Step Children

4.

Brian led the way in his Cobalt, with Scott behind him in the Trans Am.

Scott didn't know what to expect, but his mind was more than occupied. This was a car he had lusted for his entire life.

They drove deep into the countryside, for miles and miles without seeing much more than a couple of dilapidated houses that were a few years away from being reclaimed by nature.

They had been on a seasonal road for a full 15 miles when Brian pulled over.

Brian got out of his car, and adjusted his pants so the belt was above his waist again. He scanned the trees longingly before turning to Scott.

"This is the place."

He crossed the ditch with haste. Scott followed his lead.

They pushed past the brush and thorns that lined the road. Once they were 20 feet into the woods, it opened up a bit.

Logs were downed or leaning on still living trees, covered in moss. The damp soil suctioned to their shoes with every other step.

This was Scott's favorite kind of surrounding. He stood tall while he listened to the birds chirp above him. Other than the birdsong, the woods were utterly silent.

A few more crossings of logs and dredging up hills before they stopped for a rest.

"It's just up ahead." Brian said, sipping a bottle of water. He tossed it to Scott.

The sun was falling in the sky, and the shadows cast by trees were growing long on the ground.

"We meet with the Guardian one at a time. From there, she'll escort us to the House with a View. She doesn't know you, so I'll go first. To let her know you're friendly."

"This is bear country. I didn't bring a gun with me."

"Neither did I. You won't need it. The Guardian will protect you."

Scott nodded sarcastically. "Uh huh," he said.

Brian shrugged. "Wait ten minutes. Then follow the path to the gnarled tree. From there, descend the short cliff under the tree. Be careful, it's steep."

Scott watched him walk between two large bushes and tried to keep track of his route until he could no longer make out his figure in the brush.

It was now almost dark. The 10 minute mark had passed, so Scott followed the trail that Brian had left to the gnarled tree.

Its branches twisted and turned between each other to no apparent necessity. The lack of light made it feel more intimidating than perhaps it might have been.

It was indeed a short cliff, and there was a shale-covered path only a few feet from the tree's roots. His view of the bottom of the cliff was occluded by mounds of brush.

Scott climbed down slowly, crouching as low as he could.

The cliff steepened dramatically. He tried to find a course in which he could safely descend, but he had no luck.

He reached with his right foot to a rock far from him. His weight shifted from left to right, unhinging the rock.

He slammed into the ground, ten feet below, through the brush that had obscured his vision before.

As he got to his feet and swept the dust from his shirt, he realized he was surrounded by oddly shaped rocks that were strewn upon the ground. Upon further investigation, they weren't rocks at all.

Bones. Skulls and skeletons of rabbit, raccoons, and deer.

The trees gave host to the echoing sound of a puma scream. Scott recognized it immediately.