Devil's Attic

Chapter Two

On a sweltering August morning, the two groups converged in Blinkton around noon. The Nerdtrio had already been on site for a while, and as Jonathan parked the car at the Sandy Rose Ranch, he couldn't help but wonder how long they had already been there. Henry was the first to step out and make a comment to Kevin, whose nose was thickly smeared with sunscreen. Kayla rolled her eyes in annoyance and turned to Eden, who had a pleading look on her face.

"Okay, so now let's get on our horse, shall we?" Henry snorted contemptuously and shielded his eyes with his hand.

Jonathan surveyed his surroundings and was struck by the familiarity of the farm. It reminded him of his grandparents' place, where they had raised rodeo horses for years. He had fond memories of spending time in the stable with his younger siblings. However, he later learned that his grandparents were bitter because his father had chosen to become an archaeologist instead of taking over the ranch, and they were also disappointed when Jonathan expressed the same desire to follow in his father's footsteps. Suddenly, a wave of memories flooded him, including the sight of policemen at the door, his weeping mother asking him to put his siblings to bed, and the scent of cinnamon. For years, he had tried to understand why he associated that smell with his father's death, but he still had no explanation.

Shaking off the thoughts, he turned to Eden, who was beaming beside him. "It's starting today," he whispered, tenderly kissing her temple.

Upon their arrival, the ranch owner gave them a tour of the stables and introduced them to the horses they would be riding. Eden quickly struck up a friendship with a friendly gelding named Magic Storm, while Claire, Henry, and Jonathan also found themselves drawn to their assigned horses. Jonathan was gently rubbing the nostrils of his stallion, Desert Storm, when Kevin suddenly jumped back with a squeak, stumbled, and fell on his butt. Henry couldn't help but laugh at the mishap, while Kevin stood up with a crimson face and made a second attempt at approaching the mare named Queen Storm.

After an hour of preparation, the horses were saddled, and most of the luggage was stowed. Jonathan and Henry watched as Kevin, Kyle, and Paul huddled over a map on the floor. "We'll never find this cursed city," Henry hissed, shaking his head. "We're putting our lives in the hands of these losers right now. How the hell are they going to find the way? They don't even find the north."

Jonathan chuckled softly and glanced over at Eden, admiring her hair down, which he thought she wore too rarely. In the wind, her hair reminded him of his grandparents' wheat fields, but just as he was about to compliment her, she twisted it into a bun and pinned it up. With a deep sigh, Jonathan turned back to Henry and listened to his tirades, feeling a bit disappointed that he didn't get to tell Eden how beautiful she looked.

As the group left the ranch behind, Jonathan and Kevin rode ahead and, for the first time in their three years of study, engaged in conversation. Jonathan was taken aback when he learned that Kevin's great-grandfather was none other than the renowned archaeologist Stuart Donaghue, who had disappeared in the valley over a century ago. Intrigued by this unexpected connection, Jonathan probed further, and Kevin was happy to share all he knew about his famous ancestor.

He told Jonathan, that when the rescue team arrived, they found the campsite in disarray, with torn tent walls and scattered belongings. According to the report, the archaeologists had been attacked by either a Mountain Lion or a bear, but no blood or bodies were found. It was speculated that the group may have fled into the unforgiving wilderness in a state of panic and perished from thirst or other causes. Jonathan expressed his sympathies, but Kevin shrugged them off, explaining that he had never known his great-grandfather and therefore didn't feel a strong emotional connection to the tragedy.

As the sun began to set, Jonathan noticed that the three travelers with him were in pain and decided to call it a day. They found a spot by a river and set up camp, with Henry starting a fire and Jonathan and Eden taking care of the horses. "Hey Mr. Nice guy," she laughed at him and Jonathan took a deep breath. He hated this nickname and his girlfriend knew it, but she liked to tease him with it. "Can I get a goodnight kiss?"