Count Me In (9 page)

Tabitha nodded as Ashley shook her head and said, “Don't go.”

Cedar grabbed the water bucket. “I'll do it.”

Tess leaped to her feet and blocked his way, still clutching her forearm. “You will not.”

“Aw, Mom, you said yourself that he's not going to be waiting for us out there. It's not like it's a grizzly or anything.”

“Forget it, Cedar. It broke into the hut and learned it could take our food. I'm not putting you at risk.”

“But what about you?”

“I'm the adult here. It's my job.”

Cedar stood in front of her, not budging. “You always say that. At least let me come with you.”

Tabitha felt the tension rising in Tess. The last thing they needed was a blowout between her aunt and Cedar. Should she interfere? She didn't want to get in the middle of a fight, but she could see Tess's point. She leaned out from the bench and rested a hand on her cousin's arm. “I wish you'd stay here in case the bear comes back.”

Cedar frowned at her but relinquished the bucket to Tess.

With a nod to Tabitha, Tess grabbed the bucket and one of the pots from the table and strode to the door.

“Won't it be hard to carry both of those full of water?” Tabitha asked.

Tess shook her head. “I'm not filling up the smaller pot. It's to make noise while I'm outside. I'll bang it against the water bucket.” She put them on the floor and rummaged in the first-aid kit.

“What are you doing?” Ashley asked.

“Trying to find the whistle,” Tess said. She turned her back to the three kids. “There it is.”

Tabitha saw her put something white into her pocket. It looked bigger than a whistle.

Tess faced them again, her hand on the door. “If I'm in trouble, I'll blow the whistle three times. If that happens, bring everything you can find that makes noise and come get me. Otherwise, lock the door and don't even think about leaving. Understand?” She stared directly at Cedar.

All three nodded. Tabitha's heart started pounding again as her aunt opened the door.

“Don't worry,” Tess said. “You'll be fine. Remember to lock up.” She shut the door and clumped down the stairs.

Cedar hurried to latch the door as Tabitha and Ashley ran to the window.

“I can't believe she's doing this,” Cedar grumbled. “Why's she in such a rush?”

Ashley didn't say anything. She pressed her forehead against the window as Tess passed by before turning the corner and heading for the stream.

Tabitha stepped away from the window and sat on the bench. After a few seconds she stood and paced the room.

“Be quiet,” Ashley said. “I'm listening.”

Tabitha stopped. Silence reverberated off the walls, filling the room with tension. As she listened, small sounds from outside broke through—rain pattering on wet bushes, waves slapping the shore of the lake.

Ashley leaned against the windowsill and buried her head in her arms. “I miss Max.”

Cedar nodded. “Me too.”

“If Max were here, this would never have happened,” Ashley said. “He'd have scared the bear away before it came in.”

Or the bear would have eaten him, Tabitha thought. Maybe that had already happened. She closed her eyes and shook her head to clear the image. When she opened her eyes, Ashley and Cedar were staring at each other with drooping faces. Tabitha walked to the kitchen to give them some space. It wasn't just Max they were missing. She couldn't imagine what it would feel like to lose your dad, your dog, and now maybe your mom too.

“I can't believe she'd leave us,” Ashley said.

“We need water,” Cedar said, sounding as though he were trying to convince himself.

“We'll be okay for a while,” Ashley said. “She didn't need to go right away.”

Tabitha chewed her lip. Why had Tess left them? She'd been the one to say it wasn't safe in the first place. And then there was that business with the whistle that didn't look like a whistle. It was as if she was hiding something from them.

At that moment there was a thump on the step. Everyone jumped.

“That was quick,” Cedar said, rushing to unlock the door.

“Wait!” Tabitha shouted. “Make sure it's your mom first.”

Cedar stopped with his fingers poised above the door handle. “Mom?”

No answer.

The footsteps plodded up two more stairs.

“Mom!” Cedar called. “Is that you?”

Something slapped against the door.

“Maybe it's Max!” Ashley pressed the unhurt side of her face to the glass. She leaped away, one hand covering her mouth. “It's the bear! He's back!”

Heat coursed through Tabitha's body, and every muscle in it tightened into a knot. What if the bear made it through the door? This time Tess wouldn't be here to scare it off.

The bear thumped against the door. The wood shook under the weight.

“I don't know if the latch will hold!” Cedar said.

“What do we do?” Tabitha croaked.

Cedar pushed his back against the door. “Come help me hold it.”

Ashley rushed over and stood beside him, holding the door shut. Tabitha took two steps toward them, then stopped. “We need to make noise.” She ran to the kitchen and grabbed everything metal she could find—a frying pan, a ladle, a lid and a knife.

Cedar grabbed the ladle and pan. “Good idea.”

“What about me?” Ashley asked.

“Bang on the door,” Cedar said.

The bear grunted and slapped the handle. Tabitha banged the knife against the pot lid. Ashley hammered on the door. Cedar joined in with the ladle and frying pan. “Go home, bear! Get out of here,” he yelled.

The noise was so loud it drowned out all thought. Tabitha watched the door—the only way to tell if the bear was still there. It rattled again. She banged louder. She wished she could cover her ears at the same time as she made the noise.

She thought she'd go crazy with fear waiting for the bear to burst through the door. Her whole being was focused on the door handle and her banging. Sweat dripped into her eyes, but she didn't brush it away. Cedar stopped and motioned for them to do the same. She ignored him. They couldn't stop, or the bear would come in.

Cedar stepped toward her and grabbed her arms, forcing her to stop. She tore her eyes away from the door. The echo of the banging drifted around the room before an eerie silence fell over the hut.

“I think he's gone,” Cedar said.

“How do you know?” Tabitha asked. She realized she was panting from the exertion of banging so hard on the pots.

“I haven't felt anything on the door for a while,” Cedar said.

Ashley ran to the window again. “I can't see him.”

Tabitha sank to the floor and dropped her utensils. She flinched as they clanged.

“Open the door and make sure he's gone,” Ashley said.

“Are you crazy?” Cedar yelled.

Footsteps clunked on the stairs. “Oh no, he's back,” Tabitha groaned.

Cedar pressed his back against the door. Tabitha stood, but her legs shook so hard she had to steady herself against the wall.

CHAPTER TWELVE

“Open up!”

“It's Mom!” Cedar threw open the door for Tess and grabbed the water bucket from her hand.

“You guys okay?”

“You didn't see it?” Ashley asked.

“What?”

“The bear,” Cedar said.

“Not a sign.” Tess closed the door, latched it and pulled off her jacket.

“It came back,” Tabitha said.

Tess stopped with her hand halfway to the coat hook. “In here?”

“It tried to get in, but we scared it away,” Cedar said.

Tess dropped her jacket and pulled Cedar to her in a hug. “What happened? How did you scare it away? Are you guys okay?”

Cedar nodded as Ashley came to join in the hug.

“We're fine. We're good at making noise,” Ashley said.

Tabitha shuffled to the kitchen. Tears pricked her eyes. She wanted her mom too. She put the lid and knife on the counter and stood with her shoulders slumped, blinking her eyes to stop the tears.

Tess placed a hand on her shoulder and gently turned her around. “We'll be okay.” She wrapped her arms around Tabitha. “You'll see your folks soon.”

Tabitha sniffled. But Tess's hug helped. She wiped her tears away. “Thanks.”

“Good thing I got the water when I did.”

Cedar put the bucket next to the pot that was already full. “We can boil these as we need them.”

“Get your water bottles,” Tess said. “I want everyone to stay hydrated. With all the excitement this morning, I bet nobody's had anything to drink.”

She was right. Now that Tabitha stopped to think about it, she was parched. And starving. And she had to pee. How could you be thirsty and have to pee at the same time? And where was she going to do it? No way she would go to the outhouse with the bear roaming around.

“I need to pee,” Ashley said.

Tabitha sighed an inward breath of relief. She wasn't the only one.

“I don't want you heading to the outhouse.” Tess picked up one of the pots they'd been banging earlier. “Use this.”

“No!” Ashley shouted. “That's disgusting!”

For once, Tabitha agreed with her cousin. She didn't want to pee with everybody watching.

“Then you can go at the bottom of the stairs,” Tess said.

Cedar squinted out the window. “No bear. You're safe to go, Ash.”

“I have to go too,” Tabitha said.

“Safest to go at the same time, while there's no sign of the bear.” Tess motioned to the steps with her arm.

Tabitha grimaced. She was supposed to pee right next to Ashley? Her cousin didn't seem bothered by the idea and was already making her way down the steps.

Tabitha took a deep breath and ran out the door. At the bottom of the stairs, she stopped and bent over to peer around the corner of the hut. No bear hiding in the bushes that she could see.

“Quickly, Tabitha!” Tess called.

Tabitha nodded. She turned her back to Ashley and squatted. Nothing happened. She urged herself to go. Her heart beat so hard she couldn't hear anything else. Maybe the bear was behind her, sizing up her butt, wondering if it would make a tasty snack. She pulled her jacket lower. Ashley finished and walked back up the steps.

“Hurry, Tabitha!” Tess said.

“I'm trying!” She tried to block out the image of Tess and Ashley watching from the steps, and the bear waiting for her around the corner. She started counting slowly. 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13. Finally it worked.

When she was done, she jumped up, still pulling up her pants as she moved to the steps.

The rest of the day passed slowly. Tabitha's stomach grumbled, then tightened into a ball of emptiness. Her hunger went beyond feeling hungry, to a feeling of lethargy. All she wanted to do was go back to bed.

Cedar and Ashley bickered the day away. Ashley's whole face was starting to swell and was turning an angry red, matching her mood. Nothing was too small for them to fight about.

“Move over,” Ashley said.

Cedar inched his foot away from her and kept reading.

“You didn't even move!”

“Did too. If you've got a problem, go sit on the other bench,” Cedar said.

“The light's not as good over there. You move,” she said.

Cedar's head stayed buried in his book. “Can't see over there.”

Ashley pushed his foot. He pushed back.

Tabitha watched them argue. She had no brother or sister to fight with. At first the bickering was good entertainment. After an hour she was ready to boot them both out the door.

“That's enough,” Tess snapped. “If you keep it up, I'll send you both back outside with the bear.”

“As if,” Ashley said.

“Don't try me,” Tess said. “Go sit on the other bench.”

Ashley pouted. “Why me?”

“Because you're the one who wanted more room. Move it.”

Ashley snatched her book off the bench and stomped to the other side of the picnic table.

Tabitha slouched back in her chair. Now maybe they'd shut up for a few minutes.

Tess picked up her book, then set it on her lap and pressed her hand against her forearm. Tabitha kept an eye on her aunt as she pretended to read. Tess winced. She stood and walked over to the sink. Keeping her back to the kids, she fiddled with something.

Cedar had looked up from his book and was watching Tess as well. “What're you doing, Mom?”

“Just getting some water,” Tess called over her shoulder as she reached for her water bottle.

Cedar waited until Tess turned around. “Are you okay?”

Tess smiled. “Of course. Why wouldn't I be?” She gulped water from her bottle. “You should all be drinking more. It's important to keep hydrated, and it'll fill up your stomachs.”

Cedar sighed and pushed himself off the bench to get his water bottle. Tabitha took a swig from hers, keeping her eyes on Tess the whole time. But Tess sat as though nothing had happened and went back to reading.

Tabitha thought the day would never end. By five o'clock the hut was dark. With no dinner to prepare, the hours until bed stretched before them. She was sick of reading about flowers. She craved a huge bowl of spaghetti and meatballs. Or a juicy McDonald's hamburger. She could probably eat five of them. Finally, at eight o'clock, she gave up. “I'm going to bed.”

Tess nodded. “Good idea.”

“Should we put a chair or something against the door?” Tabitha asked.

Tess thought for a moment. “Wouldn't hurt,” she said.

Tabitha dragged her chair to the door and tilted it, lodging the chair back under the handle. It wouldn't keep an angry bear out, but it made her feel more secure.

Hauling herself up the ladder was a huge effort. She couldn't believe how much weaker she felt after a day of not eating. At this rate she wouldn't be able to get out of bed the next day. No wonder Ashley was so grumpy. She'd had another whole day of not eating, on top of dealing with the pain in her face.