suitcase.
‘Should we change here?’ Helen asked.
i’m not going anywhere without my duds,’ Vivian said, rolling her suit inside her towel.
‘Wary of visitors,’ Finley said.
‘You’re dam right.’
Cora lifted the lantern down from the registration desk. The others turned on their flashlights. They followed her to the doorway behind the staircase, and down the narrow flight of stairs to the pool area.
At the bottom, Finley shone her light on the door marked GENTS. ‘Anybody in…’ She paused as her voice resounded through the darkness. Speaking softly, she said, ‘Anybody in the mood for a john inspection?’
‘Feel free,’ Cora told her. i’m going in the water.’
‘Hickok? There’re probably lockers. Maybe we’ll find something interesting.’
‘Not me. Maybe tomorrow.’
‘I’m sure not going in there at night,’ Helen said.
Probably afraid there might be a shower room, Abilene thought. Probably remembering that phantom hand from when she was a freshman.
Vivian had kept on walking.
‘Some other time,’ Finley said.
They continued forward to the edge of the pool. There, Cora set down the lantern. In spite of its bright glow, it left both ends of the pool in darkness and failed to illuminate the far side. The beams of their flashlights searched those areas, sliding along the water’s surface, sweeping across the archway that led outside, shining on the empty expanse of floor beyond the right end of the pool, the stools and bar, probing every dark corner.
‘Nobody here but us chickens,’ Finley said.
‘Unless behind the bar,’ Abilene muttered.
Cora already had her T-shirt off. Balancing on one foot, she tugged off a shoe. ‘If it worries you, go look.’
‘Me?’
‘Maybe somebody should,’ Helen said, shining her light on the distant bar.
‘I’m not going over there alone.’
‘Gobble-gobble-gobble. ’
‘You check it out, Finley. You’re such a fearless explorer.’
‘Ah, Hickok, what a pussy.’ Laughing softly, shaking her head, she strode quickly alongside the pool. She left the lantern’s brightness behind. Abilene and Helen kept their flashlights on her back.
In unison, they flinched at the noise of a heavy splash.
Abilene whirled around. She saw Cora, long and pale, gliding beneath the water.
Vivian stood motionless beside the pool, gazing toward Finley.
Abilene turned again, and picked up Finley with her flashlight just as the girl stepped behind the bar.
‘Hey. What the…?’ Finley crouched, disappeared.
‘What are you doing?’ Abilene called.
No answer.
‘She’s just screwing around,’ Vivian said.
‘I know. But I wish…’
A sudden harsh clamor made Abilene jump, Helen yelp, Vivian gasp ‘Damn! ’
Abilene, shaken, yelled, ‘You bitch!’
Finley stood up behind the bar. ‘That was just me kicking the bucket.’
‘You’re a riot.’
‘I know, I know.’ She made a little bow, then stepped around the bar and walked toward them. She tossed her flashlight into the air. It tumbled high, its beam somersaulting. She caught it and switched it off.
‘One of these days,’ Helen said, ‘you’re gonna be sorry.’
‘Hope I didn’t upset anyone.’ Joining them, she started to unbutton her safari shirt.
‘Where’s Cora?’ Vivian asked.
They turned to the pool. Abilene saw no one swimming. She heard no sounds except a soft lapping of the water. She saw nothing gliding beneath the surface.
‘Don’t tell me she’s starting to play games.’
‘Oh, man,’ Helen murmured.
The beams of four flashlights began criss-crossing the water. ‘Hey, Cora!’ Finley yelled. ‘You’re making the babes nervous!’
Something pale moved in the archway.
All the lights hit Cora at once. Wincing, she squinted and ducked her head. ‘Gimme a break.’
They lowered their lights.
‘It’s really neat outside. Come on.’ She started to turn around. ‘Just wait for us,’ Vivian said. She sounded upset. ‘You shouldn’t have gone out there alone.’
‘I’m a big girl.’
‘Just wait for us,’ Vivian repeated.
‘Okay, okay.’
The idea of venturing to the outside pool changed Abilene’s mind about wearing a suit.
Finley finished undressing, entered the pool, swam to its far side and waited near Cora while the others put on their swimsuits.
‘I’m taking my flashlight,’ Helen said.
‘Me, too,’ Abilene told her.
‘What about the lantern?’ Helen asked.
Vivian grimaced. ‘No. Leave it here.’
‘It’d ruin the view,’ Cora said from the archway.
‘It’d light us up like
‘Sitting ducks?’ Finley suggested.
‘That’s right,’ Vivian said.
Finley, laughing, waded after Cora. The two of them vanished through the archway as Abilene, Vivian and Helen jumped into the pool.
The hot water felt wonderful sliding against Abilene. She made her way to the center of the pool, found the barred opening, and stepped on top of it. She lingered there, savoring the soft rub of the currents that rolled up from below. Raising the flashlight overhead, she squatted so the water covered her to the neck.
Then she realized that Vivian and Helen were already outside. She was alone. As she looked around at the bright lantern and the darkness beyond its glow, she felt a crawly sensation on the back of her neck.
She waded quickly to the archway and hurried through it.
The others were all in the smaller pool, sitting on the submerged ledges along two of its sides. Helen and Finley sat at the south end. Facing them across the water were Vivian and Cora.
‘Isn’t it terrific out here?’ Cora asked.
‘Nice,’ Abilene said. She waded over to the north end, put her flashlight on the edge, then sank down and sat beside Cora.
‘Fresh air.’
The air was warm, but cooler than inside. Its sulphur odor was not so strong, and Abilene could smell the sweet aromas of the forest.
Directly overhead was the porch. From its edge all the way to the treetops at the far end of the lodge’s grounds, the night sky was sprinkled with stars. There were no clouds that Abilene could see.
The high, full moon cast its brightness down on the woods, the field, the ruin of the swimming pool, the brick barbecue and the old picnic table. It lit the area under the porch, as well.
It glinted silver on the rippled surface of the hot pool.
It shone on the girls, gleaming on their hair, painting their skin with its milky glow, leaving black shadows where it couldn’t reach.
Nobody looks quite right, Abilene thought.
