Hunting High and Low
When Rich and Kara arrived back at the cabin, Max stood outside with the two rifles. “Here.” He handed the Remington to Rich. “We’re going hunting.”
“No, you’re not.” Alison stood behind him in the doorway.
“What’s going on?” Rich asked, looking from Max to Alison.
“On the way back, someone followed us. I don’t need no damned stalker ruining my camping trip. We’re going to confront this guy and make sure he understands what’s what.”
“With guns?” Kara asked. “Are you crazy?”
Max glared at Kara. “It’s called a deterrent.”
Kara turned to Rich. “Rich, you’re not going with him, are you? At least leave the rifle here.”
“You afraid Rich is going to shoot himself?”
Kara’s next words were cold and sharp. “I’m afraid he’s going to shoot you.”
Max opened his mouth, but then closed it.
“You wanna go play cowboy,” Kara said, “that’s fine. Just do it without the guns. Serious. I don’t want you shooting someone accidentally.”
“You’re just like your sister,” Max said, scrutinizing Kara. “There’s nothing to worry about. We’ll be fine. And if we put a little fear into one of our neighbors so they leave us alone, all the better.”
The two women looked at Rich for a level-headed response to this obviously unhinged man.
“We’ll go talk to him,” Rich said. “It’ll be fine. Safety’s on, right?”
“Of course.” Max checked the safety on the Nosler. “All good.”
“We’ll be back.” Rich went to kiss Kara, but she stepped back. “Try not to get yourselves killed.”
“Come on, Rich.” Max headed into the forest. “We’ll cut through the woods to get to the other campsites. I don’t want to take the road and have anyone spot us.”
Rich nodded. “We’re just going to talk, right?”
“Of course. Unless they get out of hand and we have to protect ourselves.” Max scowled at Rich. “I’m serious, Rich. I know you and Kara don’t like guns, but if this comes down to us and them, it’s going to be us. Understand me?”
“Clear. How do you even know who it is? For all we know, Vinnie and Mona were out walking and spotted us. Maybe they were following you back to the cabins.” He checked his phone: 11:15.
“If it was them, why didn’t they say hello? I kept checking behind us, but neither of us saw anyone. That means whoever it was didn’t want to be seen. Why do you think that is?”
Rich shrugged. “I have no idea.”
Max led them on the silver trail until they came to the waterfall. Bones still lay scattered by the hut. Had he expected someone to clean them up? It didn’t look like anyone had been back since they’d discovered it.
“What are we doing here?” Rich asked, not sure he liked where this was going.
“It wasn’t any camper who was following us. It was whoever lives there.” He pointed at the waterfall with the Nosler.
“What?” Rich couldn’t believe what Max thought. “You think there’s someone living there and they were following you? You know how … No.” He shook his head. But at the same time, he knew exactly what Max had experienced, and it had led him here as well. The wild man in the woods.
“Rich, I’d never experienced anything like the sensation I felt when that thing was following us. Yes, thing. The hairs on my arms were standing up.” He held his arms out. “Like they are now.”
Branches snapped off to their left. Both men turned. Rich saw noth—was that a man moving through the woods? His heart kicked. It’s him! The man in the woods!
“Did you see that?” Max’s voice was filled with excitement. “Come on!” Max rushed back to where the two trails met and then off the trail in pursuit of the shadow.
Rich trembled with anticipation before chasing after Max and … whatever he thought he saw. He’d only caught a glimpse of a tall, bulky, biped shape that had to be a man, though his first impression was of something much larger, way over six feet, closer to seven. His eyes must’ve tricked him. “What did it look like to you?”
Max hurried through the trees. “I don’t know. He was tall and dark.”
The ground sloped down and away from the trail into an endless forest, thick with trees and random boulders.
Max ran fast through the heavily wooded area, heedless of decaying branches, tree roots or rocks. Rich followed as best he could jumping over roots and fallen tree limbs, careful not to step wrong or he’d twist his ankle or worse.
Max turned to the right and kept going.
“Do you see him?” Rich asked. It had to be the survivalist in some kind of camouflage outfit, the man the gas station attendant saw that maybe wasn’t a man at all, but some kind of creature.
“I think so … I’m not sure. I thought he went this way.”
Ahead in the woods, a liquid shadow slipped through the birches and pines, the oaks and maples. Of course he did, Rich thought. This was his home and he knew every tree, every place to step, to move as fast as possible. Rich lost his bearings and he hoped Max had a compass because he’d left his at the cabin.
“I see him!” Max shouted.
“What’s he—?” Rich’s foot caught on a root that sent him sprawling. He hit the ground hard, but somehow managed to hold on to the Remington. Max was several yards to his right behind a tree, breathing hard. The survivalist stood about fifty feet in front of them, nothing but a shadow among the trees. The air reeked of compost and skunk; it came from the man who probably wanted to smell bad to keep people away from him.
“There!” Max whispered loud as he could and pointed to where Rich stared.
“I see him. He’s … tall.” Rich’s heart beat fast in his ears. Adrenalin raced through him, keeping him ready to fight or fly, depending on what the guy did. He trembled as he lay on the ground. Judging by the trees, the man was taller than anyone he’d seen, close to if not over seven feet tall.
“It must be that survivalist,” Max said between gasps for breath.
“Are you all right?” Rich kept his eyes on the man, who couldn’t be a man, but had to be because there was no other explanation that made sense. Rich admired the thing; it had no responsibilities, no job, no house to maintain. Maybe it had a family, but it had no bills or anything. It could go where it wanted and do whatever it chose without needing permission, or making sure society was okay with his plans. It was free of all the bullshit humans were chained to. “You lucky son of a bitch,” He was certain it was intelligent and lived by more than simple instinct. He doubted he could give up his life to live in the wild.
“Just … just need to … to catch my breath,” Max wheezed.
“What should we do?” Rich wasn’t sure if the man saw either one of them. He watched the guy carefully; he wouldn’t shoot him. Better to talk first and try to come to an amicable agreement: You go your way, we’ll go ours. Shooting him was out of the question.
“Let’s see what he does,” Max whispered back. He turned to the shadow. “Who are you?” he shouted. “Were you throwing pebbles at our cabin last night?”
The shadow didn’t answer. It stood there in all its seven-foot-tall glory, observing them.
“Is that your hut back there?” Max asked. “Look, we don’t want any trouble. We’re just here to do some hiking and drinking. We won’t bother you, all right?”
The huge man stood still and for several long seconds, Rich lost sight of him. Where the hell had he gone? Then he reappeared closer, maybe twenty feet now, as if a blank window had passed in front of the man, obscuring him from view.
Rich tried getting a perspective on him by checking the low branches of nearby trees. When he realized the man was closer to eight feet tall, he knew this wasn’t a man at all, unless it was some former basketball player who decided to become a recluse in these woods.
“That’s not a human,” Rich said. “It’s too big.”
It could crush him if it wanted to. Its hands were immense. It had too much bulk to it. If that was indeed the thing’s body and not just a coat or something, it had to weigh several hundred pounds. Rich was running out of possibilities to call that thing a man. A coat, high shoes, a basketball player. All of them vanished as he stared at it. The breeze shifted and the stink of sulfur, feces and compost wafted over them.
“God, what a stench.” Max frowned and wrinkled his nose. He held his hand over his mouth. “Doesn’t he ever bathe?”
It was the same stink from the previous night. This creature had been at their cabin.
The forest grew silent. The creature took a tentative step toward them. That was no bear. The legs were too long as were the exaggerated, human-like arms.
“Get ready to fire,” Max whispered.
“Why?” Bringing rifles had been a mistake. Rich knew that, and wished he had known as much back at the cabin. He had no intention of shooting this magnificent creature. “It’s amazing, Max.”
“It’s coming this way.” Max spoke fast. “Right for us.”
Rich didn’t think it was coming as fast as Max suggested; he wouldn’t fire at it. Maybe he’d fire a warning shot over it.
It shambled one step at a time toward them, its head cocked to one side as if curious about them.
“Rich, it’s getting too close.”
It was still a distance away. They could make a break for it if they had to. They were out here to talk to a man, but this wasn’t a man, and Rich had no idea what he should do, other than haul his ass back to the cabin, pack everything up, grab the women and leave. He’d phone the office when they got to the main road. Let the rangers handle this behemoth.
“That’s not a bear,” Rich whispered.
“No shit, Watson.”
It was a huge, hairy human and only one thing fit that description, but it was an urban legend that couldn’t exist and yet … Rich had seen an episode or two of Hunting Bigfoot and, from all the interviews and sightings, knew this thing was one of them. Yet no one had ever mentioned a Sasquatch attacking humans. They were supposed to be overly shy and wanted nothing to do with people. A wild man living in the woods, eluding even the best trackers.
Yet here it was, coming toward them, one slow step at a time.
“You got to shoot it, man!” Max whispered.
“We’re not shooting it, Max. It’s harmless.” Rich wouldn’t shoot. It had done nothing to indicate it would attack them. If anything, Rich sensed it was more curious than dangerous.
Max cocked his rifle. “Shit! It’s jammed. You have to take the shot.”
Rich shook his head. His hand was slick on the barrel and his finger twitched near the trigger. He couldn’t—or wouldn’t—shoot. If it came much closer, he’d fire up into the trees, away from the thing.
“Do you have any idea what that is?” Max asked. “Do you know how much money we’d get if we brought back a Bigfoot carcass?”
Rich looked at Max. “Are you kidding me? You want to kill it so we can make money?”
“Why not?”
So now this was about trophy hunting. Rich shook his head and made to stand. He hesitated, not wanting to frighten the beast. He would let the Bigfoot make the next move.
“You gotta take the shot, Rich. Do it now!”
“I won’t.” The creature was magnificent, though it stank terribly.
It stood ten yards from them, paused, and sniffed the air.
Rich stared at the hairy thing, awed by its majesty, its aura of power and strength. It could probably rip his arms off without thinking twice.
“We can’t let it get away. Shoot!”
“No.” Rich wanted to put the rifle down to show the creature he had no intentions of shooting, but the more primal part of his brain refused to lay it aside. It could leap at him at any moment and he had to be able to defend himself. “Just let it be!”
“Come on, Rich, you have to take the shot!”
He was seven again, on the BB range, his father next to him, helping him line up the shot. But it wasn’t a paper target, it was a huge man-shaped being standing plain as could be.
His father’s voice echoed from the past. Don’t disappoint me, Rich. Just ease your finger on to the trigger and pull.
Sweat dripped in his eyes and he had to wipe it away so he could see. More details became apparent as it stepped closer. The creature was covered in shaggy brown, matted hair, leaves and twigs. Huge, sad amber eyes, reflecting curiosity and intelligence, stared from a human-like face with a long sloping forehead, a wide nose and full lips. Its hands were huge.
“Shoot! Damn it!” Max shouted.
Come on, Richie, don’t let me down, his father’s voice pleaded. Just squeeze the trigger and—yes, just like that! A little more! Come on, son, make me proud!
Sweat mixed with tears.
“What’s wrong with you?”
Rich wasn’t sure whether the voice belonged to Max or his father in his head.
“I can’t.” Rich’s finger twitched and the rifle went off.
The thing grunted and staggered back a step, turning its angry, yet melancholy gaze to him.
“I’m sorry,” Rich whispered, then repeated it louder. “I didn’t mean to—”
“You hit it!” Max shouted.
Another shot fired, but not from Rich’s rifle. Max must’ve cleared the jam.
“What are you doing?” Rich shouted. “Stop shooting!”
The Bigfoot jerked back. A shot to the shoulder. It turned and staggered away.
“Come on. We’ve got it.” Max stood and ran after it.
“Are you crazy?” Rich hesitated for the briefest moment. He had to keep Max from shooting it again. Climbing to his feet, he didn’t see the creature, but ran after Max. Had they really shot a Sasquatch? At the gas station, he’d thought the man crazy, but now …
“Oh, fuck!” A dozen yards ahead, Max threw himself backward, tumbling to the ground. He didn’t have time to shout a warning before Rich came to the abrupt drop-off. He dropped the rifle and pinwheeled his arms to keep from going over. Fifteen feet below them was a wide, fast-moving river.
“Where the hell did it go?” Max crawled to the edge and searched for the thing’s body or its movements.
“Is that it?” Rich pointed to an island of leaves, dirt and twigs that could’ve been one of those camo blankets soldiers used to hide from the enemy. But he couldn’t tell if that was the creature’s body. The mass floated quickly downriver.
“Shit.” Max looked for a way down, but it was a nearly sheer drop through bushes and trees. Surely the thing couldn’t have survived that fall. But had the bullets done enough damage? Shouldn’t it be directly below them on the rocks?
“I don’t see it,” Rich said. He was grateful for that. He could tell himself that the thing was still alive. Then again, if it was, would it come after them? Maybe it was better if it was dead.
“Damn it. We could’ve been rich if you had just killed it.” Max sat back and stared where the cliff dove downward.
“Well I didn’t.” Rich had lost sight of the dirt mass. What a waste; such an amazing creature.
“Because you froze like a pussy.”
All Rich’s pent-up frustration boiled out in one tense, “Fuck you.” He stared down at the river. “I’m sick and tired of trying to get you to see that you treat Alison like shit. I hate being between you and Kara, always having to defend you and your actions. Kara wondered if you had hit Alison and I told her there was no way you would. You’re better than that. Boy was I wrong. And you’re wrong for the way you treat Alison and Kara, and pretty much everyone else as if we’re all second-class citizens to you.”
Max laughed. “Mister high and mighty, huh? Well I’ll tell you something, Rich. Noslers don’t jam. I pretended it did to get you to take the first shot, to prove that you could and you weren’t a pussy about handling guns.”
“You’re an ass, you know that?” The two men stared at each other. Rich was ready for Max to throw a punch, because, apparently, that was how Max resolved issues with Alison. “I didn’t want to see it, Max, because we’ve been friends for so many years, and you always said it was nothing. But you hit her. That’s not acceptable no matter the reason or how hard or often you do it.”
“So is this it? Our friendship’s over because you don’t like my marriage to Alison, because of Kara?”
Rich shook his head. “This has nothing to do with Kara. This has to do with how you treat Alison.”
Max turned away, staring into the forest. “Jesus, Rich. I’m shaking. I can’t believe we saw a Bigfoot.” He laughed nervously.
“That’s it? Change the subject? Fine. We shot the poor creature.” Rich trembled, nausea twisting his gut. He wanted nothing more than to throw the rifle away, but he wouldn’t; he might need it later.
“He was going to attack us.” Max said. “He could’ve killed us. Was that what you wanted?”
Rich shook his head, unsure of what he hoped for: a dead Bigfoot or one frightened off. He’d seen the thing floating in the river. It was dead. “He was curious, Max. That’s all. That’s it and now we killed him. I killed him.” He fell to his knees and retched. Breakfast burned his throat coming up. He felt pathetic as his stomach emptied. But he’d never hurt anything in his life. He even tried taking the bugs he found in their house outside. He glanced at the gun, the cold killer, and despised himself for taking it. He’d be better off letting Max take both guns back.
“That’s gross, Rich. If it means anything, you didn’t kill him, we did.” Max said.
“Like that’s any better.” He held the gun like it repulsed him.
“Get the compass out so we can back to the cabin. I’m starving.”
“I thought you had the compass.” Rich closed his eyes. This is not happening. We’re not lost in the woods. Opening his eyes, he glanced around, trying to get his bearings, but every tree looked the same and every piece of ground looked no different than the next one. He wasn’t even sure how far they’d run. He listened for the waterfall, but only heard the river in front of them. It couldn’t be the river that became the waterfall; the river would have to climb the hill and water didn’t do that. It had to be another river that meandered off into the mountains.
“You don’t have a compass?” Max’s tone was tense.
“No. This was your expedition so I assumed you had one.” I can’t believe we’re stuck out here and he’s blaming me.
Max threw his arms up in disgust. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. Do I have to do everything?”
“No, Max, you don’t have to do everything, but when you ask me to come on a fucking hunting expedition, I expect you have a God-damned compass in case we get lost in the woods, like we are now.”
“All right, Rich, no point in pointing fingers. We have to get our bearings and get back to the cabin.” He pulled his cell phone out. “There’s no reception, so we’re not calling for help.” He pressed several keys. “Crap. No reception means no GPS.”
“I could’ve told you that.” Rich glanced around, hoping the dense, wooded landscape would reveal the way back to the trail, if not the cabins. “This river isn’t the same one we found by the waterfall. Maybe if we follow it, we’ll find the waterfall.”
“We turned several times and I can’t remember how many rights and lefts we made. Dammit, Rich, why couldn’t you remember the damned compass?”
“We already went through this, Max. When you decided to go out hunting, you should’ve made sure you had the compass instead of expecting me to have it. Apparently, when it’s your argument, you’re fine with blaming me, but as soon as I call you on it, it’s no one’s fault. What kind of shit is that?”
Max froze. “Who the hell do you think you are talking to me like that? I said it was no one’s fault and that’s not good enough for you?”
Rich stared at his long-time friend. “It’s no one’s fault when I tell you it was your responsibility to bring the damned compass. But you’re fine with blaming me otherwise.” Rich shook his head. “Forget it. We need to get out of here.” He looked up to judge where the sun was, but that was no help; it was nearly overhead. He tried remembering any of his scouting lessons that would help them, but he didn’t last more than a year or two into Boy Scouts, and none of his memories held answers.
“Forget it? No, I’m not forgetting it.” Max shook his head. “You have the nerve to call me out over this and then tell me to forget it? Not going to happen.”
“What’s wrong with you? I don’t understand why you’re so angry. We’ll get back to the cabin.” They had been friends a long time and nothing like this had ever happened. This wasn’t just about the compass; this was Max’s deep-rooted insecurities and his need to always be the alpha male. This was about Max believing Rich thought he was the better man.
Rich was sure there was more going on, and it probably had to do with regrets, resentments, judgment, guilt, and shame. He had to end this so they could figure their way back. “How about we stop arguing so we can find our way back?”
“No.” Max walked up to Rich and punched him in the face. “Now we can find our way back.”
Rich staggered back. He made sure his jaw wasn’t broken. “You fuck. Is this what Alison feels like?”
“Fuck you, pussy boy.”
Rich charged Max, knocking him to the ground. Drawing his arm back, he hesitated, not wanting to hit his long-time friend.
Max didn’t have the same compunction and slammed Rich in the side of the head, knocking him over. Max came up in a boxer’s stance, ready to fight.
Rich stumbled to his feet. “Is this what we’ve come to?”
“I’m going to beat the crap out of you.” Max kept his stance.
“How mature of you.” Rich walked in the direction he thought they had come. “I’m going to find my way back.”
“That’s it? You’re giving up already?” He grabbed Rich by the shoulder and spun him around. “I thought you had more guts than that. Apparently, I was wrong.”
“Maybe.” Rich swung with all his strength, planting his fist deep in Max’s stomach. “Maybe not.”
Max doubled over and collapsed to his knees. “That’s more like it,” he wheezed.
“Can we cut the macho crap and figure out how to get back to the cabin?”
Max nodded. “Sure.”
“Good.” Rich turned.
“Right after this.” Max caught Rich in the small of the back, driving him several yards before they fell together. “I told you I was going to beat the crap out of you. You think you’re better than me. You think you’re always right. I see the way you look at me, like I’m garbage because of how I treat Alison. Well, she’s deserved everything she’s gotten. I’m not the problem here. She is. And right now, you are.”
Rich tasted leaves and dirt and spit them out as he tried scrabbling out from under the other man. Thoughts struck him, one by one. Max had gone over the edge. He was going to kill Rich. He would have to knock Max unconscious to keep from being killed.
Max hit him with a kidney punch, then a blow to the side of his head.
“Stop it!” Rich shouted.
“Can’t take it, can you?” Max rolled away and brought his knee hard into Rich’s side. “Alison takes it better than you.”
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Rich gasped for breath, and climbed to his feet, staggering around. “I never thought I was better than you, Max.”
“You do, and I see the way you look at Alison. Pity and lust. You’re a sniveling girl-man with no balls, who needs to have the shit beaten out him.” Max backed off a step.
Rich waited for another blow. He grit his teeth. His eyes darted around. A tree limb lay off to his right. Could he grab it and use it before Max caught him?
Max grinned at him; he was the alpha male wolf.
Rich feinted to the left, making Max lunge at him. But Rich threw himself to the right while Max tripped over his own feet. Rich grabbed the limb and without waiting for Max to say another word, swung it.
Max shouted as the wood connected with his head, sending him sprawling on his side. He collapsed, unmoving.
I hope I didn’t kill him. Rich dropped the limb. His heart hammered in his ears. He took short, angry gasps of air. Max didn’t move. “Shit.” He knelt next to him and checked for a pulse. He was alive, just unconscious. Good. He’s not dead.
Now that their fight was over, the forest came alive around him. Birds sang to each other, squirrels ran relays, chipmunks squeaked their displeasure, and the wind rustled the infinite leaves. The world didn’t give a damn about the two childish men. The scent of compost was thin; the creature was nowhere near them. This, at least, was a good thing. He sat cross-legged next to Max and waited for him to regain consciousness; there was nothing else he could do.
Once the adrenalin wore off, Rich felt terrible about clocking his friend, but the man had it coming. Max had been full-blown out of control. Rich had felt that way, too. The image of Max slapping Alison rose to his consciousness and then he didn’t feel bad about the fight. Max deserved a few good smacks after what he’d put Alison through. He was sure there was more than what Max had told him, or what Alison had told Kara, but even one hit was too many.
For all the conversations they’d had about their marriages, it was clear Max had no intentions of changing who he was for Alison or anyone else. He was just fine the way he was, thank you very much. It was Alison and everyone else who had problems and he was going to be the great fixer, even if it meant sending Alison to the hospital. Go explain that to the police.
Sadly, Rich had come to believe the only hope for Alison was to leave the marriage before Max hit her too hard or too many times. Kara would have to convince Alison she had to get out of the marriage for her safety, though where her sister would go was an unknown. And then there were the kids. What would happen to them? She’d have to take them with her so Max wouldn’t take his anger out on them. Rich knew Max wouldn’t agree to any of this.
Rich’s jaw still stung and his body hurt. He pulled himself to the nearest tree and laid his head back. “This is no good, Max.” He frowned. “This whole situation with the four of us isn’t working and it’s all because you believe you’re doing the right thing by Alison, instead of treating her the way she deserves. It’s getting to a point of no return, Max. Something has to give before something bad happens.” He glanced at his friend. “How do I get you to change before you kill Alison? Any ideas, Max? Please?” His voice trembled and he shut up. For all his anger, he wanted to help Max find compassion for Alison. But he didn’t know what to do. Nor did he know what to do about their current circumstance. He glanced around the forest. How the hell do we get out of here?
When Max came to, they had to figure out which way to go or they’d be stuck out in the woods when the sun went down. The wives would be worried and pissed. He hoped they wouldn’t come looking for them; no point in all of them getting lost. Then again, they’d be smart enough to take the fucking compass.
“What the hell hit me?” Max sat up slow and glanced at Rich. “You hit me.”
Rich nodded at the branch. “Yup. You were trying to kill me. I thought you needed a time-out.”
“Shit.” He felt the back of his head and looked at his fingers. “No blood.”
“Maybe blunt-force trauma, but no blood.”
“What time is it?” Max asked.
He checked his watch. “Almost noon.” He had planned to try to wake Max in a half hour so they could come up with a plan.
Max searched the ground around him. “Where’s my rifle?”
“Why? Gonna shoot me?”
Max shook his head and winced. “No, of course not.”
“Really? Because before I knocked you senseless, you were pretty set on beating the crap out of me.”
Max grimaced. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to … I guess life—you know, stress—is really getting to me. The job is such high pressure, and with all that’s going on at home, it’s been difficult to focus. I’m not screwing up, but I’m not doing my job as well as I should.” He stared at Rich. “I can’t afford to lose this job, Rich, and Alison isn’t making it any easier.”
Rich thought over all the words in his mouth and swallowed most of them back. He almost apologized, but there was nothing to apologize for. Max got what he deserved.
Really? Violence begets violence? That’s acceptable? No, but he could’ve killed me.
“How about anger management classes?” Rich smiled in hopes that Max wouldn’t flip out on him again.
“Funny, Rich.”
As much as Rich wanted to work through this, they had to find their way to the cabin sooner than later. “Why don’t we pick a direction and walk? We can talk as we make our way back to base.” Rich stood and offered his hand to Max.
Max took it and rose. “That way.” He pointed to his left. “I’m sure we came from that way.”
Rich looked around, hoping something familiar would inspire him to go that way, but the forest was the forest and refused to give up its secrets. “Okay.”
They found their rifles and set off through the woods. The birds sang, the squirrels ran from them, and the rest of the world carried on as if the two men didn’t matter.
Rich checked his watch. They’d been meandering around for close to an hour and every rock, tree and piece of ground looked exactly like the last rock, tree, and piece of ground.
“This is getting us nowhere,” Max said. “We weren’t that far from the cabin, were we?”
“We weren’t until we saw that thing and chased it. We covered a lot of ground running after it. I don’t know how—”
“Max? Rich?” It was Kara shouting from the opposite direction they walked.
“We’re found!” Max said. “We’re here!” He shouted back as he started running toward Kara’s voice. “We’re here!”
“Like freakin’ Horton Hears a Who.” Rich shook his head and started after Max. “Max?”
Max stopped short and turned back. “What?”
“Nothing about what happened. Not the creature or the fight, all right?”
“Right. Not a word about it. How do I look?”
“Fine. How about me?”
Max nodded. “Fine.”
“Rich?” Kara called.
“Yes!” Rich caught sight of the two women coming toward them.
“What the hell happened?” Kara asked. “You went out almost two hours ago to find that survivalist. Did you?”
“No,” Rich said. “We never found him.”
“We saw a bear and gave chase,” Max said. “By the time we ran it off, we were lost. Numbnuts over here forgot a compass.”
“I believe the leader forgot the compass,” Rich said. “We both assumed the other had one.”
“Men,” Kara said.
Alison ran into Max’s arms on the verge of tears. “We were so worried about you.”
Rich hugged Kara. “I’m glad you found us.”