James Ankrom
The River and the Moon is a tale of two people from two very different walks of life. Claudia Darren is a popular movie star, and Alvin Masters is a rural postman from Whitetail, Montana. Although worlds apart, they share a sense of inner turmoil and profound lonliness. Through an odd set of circumstances, they exchange letters and become fans of each other's lifestyles. He admires her stardom and wealth, and she admires his fierce independence.
Claudia begins work on a big budget picture for Crescent Studios, a financially ailing film company. Its unscrupulous head is a well-placed, thug named Ernie Katz. His role is to siphon all the money he can from Crescent and then sell it. To do this, he needs a big screen success to entice investors to purchase Crescent and assure a large profit for a New York syndicate which hired him.
To provide a solid guarantee on the movie, he hires Claudia as the lead. Then as a further assurance, he engages a hit man named Oliver Templeton to become her boyfriend. Katz and Templeton hatch a plan to kill Claudia when the filming ends. The murder will appear as suicide, and her grieving public will flock to the box office with tears in their eyes to see her for the last time.
Fortunately, Claudia becomes aware of the plot on the final day of filming and is able to escape Oliver Templeton with only moments to spare.
For months, she cris-crosses the country on the run, while Templeton stays only steps behind her. After several near-fatal encounters, she ends up in Whitetail, Montana, where she at last meets Alvin Masters. Together they stage a last ditch attempt to save her life. They also discover a spiritual and romantic closeness which baffles even themselves.
James Ankrom is a full time editior for the magazine
Railroad Model Craftsman. Originally from Parkersburg, West Virginia, he and his wife Linda have four children and reside in New Jersey.
Alvin had been asleep by the fire when he heard Doodlebug bark. The wood carving he had been working on was still half done in his lap along with some wood shavings. He put the piece and his tools in the box beside the couch. Doodlebug was excitedly wagging his tail beside the door. He must have to go outside. Suddenly, he heard the far off sounds of a snowmobile. It was probably some of local teenager, he thought. They liked getting out in the snow on nights like this, expecially when school was cancelled for the next day. Listening, the sound was getting louder with each passing second.
He stood up, walked to the door and flipped the switch for the porch light. He was going to look out but as long as whoever it was didn't crash into the side of the house, so be it. He cracked the door for Doodlebug but the little dog didn't move. Was he going daft? The sound of the working engine grew nearer. Snowmobiling was for the young. They didn't seem to care about the risks. Alvin had a snowmobile, too, but he was careful. He knew how hard it was to see when the snow was falling as hard as it presently was.
Then, his ear caught the distinct sound of the engine's decreasing speed. Doodlebug barked again. Could a visitor be stopping here this time of night? Maybe someone needed to get out of the cold or maybe their fuel was running low. Reaching the stove, he turned the flame on under the tea kettle in anticipation and walked back to the front door. He heard the snowmobile driving off just as a knock sound on the door. Doodlebug erupted, barking and wagging his tail.
Alvin opened the door and was shocked to see a tall young woman visibly shaking in a thin, grey coat. Her honey blonde hair was wet and plastered to her face which was hidden...and...and...
"Claudia Darren?" he managed, though the words caught in the back of his throat. His eyes couldn't leave her face.
A weary smile edged an angelic face. "You must be my friend, Alvin.
"It's you...it's actually you?" he managed with a slack jaw.
"Yes. It's me."
Was this real? Was he dreaming?
