Heart of the Woods by Grant C Holland

Author:Grant C Holland
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2018-08-12T04:00:00+00:00

13

Brandon

Brandon opened the door and smiled when the bell jingled as he entered Arrowhead Adventurers’ downtown Arrowhead Falls office. Kyle complained about it, but Brandon loved the bell. Kyle said it sounded like they were a beauty salon or pet store. It reminded Brandon of going to a favorite old hardware store with his uncle when he was a little boy. The store was over one-hundred-years old and had a bell that rang every time a customer entered.

Elle looked up from her desk. “You’re here early. We don’t open for another half hour, but I guess you know that.”

“I hope I do since I set the hours. You’re here early, too. Is there something special going on?”

Elle smiled. “Nothing but a much-needed bump up in the reservations. I’m not sure what’s happened, but we had five new bookings from online waiting this morning.”

“Maybe it’s this.” Brandon pulled the fumsup from his pocket.

“What’s that?”

“Levi gave it to me. He said it’s been in his family for a hundred years or so. I felt nervous taking it, but he says it’s for good luck when I’m out paddling.”

Elle gestured for him to come closer. “Let me see.”

It was a small figure shaped like a baby with a blank head and tiny hands with rudimentary thumbs pointing upward. Brandon placed it in Elle’s hand.

“Oh! It’s a fumsup. I’ve seen one before. My mom has it. She said she found it in great-grandma’s jewelry box after she passed. An appraiser told her what it was. This one is cute. Did you see the tiny shamrock on its belly?”

“I did. Do they work?”

Elle held the fumsup out and placed it back in Brandon’s hand. “Are you superstitious?”

Brandon shrugged. “Maybe a little. I don’t walk under ladders, and I shiver any time I see a black cat walking in front of me.”

Elle said, “I think things like this work if people believe they work. My theory is you’ll avoid crazy stuff if you think you have something that helps you do that. It doesn’t have any power on its own. It all comes from what’s in your head.”

“So you think I should take it with me in the canoe.”

“It can’t hurt. Make sure you’ve got him tucked somewhere secure. You don’t want to lose him in the bottom of a lake. I don’t think he can swim, and he’s too heavy to float. It would be like tossing into the water one of those lead weights the fishermen use.”

Brandon laughed. “Now tell me about those new bookings.” He stepped around behind Elle to look over her shoulder.

The office didn’t officially open for another twenty minutes or so, but while they both stared at the computer screen, someone pounded on the front door.

They both looked up to see a young man with a full backpack slung over his shoulders. Elle asked, “Why don’t you let him in? It’s not that early. Maybe it’s another booking.”

“Okay, but we’ve got to get those new ones scheduled. Start looking at where we can slot them in.

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