Camp Antler Point

Chapter 8

Carson crept back down the slope, swearing at each clump of dirt that broke free. "We need to be really quiet," he whispered. "Bull moose are territorial, but we might be okay if it doesn't think we're a threat."

"God knows why it thought Junior was a problem," Lucas mumbled. The calf's gurgling wails mirrored the panic they all felt, nearly drowning out the labored breathing of the adult at the top of the slope.

Amy eased herself off the log they'd been using as a makeshift bench, wincing as the wood groaned. "Any ideas for how we get the heck out of here?"

"We could try waiting for it to leave," Carson said, "but that could take forever since moose tend to stay close to bodies of water."

"Not to mention Mrs. Moose will be mighty pissed if she shows up," Lucas said darkly. "With her calf screaming like that, we'd be screwed."

"And if we come up and startle the bull, there's no way in hell that would end well," Carson said. "I say we go partway around the lake before we go back up. That should get us far away enough for it to be safe."

The mud sucked at their shoes as if the earth was trying to swallow them as they made their way around the lake. Lucas dragged the bags they'd brought behind him, grunting as they snagged on gnarled branches embedded in the shore.

"Are you freaking kidding me?" Carson hissed as Lucas swore under his breath at the heavy load. "Ditch them!"

"We did not carry all this crap out here just to leave it for the raccoons," Lucas said.

"We didn't come out here to get trampled to death either." Amy glanced behind them. The only thing separating the shadowy shape of the moose from the dense forest was the set of antlers jutting out from the sides of its head like a pair of bony hands.

"Alright, fine." Lucas ripped open the bags and shoved as much junk food into his pockets as he could. Candy poured out of the gaping hole like innards spilling out of roadkill. Soda bottles shattered, sending glass cascading into the lake in a sharp shower.

A guttural bellow echoed through the forest.

"Shit!" Carson grabbed Lucas by the arm, nearly making him lose his balance as he yanked him forward.

Even with Lucas stumbling as he lurched into a run, Amy lagged behind the boys. The stench of rotting vegetation flooded her nose as hooves slammed against the rocky shore. "Guys, I can't keep up!"

Carson swore. The wind snatched away whatever he said to Lucas before running off to the side. He raised his hands above his head, waving them wildly as he yelled and zigzagged into the undergrowth.

The sound of the moose's hooves faded as it veered toward its new target.

Lucas slowed his pace until Amy caught up to him. "Come on, we've gotta hide."

"But what about Carson?" He knew a lot about moose, but even he'd be hard-pressed to avoid getting killed by one.

"He's got a plan. Think you can make it to the supply cabin? We should be safe there."

"I'm going to be sore as hell after this, but I think so."

They slowly made their way around the lake, each grabbing a rock from the shore in case the moose came back. There wasn't much either of them could do against a rampaging moose, but the coolness of the rocks against their skin brought them comfort all the same. If they were going to die, at least they'd go down fighting.

"Where did the baby go?" Amy asked after a while. The lake was silent. No geese, no plaintive cries from the calf. Nothing.

"I dunno. Maybe it went back to its mom. It's real weird we didn't see her."

Amy thought back to the rotting carcass hidden under the murky layers of algae. "Something must have happened to her."

"Speaking of parents, hope your dad doesn't chew you out too badly. I didn't mean for us to be gone so long."

That seemed about as likely as a hailstorm in July. He'd worry if he noticed she'd been gone for even five minutes, let alone however long it would take them to get back to camp. She'd have to hope he'd be too relieved to get mad, and even then she'd be lucky if he let her so much as go to the bathroom out of earshot for the rest of summer.

After climbing back up the slope, Lucas led them on the ghost of a trail to the supply cabin. Freshly bloomed flowers marked Mother Nature's gradual reclamation of the path, a process kids inevitably reversed every summer as they snuck to the supply cabin to snag a bag of their favorite snack or just chill on the roof, etching their initials onto the shingles to prove that they'd been there.

Amy's legs and feet ached with a vengeance as she dragged herself after Lucas. Just a little farther, and she could finally peel off her sweat-soaked socks and rest. Her dad and the campers could wait, she needed a break.

"Finally!" After quickly checking around the supply cabin for hoofprints, he threw open the door and ran inside. "I don't know about you, but I could eat a moose."

Amy's stomach snarled. They'd missed lunch, and there was no way she could make it back to camp without eating something besides mouth-blistering candy and chocolate.

Surely her dad could wait at least a little longer.