Page 25 of Grave Matter

We’re sitting at the picnic table at the gazebo with Munawar, Justin, and Natasha. The skies cleared during dinner, so we decided to forgo the common room and watch the sunset. I’m sleepy, as usual, but force myself to stay up.

It’s a beautiful evening, too, a low bank of fog sitting over the entrance to the inlet and the ocean beyond. The water is still, and everything is bathed in soft gold, a raft of sea otters in the distance. Even the breeze is warmer than it has been, coasting over my skin, making everything seem magical. It’s a view that deserves a glass of wine, but…

“Count me out,” I tell her. “I’m cutting back on drinking.”

Last time I drank was when I showed up shitfaced to Professor Edwards’ house, and everything went swiftly downhill from there.

“That’s fine. I’ll get it anyway,” she says. “More for me.”

“How was your session with Dr. Kincaid?” Natasha asks. She’s normally quiet, barely says more than a few words to anyone except Justin, whom she’s been flirting with all night. “I really hope he doesn’t make me talk about anything personal.”

“It was fine,” I tell her. “And only half an hour to start. He doesn’t seem to be too invasive so far.”

“Did you find out if he’s married?” Lauren says with a wink, the setting sun shining on her hair.

“No,” I tell her. “That’s none of my business.” I want to tell her that married men lie too, but that would be opening a can of worms.

“You have the hots for teacher?” Munawar asks as he buttons up his jacket, looking visibly cold.

“No,” Lauren and I answer in unison, which just makes the rest of them laugh.

“Sydney!”

A voice calls out from behind me, and I twist around to look, half expecting to see Amani again, even though I know she went home.

“Who’s there?” I ask, though all I see are the bushes.

“What?” asks Lauren.

“I thought I heard my name,” I tell her, motioning for everyone to be quiet.

“Sydney!” the person yells again, further away this time. The voice sounds so damn familiar, but I can’t place it.

“There!” I exclaim, looking back at everyone. “Didn’t you hear that?”

Justin snorts. “That sounds like an elk bugle. I don’t think the elk here know your name.”

“No, it said Sydney,” I tell them, getting to my feet.

“Where are you going?” Lauren asks.

“I’m going to go see who it is.” I walk out of the gazebo, my ears straining as I try to hear if they call for me again, and head into the bushes.

“Sydney!” Lauren cries out as I hear her run after me. “That’s right, I’m calling you too! Don’t you know about folklore? Don’t answer things that yell for you in the woods!”

I had heard about that but figured it was some Appalachian stuff. At the very least, I knew not to whistle at night. But the person was indeed a person and very clearly yelling my name.

It really did sound like Amani, I think,but that’s impossible.

I come to a stop where the path forks, the right heading to the beach and the Panabode cabins, the other toward the main lodge. Suddenly, there’s a rustling sound, and I swear I see someone running into the trees beyond, pink cloth trailing behind them.

“Amani,” I say under my breath and start running that way.

“The girl who went home?” Lauren asks, following close behind.

“I don’t know, maybe,” I tell her, slowing down as the path gets rocky and starts going downhill to the beach. “Maybe she didn’t really leave.”

“Why would they lie? And why would none of us have seen her? Why hide her?” Lauren asks. “I swear, your imagination needs to be scaled back.”

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