Boondocks

Chapter 16: No Place

CROC

Fishing was easier here. The fish were slow and stupid. They didn't try to hide. It was as if they couldn't sense me at all. There was no chase, no hunt. All I had to do was stand still, grab them, and toss them onto the bank.

Now I knew why Willow had been so shocked by the swamp. Her world was so different. It was lifeless. I couldn't remember a time when the swamp had felt that way. Even before the changes started, I'd been connected. Anchored. Here, everything was constantly moving. The river rushed, and the few animals that came always went the second they sensed the bears.

I grabbed another fish and tossed it. Boring. Mindless. I sighed. It didn't help that today was the day. Halloween, they called it. Gator was right about humans being strange. They celebrated fall by scaring their young then giving them sweets. It was about as dumb as these fish, but the babies were so excited, there wasn't much I could do. The entire camp seemed to buzz in anticipation.

All except for Willow. Her smiles were fake. Her thoughts were guarded. But her scent was something she couldn't control.

She didn't want our baby.

A fish swam close and nibbled at my pant leg, but I didn't move to catch him. Instead, I imagined my own mother, whoever she'd been, staring off into space as if her whole world had ended. As much as I wanted a family, I didn't want one like this. I didn't want Willow forced to carry and give birth when she'd made it clear she didn't want to. I never wanted my baby to feel unwanted.

It was my fault. I should have prevented it, but at the time, my mind hadn't been able to focus on anything other than the way she felt, the way she smelled, the way she tasted.

My mouth watered, and I swallowed hard.

"Croc!" Gator hissed.

I looked over, and he was watching me. "You're just letting the fish eat you now?"

I looked down, and several more fish had joined the first. I kicked my legs and scared them away.

"Am I too late?" He butted my hip with his snout. "Say something! Anything!"

"What are you talking about?" I palmed his nose and pushed him back.

"The voodoo!" he hissed. "It's here!"

Not this again. "The voodoo didn't get me. I was just thinking."

"You better hope it didn't, because that girl that showed up is a witch!"

Ah, so that was the reason. I shook my head. "They're just saying that because of Halloween."

"No." His voice was low and stern, more serious than I thought him capable. "You need to listen to me because I saw her with my own eyes. She's a witch."

I hesitated. "Saw her what?"

"Preparing. . ." The word rang out like a cold wind before a winter storm.

A chill raced over my skin. The hairs on the back of my neck rose. "For what?" My voice was quiet, hoarse.

Gator looked around and scented the air, and when he spoke again, it was so low I had to bend down to hear him. "Collecting items for her spells."

"What kinds of items?" I whispered back.

"She searched the woods, mostly, Gathering plants, calling them names in a strange language. She kind find them even in the ground. I saw her digging."

"Julia said she uses the plants for medicine."

"Plants aren't the only thing she's taken."

I waited.