Miracle Springs

[Jethro]

Miracle Springs, The Welcome: Part 1


The sun must have warmed my face enough to make me open my eyes. I struggled to focus and was surprised to see snow-capped mountains gleaming against a brilliant blue sky. Where was last night’s torrential rain? Hadn’t it forced me off the highway in the middle of nowhere? Where was I?

I propped myself up onto my elbows and saw that the mountains were framed by the picture window of a motel room. Sparse but clean, mountain cabin d?cor. I vaguely remembered a neon sign beckoning me through the rain. That’s right, there was a note on the office door saying, “Welcome. Go to Cabin 6. Key in door.” That’s where I must be. Having fallen asleep from exhaustion in my road-dusty rain-damp clothes.

My eyes and head were becoming clear but my body ached all over. I pulled myself to standing and saw a disheveled mess staring back at me in the large mirror over the rough-hewn dresser. I didn’t want to see what was under the clothes so I moved into the bathroom, stripped and stepped into a surprisingly powerful shower. The hot water worked wonders and I scrubbed every inch of me as if trying to rid myself of the failure of my marriage, my string of dead-end jobs, and my life in general. I didn’t know where I was but it had to be better than where I’d been.

Taking a thick towel hanging on the back of the door, I dried myself standing in the shower. I refused to look at my body in the bathroom mirror. There’d be even more failure staring back at me. Nothing like my younger self when I’d been quite the athlete in high school and college—lean, ripped and full of energy in every step. Wouldn’t it be great if the shower had actually washed the years away? Let’s see. I dropped the towel and turned. No, no miracle. There I was. Pale, skinny shoulders, pudgy belly, drooping tits, flabby arms, and waddly thighs. Even my dick looked over the hill. I’d been right to avoid every mirror for the last ten years.

I didn’t bother to shave but quickly covered the mess of my body with a clean white T-shirt and jeans. I stepped outside into a clear cool day in what seemed an idyllic spot. A river coursed on the other side of the parking lot and tall redwoods framed a cluster of cabins. There was my aging car that matched my sagging frame. It looked pretty puny next to the huge pickup truck parked near the motel entrance. But my spirits picked up when I saw that just beyond the truck was a old-fashioned coffee shop. A huge country breakfast. That’s what I needed. I was starving.

The place looked pretty empty but as I stepped inside a door swung open from the kitchen and a fresh-faced kid in a cook’s apron sang out, “Howdy. Sleep OK?”

“Yeah, great. Thank god this place was lit up in that storm.”

“That was a bad one. The bridge you came over must have washed out right after you. Ain’t no one gonna get in or out of this town for quite a spell, I’ll tell you that.”

“I’m headed for a new job on the coast. Have to get there by Monday. Can I hike out back to the highway? Maybe I can hitch a ride to the next town and catch a bus.”

A deep bass voice from a booth at the back boomed out, “I’d have breakfast first and then think about the future.”

I turned to the sound but all I saw was the back of a white T-shirt. Unlike mine, which draped loosely over my wilted frame, this one was stretched tight across packed shoulders more than a yard wide. Back muscles bunched up into the white cotton like the snow-capped mountains, huge and immovable. Then my eyes moved up to a large thatch of blonde hair sitting on one of the thickest necks I’d ever seen. Two columns of trapezius muscle flowed from the shoulders and held the large head up like a winning trophy. The head slowly turned in my direction. My sight was now transfixed by a pair of cobalt blue eyes. I felt the eyes reaching out and into me but it was the deep bass voice that beckoned with a simple, “Join me.”

“I’ll get you some coffee and our Mountain Man special breakfast,” sang the voice of the boy as I approached the booth. An arm extended itself and I saw the t-shirt sleeve burst with a boulder-like biceps. All I could focus on was the thick rope-like vein that traveled up the bicep’s peak and flowed down into a delta of veins covering a massive forearm. A large hand reached out across the empty air separating us and I had the sensation of being pulled to it by a magnetic force.

I stuck my own feeble hand out and gasped as we made contact—an electric charge flowed through my entire body. I managed a weak “Hello. Nice to meet you.” Then he reached across with his other huge hand to cover our joined fists. He said nothing but the warmth of his skin on mine was like a balm. Muscles all over my body released their tense holding pattern and fell back into a relaxed place like they belonged again at last.

“Glad you fell into our hands last night.”

I stumbled into the seat opposite him, my hand still holding on tight to his, feeling the calluses of his palms hard against my softer flesh, allowing the strength of his grip to travel through my entire body. I knew I should let go but wanted to stay holding on forever.

“Welcome to Miracle Springs.”

[arpeejay]

http://www.facebook.com/arpeejay

[ttownlittlebear]

Yes I agree great start.. My only problem font size could be a little bigger..

[renbear]

Originally Posted by ttownlittlebear

Yes I agree great start.. My only problem font size could be a little bigger..

Uh, no, that's what your browser's zoom is for. Usually it's on control+mousewheel.

[convolution]

Simple but compelling start; A warm welcome in a beautiful setting ... cool

[Jethro]

Thanks everyone for the comments and the "Thanks" posted. You've no idea how encouraging it is to see them for a first time story poster. Never wrote one before, but thought I'd give it try, inspired by some of the great and prolific contributors on this site.

And sorry about font size, didn't understand the mechanics. Think I just fixed it. And also made it clear that this piece is only the start to the narrator's saga of the muscle growth he experiences in these mountains.

[Kit Werecat]

Yes, a definitely great start.

Hard to believe you're a first-timer. You can tickle the keys pretty aptly.

Loved the red herring you threw in with the shower bit. Nice tease.

Hope to read more soon. You have an intriguing setup, even if I really can't be sure how this whole thing is going to eventually lay out..

Looking forward to your next chapter.

[imfit]

Very nicely constructed narrative. I am looking forward to what adventure lies ahead......

[arpeejay]

http://www.facebook.com/arpeejay

[V.R.Goh]

Originally Posted by arpeejay

By the way, I'm looking forward to the Miracle Springs wrestling contest, also known as...

The Miracle Whip!

Bwahaahahahahahaha!

(Thank God I can amuse myself, since I'm incapable of amusing others!)

xoxo

Richard

Ba-dum tshh!

[convolution]

So ... since you've been identified as an interesting writer, here comes the part where we pester you for more chapters

pester, pester ...

[nnnrg]

Originally Posted by convolution

So ... since you've been identified as an interesting writer, here comes the part where we pester you for more chapters

pester, pester ...

AVADA KEDAVRA!! Oh, wait, no, this isn't Potter Pals.


Nevermind.

[Jethro]

Originally Posted by convolution

So ... since you've been identified as an interesting writer, here comes the part where we pester you for more chapters

pester, pester ...

Thanks for the pester prompt. I was actually working on Part 2 when I saw your message so I pushed to finish it and just posted it. Hope it serves the story, and you, the readers.