A Game of Fox & Squirrels

by Jenn Reese

  “It’ll only take you a few minutes,” Aunt Vicky said, clearly trying to smooth things over. She’d cooked the quiche, but she was already putting foil on the leftovers. “We’d appreciate your help.”

  Caitlin sighed heavily, as if they’d just asked her to clean the Augean stables, like one of Hercules’s labors. Finally, she said, “Whatever” and stomped back toward the kitchen.

  Sam couldn’t take her eyes off Caitlin. Who was this person? What had happened to her sister?

  She knew Caitlin was changing, but she hadn’t realized how fast.

  Sam needed Pirate Princess, and she needed her now. Maybe she could sneak out while everyone was cleaning.

  She cleared her throat. “I finished with the table. Is it okay if I go outside? I want to draw the chickens for BriAnn.”

  Aunt Vicky grinned so big. “Sure, go ahead! They’ve already been fed, so they should be in the coop, a bunch of contented little lumps.”

  “Thanks,” Sam said, and scurried back to her room. It took her all of one minute to dump out her backpack, check the hallway, and then sneak into Aunt Vicky’s room.

  Pirate Princess was waiting for her, scimitar out, eyepatch in place.

  “I’m sorry,” Sam whispered, and she was. She took the stuffed animal from the bed and gently placed her in the backpack, careful not to catch her bunny ears in the zipper.

  There was no going back after this. It wasn’t like with the computer mouse. There was no spare Pirate Princess and no one else who could have taken her.

  Aunt Vicky would know.

  Aunt Vicky would never forgive her.

  Sam hesitated. What was she doing?

  What she had to do.

  A show of loyalty.

  For Ashander, and also for herself.

  Sam glanced at the photographs on the wall. She shouldn’t have forgotten BriAnn today, and she would never forget her parents. This place would not change her like it was changing Caitlin.

  Her hand shook as she reached for the bedroom doorknob, but she still managed to turn it. Her legs wobbled as they carried her up the hall and through the kitchen, but she still managed to reach the door.

  “Don’t stay out after dark,” Hannah called.

  “I won’t,” Sam said, and pushed outside.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  THE AIR WAS still warm and soupy-thick, even at almost eight. Long shadows stretched across the chicken yard like inky fingers, and they seemed to be growing longer by the minute. The sun set so late this far north!

  Sam put BriAnn’s newly addressed envelope in the mailbox and lifted the flag. The chicken yard was empty, just as Aunt Vicky predicted, the hens all cozy inside the coop. Sam wanted to join them. Maybe even to try to draw one, like she’d said.

  “Psst!” a small voice called. “Sam!”

  It took her a moment to find Birch at the edge of the forest, waving her twig sword. Maple stood next to her, tapping her tiny foot. “He’s waiting, Sam!”

  Sam sighed. So much for the chickens. She checked the house to make sure no one was watching, then hurried to join the squirrels in the forest.

  The air cooled immediately, and the breeze grew bolder. The fading sun speckled the ground with light, but the trees didn’t allow any big spots to sneak through their branchy fingers. A bird’s clear voice echoed but it was quickly drowned out by raspy, croaking toads and a hum of crickets.

  “We weren’t sure you were coming,” Birch said, falling into step beside Sam.

  “I was certain that you were,” Maple said, her little chin raised. “I have great faith in you, Sam.”

  Sam puffed from the praise. The night seemed a little more welcoming all of a sudden. “Where’s Cedar?” she asked.

  “With Ashander,” Birch replied, her mouth in a grim line. “Cedar made a joke that Ashander didn’t like and—”

  “Shh, now,” Maple said. “That’s enough of that.”

  Birch fell silent immediately, but she gave Sam a look that said, “You know what I mean.”

  And Sam did.

  “Ashander is in no mood for games tonight, Sam,” Maple said, her voice worried. And maybe a little tired. Her blue scarf fluttered around her neck in the breeze. “Have you brought him what he wanted?”

  Sam swung her backpack around so she could hug it close. So she could hug Pirate Princess. “Yes, I think so.”

  Birch sighed. “It’s not like you can ever be sure anyway.”

  Maple shushed them both this time. “Quiet now. Everything will be fine.” Then she muttered, “Yes, yes. Absolutely fine.”

  The skies darkened, and the shadows joined together into even bigger pools of darkness. A scraggly bush scraped Sam’s shin as they walked. A pebble wiggled its way into her sock.

  Sam ducked under a hanging branch, and suddenly Ashander was there, sitting with his back against a tree just a few feet in front of her. The remaining rays of sunlight hit him at a steep angle, elongating his foxy snout and fangs. He picked at his teeth with one long claw.

  Cedar had been juggling at Ashander’s feet but dropped his pebbles when he saw Sam.

  “Finally,” Ashander said lazily.

  “I brought the prize,” Sam said. She felt a little stronger with Maple and Birch at her side, but her voice still came out shallow.

  “Did you, now?” Ashander asked. He rolled his head to the side, and the darkening shadows danced over his fur. “I hope you didn’t try to be too clever this time.”

  “The riddle could have several answers,” Sam said. She cleared her throat. “I brought the only prize good enough for you.”

  “Oh, this should be fun,” Ashander said. He leaned toward her. “Do tell, Samantha.”

  “The answer to the first riddle was a mouse, which is one of the favorite prey of the fox,” she said, sounding like one of her dad’s nature documentaries. “It seemed only right to bring you another of your favorite creatures for this test.”

  Sam turned away from Ashander, unzipped the backpack, and carefully pulled Pirate Princess from its confines. The rabbit’s scimitar had gotten bent, so Sam straightened it. And adjusted her eyepatch, too, for good measure. She knew Pirate Princess would want to look her best.

  It was hard not to kiss the rabbit on top of her soft head, to whisper again how sorry she was, but Sam managed. She turned back to Ashander and held Pirate Princess aloft for everyone to see.

  Ashander was on his feet like the snap of a whip. Sam forced herself to stand still, to hold her ground, even though he seemed so big tonight, so much taller than a normal fox. Even taller than she was. But she knew better than to flinch.

  The fox stalked closer. Sam wanted to look at the squirrels, to see if they were safe, to see if they were still by her side, but she knew it was wiser to watch him. Only him.

  Ashander took the rabbit’s chin in his red paw. There was a gleam in his eye that Sam hadn’t seen before.

  “A rabbit,” he said, and broke into a grin. “But no ordinary rabbit. A creature greatly beloved. This is a foe I know well, though I have not seen her for many years.” He tugged at the rabbit, but Sam wasn’t quite ready to let go.

  “Second thoughts?” Ashander asked. “You have not proven your loyalty until you actually complete the test.”

  Pirate Princess seemed so incredibly small and helpless in Sam’s hand. Despite her sword. Despite her battle scars. But Sam couldn’t give up now, and she doubted very much that Ashander would let her if she wanted to. Sam found Maple standing just beyond Ashander’s reach, and the squirrel gave Sam an urgent nod.

  Sam released her hand and let Ashander take his prize.

  “There, there,” Ashander said, pulling the rabbit from her arms. “That wasn’t so hard. And now you’ve proven your loyalty. Do you feel it?”

  She felt something, although it was closer to a stomachache. She stared at Pirate Princess, already wishing she could take her back, carry her out of the forest, and hide her in the safety of Aunt Vicky’s room.

/>   It was too late for that now. Much too late.

  “Yes, I feel it,” Sam said, because she knew that’s what Ashander wanted to hear.

  “Good,” he said. “Because the next test is the most important of all.” He leaned toward Sam—so close she could count the whiskers on his face, could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek. “And just so our clever girl doesn’t decide to be too clever, I will tell you exactly what I want for the last test. You won’t even have to guess…” He wrapped a tendril of her hair around his claw. “You won’t have any way to twist out of doing what I ask.”

  Sam forced herself to stand still and hold his gaze.

  “The final test is easy,” Ashander said, and his dark eyes seemed to laugh. “Bring me what I want, and I will lead you to the Golden Acorn. You’re almost there, Sam. The ultimate prize is within your grasp!”

  He paused dramatically, and Sam felt the magic in the air, as if the whole forest was holding its breath with her.

  Ashander continued, his voice like honey dripped over thorns. “To prove yourself to me once and for all, you must make a gift of sacrifice. No tricks, no twists, no cleverness. You must bring me the chicken known as Lady Louise.”

  No, Sam thought. And then she couldn’t help it. “No, not her! Not Lady Louise. Please!” She looked for Maple and the squirrels, but they had disappeared. Hopefully they were hiding.

  “I thought you missed your parents, Sam,” Ashander said. “I thought you wanted everything to go back to the way it was. Are you too selfish to help your own family?” Ashander stroked Pirate Princess as he spoke, but the motion was anything but sweet.

  “No, I’m not selfish,” Sam said. “I’ll bring you something else. Anything else!”

  “I told you what I want,” the fox said quietly. “Bring me Lady Louise, or I’ll take something else from you instead. I’ll take everything. And then you will never, ever get home.”

  Ashander lifted Pirate Princess above his head.

  No, Sam thought again, but this time she didn’t dare say it out loud.

  Slowly, as if he were enjoying every second, Ashander ripped Pirate Princess’s head from her body. It felt as if he were ripping Sam’s heart in two at the same time. He tore into her stuffing and tossed it in the air like confetti. Sam shuddered. One of the bright white tufts clung to her arm, and she shook it off as if it were poisoned.

  Pirate Princess was gone.

  FROM THE RULES FOR FOX & SQUIRRELS

  EARN THE FOX’S FAVOR (CONT’D)

  If you draw a hunting Fox from the Harvest deck, then good luck, brave squirrel!

  Try giving him four cards of the same kind. That may be enough to appease the savage beast.

  But not always.

  Sometimes you must sacrifice oh so much more.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  SAM MADE IT back to the yard before full dark but could not bring herself to go inside the house. Pirate Princess was gone forever, and with her, any hope Sam had of somehow rescuing the princess and returning her to Aunt Vicky. Her hands would not stop shaking.

  Sam pushed her fingers through the mesh of the chicken fence and tried to calm her breathing. Almost as if she knew Sam was there, Lady Louise appeared on the tiny ramp leading out of the coop. The chicken looked smaller now. More fragile. As if Ashander’s demand had reminded even Lady Louise that, to a fox, she was still only prey.

  Rip. Slash. Stuffing falling like snow to the forest floor.

  Ashander said Sam only had one test left. That she was close to winning his favor and the Golden Acorn and her way home.

  All the things Sam wanted.

  Only … it was getting harder to focus on why she wanted them. Now, mixed in with her memories of Saturday morning brunches and late-night movies were memories of hiding under the covers while she waited for the yelling to stop. Of trying to cry softly in the bathroom because she knew it would be so much worse if anyone heard. Of standing outside the front door of their house after school, not wanting to go inside. Of sometimes wondering what it would be like to run away.

  The door to Aunt Vicky’s house opened, pulling Sam back to the present. Hannah called, “Sam, it’s getting late!”

  Sam’s legs carried her inside. Her mouth smiled. Her hands took the last piece of cake and, somehow, got a bite of it to her mouth. Aunt Vicky handed her milk in a white mug with a bright-yellow chicken painted on the side that read, CLUCK TWICE FOR TEA.

  Aunt Vicky was being too nice. So nice that it hurt.

  “I’m tired,” Sam blurted. She handed the mug back to Aunt Vicky without taking a single sip. “I need to go to bed.”

  She didn’t deserve cake. Or milk. Not after what she’d done to Pirate Princess.

  And to Aunt Vicky.

  “Are you feeling all right?” Hannah asked. She was at Sam’s side in an instant, the back of her hand pressed gently to Sam’s forehead. “Sweaty but not feverish. Good. Same as it is for most of us at this time of year.”

  “She’s fine,” Caitlin said from the table. She had one earbud in and one out, and was eating the last few crumbs of her cake, one by one. Normally Caitlin saying anything was enough to shift focus away from Sam. Between the two of them, Caitlin was the Lady Louise. The one with her chin up and her chest out. The bigger one. The brave one.

  But here in Oregon, where nothing worked like it was supposed to, Hannah didn’t leave Sam’s side. Aunt Vicky switched the mug of milk for a glass of water and pressed it into Sam’s hand.

  Sam drank. The cool rush down her throat cleared her head. For a moment, she felt a little better. A little stronger.

  “Caitlin’s right,” Sam said. “I’m fine. I think I just want to go to bed early.”

  “Sure thing, sweetie,” Hannah said.

  “Tomorrow we’ll get all those boxes out of your room,” Aunt Vicky said. “We’ll make it more yours.”

  The offer made Sam’s insides ache. But Aunt Vicky wanted Sam to be excited, so Sam managed a small smile and thanked them for the cake, and was finally allowed to escape.

  When she slipped into her room, the squirrels were waiting for her.

  Maple stood on the windowsill, looking out into the night. Birch and Cedar tussled on the bed, rolling around each other so fast that Sam could barely tell which squirrel was which.

  She shut the door quickly and tossed her backpack onto the floor.

  “I’m so glad you’re okay!” She wanted to pull all three of them into a big hug, but Maple’s serious expression dissuaded her.

  “Ashander sent us,” Maple said. She rubbed her tiny arm. “He thought you looked upset during the test.”

  Sam had been upset. Because Ashander had upset her.

  Birch and Cedar stopped playing. Birch’s helmet had fallen off, and Cedar’s yellow tunic was twisted almost backward. They stared up at her, waiting.

  Could she trust them?

  Would they turn around and tell Ashander everything she said?

  She honestly didn’t know.

  “Now, now,” Maple said. “Put your pajamas on. Climb into bed. You’ve had a long day. Birch, Cedar, fix that pillow you rumpled! Smooth those sheets!”

  The squirrels scampered over her bed, tugging the blankets and making it look ever so much more appealing. Suddenly, every muscle in Sam’s body seemed to ache, as if she’d been clenching them for hours. She changed her clothes and crawled under her blanket, as instructed. All three squirrels sat on the windowsill, their furry feet dangling over the edge.

  “I miss BriAnn,” Sam said. She hadn’t meant to say it. It just slipped out, a little like tears.

  “I know, dear,” Maple said. “You’ll see her again soon.”

  “She’ll show you all the pictures she’s drawn,” Cedar added.

  Birch crossed her arms and huffed. “And she’ll probably ask you about Hawaii.”

  “Shh, now,” Maple scolded. “Sam is only doing what’s necessary to protect her family and her secrets. She knows the rules.” />
  She did know the rules. Never tell. Not even your best friend.

  Not even when your sister ends up in the hospital.

  “He didn’t mean to scare you, Sam.” Maple’s voice was soft and gentle, and Sam found herself drifting to sleep.

  * * *

  She woke to the sound of clattering plates in the kitchen and birds singing outside the window. A sweet, piney breeze drifted over her, as if it were sweeping away the night. Plus, three tiny acorn-meat tarts sat on her pillow, and only two of them looked half-eaten.

  It was a nice way to wake up, and Sam wondered if it would be terrible to just stay in bed a little longer, and maybe stay in Oregon a little longer, too. Mr. Sanchez said it would get easier.

  Maybe … maybe he was right.

  But then Ashander’s threat came back to her. She could almost hear his voice in her ear. Bring me Lady Louise, or I’ll take something else from you instead.

  There was no stopping this quest now. Maple had warned her at the beginning about this one unbreakable rule. Sam only wished she could go back and heed the warning.

  And now the moon was full, its glowing face filling the tiny cutout on her watch. Time was up.

  She heard noises from the next room, and a second later, Caitlin popped open Sam’s door.

  “You slept through breakfast, nerd. Hannah already left for work.”

  “Learn to knock,” Sam grumbled.

  Caitlin ignored her. “Hey, I think Mom packed my suitcase, and she put this old team hoodie in. It’s way too small for me, even without the cast. You want it?” She held up a faded blue hoodie with white writing: THE SHERMAN OAKS SHOOTING STARS.

  “Um,” Sam said.

  “Sweet!” Caitlin tossed the hoodie onto Sam’s face. The world went dark again under the thick cotton. “Now get out of bed. I think Aunt Vicky wants to talk to you about something.”

  Those words pinned Sam in place. Aunt Vicky wants to talk to you.

  Caitlin left and Sam stayed under the sweatshirt, trying not to panic. She breathed in the familiar scent of lavender laundry detergent. The kind her mom used. Every piece of clothing Sam owned smelled like that lavender. But not if she failed today. If she didn’t pass the final test, if she didn’t win the Golden Acorn, then slowly but surely, that lavender would disappear, replaced by whatever detergent Aunt Vicky or Hannah bought.