Zack waded through the water. At least twice he thought he felt something swim past his foot. He hoped it wasn’t a snake. When he was almost up to his knees in water, Cole suggested they head back.
“What time is it?” Zack asked. Between exploring and reminiscing, he’d lost track of time. Cole removed his phone from his pocket. “You’re still carrying that thing around?” He laughed.
“I can’t live without it,” Cole admitted sheepishly. “It’s almost quarter till six.”
Zack turned around. Part of him wanted to keep exploring the cave, but the water was too deep to go much farther anyway.
“All right,” he said. “If we hurry, we’ll still have time to take another trail back to Dire Lake.”
The pair waded in the direction they came. Zack scaled the ledge first before helping Cole over the top. They walked until the light appeared outside the cave’s entrance. Zack held his hand in front of his face so his eyes could readjust to the bright sun. He switched the flashlight off and put it away.
“Want some water?” Cole asked, extending a water bottle.
“Thanks,” Zack said. He took the bottle and popped the top. “That probably tastes better than cave water.”
Cole laughed. “That’s the first joke I’ve heard you tell in a while.” Zack didn’t know how to respond, so he took a drink and kept silent. “How are you doing, man?”
“What do you mean?” Zack asked reluctantly.
“Just checking in. We haven’t seen much of each other lately.”
Aside from a dinner he’d tried to back out of, it was true.
“Sorry about that. I’ve been pretty wrapped up in things at work.”
“You know you can tell me anything.” Coming from someone else, the words would have sounded trite. Zack knew Cole was sincere. That didn’t make it any easier to open up.
He shook his head. “I’m angry all the time now,” he admitted. “You saw what I did to Dave.”
Cole’s eyes narrowed. “You’re a good person. Don’t let regret make you bitter.”
Zack sighed. “What else can I do?”
“You’ve got to forgive whoever hurt you,” Cole said, “and allow yourself to be forgiven.”
His meaning was plain. Cole had invited Zack to church for weeks after Lily’s funeral. Zack came up with a new excuse each week until he thought his friend finally took the hint.
“I know,” he said. He gave Cole an encouraging pat on the back. “Thanks for being there. Now what do you say we hit the trail?”
The two resumed the trail that led toward Dire Lake. Cole didn’t mention Lily again. Zack wished everyone would stop bringing her up. It wasn’t like he didn’t think about her enough as it was.
While the pair ventured deeper into the forest, Zack’s thoughts returned to Lily. He’d been smitten with her after only a few dates. She was a talented artist who moved halfway across the country to pursue her goals. In her spare time she worked as a waitress at a café he frequented with Will. Lily was short and thin with a boundless supply of energy—most of the time. As his feelings for her grew, Zack slowly discovered his flighty but fun girlfriend possessed another side. At times she became introverted, insecure, and depressed. He suspected she suffered from some type of imbalance. Lily refused outright to be tested for any disorder.
Eventually Zack stopped pressing the issue. Whatever her flaws, he came to love her deeply. So he tried to do what he could to lift her spirits when she was in the dumps. She needed him. Although their relationship had its share of ups and downs, they remained committed to each other, or so he thought.
They were going through one of their rough patches the night she gave him the news. Zack was working late at the bakery and hadn’t expected to see Lily when he returned home. He braced himself, hoping she wasn’t there for another irrational argument. If only. Lily proceeded to confess that she’d spent the night with someone else. Zack never learned the identity of the man from Lily, and now he probably never would.
His heart was broken.
“It was a mistake,” she said. “I was lonely. He was there for me.”
All the words ran together. He was confused, unable to respond. When she tried to apologize, the anger welled up inside him. Zack kicked her out of his life. He never suspected she would try to hurt herself. It wasn’t something he could comprehend. One of the doctors theorized the attempt on her life was a plea for help gone horribly wrong. To Zack, the intent didn’t matter. She’d been reaching out for help, and he rejected her.
He felt no guilt for breaking up with her. His remorse came from everything that followed. The calls he left unanswered. The emails he deleted. So when Mrs. Sanders said he was a survivor, the comment stung. Zack felt he sacrificed Lily’s well being for his own peace of mind. After investing so much energy into being her boyfriend, he wasn’t willing to be the friend she needed.
When the funeral was over, he stood alone in the rain. He felt lost. There was nothing and no one to cling to. Even his friends seemed distant. Zack might have found solace in his faith, but God became someone else for him to blame.
The evening sky darkened as they made their way down the winding trail.
“We could hike for miles from here and still not make it back to the highway,” he said. They were completely immersed in nature. He used to live for this. Now he wasn’t sure how he felt.
“No thanks,” Cole said. “I’ll stick to a short hike and roasted marshmallows back at the tent.”
Zack licked his lips. Marshmallows sounded good.
“What’s that?” Ahead, something gleamed under a pile of leaves. Picking up a walking stick, Zack prodded the pile. Suddenly, a metal trap concealed underneath snapped shut.
Cole’s eyes widened. “We almost stepped on that! Someone left that here on the path.”
Zack frowned. “I don’t think it was left here for us.”
He bent down and brushed the leaves away. The enormous trap was large enough to break bone. The trap’s sharp metal teeth could easily rip into flesh. “It looks like a bear trap to me. Fields did mention the park has had trouble with poachers recently.” Even so, if they’d stepped into the trap, the result would be the same.
“What’s a bear trap doing out here? I didn’t even know there were bears in these woods.”
Zack didn’t have an answer for him. Something about the way the trap was concealed was troubling.
“I don’t know,” he said, “but I suggest we keep our eyes open on the way back to the lake.”
***
Will checked his watch. Zack and Cole were running late. He decided to cross over to Shatter Creek Trail to save time.
“This way,” he said. “It’ll take us closer to the lake.” Steve and Dave followed, though both moved at a slower pace than Will preferred.
The thick forest became sparse as they started on the new trail. Shatter Creek flowed nearby, trickling steadily into Dire Lake. Will saw several large fish swimming through the clear water when they drew closer. Permit or no permit, he wasn’t going to let this opportunity pass him by. He made a mental reminder to return to the creek with his fishing rod the next day.
Above, the yellow sun turned a dark orange. Will saw a boat ramp extending into the water on the bank. Water rushed over the small ramp, which was constructed from round, black logs. The ramp floated up and down against the current, looking like a miniature dock. An abandoned canoe was tied to the ramp by a rope. There were no paddles in sight. He wondered how long the canoe had been sitting in the water. From the looks of things, it was likely there a while.
Whispering Reach was visible from the bank. Clouds filled the once clear sky. Evening was well on its way, and Will increased his pace.
“You guys coming or what?”
He was beginning to lo
se his patience. The ragtag group of campers wasn’t what he initially envisioned. Steve expressed enthusiasm when Will invited him. Will assumed, given his friend’s past athleticism, that Steve would be a natural camper. Instead, the opposite was true. Inviting Steve was a mistake, and Dave too. Dave knew how to party, which was one of the reasons Will enjoyed his company. Unfortunately, Will underestimated the degree to which Dave’s caustic personality grated against Zack.
Zack was still raw. The more he thought about it, the more irritated Will became. He’d done all this on Zack’s behalf. The least the guy could do was show a little appreciation. Will went out of his way to be there for Zack when Lily died. Zack made it abundantly clear he wanted to be alone. That suited Will just fine. He was looking for a good time. Babysitting was for someone like Cole. Besides, Zack’s days of self-pity were bound to run out eventually. That was why Will organized the trip to Drifter’s Folly. Enough time had passed since the funeral. It was time for Zack to start being fun again.
“What’s that ahead?” Dave asked. The three men reached what looked like a rest area. There were several long wooden tables atop a concrete surface. A roof with black shingles mounted on poles protected the tables from the elements. There was a plaque affixed to the beam under the roof. Recreation, read the faded white letters.
“It doesn’t look like anyone’s been here in a while,” Steve muttered. Will nodded in agreement.
An empty sand volleyball court loomed next to the creek. The net was barely intact, and there was no ball in sight. Two tires hung suspended from rusted iron chains fastened to a tree. Absent a rider, the tires swung to and fro in the breeze. There was a basketball backboard and rim on the other side of the tables, missing a net. The courts and tables appeared out of place in the naturalistic park.
“Look,” Steve said. “Here’s a horseshoe pit. Too bad we don’t have any horseshoes.”
Will stepped underneath the roof. Dry leaves covered the cement floor. He ran his hand over one of the wooden tables. Dozens of names were etched into the tables, all by people likely never to see them again. None of the dates carved into the table that were within the decade. Overall, the site was in bad shape. New signs of disrepair were evident around every corner.
“Here’s a payphone,” he said, stepping back onto the soil. “I wonder if it works.”
His change was back inside his pack at the campsite.
A noise echoed behind him. Will felt goose pimples rise on his arms. Dave and Steve were in his line of sight. So what was making the noise coming from the pavilion?
He turned around slowly. A raccoon scrambled out of a trashcan, a crumb of bread protruding from its mouth. The scavenger looked him over and bounded through the volleyball court before scampering into the bushes.
“It looks like we aren’t the only ones here after all,” Dave said.
“What do you mean?” Steve asked.
“Someone’s been here recently.” He pointed to part of a sandwich left behind by the raccoon. The sandwich was fresh. Will studied the remains for a moment. The day grew darker.
“That’s enough time for resting,” he said. “Let’s get back on the trail.”
Exploring the seedy recreational area was a nice diversion, but the place was starting to give him the creeps. Will knew he wasn’t alone. The others were obviously spooked when they left the lodge. Ranger Fields’ story hadn’t done anything to make that better.
The snapping of dry grass sounded ahead. Will rounded the corner, expecting another animal. Instead, he found himself face-to-face with a stranger. The man eyed him suspiciously as Will’s two friends reached his side. Will noticed the two-way radio strapped to the man’s belt. He recognized it as one of the units from Fields. A blonde woman stepped through the brush and nearly jumped when she spotted the three strangers.
“Sorry for scaring you,” Will offered apologetically.
“No harm done,” the man said. “Are you all right, honey?”
The woman nodded, still watching them.
“If it makes you feel any better, you gave me quite a start.” Will smiled warmly. She was probably in her early thirties and moderately attractive. “I’m Will, by the way.” He gestured to the others. “These are my friends, Dave and Steve. You’re the first campers we’ve seen since we arrived.”
“Us too,” the man replied. He was stout, several inches shorter than Will, with brown hair and a goatee. “How long have you been here?”
“Just today,” Will said. “We arrived this morning.”
“We’ve been here for two days,” the woman said. “I’m Beth.”
“And I’m Ron,” the man said. They shook hands. “So, where are you from?”
“Ohio,” Will answered. “I found the place online. You two come here often?”
Beth shook her head. “It was a surprise,” she said. Ron beamed at her, but Beth didn’t seem quite as excited. Will picked up on the expression.
Ron’s own expression changed. “None of you heard a gunshot earlier by any chance, did you?”
Dave shook his head. “Not us.”
“Why would someone have a gun out here?” Steve asked. He looked worried.
Ron shrugged. “We thought it might be a poacher. We radioed Ranger Fields about it.”
“What did he say?” Steve asked.
“He said it didn’t come from him and that he’d check into it.”
Will stepped forward. “Well, you can rest assured it wasn’t us. Or the other two in our group.”
Ron looked at Beth. “See, honey? Everything’s okay.” He glanced back at the others. “She’s been a little jumpy since we met Fields.”
“He seems to have that effect on people,” Will replied. “I’ve been expecting someone to jump out at me all day. That’s why I reacted the way I did when I ran into you.” He rested a hand on Beth’s shoulder. “No hard feelings?” he asked with a wink.
She shook her head. Will squeezed her shoulder ever so slightly, and Ron frowned a little.
“We’d probably better head back,” Will said finally. “We’re camped up at Whispering Reach if you want to drop by.” He stared at Beth as he said the words.
“That could be fun. We’ll think about it,” Ron said, in a tone that implied such an idea was the furthest thing from his mind. The pair waved goodbye and continued walking in the direction of the recreation area. Will cast a glance back at Beth and grinned.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Dave said with a smile.
“I bet you don’t,” Will said, chuckling.
Steve didn’t join in the laughter. There was still a look of worry on his face.
“Where do you think the gunshot came from?” he asked as they neared the end of the trail.
Will sighed. “I think Ron was probably right. It was a poacher. Like Fields said, Drifter’s Folly has had problems with illegal hunters in the past.” He looked at Steve. “There’s no need to be worried about anything. Even if there was a psychopath hiding in the woods somewhere, there are five of us. In a park this size, there are thousands of places to hide.” He held out the two-way radio. “Don’t forget,” he added, “we’ve got these.”
The words sounded comforting, and Steve relaxed. Despite his speech, Will wasn’t so sure. He kept his doubts to himself, but running into Ron and Beth did little to put him at ease. When they first met Fields, Will suspected the ranger was toying with them by sharing the story of the Texas murders. If the ranger told the same thing to the couple on the trail, that meant he was probably serious. That didn’t mean Fields wasn’t paranoid, though it did add new weight to his words of caution.
Zack and Cole were waiting for them at the end of the trail.
“Nice timing,” Cole said. “We’ve only been here for a few minutes.”
“Y
ou guys have fun?” Zack asked.
Will nodded. “The rapids on the other side of the lake are intense. Should make for some great rafting, if we can find a boat.”
“I think there was a rental area at the back of the lodge that had some rafting boats,” Zack mentioned.
Reunited, the group began climbing Dead Man’s Drop. The ascent was more difficult than the way down. Even Will was worn out. By the time they reached the cliff, he was nearly ready to collapse.
“I might have to sleep in tomorrow,” Cole said. “The ground probably won’t feel so bad tonight.” He took a seat in the shade next to Zack. Steve walked over to the tent to change into shorts and a t-shirt.
“I’m famished,” Dave said.
It was the perfect time for dinner. Will went through the supplies next to the tent and removed a pack of hot dogs and some buns. The temperature had dropped considerably since their hike from the lodge that afternoon.
“I’ll help with the fire,” Zack volunteered. Will tossed his former roommate a lighter and scrounged around his pack for paper plates and condiments. His stomach roared with hunger.
“See anything cool while you were out there?” Will asked. He tried to keep his mind occupied while they waited for the fire to start. The sun had almost disappeared.
“Now that you mention it, we did find a bear trap.” The growing fire crackled with energy. Zack took a step back.
Will raised an eyebrow. “In the cave?”
“On the trail. Someone hid it under a pile of leaves. Either of us could have stepped on it.”
Will made a pained expression. “Ouch. Maybe the poacher set it up.” He could see the question form on Zack’s lips. “We met up with a pair of campers who heard a gunshot. They thought it came from the poacher Fields mentioned.”
A Sound In The Dark Page 5