Ensnare

Chapter 17

                After an afternoon of soaking up the sun, I grabbed my towel and headed back into the cabin. I wrapped it around me like a dress and walked up to the front steps. I felt a tug on the corner of the towel and whipped around. The towel was in Buck’s hand and a devilish grin on his face. I put my hands on my hips and scowled.

                “You want, come and get it,” he waved the towel around in the air.

                “Careful Buck, you don’t want to mess with her,” Wilbur warned a teasing tone to his voice.

                “You’ll be on your back before you have the chance to surrender,” Matthew added in, smiling. He was building a fire in the simple fire pit. It was nothing more than a ring of stones and a pile of ashes.

                “Maybe that’s where I want to be,” Buck called back to the boys and jogged away with my towel. I rolled my eyes and walked into the cabin. There were some disadvantages to staying with a group of guys.

                Once inside I pulled on a pair of yoga pants and a grey hoodie. My hair was messy from drying without being brushed. I tied it up in a messy bun and slipped on my sneakers. When I walked back outside hotdogs were being passed around. Matthew was whittling sticks to a point and passing them around.

                As I came to stand by the fire Katie glanced up at me. She sent me an annoyed look, but not one of pure hatred. Matthew handed me a pointy stick and Wilbur speared a hot dog on the end.

                “Dinner is served,” Wilbur announced.

                “Complements to the chef,” I mumbled. It would appear Eve hadn’t taught them any of her skills in the kitchen. I sat down on a log and held the hotdog over the fire. Everyone else began to cook theirs too.

                Ketchup was passed around and everyone ate in silence. After my second hotdog I was full. I decided to go for a walk while everyone else continued to eat. I stuffed my hands in the pocked of my hoodie and headed toward the woods on the opposite side of the clearing from where we had arrived.

                Sheltered under the branches of a willow, I found and old swing. The seat was a simple plank of wood tied to ropes that looped around the branch of a maple tree that overlapped with the willow. I sat down and began to push myself back and forth, keeping my feet on the ground. I had always loved swings as a kid, and it seemed that I still did. It was relaxing to rock back and forth.

                I turned sideways and leaned my back against one of the ropes. I put one foot up on the plank and hugged my knee to my chest. It was starting to get a little chilly out. The sun had set and the sky was turning a dusky shade of blue.

                A figure pushed aside the willow branches. It recognized Matthew as he came closer, hands buried in his pockets.

                “Nice night,” he said, looking up at the sky through the branches.

                “It is. Could be warmer though,” I answered.

                “There are plenty of blankets in the cabin. You’ll be warm tonight,” he answered. He took his hands out of his pockets and grabbed the ropes that held up the swing.

                “This used to be my favourite spot,” he said.

                “I can see why.”