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Macy more fell out of the tree than climbed down, but she slowed herself on each branch enough that the end result left her no worse for the wear.
Kim and Miriam stood guard below, ready to catch her. Once Macy’s feet touched the ground safely, though, the two were off, leaving Macy to bring up the rear yet again. She pumped her legs as hard as she could to keep up, compelled by the sounds of gruesome horror echoing through the trees. Too many people had died on this day, and Macy shuddered to think she was partly responsible for the carnage.
The path out of the woods seemed strangely short this time, as if time had dilated to hasten their exit. Macy wanted to believe that the adventure had come to its conclusion, but she’d thought that before, then had to traipse back into the forest once again. This nightmare seemed never-ending and she wouldn’t believe that it was over until she’d buckled her seatbelt on a Texas-bound flight.
“Just a little farther,” Kim hollered from the front of the pack.
Her estimate proved accurate as all three girls burst out of the tree-line onto the asphalt of the parking lot. Macy gasped for breath, but still found room for a smile as she surveyed the scene. Police cars. Everywhere. And at the front, staring at them with those cool blue eyes and warming smile, Tanner. He’d come for them. All the way from Texas.
Macy found the strength to run a few more feet until she collapsed into his arms, his warmth instantly stealing away all her fear and doubt. God she loved him.
“You got my message,” Miriam said from behind, not nearly as winded as Macy.
Macy heard Tanner’s voice just above her head, her face still buried in his chest. “I did. Am I late?”
“Only a little,” Miriam replied. “It’s over.”
The police immediately swarmed them, leaving little time to straighten out their story. Before being pulled away, Kim said only one word: “Bear.”
Macy took the hint, recounting a tale of a rabid grizzly intent on killing everything in its wake. She told of a helicopter crashing into the lake for reasons unknown. She told of the unfortunate carnage that resulted from the survivors startling the bear. She didn’t know if her fiction would align with that of Kim’s, or whether Miriam would be willing to lie at all, but Macy had come around to Kim’s way of thinking. The fewer people who knew about these creatures, the better. They weren’t ruthless killers. They were relics of the past just trying to survive in a modern world that left no room for them.
It all went by like a blur. Ambulances arrived and threw blankets over her. They tended to the wounds of all three of them. Tanner stayed by her side through it all, clutching her hand. The whole ordeal really was over. She’d tell him the real story eventually, but for now it only mattered that he was there for her. She didn’t need him to survive. She’d proven that multiple times over. But she wanted him near her. Always.
As the scene died down and the ambulances readied to take them to the hospital, the three girls closed in on each other and met up, perhaps for the last time before leaving Kim behind. Macy would miss her, as odd as the girl was.
With the cops now busy sorting out the mess in the forest, no one stood nearby to hear their conversation.
“What did you tell them?” Kim asked.
“Grizzly,” Macy replied.
“Same,” Miriam said.
Macy’s eyebrows raised in surprise. Miriam tended to stick to the truth, believing lies to never be worth the cost. It’d be interesting to break down that decision with her in the future. Macy wondered if Miriam intended to give the real story to the University, or if she intended to collect payment on a stack of lies. Macy could go either way given the circumstances, but she doubted Miriam could see it any way but one.
“Thank you,” Kim said. She meant it. Macy could tell.
Miriam didn’t have a response. Macy replied, “Of course. It’s the right thing to do.”
Sometimes, lying could be the correct course of action.
“Well, listen,” Kim said. “Keep in touch, okay?”
Macy nodded. Miriam stayed silent.
Kim continued, “And, Miriam.”
Miriam looked up to meet Kim’s dark gaze, as that Cheshire grin spread across her face.
“If it doesn’t work out with you and Gabe, give me a call.”
Kim turned away without waiting for Miriam’s response, which turned out to be a look of confusion and shock. Macy giggled.
“You’re just breaking hearts left and right, girl. First Gabe. Now Kim.”
“Shut up,” Miriam said. “It’s not like that.”
“Uh-huh.”
Macy put her arm around Miriam’s shoulder and walked with her back to the ambulance, where Tanner waited.
“You know it’s okay if you like girls, right?”
Miriam didn’t answer, leaving Macy to drop the subject, but not the amused look on her face.
“Ready to go?” Tanner asked as they approached.
“So ready,” Macy answered.
Another exciting end to another unbelievable adventure. Macy started to think that maybe, just maybe, she might get used to a life like this.
