Witch of the Wild Woods

Chapter 9 - Shot in the Arm

Chapter 9 - Shot in the Arm

Exhaustion claimed them all like a boa constrictor. After hours of playing that insane night game and a quarter-mile hike downhill, the last of their energy had been squeezed out of their souls. They ignored cabin assignments. Lane, Luna, Nina, and Aiden collectively entered the first available bunkhouse together and locked the door behind them. The prefab cabins were simple, outdated, but furnished with the essentials; desk, chair, and bunks comfortable enough to catch a few hours rest before the sun came up again.

    The interior was separated into two spaces. The front door opened into a thin foyer with the desk and chair pushed up against the far right wall under the window. Walking the handful of paces toward the writing desk, the thin wall dividing the cabin opened up to the bedroom. A queen-sized bed was pushed against the left wall, a double-decker bunk bed occupied the right.

Aiden called the lower bunk. Lane climbed up onto the top. Nina and Luna shared the queen-sized bed. Within moments, they'd all drifted off into slumber that was anything but peaceful...

---

Barking, growling, clawing, no matter what position Lane turned in his bunk, a persistent restlessness hounded him. It felt impossible to tell whether the animal noises were coming from outside among the surrounding woods or within his imagination. Maybe this whole trip was a bad dream? If Lane ever did manage to sleep, he may as well wake back up at their apartment across from UCI. He could conjure a sufficient apology to Becca. They might end up going to that lake house she'd mentioned for the summer? No mysteries there. Becca was simple enough, easy to get along with. There would be no panthers, wolves, or lions prowling outside ushering in a dark omen. Why were they all so hungry, so loud, so ravenous...?

Lane opened his eyes. He was still in the tiny cabin at Trillion Pines Youth Camp, face-up in the top bunk above a snoring Aiden. He adjusted to the darkness, making out the shadow of his sister sitting on the edge of the queen mattress, feet swaying over the side of the bed, while she stared at the wall.

"Luna," Lane whispered.

She scoffed and turned to look up at him, "Can't sleep either, eh?"

Lane shook his head.

"Come," Luna yawned, stretching her arms above her head, "Maybe some tea and fresh air might help before the sun comes back up?" She bent over the side of her bed and reached into the duffle bag they'd brought up earlier from their Jeep. Inside one of the pouches were her standard emergency rations; granola pouches, dried fruit, a jar of Nutella, and an unopened box of rose petal tea.

Lane climbed down the creaking bunk ladder. Fortunately, Aiden was a deep sleeper. Nina was curled up into a ball pressed against the wall sleeping a little less soundly. Slipping on his boots and vest, Lane grabbed the travel mug in the side pocket of his backpack. Both brother and sister felt their way out of the dark cabin and onto the patio deck.

"Seems we're not the only restless ones this morning," Luna pointed to the bathhouse. All the lights were on. Steam poured out from the cracked windows in thick white sheets along with a soft choir of moans.

"Restless is one way of putting it," Lane said under his breath, "How about we try the kitchen in the Great Lodge or the Snack Shack?"

"Do you have keys for either of those buildings?" Luna asked.

Lane rubbed his eyes. Did the moans from the bathhouse grow in volume and intensity, or was it his imagination again? He shook his head, "They shouldn't be locked, right? Even if they were, not particularly a problem for us."

Luna clicked her tongue taking a few steps toward the bathhouse, like a waltz, dancing across the grey planks of the deck, "Breaking and entering doesn't warrant a great first impression, Ursa Major. Come on, we're just popping in for some hot water. Fair bet says whoever is in there won't particularly notice."