Chapter 11: Taylor's little Walk


"This is great, just great! I am lost in the middle of freaking nowhere," Taylor shouted tossing his arms up in frustration.
A twig snapped behind him. Taylor froze. Another twig snapped. "I hate the woods, I hate the woods, I hate the woods, I HATE THE FREAKING WOODS!" Taylor repeated with his eyes closed. He quickened his pace. His sneakers pounded against the rugged pavement as he ran. Now there were voices. A dog barked and howled behind him. A shot from a rifle rang out and the bullet went right over Taylor's head. "SHIT!" Taylor shouted and ran faster than he had ever run before.
Taylor's breathing was fast but it was slowing down. He was hiding behind a large tree. "I think that was the world record for 'running from crazy men at 4 am'" Taylor breathed. Then Taylor felt the end of a rifle tap against the back of his head.
"Any sudden moves, thief, and your head is worth two cents on the black market" a man with a southern accent grunted. Taylor swallowed hard and began to pray silently as the man cocked the gun.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't shoot you right now, thief?" the man grunted.
Taylor breathed in roughly. 'I don't have asthma, why am I breathing so weird?' he thought.
"Tell me!" the man shouted and shoved the rifle further into Taylor's long blonde hair.
"I- I didn't do it sir" Taylor stuttered
"Yeah, right, got proof?"
"Not real-"
"HAHA! Thought so! Better call up the sheriff, tell him I caught the most wanted robber in Chestnut County" the man said with pride and a chuckle in his voice. Then he turned gruff again. "Get in the truck" he said pushing Taylor toward a battered red pickup truck.

"I'm telling you, I didn't rob any houses" Taylor protested. The sheriff looked Taylor straight in the eyes. "And I'm telling you, we have laws against stealing. Now tell me, why did you do it, young man?"
Taylor sighed out of boredom and annoyance. "I didn't do anything!" he protested again.
"What's in the bag?" the sheriff asked with hatred set in his face.
Taylor looked down at his backpack. It was dirty and brown and hardly had anything in it anymore. He wondered why they didn't take it from him. Taylor lifted the pack and put it up to the sheriff's nose.

"Look for yourself" Taylor said. The man looked surprised but snatched the bag then dumped it out on the table. Pictures, a few dollars, a bus ticket, one red Lego, a copy of Alanis's letter, and a tape recorder and some cassettes fell out.
The sheriff combed through Taylor's things for a few minutes. Finally he shoved them back in the backpack and handed it back to Taylor. "You're free to go" the sheriff said and opened the door to his office. Taylor grinned then walked out of the office. After a second the sheriff ran up to Taylor and stopped him.

"Are you one of those Hanson kids? The ones that sing that 'MMMBop' song?"
Taylor grinned. "Yeah, I am, why?"
The sheriff looked to the floor. "I might be rude asking this of you after the thing in the office…but can you sign my daughter's CD? It's her birthday in two days and she loves you guys"
"Sure" Taylor said. The man smiled then ran to his office. He came back shortly and Taylor could see the ever-familiar orange cover of 'Middle of Nowhere'. The man handed the CD and a black marker to Taylor and said, "Her name is Janis" Taylor smiled and signed the CD

To a dear and loving fan named Janis,
Taylor Hanson

Then Taylor handed the CD back to the sheriff. The sheriff smiled and turned to go. Taylor then walked out the door into the coldness of the Kansas night.

"You look tired…need a lift?" a lady said to Taylor. Taylor looked up in surprise. "Me?" he said weakly. "Of course!" the lady said with a slight accent. Her hair was blonde and her eyes were brown and her smile was big and bright. Taylor noticed one of her teeth was crooked. She was dressed in a baby blue T-shirt and faded blue jeans.
They had been on the road about twenty minutes when Taylor said "Do I know you from somewhere?"
The woman laughed heartily. "My name is Jewel and I think I know you from some where myself"
"Taylor Hanson" Taylor said. The woman nodded as if she understood who he was now. Then a thought occurred to Taylor.
"Jewel Kilcher?"
"The one and only" the woman said.
Taylor smiled. He never thought he would catch a ride with another superstar.
"I've seen you…at the MTV Music Awards. That's where I know you from, and you're the middle one" Jewel said. Taylor nodded.
Jewel turned and looked at Taylor. "Where are you headed Taylor?"
"Ohio"