Marked (The Pack) (5 page)

“I’m not going to miss. I can get home at ten or eleven and still be up on time.” I flung myself against the back of the chair. I wasn’t used to anyone being so particular about when I came and went.

“Do you not remember the sheriff saying a woman had been attacked after dark?

“No, I haven’t forgotten, but I don’t intend on wandering around in the woods after dark. I’ll be at someone’s house.”

“And how do you intend to get there?”

I fiddled with the paper towel in my lap, now for the hard part. “I know how to drive. I hope you’ll let me borrow your car.”

Louise choked on the food she’d just swallowed and a coughing fit followed. Her voice rasped when she was finally able to speak. “You don’t have a license, so that’s not going to happen.”

“I’ll have one soon. I was about to get my learner’s permit before I had to come here. I can’t help it if my birthday is late.”

“But right now, at this point, you don’t actually have the piece of plastic do you?”

I ground my teeth. “No, I don’t.”

“Then you’re not getting in my vehicle and driving on the public road while I’m responsible for you.”

“My mom would let me drive, and she would let me stay out until at least eleven.” I knew that was a stretch, mostly the driving part, but maybe she wouldn’t call mom to verify it.

Aunt Louise’s face darkened, her eyes sparking again. She was getting really angry. I knew because I looked the same way when I got mad.

“I’m calling the shots right now and I don’t care what your mother would do. I’ll take you to Channing’s house and pick you up.”

My stomach knotted. Being dropped off was not acceptable, not with people like Channing. I knew because my friends in Chicago were never driven anywhere by their parents. They all had their own car. Occasionally, they’d pick me up and more recently I’d told my mom I was getting picked up when in reality I walked or rode a not so safe city bus. Unfortunately, since I wasn’t anywhere near a city there’d be no bus down the road, safe or otherwise and judging by the size of the lake it would be an enormously long walk. Unfortunately, walking might be my only choice.

“Come on. I’ll look like an idiot. Can’t I walk?”

Aunt Louise took a drink of her iced tea without ever taking her eyes off me. The tight feeling around my chest returned. The woman was good at raising your anxiety level. When I finally couldn’t meet her stare any longer, she leaned back and sighed.

“Tell you what. You can ride the four-wheeler on the trail that runs around the lake to her house. But you have to be home by eight because you can’t be on that trail after dark. Otherwise I’ll have to take you and pick you up.”

I didn’t have to debate that. I’d come home early rather than be dropped off. “A four-wheeler, that’s an all terrain vehicle, right?”

Aunt Louise snorted. “You really are a city girl aren’t you? And to answer your question, yes, it’s an all terrain vehicle.”

I took a drink of tea and wiggled in the chair. “I’ve never ridden a four-wheeler.”

“I’ll teach you after dinner.”

Just like that, everything was settled. Louise never questioned whether or not I’d be able to drive the thing, so I took confidence in that and tried to finish my meal.

***

“Push this button to start it.”

I pushed the button Louise pointed to and the engine of the ATV growled to life. The seat underneath me vibrated while I grinned uncontrollably. This might be fun. I glanced at Aunt Louise, who smiled. If she let me ride the four-wheeler this summer things would be fine. She threw her leg across the seat behind me.

“Let’s see how you do. It shifts automatically so give it the gas and go. No super sharp turns, though, because you can flip it over.”

I pushed the throttle with my thumb, and we roared across the front yard and down the hill toward the trees. I gassed the machine harder at a bump in the yard, hearing Louise laughing in my ear. The tires flew inches off the ground and I couldn’t stop the squeal that came from deep inside of me.

“The path down there leads to a wider trail that goes all the way around the lake. You’ll go through a few people’s yard but as long as you’re respectful and don’t tear up their grass they won’t mind.”

I nodded, following her finger as she pointed toward the path. This would definitely be my mode of transportation this summer.

“I think you’ve got it now.” Louise patted me on the shoulder. “Take me to the house and you can keep riding.”

When we stopped next to the house Aunt Louise slid off the four-wheeler. “Take it easy, no wild riding. I’d make you wear a helmet, but I know you’d only take it off the minute you get out of sight. If I find you’ve been driving this thing carelessly you’ll wear a helmet or quit riding it. And believe me, around here, when you do something wrong sooner or later I’ll be told.”

I snapped my right hand to my forehead in a sharp military salute and grinned, choosing to ignore the ominous tone of Louise’s voice. “Yes, ma’am.”

Louise shook her head, smiling wryly. “I want you in this yard before dark.”

I frowned. “What is it with you and the dark thing? Do you think I’m afraid or that some creep’s going to get me?”

Louise grabbed my upper arm and squeezed a bit tighter than was comfortable. “I don’t think you’re afraid, but you could hit a tree in the dark. And does anyone ever really know about creeps? Or have you forgotten someone was killed here recently?”

She let go and I automatically rubbed my arm. Just when I thought Aunt Louise might be fun, she went all weird. Gunning the engine, I headed toward the trail that led to the lake, spewing gravel when I left the drive.

The sun had nearly disappeared behind the trees before I noticed. The ATV whipped around the curves and even threw mud against a tree when I spun in circles in a puddle. I’d been having so much fun flying along the trail, I hadn’t noticed the time. The moon, almost a complete circle except for a tiny chunk missing, glowed in the sky. Trouble, spelled L-O-U-I-S-E, would be waiting for me when I got home.

Whipping the ATV in the direction of Aunt Louise’s house, I pushed the gas and the engine died. Heat rose from the metal around my bare legs. I punched the start button and the engine rumbled, sputtered, then died. Adjusting my bottom on the seat, I wiped my sweaty palms on the hem of my T-shirt and punched the start button again.

Behind me, a tree limb cracked and bushes rattled. Good, someone was coming. Hopefully, they’d be an ATV mechanic. When I turned, the trail was empty. To the left side lay the lake, nothing but thick trees and bushes were on the right. No one was on the path, though the long shadows made it hard to see anything clearly. Maybe that was a person, way at the end. It was hard to tell. It could be the shadow of a tree. No, the shadow appeared to move a bit, surely that was a person. I licked my dry lips, but my tongue didn’t have much moisture on it.

The sheriff’s words about the woman being attacked echoed in my head. I took a deep breath.

“Hey, can you help me. This thing won’t start.”

Nothing moved and even the noisy crickets quieted. But what I thought was a person was now gone. The figure didn’t leave, but simply evaporated.

“Must have been a shadow.” I said out loud to the dead air.

My words echoed among the trees. I tried to take a deep breath, but that tight band was around my chest again and this time it wasn’t because of Aunt Louise watching me. My skin crawled and beads of cold sweat rolled from every pore. I felt as though I was waking up from one of my nightmares, only I wasn’t asleep. I jabbed the start button and, at last, the engine roared while the hair on my neck stood on end. I forced the machine forward, my ponytail streaking behind me in the wind. Suddenly, my head jerked backward and my rear rose inches off the seat from the force of whatever had hold of me. The only thing that kept me on the ATV was the death grip I had on the handle bars. Then, as quickly as I’d been caught I was free. I twisted to look behind me but saw nothing in the fading light. Probably a tree limb had snagged me. I mean, what else could it be. I wasn’t going to dwell on that thought.

I kept going, but my skin seemed to be trying to leap completely off my body. In response, every muscle fiber in me snapped tight. I never remembered being afraid of getting mugged or jumped in a blind alley in the city. Yet, here I was, in what should have been the safest place in the world, racing for my life. Wasn’t I? I left the lake behind, the engine of the ATV whining at top speed. The underbrush on the side of the trail seemed to be moving and even though I knew it was the wind, or at least my imagination, I couldn’t stop the nausea that rocked my stomach.

The path finally gave way to the yard where my aunt waited under the light of the porch. This was one lecture I’d take quietly.

The dirt and grass made a crunching sound as I slid to a stop. Aunt Louise jumped to the ground completely missing the last two steps.

“Are you alright?”

Nodding, I still couldn’t get my breath. I thought at any minute I might hurl the red beans and rice on my aunt’s bare feet. Sweat dripped from the handgrips as Louise caught my wrists and tugged, pulling my hands loose. The thick rubber dented inward where my fingers had been. I’d heard of adrenaline, but this was the first time I’d ever experience it. I glanced quickly toward Louise wondering if she’d be angry about the damaged handles, but she only frowned then raked back the strands of hair stuck to my sweaty face.

“You stayed out too late.”

I opened my mouth to answer but only a gurgle escaped. “I’ll put the four-wheeler in the shed. You go get a bath.”

I dragged myself off the seat without arguing. I was afraid I’d do something really stupid like throw up or cry, so I ran into the house.

Cool water from the showerhead washed the sweat down the drain, but I couldn’t get rid of the heaviness in my chest. An aching in my arms and especially my legs made it hard for me to stand. Finally, I sat in the floor of the shower, the water pouring over me. I was sick.

A knock on the bathroom door had me scrambling to my feet.

“You almost done in there?” Louise shouted.

“Uh, yeah, I’m finishing right now.”

Grabbing a towel and switching off the water at once, I jumped onto the bath mat. Aunt Louise was still in the hall, waiting, when I exited the bathroom.

“I think I’m sick.”

“What’s the matter?”

“I feel nauseous and I kind of ache. Maybe I’m getting the flu.”

“It’s summer. The flu isn’t going around.”

“So it’s the summer flu. It has to start somewhere with one person, you know, the whole patient zero thing.”

Aunt Louise didn’t move, didn’t pat me on the back or offer the least bit of sympathy. She only frowned. “You get the flu a lot?”

I wasn’t completely sure if that was a question or not, but I answered. “I’ve had it once or twice.”

She sniffed as though she wasn’t sure she believed me. She strode to my room and thrust the door open. “Go to bed and I’ll get you a couple ibuprofen for those aches in your arms and legs.”

Halfway to the bed I stopped and ran to the stairs. Aunt Louise was on the last step. “Hey, how did you know it was my arms and legs aching?”

Louise shrugged. “Typical flu symptoms.”

Shuffling to my room, I fell into the bed Louise had turned down for me and pulled the sheet to my neck.

***

The moonlight colored the grass and leaves a milky shade of green and black. Ahead, ripples shimmered on top of the lake. I stood on the path, not remembering leaving the house. I shouldn’t be here after dark, by myself. Aunt Louise would freak. Twigs crackled underfoot. I spun to face the trees behind me, my heart slamming against my chest so hard it hurt. They were coming. Eyes glowed amid the thick undergrowth. I reached for a stick but couldn’t seem to make my hands grab it. The trees and underbrush blurred before my eyes. I started walking in the direction of the house, then behind me a shadow leapt onto the path and I started to run. The thick, wet air clogged my nostrils and stuck to my skin. The backs of my legs tingled with a hot, slimy wetness. Whatever was here in these woods was right behind me, but I was too scared to turn around and look. I forced myself to go faster.

At the very core of my brain, I knew this was another nightmare. I never could wake myself when I realized I was dreaming. It didn’t matter. The house was ahead. I was going to make it. In an upstairs window a curtain moved. Great, now I was even getting busted by Aunt Louise in my dreams.

Inside, I ran water in the bathroom sink, though I didn’t remember how I got there. I’d probably slept through that part. Wiping off sweat and grime, I laughed and tossed the washcloth in the dirty clothes basket. Bathing in my dream, that was new. The smile left my face. It was happening here, just like it did at home, and it was getting worse. I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t figure out how to wake up when things got scary, no matter how much I wanted to.

Chapter Six

The pillow vibrated beneath my ear in an even pattern, matching Aunt Louise’s steps as she walked along the hall from her bedroom to where I slept. I scrunched my eyelids together. If I pretended to be deeply asleep when she came to wake me, maybe she’d let me sleep in today. The door rattled and clicked then swished open.