Stranded

Chapter Twelve

Whit ate her half of the fish in silence as Boyd and Abby chatted away.

Abby was keenly interested in the hare, which she, like Boyd, called Matilda.

Whit didn’t think it wise, seeing as how the rabbit might be injured or ill.

She thought it best not to get attached.

But Abby seemed to be all in. She wanted to know everything about it.

Where Boyd had found it, what did it eat, etc.

Whit had to hand it to him, he answered all of her questions and it was really a smart move to bring Abby the rabbit.

He must’ve picked up on her affection for animals and her veganism.

Yep, he was slick all right, and one thing was for sure.

He was all about buttering up Abby. She couldn’t blame him though.

Whit had been combative, even rude. So she was obviously a lost cause.

But Abby? She was sweet and sensitive, and had an affinity for animals and their well-being. In short, Abby was a much easier mark.

“And they really like these,” Boyd said, pulling out some birch twigs. He handed them over to Abby who set the hare down between her legs to feed. She offered the twigs to the rabbit, who didn’t seem the least bit interested. “She’s not eating.”

“She’s just scared,” Boyd said. “But she’ll get used to you. Give her time.”

“If she doesn’t starve first,” Whit added, worried that Abby would have to witness the imminent death of the hare and consequently be heartbroken.

“Whit,” Abby said. “Don’t say that.”

Whit stabbed a mushroom from the pile Abby had placed on the ground in order to give Boyd their pot.

She heated it quickly in the flames and popped it in her mouth.

It was hotter than expected, and she had to down some water to put out the fire in her mouth.

She caught Boyd smirking, obviously amused at her pain.

Her distaste for him was growing bigger by the second.

“I think that there is a leveret,” he said, referring to the rabbit. “A baby. And she’s probably just in shock is all.”

“A leveret,” Abby repeated. “And they eat twigs?”

“And bark and plants.”

And sometimes even dead animals.

Whit kept that little bit to herself and she noticed that Boyd did as well. He really was playing this just right.

“It won’t be hard to find her food,” he said, passing Abby more twigs that he’d dug out from the bottom of his pack.

“Shouldn’t she be with her mother?” Abby asked.

“Hares can do okay without their mothers at a relatively young age,” Whit said, before Boyd had the chance.

“Well, that’s good, I suppose,” Abby said, stroking the rabbit on the head.

She was hopelessly smitten already, which was what Whit had feared would happen.

“And what are you eating?” Abby asked, pointing the question to Boyd.

He stuck his hand in one of the front pockets of his pack and brought it out full of berries.

Whit rolled her eyes. She’d been planning on taking Abby berry hunting in the morning.

They’d come across a few berry bushes on their hike in and Abby had thoroughly enjoyed them.

Now Boyd was stealing her thunder by offering the small handful to Abby.

“Blueberries and high bush cranberries,” Boyd said, grinning from ear to ear.

Abby took the berries and shot some in her mouth and groaned. “So good,” she said as she chewed.

Boyd then reached back in his bag to dip out more berries. These were yellow and orange and Whit knew what they were.

“And I’ve got some salmon berries,” Boyd said, shoving some in his mouth to gum like a cave man. He extended his hand to Abby. “Try some?”

“Thanks,” she said, tossing a couple of those in her mouth to chew. “Mmm, those are nice.”

“Aren’t they?” Boyd said.

“Is that all you have to eat?” Abby asked as Boyd zipped up his pack to set aside.

“I had a big grouse earlier,” he said.

Whit’s spine straightened as a bolt of alarm surged through it. “How did you manage to get a grouse?” She hadn’t seen a weapon on him, but surely he had one. A rifle at the very least, and a good hunting knife. Everyone needed those.

“I set a trap,” he said.

Bullshit.

“Also caught me a squirrel.”

“Aww,” Abby said. “You ate a squirrel?”

He flushed, knowing he’d slipped up. “I did. Sorry, Abby.”

“You sure know how to get food when you need it,” Whit said, her voice full of conviction.

“I do alright.”

“Makes me wonder why you claimed to be so hungry when you came walking in here earlier.”

And where is your weapon, you sneaky son of a bitch?

“I suppose I do owe you an explanation,” he started. “I uh—” He rubbed his hands on his britches. “You see. I’ve been sick.”

“Sick?” Abby said.

“Yes, ma’am, I believe I had a touch of the flu or something.”

Whit couldn’t help but scoff. The man was laying it on thick.

“I was holed up in my makeshift shelter for three days, unable to do much of anything, including hunt.”

“How do you hunt with no weapon?” Abby asked. She was obviously paying closer attention than Whit thought.

“Well, see, I lost my weapon some time back in a rapid. Tried to cross a river and lost my footing. I was lucky to survive.”

“That sounds rough,” Abby said.

“It was. Thankfully, I had my pack on and the supplies I lost were limited, save for my rifle. So, ever since then I’ve just been trapping and foraging.”

Abby nodded and petted the hare. Its nose was beginning to twitch and she laughed, amused, and tried to feed it some twigs.

The rabbit didn’t partake, but at least it was moving a little.

Whit breathed a small sigh of relief, glad it was showing signs of life.

She really didn’t want Abby to see it suffer and die.

“But you’re feeling better now?” Abby asked.

“I tell you, that fish really helped. Gave me some strength to go off and forage and trap. So, I thank you ladies again.”

“You’re welcome,” Abby said.

“I take it you’ll be ready to leave soon, then?” Whit asked, still not buying into his bullshit.

He rubbed his forehead and pressed his dry lips together. “Well, to be honest with you, I was kinda hoping you two would let me bunk down here tonight. That way I don’t have to set up a camp. See, I’m feeling a little tired from foraging all afternoon, probably because I’m still recovering a bit.”

“So, you’re not quite better yet,” Whit said.

He shrugged. “Guess not.”

“Don’t you want to go build your own shelter?” Abby asked. “If you stayed here you’d have to sleep out by the fire.”

“That’d be alright, Abby. I don’t need much.”

“But yet, you’re too weak to go off and build your own fire?” Whit said.

“Whit,” Abby said between clenched teeth. “You can stay here by the fire if you need to.”

“Abby.” Whit gave her a stern look. “We should discuss this.”

“Why? He needs to stay and we can help.”

Whit stared at her a moment longer, hoping to somehow inject her concerns into her mind, but then gave up. Abby was a lost cause at the moment. Hopefully, she could talk to her later when Boyd went to “use the little boys’ room.”

She had serious issues with him staying and she couldn’t wait to share them. Would Abby listen? That remained to be seen.

The only good thing she could see when it came to Boyd was that he didn’t have his rifle with him.

But that didn’t mean he hadn’t hidden it somewhere close by.

Nor did it mean he didn’t have a handgun tucked away in his pack.

They really just had no idea what all he had or what he was capable of.

And that scared her to death, seeing as how she and Abby had nothing but a buck knife and a makeshift fishing spear.

Unfortunately for her, the sun set and Boyd remained where he was, talking their ear off, rambling on about various topics, mostly ones where he came out the hero in some way.

She was so sick of hearing his goody-two-shoes tales, she actually became nauseous and had to excuse herself.

She walked back into the brush, telling Abby she had to pee, and stood back away from the camp to quietly observe.

She wanted to see if Boyd changed tactics, and maybe talked badly about her while she was away.

But he didn’t, keeping his range of focus on himself. A true narcissist to the hilt.

She returned to camp after relieving herself and tried to get comfortable on the stump, but it was hard and her backside ached. She really wanted to settle in next to Abby on the ground, but she needed to be ready to jump to her feet should Boyd choose to make his move. So the stump it was.

“Well, I’m about ready to turn in,” Abby finally said, after lots more berries and stories. She gathered the rabbit into her arms and stood. “You coming, Whit?”

“Sure.”

Whit joined her and headed for the shelter.

She considered sleeping out next to the fire to keep an eye on Boyd, but then thought about it and realized if he were to attack while she slept so close to him, he’d have the upper hand.

She was better off in the shelter where, if he came after them, he’d definitely have to make noise to get to them.

Whit crawled inside and turned and took the hare from Abby, who then scooted in next to her.

Whit handed her the rabbit and then secured the door as best she could and breathed in the cool, pine scented air.

“Smells so much better in here,” she said, making herself comfortable on the bed of pine needles.

“Shh,” Abby said, lying back next to her on her side, the hare between them. “He’ll hear you.”

“I don’t care. He has to know he stinks, Abby.”

Abby pressed her fingers to Whit’s lips to shush her. “Even so, it’s rude and we shouldn’t say anything.”

Whit swallowed the words she’d been ready to say next, so moved by the feel of her soft, warm fingertips against her mouth.

“Okay?”

Whit agreed. “Okay.” At that moment, she’d say anything to appease her, her mind and body reeling with sudden desire.

Abby was so tender and kind, and soft and beautiful.

Truly a woman to behold. And she wondered, not for the first time, if Boyd felt the same way.

If maybe he wanted her too and that’s why he was laying it on so thick.

That maybe in his warped mind, Abby would somehow return his affections.

Whit reached out and gripped her arm, needing to keep her close to protect her.

“What?” Abby whispered.

“I need you to sleep close to me tonight.”

“Why?”

“Because I think Boyd likes you a little too much.”

“Oh, no he doesn’t, Whit. Come on.”

“Abby, please. Just move the rabbit to your other side and curl up against me. I need to be able to feel you when you move.”

“Okay, okay.” She shifted the hare and then pressed her backside up against Whit so that they were spooning.

“Thanks,” Whit said, liking the proximity a little more than she should. She rested her hand on Abby’s shoulder and tried not to imagine them spooning after passionate lovemaking.

It’s been too long since I’ve spooned with a woman. Way too long.

“Night, Whit.”

“Night.”

Whit felt Abby relax but she kept her own eyes open, too worried about their guest to close them. But the night eventually closed in on her and she was no longer able to stay awake.

When she woke it was still dark. So dark she had to sit up and kick out the door to get her bearings. Abby stirred but didn’t wake, and Whit crawled from the shelter and noticed right away that Boyd was nowhere to be seen.

She pushed to a stand and looked around.

Maybe he was off taking a leak. But that wasn’t the case either.

His pack was missing. She looked to the smoker, heart in her throat.

Smoke was no longer billowing from the top, so she walked over to examine it to see if the fish were still there.

She peeled off the branches and took a look inside.

The fish were gone.