Eight Legs Too Many || ONC 2021 and 2022

Chapter 15: Shiori and Devland are directionally challenged

New Hampshire was unreasonably pretty.

It was not yet fall in Philly, but it was fall in the White Mountains, that violently orange and yellow time of autumn where the entire forest looks like it's on fire, except without the heat or the smoke.

Shiori had been to New England before, but she couldn't help feeling impressed as her feet crunched across the crisp maple leaves that lined the path to the hotel. She was long overdue for a vacation, but that was hardly surprising: people didn't tend to get out much when there was a constant threat of alligators falling from the sky.

Ahead of her, Devland was already picking up their keys from the front desk. This time, he had had the wherewithal to call ahead and make a booking—two separate rooms with individual beds.

Shiori tried not to feel too disappointed about this.

"Yes," she heard Devland say, "We were wondering if you could offer us directions to Franconia Ridge."

Shiori edged past him. Deftly, and without breaking off his conversation with the front desk clerk, Devland handed her the key. Shiori glanced at the room number, then shrugged the bag concealing the cat carrier higher over her shoulder and hurried up the stairs, hoping the woman at the front desk hadn't heard the incriminating "Meow!" emanating from Mr. Tibbles' irate mouth.

After the flea plague had ravaged New Hampshire two weeks ago, most pet-friendly hotels had closed down, and there hadn't been any such rooms available to book on such short notice. They would just have to hope that their kitty contraband—i.e. Mister Tibbles—went unnoticed for the duration of their stay, which would hopefully be short.

"You be good," Shiori told Mr. Tibbles sternly, opening the front of the carrier. "Don't make too much noise while we're gone."

In response, Mr. Tibbles let out a disgruntled yowl and shot under the bed.

Shiori sighed. She shoveled some kitty litter into his box, then fished some cat food out of her bag and scooped it onto a plate.

The door opened, and Devland stepped in, their two suitcases rolling behind him. "Ready?" he said.

"Yup." Shiori set down Mr. Tibbles' water bowl with an audible clatter and started for the door. "Let's find this thing."

It took barely ten minutes to get to the parking lot flanking the trailhead. Shiori eyed the sky worriedly as she dug around for her water bottle. The weather was still sunny, but a cool wind was starting to rise; clouds were gathering on the horizon like a harbinger of fauna. Still, they weren't going to find a better time for a hike.

"The map on my phone says to go east-ish to get to the peak," said Devland. He gestured at a tree ahead, on which a rainbow of blazes was painted. "I think we want to follow the blue."

"Can't you double-check with Death?"

"He doesn't remember. Probably drunk out of his mind. We'll just have to wing it."

Shiori snorted. "Well, at least it's a nice day. What's it supposed to rain later?"

"Blue-ringed octopuses."

"Oh... well."

"Yeah." Devland checked his watch. "We still have seven hours."

"Plenty of time to locate a mysterious device we've never seen before and cart it down a mountain." It came out less sarcastic than Shiori had intended. It was just too nice a day to be grumpy.

Devland may have been feeling the same. He was practically humming as he started up the mountain.

"I'll admit," he said, with a glance at her. He'd been shooting glances her way frequently, and Shiori didn't know what to make of it. Maybe she had something on her face. "This has been a nice trip. It's a relief to get away from Death once in awhile. He isn't always the best company."