Campfire by Shawn Sarles

Author:Shawn Sarles [Sarles, Shawn / Patterson, James & Patterson, James]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Published: 2018-07-17T00:00:00+00:00

THIRTEEN

AN UNCOMFORTABLE QUIET HAD FALLEN AROUND the campfire, everyone trying to avoid Mark’s gaze.

“But—but—that can’t possibly be true.” Mark’s anxious assertion broke the silence. The color had gone completely out of his face. The story must have sobered him up a bit. Caleb only shrugged, though, giving nothing away.

But Maddie knew the story couldn’t possibly be real. It sounded so over the top. So far-fetched. What would Caleb have even done with the two heads? And why would he ever come back if those same Mountain Men were still out there?

Still, Maddie had to admit there was a part of her that believed him. Or a part that wanted to believe him. There’d been something in Caleb’s voice as he’d told his story. Something tragically authentic. Like the gruesome ordeal had been seared into his memory, all the details there, plain as day, every time he closed his eyes.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone who understood? Someone who, like Maddie, knew the pain of never forgetting the worst day imaginable? Those images of her mother—of the fire and its suffocating, black smoke—they haunted her. And always would.

No. Maddie had to check herself. Caleb was a good storyteller, plain and simple. He probably pulled this story out for all of the groups he escorted through the mountains. He hadn’t survived some near-death trauma. The Mountain People didn’t exist.

She got to her feet in a hurry, needing a moment to get away and clear her head.

“Everything all right?” Chelsea asked, and everyone in the circle turned toward her.

“Fine.” Maddie put a smile on. “Just wanted to grab a drink. Anybody else want one?”

“I’ll take another beer.” Charlie raised one hand to get Maddie’s attention.

“I’ll be right back.”

Maddie retreated from the campfire light. She could hear the conversation starting back up, but she only caught the first few words before she walked out of earshot.

The cooler wasn’t far, but Maddie suddenly felt isolated. She hadn’t bothered to grab her flashlight. The eerie quiet of the woods wrapped around her like a blanket. She felt alone. And a little paranoid. She could see just ahead where the woods started. She stopped and peered into the black chasm.

What hid behind the dark foliage of those branches?

Crickets? Owls? Deer? Bears? The Mountain People?

She shook her head and kept walking. When she got to the cooler, she hesitated. It was blue, just like in Caleb’s story. Her fingers danced nervously over the plastic lid.

Wait. Why was she being so silly?

Maddie rolled her eyes at herself and flipped the cooler open. Before she could reach in, though, she heard footsteps come up behind her. She jumped. A squeal escaped her lips.

“Oh, sorry,” Caleb apologized. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”

Maddie blushed, thankful for the darkness.

“No worries.”

She tried to act cool. She reached into the open cooler—no heads—and pulled out a can of ginger ale and a bottle of beer for her brother.

“Did you want something?” Maddie asked.

“Nope. Just needed to stretch my legs.”

Maddie nodded, the cold drinks sweating in her hands.

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