Even though I probably shouldn’t, I investigate the bedroom. Meaning I go through the drawers, looking for a clue as to who lives here.
It doesn’t take long to verify that the occupant of this cabin is a man. There’s absolutely nothing feminine about this rustic cabin in the middle of nowhere. The bedroom has one unfinished wooden dresser, and I pull the top drawer open. The first thing I see is a heavy hardcover copy of the Bible. Apparently, a religious person lives here.
I shove the Bible to the side and pull out a pair of blue jeans. I hold them up against my chest. It looks like the owner of these pants is about a foot taller than I am and quite a bit heavier. I don’t feel like running into this person. Not when I’m intruding in his house.
He has a little night table by the bed. There’s a glass of water on the table with about an inch of water inside. I imagine the big, tall man lying in his bed and taking a drink of water before going to sleep. Maybe reading a little bit of the Bible first.
I haven’t read the Bible in years. My family always made me go to church when I was a kid, but I dropped the habit as an adult. Noah is also a non-practicing Christian, who never seemed terribly interested in organized religion. But there’s something about having the Bible in the room with me that’s comforting.
I pick up the hardcover book. It feels lighter than I would have expected. I wonder if there’s an inscription inside that will tell me the name of the owner. I turn to the first page and my mouth falls open.
The Bible has been hollowed out. There’s an imprint inside in the shape of a small gun. Except it’s empty.
I drop the copy of the Bible back onto the dresser, my hands shaking.
What’s going on here? Where is the gun that used to be kept in this Bible?
Noah comes running in at the sound of the book falling onto the floor. His hazel eyes are wide and his hair looks even more disheveled than usual. “What happened? I heard a noise.”
I back away from the dresser, suddenly embarrassed for having been snooping. Noah is looking at me with his brow furrowed, and I know I should tell him about the Bible. But somehow, I don’t.
“I’m fine,” I say.
He rubs his eyes. “I started dozing off on the sofa. It’s not very comfortable, but I’m so goddamn tired.”
I slept horribly last night, but I’ve never been so awake in my life. “Maybe you should try out the bed.”
“Yeah.” Noah glances at the unmade bed. “I feel bad about stealing the guy’s bed, but… Well, I can change the sheets before we leave.”
I nod. “I… I think I’m going to go outside and get some fresh air.” He frowns. “Do you want me to go with you?”
I shake my head. “No, you get some rest. I just need to clear my head.” Noah is quiet for a moment, and I wonder if he’s going to insist on going with me. Part of me hopes he does. Through this entire thing, he’s been so reassuring. He keeps telling me he’s going to get us home. He
doesn’t seem scared at all.
But finally, he says, “Okay. But if you change your mind, wake me
up.”
“I will.” I glance past his shoulder into the living room. “Where did
Jack go?”
“Off to get some firewood for tonight.” He cocks his head to the side. “Why? Do you need him?”
Am I imagining it or is there a slight edge to his voice? “No, just wondering.”
When I get outside, the sun is still out, which means it’s hot. The mud on my clothing has dried, and my shorts and shirt feel stiff and uncomfortable. Tonight, I’m going to wash out all my clothes in the sink and hang them up to dry overnight. It would be nice to have another outfit ready, in case we need to make a quick getaway, but I desperately want clean clothing. It’s worth the risk.
I lean against the side of the cabin, but something scrapes against my back. I turn around to look at the wood of the outer wall of the cabin. There are five claw marks gouging the desiccated wood. The claw marks are deep enough that I can stick half my index finger inside.
The claw marks look just like the ones on the trees in the forest.
I turn around and stare off into the woods surrounding the cabin. It looks so dark and foreboding. I listen for a minute and hear nothing. I can’t believe we were lost out there for two days. But inside the cabin, we’ll be safe. Safe from whatever creature was scraping against the wall.
I wonder about the man who lives in this cabin. I wonder if he built it himself. The furniture looks homemade. I imagine him being a big, burly guy with a full beard. The sort of guy who keeps a gun in a hollowed-out Bible.
But the real question is: Where is he?
Does his absence have anything to do with the claw marks? Are we really safe inside the cabin?
And where is his gun?
Far in the distance, I hear a sound. Like a howl. It’s not close, but it’s not that far either. I take a step back and hit the wall of the cabin. I squint at the branches of the tree across from me.
Did those branches just move? Is there someone out there? “Claire?”
I nearly jump out of my skin. I clutch my chest, trying to catch my breath. It’s only Jack. He’s standing a few yards away from me, the rifle in his hand. Now that he has it back, he’s not going to let it go again. He’ll probably sleep on top of it.
“Hey,” I say.
As he gets closer, I noticed how pale his face looks. He washed the blood off his hands at the stream, but there’s still blood all over his jeans, staining the fabric almost brown. He puts one hand against the wall of the cabin for support. “I need to show you something, Claire.”
“What?”
He just shakes his head. “Come with me.”
I hesitate. I remember what Noah said yesterday about how Warner saw Jack and Michelle disappear together into the woods. Of course, it’s still daytime, but I still have a bad feeling about it. And then there was that howling sound in the distance. Maybe it’s not safe. “Should Noah come too?”
“No.” He grabs my arm firmly. “Come on. You have to see this.”
I feel uneasy, but on the other hand, I don’t think Jack means me any harm. And I have to admit, I’m curious what it is he wants to show me so
badly.
I follow him, but my misgivings multiply as we get to the edge of the woods to a small, dark path. A few minutes ago, I was swearing to myself I would never go in there again. I haven’t changed my mind. The whole time we were in the woods, I had this horrible sense something was hunting us. And that feeling hasn’t entirely gone away.
“Jack…”
“Please, Claire.” He turns his brown, bloodshot eyes on me. “You need to see this.”
Without waiting for my answer, he takes my arm again and drags me along beside him. I’m about to protest, but then he stretches out his arm and shows me something that makes my heart stop in my chest.
