U.G.L.Y by H. A. Rhoades Read Free Book Online

often create an image of a woman in my mind. It made me feel warm and peaceful. Usually she was imaginary, something perfect that my senses craved.
    My thoughts turned to a woman from my past. She was what I found to be most intriguing about the women I had known. She was beautiful, lustful, sensual, and a complete pain in the ass. She made me anxious and I decided she was the wrong image for me to carry to try to calm down.
    I chuckled to my self as an image of a new woman crossed my mind. she was a recent love interest who was young, beautiful, smart, and sexy. She easily had 10 years on me but for some reason had some attachment to me .
    We had been dating off and on for a while and I was beginning to fall for her. But I couldn't trust the feeling. I had been married for 15 years to a woman who wrung every ounce of energy out of me. I had a bad habit of running myself into the ground over a woman.
    Amanda asked me to open up emotionally to her. I did, through my breakdown I opened up. It wasn't what she wanted after all and she asked me to leave.
    How could I trust how I felt about a new love. I decided to put those thoughts out of my mind and wondered where she was. She was out of town and I hoped she was safe and longed to see her.
     
     

12 .
     
    -Drive-
     
         The US 395 was a long desolate stretch of California highway that connected the southern part of state with Northern destinations like Bishop, Mammoth Lakes , and Lake Tahoe . Tahoe was where I was headed. Jaime had said Amanda had taken the kids to her sisters, and that ’ s where she lived.
    It was difficult to keep track of the kids. Amanda was always taking off with them because she was pissed off at something. It really didn't matter what it was. She didn't need much of a nudge and she would unleash her fury on anyone in earshot. Proclaiming how the world was against her and no one respected her, S he would pack up the kids and take off.
    I spent much more time than I wanted tracking them down and persuading their mother to come back to town. I wasn't nice about it, but she usually responded which kept the sheriff from getting involved. T hat, however, had happened from time to time anyway. I had my share of visits from sympathetic sheriff's deputies responding to a false phone call from her.
    She was a lways the eternal victim. I was glad for the fact I didn't have to deal with her on a daily basis anymore. L iving with a woman like that presented daily nightmares that I didn't have to face anymore. Now there was a new nightmare to face.
         I drove past the last gas stop before the first long stretch of highway started north. The last bits of civilization passed by in the darkness . G as stations displaying bright signs inviting weary travelers to stop in, gas up and enjoy a nice hot cup of coffee. The nightmare that was coming hadn't gotten here yet and people strolled down the road unaware of the horror that was headed their way.
         I was calmer now, my panic had faded and overwhelming rush of relief washed over me knowing that I was heading towards my family.
    I was beginning to feel exhaustion. I could clearly recount the past few hours now in gruesome detail. I remembered walking out of the bar and hearing the distant screaming. I t was unforgettable. That sound would stay with me , like noise in the back of my mind as I drove north.
    It was dark now and the road ahead, illuminated by the cars headlights, seemed to fade into a dark abyss in the distance. The car rolled along over the subtle hills. One after another they rose and fell, like waves on the sea.
    I was getting drowsy now and my mind was fogging up. I fumbled in the center console for the IPod and tried to change the music to something more upbeat that might wake me. The sound of rain came through the speakers, then a sullen baseline setting the tone of the song.
    “ Riders on the storm ” the lyrics began.
    My mind started to f ade again as the lyrics repeated. T