Page 11 of Finding Chaos

Chapter 5

Walker

“Ithought we’d be up and back in the same day. I didn’t packed for camping.”

“That would have been too easy. Just think, we saved about a day crossing the Devil’s Pit,” I answered and headed in the direction of the ranger station. She walked beside me, paying attention to her surroundings. I glanced up at the cover-clouded sky. “When we get to the ranger station, you can stay put while I check out the coordinates. When the weather breaks, it’s best if only one of us is out in it.”

“I should really be with you in case you find him and something’s wrong.”

“Nope. You became my responsibility and not just a hiker when my boss called.” I clicked my tongue. “Besides, if he’s hurt, he’s going to need my complete attention, and I can’t worry about whether you’re freezing in those tennis shoes.”

Her brows knit together, but she thankfully didn’t argue.

Several hours of walking later, the moon was high in the sky. Thanks to the slower pace of my civilian we still hadn’t reached the ranger station. Destiny was trying not to complain, but even in the dim light the fatigue in her eyes was visible.

“Another five minutes,” I reassured her.

“It’s taking longer than I’d thought,” she said.

Her ragged breaths mixed and mingled with crickets and other wildlife. She held up her hand to stop and reached for her water bottle. “Just give me a minute to catch my breath.”

“Sure.” I pulled out a flashlight and the map from my backpack to determine a route to find Putnam. I’d need to check out the coordinates tonight. I didn’t have a choice, especially if the reporter was as prepared for winter as Ms. Legs.

Destiny wiped the sweat from her brow and recapped her water, just as the sound of a cracking branch had us both spinning around.

“You heard that, right?” she asked.

I nodded, slipping the gun from my holster and played the beam of the flashlight over the eerie forest. “I’m sure it’s just an animal.”

A flash of movement streaked by in the darkness. Destiny’s breath audibly caught.

“Maybe it’s Ritchie.” She took a step in the direction of the movement until I grabbed her arm and pulled her back to my side.

“Maybe it’s not.” The hairs on my neck stood up. Goosebumps rose on my arms. I could protect us against an animal or human, but if it wasn’t…

My internal alarm clanged like a gong. The energy coming from the darkness told me we weren’t dealing with anything alive but something dead.

“We should go,” I said, abruptly taking her by the hand.

She glanced down at the connection and slipped her fingers free. “I’m not some child afraid of the dark.”

She might say otherwise if she knew we were being watched by something dark and dangerous within the trees.

The cluster of energy from unknown souls prickled my skin like thorns on a beautiful cactus. Alluring but also dangerous.

The crackling of branches and the movement of leaves followed us until we stumbled into the clearing surrounding the ranger station. The log cabin was a beacon in the distance—a safe haven. Now, I just had to get her inside.

We made our way up onto the porch, and I grabbed the hidden key to let us in. A lantern sat on a shelf just inside the door. I grabbed it and the box of matches beside it and moved to the table while Destiny remained in the doorway. The match flared brightly and I touched it to the wick.

The building wasn’t built for coziness, just as a way to get out of the elements and to let a ranger rest or do some work. The place wasn’t used much, but every couple of months, when I’d come up to check on the Bennett homestead and replenish supplies, I’d try to run a rag over the dust.

“This place is…” Destiny started to say, slipping out of her backpack.

“It’s not much, but it’s dry, and once we get the fire going, it will be warm.” I shoved past her into the familiar space, dropping my gear on the threadbare plaid couch. I stacked logs on the grate in the fireplace, shoved in kindling and lit a fire. The outside temperature had dropped with each step up the mountain. Snow would be falling by morning.

“Get settled next to the fire. It will be warm soon. I need to go crank up the generator.”

The crisp air slapped me in the face when I hurried to the generator beside the outdoor shed. After checking the fuel and priming the engine, the emergency workhorse started right up. Rubbing my palms together I rushed back to the cabin.

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