“Last question, and this is an important one. You ready?” I nod. “Pineapple on pizza, yes or no?”
“You’re dead to me,” I say, holding my hand up to his face. He throws his head back and laughs, a deep, belly laugh. I feel a warmth spread through me.
“Hey, check it out, our shadow’s moved,” I say, pointing to our stick.
Kei stands to inspect, leaving my side feeling cold in his absence. “Not much, but it’s enough. Come here,” he says, waving me over. “Okay, put your left foot where our first rock is. Good. Now, put your rightfoot right here, where the end of the shadow is now. Okay, now raise your left arm and point straight out from your body.”
“Is that west?”
“That’s west.”
“That’s incredible! How do you know how to do that?”
He takes my hand as we start to head west, Teddy stumbling to get in front of us. “I did a lot of hiking and camping with my dad when we were kids. He’s a military guy, so he taught me lots of survival stuff.”
“That’s sweet. You guys are close?”
“We used to be. Not so much anymore.” I peer at him, trying to get a read on his face.
“You want to talk about it.”
He shrugs. “Not much to say. He just doesn’t get the whole music thing. He thinks I should re-enlist, have a traditional life, like his.”
“What does he think about you doing this show?”
“He wasn’t too happy about it. He’s worried I’ll bring shame to the family.”
“Woof.”
“Yeah. I just want to prove to him that there’s more than one way to have a life, you know?”
I squeeze his hand. “I know.”
“Oop, watch out,” he says, pulling my arm to guide me away from a pile of brown sludge that can only be one thing.
“Oh my god, do you think there are animals in these woods?”
“Definitely.”
“What? How? We’re on an island!”
“Sure, but we’re pretty far north. I bet the lake freezes in the winter.”
“Like what kind of animals?”
“I don’t know, probably deer, moose, coyotes…”
“Bears?”
“Probably.”
I stop. “There are bears in these woods?”
He laughs. “Yes, there are likely bears.”
“Was that bear shit I almost stepped in?”
“Maybe.”
