She waited for a reply.
No reply came.
“I like Martin,” Laneesha said, “but fuck ’em. I’m a city girl. I don’t do creeping ’round the forest at night. This is a total bad idea.”
Sara agreed. There was no hole or trench around here he could have fallen into, and if Martin hit his head he’d be lying nearby.
Still, if this was a prank, it was being taken too far. It wasn’t funny anymore. It was just plain mean.
And then Sara understood what was happening, and she felt her face flush.
Her husband was doing this because he was angry.
Well, two could play that game.
“You can stay out there!” she yelled.
Her voice echoed through the trees, fading and dying. Then …
The sound was faint, coming from far ahead of them.
“Wassat Martin?” Laneesha asked.
Sara squinted, crinkling her nose. “I’m not sure. Could have been an animal.”
“Sounded like
“Martin!” Sara shouted into the trees.
There was no answer. Laneesha moved closer to Sara, so close Sara could feel the girl shivering.
“We should go back.”
“What if it’s Martin? He could need help.”
“You the social worker. Y’all good at helping people. I’m a single mom. I gotta take care of myself for my baby’s sake. ’Sides, prolly just an animal.”
Sara began to walk toward the voice. “You go back to camp,” she said to Laneesha. “Martin! I’m coming!”
The trees were so thick Sara couldn’t walk in a straight line for more than a few steps. Even worse, the Maglite was getting dimmer. How far ahead could he be? Fifty yards? A hundred? The woods seemed to be closing in, swallowing her up. There was no red ribbon anywhere.
She stopped, trying to get her bearings. Sara couldn’t even be sure this was the right direction anymore.
A rustling noise, to her left. Sara turned.
“Martin?”
Then something tackled Sara, something strong enough to knock the wind right out of her lungs. Before Sara could see what it was, the flashlight went flying and winked out.
