Greer was silently reading the news. So, I went to the bathroom behind the bush (one of my least favorite things to do in the woods). I was about to lower my pants when out of nowhere, a shadow flew past my face.
I ducked down and shielded my head, sure that once more a deranged bird person was after me. No attack. I stood up once again safe. I finished my business and was about to head back when the shadow buzzed me yet again.
I ducked. This time when I looked up, I had a clear view. The shadow was like nothing I’d ever seen. It was orb-like, with little wisps of shadowy tendrils. Moving in small infinity like motions, the shadow hovered. It was amazing. Beautiful and odd.
I stepped forward to get a better look, and the shadow moved to a different tree. As soon as I got closer, the shadow jumped to another tree. I moved closer, and it shifted again. This continued over and over like we were playing a game. Twenty times or more, I moved, and the shadow jumped. Thirty jumps. Forty. I was so close to catching it, I couldn’t stop myself.
And then the shadow disappeared.
That was when I realized I was very far from camp. And all alone.
I had to get back. I turned around, but I hadn’t even paid attention. The shadow hadn’t moved in a straight line. Every green old tree looked the same.
I was lost.
I panicked. How dumb could I be? Greer. I had to get back to Greer. But the more I tried to get back, the more lost I became.
Freaked out, and rightfully so, I sat down. If I kept wandering around to find Greer, I would get more lost.
After an hour of waiting, I heard Greer coming into the clearing.
“So happy you found me—” I stopped cold.
A broad-chested, strawberry-blond man in a hunting vest and hat stepped into the clearing. He appeared to be about forty-five. “Well, howdy.” He wore a welcoming smile.
I jumped up and adjusted my sunglasses.
“I didn’t mean to surprise you,” he said, stepping forward.
“I was going back to my camp.” I backed away to move around him. “My big camp is around here and my family and everything, so I better get back because my umm… people will miss me.” Smooth. What a terrible lie. My people? No one said that.
“Well, it is nice to meet you just the same.” He tipped his hat.
I started back in the opposite direction of the man and I controlled my pace so he wouldn’t think I was up to something, but the guy was following me.
“You look lost,” he said.
“Nope, I’m fine.” The forest all looked the same.
The man jumped out in front of me. “Look, I didn’t mean to surprise you back there. It’s getting late out here, and you don’t want to be in the woods all by your lonesome. There are terrible things in these woods, terrible things.”
“I’ll be fine. You know, my dad’s at camp and he’s got stuff to take care of us.”
“Well, hold up a second,” he said. I pushed past him. “Just hold up. You’re lost, I can tell, and you’re not safe. My wife would shoot me if I left a kid like you out in the woods by yourself.”
“Our camp is right over here,” I said, pointing to the left.
He called to me. “Sorry to tell you this, but that’s the way to my camp!”
I was so lost.
He stepped beside me. “What’s your name?”
I shook my head. I didn’t even know how to respond but he waited patiently, and I had to tell him something. “Sam.”
“Well, Sam, my wife is making dinner at camp. I’m sure my daughters would love the company. They’re getting sick of it being the four of us. Why don’t you come over?”
Considering the danger my life was in and the reward on my head, this was the last thing I wanted. I needed to say no, was going to say no, when I noticed the knife hitched on his belt. This guy seemed nice enough, but that meant nothing. Bollard had seemed okay too. So had Manon, and for a short time, Claudette had, too. This guy could turn on me at any second, hold the knife to my neck, and end my life. He could also turn me in for ransom money.
Stuck without a real option, I could run, but that would only raise his suspicion. If I went with him, he might hurt me. I didn’t know what to do.
“No need to look so frightened. We’re all nice. I’m Nate Diddle. Wife’s name is Laura. Our oldest daughter is Natalie—we call her Nat Cat—and our little squirt is Donna.”
“You have kids?” Kids were a comfort. Most people don’t kill strangers in front of their kids.
“Yeah. Come on. You look like you need a good meal and a hot bath,” the man said. He waited for me to walk next to him.
The first stars of the night were coming out in the darkening sky. Through the brush and trees, I made out the family’s camp and I felt somewhat better. The wife, Laura, was cooking over an open fire. The older daughter was sitting alone, braiding her hair. His younger daughter was playing with dolls and catching them over by their tiny redwood house. The Diddles—tiny house people.
I felt better but not at ease with the situation. They didn’t seem like the enemy but then again, no one did. That was the problem.
“Look what I found in the woods!” Nate Diddle called as we entered the camp.
Donna stood, a little startled to see me. Laura and Natalie gave each other big smiles, obviously happy to
