Chapter Three #2
Fallon frowned. “What?” Then she remembered the conversation at dinner, heads close and Kennedy touching her arm. Nora almost sounded jealous. But that was preposterous. “Oh yeah, we were talking because her father taught her about using a chainsaw, and—”
“I don’t care who you talk to or what you talk about, Fallon.” Nora’s voice was hard. “My plans don’t include socializing or making friends. I’m here for the summer, and then I’m gone.” She rinsed and spit with what seemed like more force than necessary before leaving without another word.
Dumbstruck, Fallon stared after her. She waited a few moments before making her way toward her bed, but she needn’t have worried.
Nora looked like a mummy, completely covered up and facing the wall.
Fallon stifled a sigh, settling in, grateful to feel the warmth of the stove at her feet.
The evening was cool, the kind of night where she’d often worn socks to bed in the cheap motels they’d stayed in over the years.
Tonight, she was cozy and comfortable without them.
Yawning, she replayed the conversation with Nora, trying to figure out if she’d said or done something wrong or if Nora just didn’t like her. She was asleep before an answer came.
* * *
After breakfast, Jade gathered the group for chainsaw practice. “There are situations in which everyone can do their own thing. Starting your saw is not one of them. We’re going to do this the same way—the right way—every time. Can anyone tell me why?”
Several sets of eyes turned in Nora’s direction, but she was steadfastly looking at the ground.
“Somebody want to take a guess? Come on,” Jade said. “I won’t make you run laps or do push-ups if you get it wrong.”
Fallon knew she should speak up. She needed to learn to take risks, to be bolder, if she was going to be a leader like Jade. “Because if we all do it the right way, no one gets hurt?”
“That’s a good point but not quite what I was looking for.” There was another beat of silence.
“Because if we do it the same way every time and there’s a malfunction, we know it’s with the equipment and not operator error.” Nora sounded tired and a little annoyed.
“Right. And that can save us a lot of hassle. Especially if we’re in the field. So here we go.” Jade put her chainsaw on the ground. “Follow me exactly.” She talked through the hot or cold position for the master switch, engaging the chain brake, and squeezing the throttle trigger.
Fallon followed as if dealing with a nuclear bomb, with equal parts trepidation and respect.
“Anchor the machine with your toes below the trigger and pull until you get resistance.”
Heart pounding, Fallon reminded herself that she trusted Jade. Her calm, clear directions made everything sound simple. When the saws roared to life, everyone cheered.
“Squeeze the trigger once to bring the engine speed to idle,” Jade called.
“Woo-hoo.” Tina lifted her saw and gunned it like a race car engine. A thin stream of smoke poured from the housing.
Jade made a “cut” gesture, but Nora, who was closer, yelled, “No, Tina. Stop,” motioning to put the saw down. Tina frowned but obeyed, and Jade signaled everyone else to turn their saws off. For a few seconds, the silence seemed louder than the roar of the machines had been.
Jade took a breath. “Tina, please come with me. The rest of you take a break.”
The group looked around at each other. “I could use a refill,” Fallon said, holding up her water bottle. “Can I get anybody anything?”
“I’ll go with you,” Delores said. Kennedy and Hannah handed over their reusable bottles. Nora was talking to Gwen and didn’t look around.
When they were almost to the dining area, Delores said, “Wow. That scared the shit out of me.”
“Me too,” Fallon agreed. “I’m nervous enough about these chainsaws without some crazy woman waving one around like Leatherface’s disorderly sister.”
Delores laughed as they began filling the bottles. “What do you think is going to happen to her? Will she get kicked out?”
“I don’t think so. But she might have to do push-ups or run laps.”
“Or do KP,” they said together.
When they returned, Jade was in front of the group with Tina beside her. There was only one saw between them. Fallon and Delores handed out the water as Jade cleared her throat. “Tina has something she’d like to say to all of you.”
“I’m sincerely sorry I acted recklessly.
” Tina’s voice was whispery soft. “I got carried away, but I understand I could’ve seriously hurt someone, and I apologize to each of you.
” She glanced at Jade as if confirming she was finished.
Jade murmured something, and Tina said, “Oh yeah. Because of my irresponsible behavior, I’ve lost my chainsaw privileges for the first week.
I’ll be a swamper when we go to the field. ”
Hannah raised her hand. “What’s a swamper again?”
“Swampers pull the cut limbs away from the tree trunks and pile them at a designated location,” Jade said. “Usually, we trade off this duty throughout the day, but not in Tina’s case. For now.”
Fallon didn’t think being a swamper sounded so bad, but Nora’s expression suggested otherwise. Or maybe Nora was irritated that her new friend was being punished.
“Let’s get to work,” Jade said. Two hours later, everyone had successfully started and shut down their saws multiple times, and they’d all cut a medium-size limb apart, learning about pinching or binding the chain and various kinds of cuts in the process.
They’d also practiced maintenance, cleaning out the sawdust and other gunk, sharpening the chain, and refilling the fuel and bar oil.
Tina followed Jade like a shadow, listening attentively and watching everything that each person did.
When Jade announced their lunch break, Tina looked at her hopefully, and Jade gave a slight nod.
Tina skipped over to Gwen and Nora. Fallon had been the last one to finish maintenance duties, and she was brushing the grit from her chaps and wiping her hands as Tina reached her friends.
“My punishment is over. For now, at least.” Tina confirmed that Jade and the others were already heading toward the dining room, neglecting to look back to where Fallon stood. “God, I’m desperate for a smoke. Let’s stop by the cabin before lunch.”
“Sure thing, sweetie,” Gwen said. “I know that was pure torture, and you deserve a reward.”
“I’ll pass, thanks.” Nora was watching Jade too.
“Well, come be our lookout,” Gwen said, taking Nora’s arm. Fallon observed Nora tense at the touch. “We don’t need any other fuckups today.”
Fallon sneezed. She’d been trying to hold it in, but it exploded out of her like a gunshot. Gwen, Tina, and Nora turned at once, and Gwen groaned. “Oh, great. The Firecamp Five-O.”
“I’m not,” Fallon said, trying to stay calm. “And I don’t want to be. I only want to get my lunch. Excuse me.”
She tried to brush past, but Gwen stepped into her path, her expression menacing. “If you narc on us, I guarantee they’ll find some on you too. I’m really good at hiding shit, and I’ll plant something harder than weed on you. You’ll do time, and it won’t be a picnic like this.”
“So you promise not to say anything, right?” Nora asked, moving alongside Gwen. “Because what Gwen says is true. You or anyone else in the crew could get kicked out too.”
Was that a warning or a threat? And was Nora really siding with these two? “Yes, I swear.” Fallon hid her disillusionment. “You don’t have to worry about me.”
“Okay, good.” Nora jerked her head toward the mess hall, and Fallon understood she should go.
She didn’t run, though she wanted to. She definitely didn’t look back.
Inside, she saw Kennedy waving. Fallon was always hungry, but right now, she wasn’t sure if she could eat.
Realizing it would look suspicious if she didn’t get any food, she took her usual portions.
“Where you been? I couldn’t convince this band of heathens to wait for you.” Kennedy scooted over to make room on the bench.
Fallon worked to keep her voice neutral. “No worries. I wanted to clean up first. Didn’t want to come to the table dirty.”
“See? Raised right.” Delores gestured toward Fallon. “That’s what I was talking about.”
Fallon lifted her tea glass, hoping anyone who noticed her hand shaking would write it off as the residual effects of using the chainsaw.
Conversation swirled around her, and she managed a few bites of food.
When she thought about the afternoon ahead, she realized her anxiety about handling potentially dangerous equipment was practically gone.
It didn’t help to know she had something else to worry about, and it hurt that she couldn’t tell what part Nora played in those worries.