I did not make it stop because: I was on fire. “Where do you want to go to lunch? If this keeps up, I’m buying.”
“Will Sam be cool with that?”
“Why wouldn’t he be?” I looked at Alex to make sure he was being serious. He was.
Alex shrugged. “Just asking.”
I scooped up my ball and we headed for the redwoods.
Alex lined up his ball and lifted his club to putt. I whacked him on the butt with my golf club as he bent over. “Get it.”
“You’re the worst,” he said, lining up again, and then he said, “I’m going to hit this before you can mess me up again,” and he sliced away at the ball, and it went right up the ramp and perfectly into the hole in the trunk of the largest redwood tree.
Alex hoisted his club over his head in victory. “Look at that.”
“Preettty nice,” I said. “But too bad you didn’t get this on Yellowstone. No free game for you.”
“It’s like the whole thing with the tree falling in the forest and no one there to hear it,” he said, mock distraught. “If I get a hole in one anywhere besides Yellowstone, does it count at all?”
“It does,” I said. “I saw it.”
59.
now
This stupid message again.
GET TH3M BACK.
And they didn’thaveto write a three this time. That was only necessary for the marquee because we didn’t have enoughEs. They didn’t use the three when they wrote in my journal.
But now here it is again.
So is it a clue?
Are there three people I have to get back?
Or is it the three wishes thing?
And where am I supposed to go from here?
Suddenly, I’m livid.
Who’s here? Why are they leading me?
Why are theyleavingme?
“You’re going to have to do better than this,” I holler. “I’m going home.” I stalk my way back across the field toward my car.
When I get there, I pause, looking across the asphalt and grass and trees as the sun sets.
I climb inside my car and slam the door as hard as I can.
60.
now
I haven’t even turned the key in the ignition before I realize something’s wrong, and almost immediately I know what it is.
