Camp Antler Point

Chapter 17

Away from the road and the battered corpse of the old jeep, it felt as if every part of the forest was determined to halt their progress. Roots lay in wait beneath the damp leaf litter, eager to trip them at a moment's notice. Trees reached out with gnarled branches to claw at their clothes as they passed. Even the weather itself conspired against them. Although the rain had finally stopped, the clouds still cloaked the sun, casting the forest into an early twilight.

Amy swore as she stumbled over a hidden burrow. "Careful, Carson. There's a hole."

"Thanks." He stepped over it with exaggerated care. "Are you holding up okay?"

"I'm going to need to rest pretty soon, but I can manage for a little longer."

"You and me both. I just hope a certain someone doesn't bitch about it." He flicked his head toward Lucas. Stomping well ahead of them, he shoved branches out of his way as he led them toward Camp Maplewood. Or at least where he thought it was. "I'm just glad it's not raining anymore."

"Amen to that!" The terrain was hard enough to navigate without having to worry about yanking their shoes out of the mud with every step. Even without the downpour, Mother Nature made it abundantly clear they were unwelcome trespassers in her overgrown realm.

"Hey, um, if you don't mind me asking, are you sure you should be walking through all this? Mr. Sterling made it sound like this sort of thing might be a bit much for you, and I don't mind waiting until it's safe for us to stick to the road if that's better for you."

"It isn't exactly a walk in the park, but I can handle it." She gave him a wry smile. "I've been living with cerebral palsy my whole life, and I know a bit more about my limits than my parents. But thanks for asking."

"No problem."

She expected him to pepper her with questions. Was there anything else wrong with her? Had anyone ever told her what an inspiration she was for putting herself out there despite her disability?

Instead, he continued to match her slow pace not out of a sense of pity but because he cared about her.

Despite putting her through hell, at least this summer had given her that much.

Up ahead, Lucas froze. "Did you guys hear that?"

Amy and Carson paused. Leaves rustled nearby, the only sound in the otherwise silent forest. Amy pulled out her bear spray with a trembling hand while Lucas readied his slingshot.

The forest was quiet and still as they strained their ears to listen for the source of the noise.

A squirrel darted across their path, chittering as it bolted up a tree. It twitched its tail as it peered down at them from the safety of the branches.

"I never thought I'd get so freaked out over a squirrel," Lucas said with a nervous chuckle. "You'd think it was a snake or something, at least."

His relief was contagious. "You should have seen me the first time I found a snake on a hike," Carson said between laughs. "Mr. Sterling said that if I'd jumped any higher I would've smacked my head on a tree branch."

Amy bit her lip, holding back tears at the thought of her dad. When she was sure she could speak without crying, she said, "Could we stop for a few minutes?"

Lucas didn't respond, just glanced at Carson.

"I think we could all use a break," Carson said. "When you're so paranoid a squirrel just about makes you pee your pants, you know you need to chill for a few minutes."