Sedona AZ (February 4, 2015) – The following has been taken from Collins Rhōg’s private journal, and reproduced exactly as it was written, by his own hand. The date has been omitted, at his request, but Collins view is always captivatingly honest, full of depth and color, heart and perseverance in times of struggle. Collins spills his soul and captures his feelings with vivid imagery and heart felt emotion that oozes from the pages of this historic text.

The following is but a portholes view, from across the room of “The Life and Times of Collins Rhōg“:

If you are new to the story, it all begins at this link (click here). In previous weeks, our readers were introduced to Rhōg’s story as written in his journal. Join us as we return to the Life and Times of Collins Rhōg, now 38, while he surveys the gates of Hell:

– Cambire, The Story Part 13 –

My heart melted as Reegan stared at me. It was good to see her again.

“Hello, Doll.” I smiled.

She said nothing, the silence overpowered the purring Honda CBR Blackbird.

Finally, she spoke.

“Nice bike,” and nodded at the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11 while revving her Super Blackbird.

“It’s not mine and, in fact, I need it gone.”

“Gone?” she questioned.

I nodded.

“What a waste.” Her eyes pierced mine.

She squeezed the Blackbird’s clutch, “Follow me to my place,” and mashed the bike into first gear with her toe.

“Wait!” I shouted and the girl paused, “I need to lose this bike and pick up my Rover in town. It’s parked in front of the Dodge bar.”

Reegan just stared at me. I stared back.

Shaking her head slowly, she revved the bike.

“Keep up. If you can.” She dumped the clutch, nodded hard to flip her visor down, and then she was gone.

I fired up the Ninja as her CBR screamed through its gears, perforating the evening’s still air. The bike responded to my call and took chase. I felt the G load as the ZX-11 boogied through the dimness in pursuit.

Reegan wasn’t really pushing the CBR and I slowed to 115 m.p.h. as I caught up to her. There was that tight ass of hers, in the saddle right in front of my headlight. I was a fool to have let her go. Then, as if she read my thoughts, Reegan turned back to look at me briefly, rolled on the throttle and pulled a wheelie at a buck fifteen.

“She’s bloody nuts!” I thought as the CBR dropped back down with dwarf flames whipping and fluttering from the super bike’s pipes as she furiously accelerated away. I opened up the Ninja, feeling that G load again with the speedo’s climb, as Reegan continued to distance me. The Kawasaki was tight and beckoned me to push harder, but a buck sixty-five in the saddle was as much thrill as I wanted. Reegan, however, let loose and lengthened her gap for several minutes.

She had to be about a dime shy of two bucks…trying to prove a point. I knew she was pissed at me. I should have fought harder for her. And then, far ahead, her brake light illuminated the darkness and I caught up to her. She pointed to an old barn off the highway, greyed out and falling down. I nodded.

We pulled off the road, crossed the cattle guard and headed to the barn. Alone, I went around back and piloted the Ninja straight into the darkened structure, ducking below a fallen roof as I went. Shutting off the bike, the headlight died and I wiped it down with my shirt sleeve while my eyes adjusted to the darkness. Finished, I found Reegan, her bike pointed back towards the road waiting. She saw my shape in the mirror and revved the bike.

I had no sooner thrown my leg over the saddle and grabbed her tight torso, when the Blackbird spun off towards the highway. Once on the tarmac, the bike shrieked and I felt the tremendous force as we launched, lifting the front wheel off the ground. And that’s how I reunited with Reegan after missing her for several years.

We rode for roughly half an hour at a blistering pace, neither one of us spoke, but I enjoyed being back together, her nested into me.

“There!” I yelled out and pointed to the Rover as we entered town. I could see Shugo’s silhouette, still at attention.

What a bloody good hound, I thought.

“You have a dog?” The bike stopped beside the Rover.

“Yep.”

Arriving back at the hangar, I turned on the large overhead lights that revealed the Super Cub within. Flipping down the kickstand, Reegan dismounted and removed her helmet. Thick dark hair spilled to frame her beautiful face. Bending down she shook her head, fingers combing her hair that flowed about. Leaning up she said, “I haven’t been here for a while” as she peered at me from the corners of her eyes and grinned. We grabbed each other and kissed passionately, her tongue dancing with mine.

“God I missed you,” Reegan said between kisses.

“No need to call me God, Love,” I replied while she was biting my upper lip. We both started laughing with our noses nuzzled together, gazing into each others eyes. It was nice to hold her and nice to be held. Time was a nullity and our souls seemed to become molten and flowing while we clung to one another in the light that spilled from the hangar. We shared some magic, as if we had never been apart. After a few minutes, Shugo let out a playful growl as if to say, “Hey! I’m standing right here!”

Reegan turned, “Ahhh, what’s his name?”

Smiling I replied, “That punk, who just interrupted our moment, is Shugo. We just met a few days ago, he decided to keep me.”

“Shugo,” she said while squatting down to rub the hound’s neck. “Ahhh, he’s sweet!”

“Sweet? You think he’s sweet?” I turned and walked towards the Rover. “Bloody Hell has he got you fooled. Just wait until you’re in a confined space with him for an extended period of time after he’s eaten salami, and then tell me he’s sweet.”

“No thanks!” She laughed, scratching him behind his ears.

I started unloading the Rover while Shugo and Reegan bonded. He was such a suck, flopping down at her feet and exposing his belly for a rub, which she gladly gave. Shugo cracked his shit grin at me while I hauled the Jerry cans from the Rover and he soaked up Reegan’s attention. When she was done, he sprang to his feet, shook vigorously from head to toe and bound away, tail raised high.

I noticed Reegan taking off her bike armor. Oh the body on that girl, she truly was a tight package. Her jacket slid off to reveal a bright neon green tee shirt that read “I Ride Like a Girl” on its front and when she turned it read, “But I’ll Wait For You.”

“Nice shirt,” I said putting the green military case in the Rover while she watched. She walked over to give me a kiss, her hand passing over me as I turned and headed back to the hangar for another load.

“What’s in the case?” Reegan called out, now holding it high over her head with two hands.

“I never ask…” and soon returned with the load.

“Aren’t you curious?” She had put the case back, and now playfully bumped me with her hip.

Bumping her back, I grinned. “The job paid more for the mystery,” and laid the rucksack and rifle in the eighty eight incher.

“Who’s the client?”

“A bloke named Two Gun Johnny, but I deal with Hooky Miller. Anything else Curious George?”

She paused and changed the subject, “You know I’m racing Moto GP in Portland in a few weeks? This is the first time I’ve made it this far!”

“Congratulations, I’ll try to make that. Portland you say?”

Punching my shoulder she retorted, “Yepper! And you had better make it since we’re back together!”

“I see how you are,” I replied with a smile.

Once loaded up, Shugo and I piled into the Rover and followed Reegan to her home. It was 2230 hours when we lumbered into her darkened gravel drive. Shugo awoke as the gravel popped and snarled beneath the truck’s tires. The Rover’s headlights panned across a dilapidated water cistern that was bone dry and filled with weeds. Stopping at the end of the drive, a time worn pine stood sentry. It didn’t take long to unpack the Rover and move my things inside the house.

The next morning, I woke to a sliver of sunlight that pierced the darkened room, illuminating a slice of sparkling dust that reminding me of camera flashes bursting within a large arena. Reegan’s warm body felt incredible, her moves, rhythm and playful attitude were all about being in the moment. It was a good way to rise.

With coffee in hand, I took Shugo out into the morning air. The house stood beside a clear stream that wound through the hills. I sat down on a granite boulder wrapped in a thick cushion of deep green moss as the sun’s morning rays punched though a keyhole in the trees to shine upon my throne beside the creek. Looking down, a small trout swayed in the current, resembling a paper kite hovering above a sandy beach. Shugo growled and I turned to see him frozen with his jaws clamped about a small dead tree. With all four feet firmly planted, his muscles flexed in unison working to bend the tree to his will. It finally surrendered with a loud snap and he tossed it aside. Looking up, Shugo turned to see if I noticed. We made eye contact as his tail raised and wagged and he turned back to clamp on to another small skeleton of a tree. Just then, Reegan stumbled out of the house screaming my name.

“It’s Ebola!” She held out two small glass vials while standing on the deck.

“What?” I exclaimed, startled and completely perplexed.

“The case! Your secret! It’s a bloody bio weapon!”

– Collins Rhōg

Cambire, The Story continues in the SedonaEye.com. Some SedonaEye.com scenes have been edited due to content. Look for the unedited Cambire, The Story, available at booksellers and retailers in the fall of 2015 to be published as Change of Allegiance.