From A To Z

Chapter 9

The trail was in bad shape. Snowmelt water and spring rains had eroded the surface, washing away the topsoil. The ground was uneven and tricky to navigate in a hurry. And we were in a hurry. Neither of us wanted to linger in the woods a moment longer than absolutely necessary.

Victor and I walked in silence, eyes darting left and right. We were both on high alert, listening for sounds that didn't belong, scouring the undergrowth for movement. If someone saw us, they'd think we were hoping to catch a glimpse of Bigfoot but spotting the ape-like creature was the last thing on our minds. We were here for our friend. We wanted to find Sienna even if it meant coming face-to-face with evil.

Broken branches transected the path, scattered across it like matchsticks. Rocks had tumbled down the incline and had become wedged in the dirt. When we reached a tree trunk that blocked the trail, Victor climbed over it first and held his hand out to me. The paper-thin soles of my frayed Vans had no grip, so I welcomed his help. Once I made it to the other side, he held on to my clammy hand.

A few minutes later, we came to a fork in the trail and took the smaller path curving up through the trees. Suddenly, we found ourselves suspended in green twilight. Pine needles crunched under our feet. Rays of faraway light danced on our faces. We had entered the magical domain of elves and fairies, a place of pure beauty and natural bliss.

Victor paused to take in our surroundings and I let go of his hand, pretending I had to straighten my ponytail. Under any other circumstances, being up here alone with a boy would have been romantic. But I didn't feel this way about Victor and even if I did, romance was the last thing on my mind.

A twig snapped somewhere to the left and Victor froze.

"What was that?" I whispered.

He put up his palm and stared intently in the direction of the noise. His whole body tensed. I narrowed my eyes at the impenetrable wall of trees. There was nothing but shadows.

Victor turned to me and breathed in my ear.

"I guess you don't have bear spray either."

A bear? I went numb. I couldn't outrun a bear any more than I could outrun him. If we were faced with a predator, I would be the easier catch.

"Not funny," I snapped, trying - and failing - to sound unfazed.

Everyone in Bruler knows not to joke about bears.

It's one of the cardinal rules of mountain life.

"Not joking,"  Victor hissed back.

We stood perfectly still for what felt like forever but nothing stirred. The only sounds were distant birdsong and the whistling of the wind in the trees.

Finally, Victor straightened up and motioned that we should go on.

"False alarm."

"You scared me to death," I protested, struggling to keep up with him.

"I didn't mean to. I really thought it was a bear." He did another sweep of the trees and dropped his voice to half-mast. "But it might have been..."

"What?"

An ax-wielding murderer?

"Bigfoot," he replied with a smirk.

"Victor!"

"Just thinking out loud."

I saw what he was doing; he was trying to lighten the mood. But his sense of humor left a lot to be desired.

"Man, I'm thirsty," said Victor and ran his hands through his hair. "And hungry."

"Yeah, me too."