She plopped down, ungracefully, landing on her side, grunting out several heavy breaths as her eyelids became hooded. “Please don’t tell me they don’t have room service here, because I’m exhausted and starving.”
My gaze traced her body. Aside from the fact she looked like she’d been rolling with the pigs, she’d gotten several large scratches on her arm. It didn’t surprise me to see her so banged up, but other than her constant sarcastic coping remarks, she hadn’t complained once. For an alleged spoiled movie star, she handled the near ambush well. She certainly was tenacious. “Since you’re already laying down, why don’t you take the first nap. I’ll keep an eye out while trying to find some berries or something we can eat.”
When she didn’t reply, I assumed she was already nodding off, and took that as my cue to go bring home the bacon—literally. I can’t even imagine the kinds of wild pigs that would live out here… We needed something smaller, hopefully already dead.
A squirrel or bird perhaps.
I stepped away from Evie while keeping my stance low to the ground. It was so eerily quiet, the hairs on the back of my neck rose, giving me the suspicion that I was being watched.
I froze.
Pivoting around at the slowest speed, I checked as far back as I could see in every direction. Trees, roots, vines, and tall grasses that didn’t look like they’d ever been stepped on. I scanned high and low, and nothing caught my eye. I risked another step as my heart literally quaked inside my chest. Never in a million years would I have thought I’d be doing something like this, but with Evie counting on me, I didn’t want to disappoint her. I had to keep her safe and taken care of.
I repeated my scan high and low, and still nothing, so I took another three steps, passing a huge tree that I felt compelled to duck behind. “Phew.” I panted. It was muggy and hot, and now that we weren’t in the water, the humidity hung heavy in my lungs. My eyelids grew heavier with exhaustion. Before I talked myself out of it, I found myself sliding down the tree trunk to sit.
I just need to rest for a few minutes to think.
A deep yawn spiraled from inside my lungs, pulling my mouth wide open, as I struggled to keep my eyes open so much they watered.
I’m exhausted.
My eyelids drooped even more. It was so amazing to give my eyes a break.
My breathing evened, and my shoulders relaxed as my head fell back against the thick tree stump, and I was drifting into a peaceful—
Zzzzzzz.
nine
Evie
Sniffing at the light tickle on my nose, I tried to wrinkle it away to continue my slumber. Rest was blissful, as every tendon in my body had been stretched beyond what I presumed possible. My ankles puffed from the miles of trudging, and my back throbbed out its own heartbeat of pain. Add the pure exhaustion, I had no plans to wake up any time soon.
Like a cat trying to nuzzle at my nose in a sweet Eskimo kiss, the tickling continued. I giggled, as it set my dreams to respond. Now I was seeing my favorite childhood cat, Princess Flufferson. She’d left this earth years ago, but lived in my dreams, where she was always warm and snuggly. I leaned into the softness, pining for a deeper caress.
Oh sweet, Princess Flufferson …
I sighed, missing her essence so much, I grew nostalgic remembering her white puff ball head.
Hisssssss.
My eyes sprang open.
A neon-snot-colored snake hissed directly into my eyes! His elongated form spiraled around the branch above me, and he flicked out his black forked tongue, narrowly missing the tip of my nose.
Sucking back a giant gasp, I flattened my body against the tree, trying not to make any sudden movements. “Jasper…” I whispered through clenched teeth, unable to create any more space. I shifted my gaze to both sides, but other than trees and vines, my peripheral vision was clear, Jasper was likely still gathering food, which meant I was stuck here alone.
Not alone.
Alone would be better than this!
I shifted my legs but returned them straight out when I discovered there was no way I could stand up with this serpent hanging directly above me. My best bet was to quickly—and ever so smoothly—shimmy to the side to get out from underneath it, and then bolt.
Where I would go wasn’t a question I could answer. If I ran south, I hit the swamp. I also didn’t know what direction Jasper was hunting, and I didn’t want to wander too far off from base, because everything looked the same. There wasn’t a way for me to mark my way back . . . I scanned the horizon, planning.
Hissss
Goosebumps spiraled all over my body, giving me the total creeps.Out came his tongue, so pointy and long, and I was gone!My leg jutted out as far as I could spread it, and I rolled out of his way, and scrambled to my feet, not taking the time to even figure out what direction I was running. I was smart though. I counted my steps. Fifty. Then I halted right next to another tree and vine. Yes, I doubled-checked that vine to make sure it was in fact a vine and not another snot snake.
