing his receipt into a greasy pair of pants he mumbled a barely audible response. “Thank you, ma’am.” Casting a grateful and apologetic glance back at the line of impatient shoppers, he was desperate to escape the unwanted attention and hurried away from the cash register. His muddied boots left a trail of dirt across the linoleum floor. To his relief, the doors opened automatically upon his detection. He quickly stashed his purchased items into a threadbare backpack without breaking stride. He pulled up the hood over his eccentric head wear.
“Don’t cover it up.” The boy yelled breaking free from his mother’s grip. “I like your hat.”
Tucking his long hair inside the hood, the young man paused, stroked his scrubby beard and looked back at the approaching boy. “Well, thank you very much. It was a gift that I got on night just like tonight.”
“Come back here.” The mother demanded impatiently.
“Can I have your hat mister?”
“That would depend on your last name son.”
“Get your ass back here right now.” The mother screamed at the boy.
Feeling uncomfortable with the unfolding drama, the scruffy shopper exited the store entrance into the rainstorm. A young couple rushing headlong from their car bumped into him. A gust of wind pushed his hood off revealing a pith helmet.
“DB! exclaimed the male companion. “Is that you?”
The incredulous man looked intently into the face hidden by the shadows cast by the faint yellow parking lot lamps.
“You got the wrong guy.”
“Dude, where have you been?
The female companion pulled on her partner’s arm. “Let’s go honey. Wasn’t there an arrest warrant or something for him?
“DB, why did you just disappear? You never came back for your last year in college. We all graduated without you.”
Pulling his hood back up and tightening the straps of the backpack, the accused man nervously glanced around the storefront for CCTV cameras. “I am not the person you think I am.” He walked away quickly into the darkness of the stormy night.
The young couple stood under the canopy of the store and watched him disappear. “I swear that was DB Cooper.” The man said.
“Well, don’t tell anyone. I think his picture is still up at the Post Office in Charles town.” The woman replied nervously.
“He looked different though. Almost like he has aged ten years or more.”
“Living on the run will do that to you, I guess.” She pulled his arm and lead him into the neon light of the grocery store.
David Bartholomew Cooper started running as soon as he was beyond the illumination of the parking lot. His back pack was light and securely strapped. He made his way along back alleys of the rural Virginia town.
The Great Trail was less than two miles away. He hoped his old college friend was uncertain about his identity. Maybe he would just forget the encounter altogether. DB could not take any chances. He never should have broken protocol. The Kindred would be upset. They gave him explicit instructions about maneuvering the 2,100 miles trail. He was not to leave it without their help. Even though DB was sure the small towns along the Appalachian Mountains were safe, he knew spies of the Authority were everywhere. He walked in darkness until arriving back to where he exited the woods a few hours ago. He quickly passed by the familiar blue blaze trail sign at the edge of road. It signaled he was close to safety.
He began hiking the trail beyond it. His anxiety eased as the sound of car engines became less and less loud until they faded away entirely. He had another hour of climbing up the ridge before seeing the White Blaze of the Great Trail. Reaching into the pocket of waist belt of his backpack, he pulled out a large chocolate bar to give him some energy. Unwrapping his favorite treat, he bit into the prize. Resupply was always dangerous. That was why The Kindred put protocols in place. His hunger and laziness almost cost him everything. As the mist enveloped him, he began to feel one with the woods. Soon, he would he would once again be invisible.
