Camp Antler Point

Chapter 12

The jeep grumbled like an arthritic old man as it thumped over the pothole-filled road. Rain pounded against the windshield as Lucas gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles. "Damn storm," he muttered. "I can't see shit."

Amy glanced over her shoulder toward the backseat. "You holding up okay back there?"

"I've been better." Carson winced as his back thudded against the seat. A low groaning sound echoed through the forest. "Did you guys hear that?"

"Kind of impossible not to," Lucas said. "That sounds worse than I do after eating too much chili."

"I'm surprised this old hunk of junk doesn't sound even worse," Amy said. She gave the coffee-stained leather seats an affectionate pat. "Dad got it before I was even born. He used to say it'd be a miracle if he outlived..."

Lucas reached over to put his hand on Amy's as her voice trailed off. "Hey, if you're right, we'll be a miracle to those kids. We just have to get through this."

Tires skidded on the slick road. A chorus of swearing filled the truck as it swerved off the pavement. Lucas yanked on the wheel, narrowly avoiding a tree but smashing straight through a bush before coming to a halt.

"Damn it!" Mud sprayed behind them as Lucas pushed on the accelerator. Much like the corpse of the bush covering the windshield in a layer of leaves, the jeep refused to budge. "Stuck. Great."

"If we gather some gravel, we might be able to—" Carson cringed as Lucas slammed the door. "And he's not listening. We'd better try and help before he hurts himself."

Amy and Carson got out into the pouring rain. The water muffled everything Lucas said as he strained against the trunk, but it was clear he wasn't making any headway. After a quick discussion with Carson that was mostly drowned out by the rain, Lucas threw up his hands and stomped back into the driver's seat.

"The tires won't be able to get traction in the mud," Carson yelled over the storm. "We have to put as many pebbles as we can into that pothole, or else there's no way we'll be able to get out."

"Is he going to help, or...?"

Carson barked out a laugh. "One of us has to step on the gas once we're ready, and I guess he doesn't like being told it's stupid to just push a truck and expect it to move."

Dirt caked Amy's hands as she picked her way through the undergrowth, filling her pockets with as many rocks as she could extract from the soil. The uneven ground made for slow going, each step taking ample caution in order for her to avoid falling over. Yet, slowly but surely, she and Carson emptied pockets full of stones beneath the back tires until the mud sucking them down was a mere memory beneath the grayness.

Carson thumped the back of the jeep with the side of his fist twice.

A wheezing growl rumbled out of the engine as Lucas flashed them a thumbs up.

Metal leeched what little warmth remained in Amy's hands as she pressed her palms against the coldness. Carson positioned himself beside her with chattering teeth and shaking arms.

Pebbles sprayed out from under the tires as Amy and Carson pushed the jeep. The debris stung Amy's face in a rocky rain. Her hands slid down the back of the jeep as she pressed her weight against the stubborn hunk of junk.

No matter how hard they pushed or how loudly the engine revved as it spewed exhaust fumes into their faces, the wheels refused to leave its muddy prison.

"We'd better stop," Amy said. "I don't know how much gas is in this thing."

Sweat streamed down Carson's face alongside the rain as he backed away from the truck and massaged his aching arms. "Yeah, there's no way that thing is going to budge anytime soon."

The scent of wet leather invaded their noses the moment they got back into the jeep. "It was worth a shot," Carson said. His clothes clung tightly to him like a terrified child as he shivered.

"If this stupid truck would just go fast enough..." Lucas mumbled. "Brace yourselves."

Before the other two could react, Lucas slammed his foot on the gas.

The jeep lurched forward with a roar. A thick, white cloud billowed out the back as the wheels freed themselves.

With a hiss and a splutter, the truck came to an abrupt stop. It lurched backward until its rear wheels sank back into the mud.

"Son of a bitch!" Lucas slammed his fist into the horn, blaring his frustration for the whole forest to hear.

"We could have just waited it out," Carson grumbled. He dug through the bags they'd piled into the back seat until he pulled out a blanket. A soaking wet blanket that he tossed onto the floor with a splat. "Now we're stuck and cold."

"Hey, I wanted to leave, but you guys just had to play heroes. Those kids are probably home right now!" Lucas crossed his arms and glared through the windshield. "Or at least comfortable."

"We wouldn't have any issues if it weren't for your lousy driving," Carson said

"As if you could do better!"

A low huffing sound penetrated their arguing. Amy squinted outside, but she couldn't make anything out aside from the raindrops fleeing down the glass. "Do you guys hear that?"

The boys turned their argument into a quiet glaring match. "Pass me the flashlight," Lucas said. "You can do that much, right?"

Carson rolled his eyes and slapped it into his outstretched palm.

Lucas shined the light in the direction of the noise. Lurking among the trees, a hulking mass of brown fur plodded through the forest. Muscles twitched beneath its thick shoulders, each step as powerful as it was deliberate. Beady black eyes reflected the light as the beast inched closer to the truck.

"Holy shit, turn it off!" Carson trembled in the backseat, watching the bear approach with wide eyes.

"You seriously think it wants to attack us?" Lucas's tone was light, but his fingers tightened around the steering wheel in a white-knuckled grip.

"I doubt it," Carson said, "but do you really want to risk pissing off a grizzly?"

"Looks like it's a bit late to worry about that," Amy said as a deep, throaty growl rumbled out of the bear's jaws.