they approached, wearing her red uniform, her hair up.
“Mr. Wake! Oh, this is so cool,” gushed Rose. “Barry, you found him!”
Wake looked at Barry. “You know her?”
“Like I said, I’ve been asking all over town for you ever since I arrived,” said Barry. “How are you doing, beautiful?”
“Better now,” Rose said to Barry, blushing. “I’m so glad you’re okay, Mr. Wake.”
“I’m fine,” said Wake. “If you happen to see my wife—”
“I’ll call the sheriff,” said Rose. “I heard she was missing on the radio this morning. That is so creepy, but I’m sure she’ll turn up. All kinds of weird things happen in Bright Falls… it’s like we’re in some kind of
“What are you talking about?” said Wake.
“Just… stuff,” said Rose, eyes downcast. “Last night, Rusty’s dog Max got all torn up, and…” She looked flustered. “I got to go or I’m going to be late for work. I only came here to bring Rusty his coffee. You know how he is about our Oh Deer Diner special brew.” She gave Wake a quick kiss on the cheek. “Bye, Mr. Wake, bye, Barry!”
Barry watched her leave. Watched her butt, anyway. “How come the writer is always the one getting kissed, and the agent is always getting just a hello and goodbye?”
Wake pushed through the doors, into the Visitor Center, and stopped in the foyer, looking around. The shelves nearby were lined with maps, souvenirs, postcards, and tourist items like miniature snowshoes and jars of mountain honey. The knotty pine walls displayed wildlife posters and maps of Bright Falls, Deerfest, and Cauldron Lake. The most impressive sight was a huge skeleton of a woolly mammoth standing in the main room. Wake walked over and stood in front of it, read the sign: BUCK-TOOTHED CHARLIE, COLUMBIAN MAMMOTH, MAMMUTHUS COLUMBI, WASHINGTON STATE OFFICIAL STATE FOSSIL.
“That… that’s one ugly beast,” said Barry, looking up at the massive skull, the enormous curved tusks.
Through the panoramic windows, Wake saw Rusty on the back deck, the ranger bandaging the leg of a dog that rested on top of a wooden picnic table. “I’ll be right back, Barry. I’m going to check us into a cabin.”
“You think this thing’s for sale?” Barry said, pointing at the skeleton of the mammoth. “Dumbo there would look great in my office.”
“Yeah, that’ll bring in the clients,” said Wake, going out onto the deck.
Rusty looked up as Wake approached; so did the big dog on the table, some shaggy mixed breed with a long snout. Rusty had his sleeves rolled up, his hat on the bench beside him. A thermos rested beside the hat, probably filled with Rose’s coffee.
“Howdy, Mr. Wake,” he said, going back to the dog, his movements delicate as he continued bandaging the animal’s leg. “Glad to see you. Folks have been looking for you. Chubby little fella in a red parka—”
“I already checked in with the sheriff, but thanks,” said Wake. “I’m interested in renting a cabin.”
“What happened to your head?” said Rusty as he finished taping up the dog’s leg.
“Cut myself shaving.”
“Is that a joke?” said Rusty.
“Yes.”
Rusty grinned. “New York humor, huh. I get it. Sure I can rent you a cabin. Got only one left. It’s kind of out there, though.”
“No problem.” Wake petted the dog’s head. “What happened to Max?”
“Ran into something in the woods last night,” said Rusty, shaking his head. He put the gauze and antibiotic cream back into the first-aid kit. “Ripped him up pretty good too.”
“Has that happened to him very often?” said Wake, rubbing the dog’s chin.
“He got a snout full of porcupine quills once, but nothing like this before,” said Rusty. “Max is usually pretty careful.”
“Any idea what it was?” said Wake.
Rusty shook his head. “Wish I did. I’m not even sure it was an animal.”
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing. I don’t mean nothing. What else could it be?” Rusty looked up at him. “You got a real nice way with animals, Mr. Wake. Even with a mutt like Max. Lot of you city slickers, no offense, don’t take to anything other than fancy little purebreds the ladies can carry around in their purses. Designer dogs for designer pocketbooks.”
“I was going to hike up to Lovers’ Peak,” said Wake, gently rubbing the dog’s ears, the animal’s eyes rolling with pleasure. “Can you give me directions?”
“No problem,” said Rusty. “I can give you a map too. If you’re worried about running into what got a piece of Max, you can put your mind at ease. We got plenty of bears, but they stay away from humans. Just make plenty of noise when you walk, and they’ll head in the opposite direction.” He gently helped the dog down from the table.
Wake watched as Max limped away to the corner of the deck, found a spot in the sun, and sat in the very center of it, the very brightest part.
I turned the corner, afraid of what the flashlight’s beam might reveal. A roughly painted symbol of a torch glowed in the light. Behind it, hidden by a rock, sat a battered metal trunk. It was here for a reason, packed with supplies: batteries, flares, ammo. Things you need to make it through the darkness of the night. Something left behind by a fellow traveler, someone who knew what I knew, and more.
CHAPTER 9
A HALF HOUR later, Barry and Wake pulled up in front of a rundown A-frame with a roughhewn porch. No other cabins nearby, just the surrounding forest. High up in a fir tree overlooking the cabin, a trio of ravens silently watched them get out of the car, heads cocked as though discussing something.
“What’s
“All part of the beauty and wonder of nature,” said Wake, his voice light but his thoughts heavy. Last night it seemed like every attack of the Taken was preceded by those damn birds squawking.
He grabbed his bags out of the back of the car and started up the steps to the cabin. Rusty had given him a key, but the cabin was unlocked. Wake pushed open the door, kicked his boots on the welcome mat before entering. The place smelled faintly of burnt pine and crisp bacon. The cabin was clean, clean enough anyway. A sagging sofa in the living room, a kitchen table and two chairs downstairs. The remains of a fire were in the fireplace, a few singed logs and ashes. Wake trudged upstairs, Barry following him. At the peak of the A-frame were a couple of double beds, sheets and blankets neatly folded on them. A plaque on the wall read TREAT MOTHER NATURE WITH LOVE in burned-in letters.
Barry sneezed at the top of the stairs. “I hate nature.”
Wake went into the small bathroom, removed the bandage from his forehead. The wound wasn’t too bad. He touched it gently, winced. He started the shower, walked out while the water got warm.
Barry was downstairs now, complaining about what the dust was doing to his allergies.
After taking a shower, Wake changed into clean clothes, applied a fresh bandage, and lay down on the unmade bed. He tried to sleep, but his mind wouldn’t turn off. It never did. He turned over, playing and replaying things, trying to make sense of what had happened at Bird Leg Cabin. He lay on his side, hearing Barry banging around in the kitchen. The bed was too soft. How could anybody be expected to sleep in that? He tucked the pillow under his head, breathing slowly as the day spooled out, the late afternoon sun leaking through the curtains. He yawned…
