I couldn’t breathe.
“I want to help him,” Julie said, “but what if that lunatic is out there waiting for us?”
The knife in my hands shook violently. “How’d a party turn into…this?” I asked. “This night was supposed to be fun, not some kind of life-and-death battle with murderers and wolves.”
“We can’t go out there,” Julie said.
“Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
“No! Don’t you dare!”
“I have to see if Jesse is okay. He’d do the same for me.”
“What if he is gone already and that guy attacks you?”
“It’s a chance I have to take.”
She took a deep breath. “Then I’m coming with you.”
As soon as I opened the creaking door and stepped onto the porch, a snarling, drooling wolf lunged for my ankle. I immediately jumped back inside and slammed the door.
With a shaky finger, Julie locked the door behind me. “What now?” she shouted.
We peered out the window and saw at least a dozen of the animals circling the porch and front yard; there was no sign of any human, Jesse, psychopath, or otherwise. I knew Jesse would never run off and leave us there. I didn’t know him all that well, but I was sure he wasn’t the kind of guy who would do that to us. He had, after all, risked being jumped to sneak us out of the party. My biggest fear was that he had succumbed to the bullet wound, that he’d passed out and the wolves had gotten him, and my heart ached at the thought.
Julie called me from the kitchen. “The back door is locked!”
“Good. Can we possibly get out that way?”
“Nope. Wolf Central out back.”
“We need to see if Jesse is out there,” I said. “He’s hurt, and drastic times call for drastic measures.”
“But we already tried, and that stupid thing almost bit your foot off.”
An idea popped into my head. “Maybe we can distract them with meat.”
“Sure. Let’s just whip up a medium-rare t-bone or two.”
“Seriously, it could work,” I said, ignoring her grim cynicism. “We could distract them, then run for the main road and get some help. Jesse’s hurt, and we need to help him before…” I said, but I couldn’t even finish the thought, because it turned my stomach. We had to act fast, so instead of arguing with Julie about it, I walked to the kitchen and opened the fridge, only to find nothing but a jug of water, a bottle of mustard, and a wrinkly radish in the bottom of the vegetable crisper. “Shoot,” I said. “No doggie treats in here.”
“This blows.”
“We have to think positive, Julie. Maybe Jesse got away. Maybe he’s getting help this very minute.”
“Yeah? Well what if he’s dead? And what if that crazy lunatic comes back for us?”
The wolves howled even louder, and the hair on the back of my neck stood at attention. “At least they can’t break into the cabin,” I said, trying to sound positive. “And if anyone tries to come in here, they’ll be attacked. Jonathon won’t stand a chance.”
“But you said wolves don’t attack humans.”
“I know, but Jesse’s right about these. For whatever reason, they don’t seem scared of us.” I sighed heavily, then whipped out my cell and dialed 911, again without success. “Still no signal,” I said.
Knock-knock!
My heart jumped at the sudden tap on the door. I froze for a moment, then gripped the butcher knife in my hands tightly. Even though chills were running down my spine again, I started to sweat profusely. I was a nervous wreck. What if it’s Jonathon, just playing games with us? What if it’s someone who can help? Should we hide? I knew that might be risky, since our only hope for rescue might be on the other side of that door; then again, I also knew that opening the door might seal our fate for good.
Julie stared at me, her eyes wide. “Don’t answer it,” she whispered.
“I’ll just peek out the window.”
“No!” she whispered back.
I ignored her and crept to the front window, my hands shaking like a jumping bean on a trampoline.
Outside, Jesse was leaning against the door, and the wolves were circling him with exposed teeth, snarling and drooling.
“It’s Jesse!” I shouted back to Julie.
Then, from out of the darkness, a tall shadow emerged. I gasped again when I made out his features.
“Jesse!” I shouted, but it was too late; before I could warn him, Jonathon had already grabbed him from behind.
Somehow, the injured Jesse broke his stronghold and lunged at him. The guy rammed his head and shoulders into him, but with a big push, Jesse threw the guy five feet. In a flash, the man grabbed Jesse, lifted him over his head, and threw him like a ragdoll. Jesse crashed straight into the door so viciously that the door flew off the hinges with a loud bang.
“Jesse!” I screamed. “Get in here!” I shouted.
“Can I come in?” he asked, a strange question that made me wonder if he’d hit his head a little too hard.
“Yes,” I said. “Come in!”
He hobbled in, bleeding profusely. Droplets of blood stained the hard wood floor.
Jesse stood in the doorway, glaring at his attacker, who was seeing red and blind with rage. When Jonathon’s sinister gaze swept over me, my heart began to thunder in my test. I didn’t understand why he was just standing there like that, not trying to attack or push his way in, and there was a moment of silence as Julie and I looked at each other in complete shock.
“Let’s go!” I screamed, pulling his arm.
“We’re safe now,” Jesse said.
“Maybe but for how long?” Julie retorted. She motioned us over, and we worked together to scoot a heavy china cabinet in front of the door. “You hit him, and he’s disoriented, but as soon as he gets his head back in the game, he’ll come in. All he has to do is take one step through the open doorway.”
I snapped the shades shut on all the windows so crazy Jonathon couldn’t see us.
“Trust me, he won’t burst through our barricade,” Jesse said calmly.
“You’re kidding, right?” Julie asked, breathing heavily in quick, shallow heaves. “If we could move that cabinet, he most certainly can. We need to find a landline and call 911.”
I gazed around for a phone but didn’t see one. “While he’s dazed and out of it, let’s grab his gun,” I suggested.
Jesse grabbed my hand. “No, don’t. You step out that door, and you’re dead.”
Pushing the drapes aside, I glanced out the window.
The guy held up a lighter. “Don’t think I can’t burn you out!” he shouted.
I sucked in a deep breath. Please don’t let him do that, I thought.
Then, he suddenly screamed as two of the snarling wolves bit into his flesh. He flailed with all his might, but the wolves just dug in harder.
“A madman is after us, and we’re surrounded by hungry wild animals waiting to tear us to shreds. Can this night get any worse?” Julie said, then ran a hand through her wild blonde hair. “We have to leave. We can’t just stay in here and wait for those things to make Kibbles and Bits outta us.”
“I know,” I said.
She looked out through the curtains. “He’s gone!”
“Did they drag him off?” I asked.
“I don’t know, but wolves are still circling,” Julie said. “I don’t think that he’s our problem anymore.”
“One down, one to go,” I said. “Now all we have to do is get past the pack. If we do, we’re home free.”
A long, plaintive wail echoed through the air, followed by a chorus of defiant howls.
I looked at Jesse, who was bleeding profusely. “Let’s get you to the bathroom and look for medical supplies.”
He leaned against the wall for support and gasped. “I’ll be fine. We have more important things to worry about.”
“Fine my butt. You need a doctor,” I said, my voice wavering.
He winced in pain, and hi
s blue eyes watered. “I promise I’ll see one in the morning.”
Julie looked at him and shook her head. “You mean if you live that long. You’re sweating like a thief in church,” she said, feeling his forehead. “Oh my gosh! You’re burning up.” She gripped my arm. “He has a fever of 110. We can’t stay here. If we do, the news will be reporting a homicide tonight, one hot young guy with a bullet wound to the chest.”
I felt Jesse’s head and realized she was absolutely right. He was on fire. “It’s not safe in here. That man could easily push through our makeshift barrier. We need to get outta here and lose him in the forest, and then we need to take Jesse to the ER.”
“That’s exactly what he wants,” Jesse said. “Our best bet is to stay here until first light.”
Julie peeked out the window. “The place is swarming with wolves. Maybe he’s right. Let’s stay here a few hours and see if the pack leaves.”
I helped Jesse to the recliner.
He glanced up at me and could tell I was concerned. “It’s our best bet. The wolves will move on soon.”
Then a thought occurred to me: We need to secure the upstairs and make sure no one is in the house. We could leave nothing to chance. “Hello?” I called up the stairs.
The stairs creaked as I walked up them. My nerves were on edge as we headed down the lonely hallway amidst the shadows that danced on the wall.
Julie pointed to the first bedroom. Holding my butcher knife, I flicked on the switch but didn’t see anyone, much to my delight. As I continued to move carefully through the bedroom, I suddenly saw a figure. I freaked out and jumped, startled for a split second, until I realized it was my own reflection in the dresser mirror. My nerves were so on edge that every little thing was beyond frightening.
The room was pretty typical, with a bed, dresser, and other furnishings. We searched for weapons but couldn’t find any. We checked the next two bedrooms, and they were also clear.
My labored breathing eased, though my lungs still burned and my head was pounding like a chorus line of stiletto-wearing hippos dancing on it.
Julie motioned me in the master bedroom. “Blue Eyes can rest in there,” she said.
“Jesse, you should lie down,” I said when we walked back downstairs to get him. “There’s a nice bedroom upstairs so you can rest.”
“I’m fine.”
“No,” Julie ordered, “you’re not. You’re gonna go up there and get in bed, and then we’ll barricade the door and stay in there till morning.”
His wound started to bleed again, and I gulped hard. I couldn’t help but notice how pale and weak he looked. Jesse needed medical help, and I couldn’t get it for him quick enough.
“You’re bleeding,” I said, wondering if he would live to see sunlight again.
Chapter 7
I didn’t know what to do. Jesse was dying right before my eyes. I knew we needed to get help, but I didn’t know how to get past the snarling wolves. No one could hear us now because our cell phones had no signal out in the middle of nowhere, and there was no landline in the cabin. I touched Jesse’s arm. “Please lie down.”
“No. I have to keep you safe.”
“You aren’t going to be able to do that if you die on us,” I said. “You just need a little rest.”
When he didn’t move, Julie chimed in, “She’s right, Jesse. We need you to protect us, so how about you lie down for an hour or two and then you’ll be more up to protecting us better. In the meantime, we promise not to get ourselves killed by rabid dogs or gun-wielding strangers. Deal?”
He smiled and nodded. “Can’t argue with that,” he said.
I smiled appreciatively at Julie and her ability to manipulate even the most strong-willed of people.
Jesse grunted as I helped him into bed and covered him with a blanket.
Julie found some towels in the bathroom and applied pressure to his wound. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be taking care of a gunshot victim,” she said.
His eyes fluttered shut, and I gasped. “He passed out,” I said. “We can’t just sit here and do nothing, no matter what he said,” I said. “He’s really sick and fading fast. If we’re going to save him, we’ve gotta take a chance. You stay here. I’m gonna get us help.”
“How are you going to get past the wolves?”
“I don’t know, but I can’t just stand here and let him die.”
She took a deep breath. “I know.”
I felt his forehead and was glad that his skin was cool and not as sweaty; the fever had subsided. “He feels better,” I said.
“He’s breathing better too,” Julie added. “Maybe we should wait a little longer.”
I nodded and peeked out the bedroom window, only to shudder when I saw the wolves still prowling around. “It’s not like we have much choice.” Feeling defeated, I sat down on the vinyl chair and propped my feet on the stool. I watched vigilantly out the window, waiting for the scraggly dogs to leave.
* * *
A couple of hazy, sleepy, silent hours later, when the first rays of light shone on my face, I looked out the window again. “Julie, they’re gone!” I said.
“I’ll go look out the front,” she said.
I rushed over to Jesse. “Let me have a look at your wound,” I said.
He pushed me away. “I said I’m fine. We don’t have time to waste. Let’s go.”
“Are you sure you feel all right? Can you walk?”
“Yeah, I’ll live to tell the tale,” he said.
I looked at him doubtfully, then helped him up so we could make our way down the stairs.
“It’s all clear,” Julie happily reported, opening the blockade.
Outside, I stared skeptically at the deceivingly calm forest around us. As if mocking our trepidation, the sun was shining brightly, and the birds were chirping happily. When I looked down, though, I saw pawprints everywhere. It was still hard to fathom that we’d been shot at, chased, and practically held prisoner in the cabin by a bunch of wolves.
Pushing some vegetation aside, I stepped into the woods. “C’mon, guys!”
As we hiked through the woods, continuously trying our cell phones, Jesse actually got a signal for about two minutes and managed to get in touch with one of his buddies, who offered to pick us up. Just as we reached the road, a blue car stopped and Jesse introduced us to his friend, Billy.
“We’ve gotta get Jesse to the hospital,” I said. “He’s been shot.”
“What!? They’re joking, right?” Billy said to Jesse.
“No. He really was shot,” Julie said.
“Oh,” Billy said.
I looked at him as if he was one Prozac away from a straightjacket. “Uh…that’s the best place for gunshot victims,” I said. “Now please just drive us there.”
Jesse shot Billy a strange look, and he nodded. “Okay,” he said, “but I’m dropping you two off first.”
“Fine. Then take us to the police station,” I said.
Julie grabbed my arm. “Are you crazy? I don’t wanna get involved with the police. We’re alive and breathing, so why bother?”
“If that guy is out there and survived the wolf attack, he needs to be stopped.”
Billy arched an eyebrow at me as if I was the crazy one. “He’s dangerous and probably whacked outta his mind on drugs and still armed. I wouldn’t suggest you ratting him out. They’ll let him go with a slap on the wrist, and then he’ll come after you with a vengeance.”
“I don’t want to involve the police,” Julie stated again, more sternly this time.
“And neither do I,” Jesse intervened. “I gotta be honest with you, Taylor. Billy’s not takin’ me to the hospital.”
“But you’ve been shot, and—”
“No need for hospitals. My mom is a doctor.”
“But—” Julie tried to argue.
“It’s just a flesh wound,” Jesse said. “I’ll be fine.”
“Jesse,” I said, “please don’t risk your lif
e like this, especially not just to be a tough guy and show off.”
“I’m not showing off. My mom won’t let anything happen to me. I just need you to do me a big favor.”
“I know, I know. Leave the police out of it,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“It’s the best thing, Taylor,” Jesse said.
“I’m great at keeping secrets,” Julie said. “If my mom finds out I sneaked out of the house to go to a college party and almost got myself killed, she’ll freak, and I’ll be the one needing a doctor—especially if the police are involved.”
“I won’t say anything either,” I said reluctantly.
Jesse’s friend pulled into Julie’s driveway at eight a.m., and we knew Julie’s mom would be coming home any minute.
“Don’t worry about your truck,” Jesse said. “One of my friends is a mechanic. He can have it fixed in hours.”
“My mom will ask about it,” Julie said. “Do you promise I’ll get it back today?”
“I promise.”
“Okay, Jesse. I’ll trust you on that, but if you don’t get it back before my mom wakes up, I’ll be grounded for the rest of the summer or, worse, she’ll sequester my truck keys indefinitely.”
“I got this,” he said.
“Jesse,” I said, “I really need to know that you’re okay. I won’t stop worrying until I know your mom has given you the all-clear.”
“Gimme your number,” he said. “I’ll call you with the official report.”
We exchanged numbers, putting them in each other’s phones. As I gazed into his eyes, just about to say something, his friend cut in.
“No time for mushy goodbyes,” Billy said. “I gotta get Jesse home. He’s got an appointment with Dr. Mom.”
Before I could say another word or wave goodbye, the blue car backed up and sped down the street.
As we walked in, I flung my shoes off. My hands were shaky from my ordeal, and nausea flooded my stomach.
When I sat down at the kitchen table, Julie handed me a glass of water. “Are you okay?” she asked.
“Yeah. Just a little freaked.”
“Better freaked than dead,” she said. “My head is pounding, but I think we learned a valuable lesson here.”
“Oh?”
“No more parties with crazy, unstoppable party animals—or wild, furry animals either.”
Suspending Reality Page 49