Page 129 of Mountain Grump

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I take half a second to think about it. “No. No, I don’t.”

I’m assuming it’s snakes and spiders. And if he says it’s all good, then I’m going to take his word for it.

Ethan holds the flashlight out to me. “You can use this or leave the door open.”

I stare at him. “I’m not leaving the door open.”

He lifts a shoulder. “I usually hold the flashlight in my mouth if I need my hands, but you can just lay it on the floor if you want.”

Giving him side-eye, I take the flashlight into the outhouse with me and lay it on the floor.

A small shelf is built into one wall, on which a large coffee can and a bottle of hand sanitizer sit.

The can is helpfully labeled TP, so I open it. Finding a roll of toilet paper inside a ziplock bag, I use a few squares to wipe down the seat.

I haven’t done much as far as wilderness goes in my life, but I’ve stopped at a few rest areas along long stretches of highway, so I’ve encountered the no-flush setup before.

Those are usually gross, but this one is surprisingly clean and stink-free.

Probably because it gets used once a year.

Finished, I use the hand sanitizer. Twice. Then I come out to find Ethan standing next to the water spigot.

“Boots off.”

Chapter 74

Ethan

My teeth grindas I stare down at my Mountain Fairy’s perfect little toes.

“Matilda.”

Sitting on one stump with her heels up on another, she looks at her feet, then lifts a shoulder.

I clench my fists at my side at her shrug.

Hershrug. When her feet…

I swallow.

Her ankles are bleeding.

Both of them.

And the top of her toes are red, rubbed raw.

“You should’ve told me.” I try to keep my voice calm, but I’m furious.

She wiggles her toes. “It’s not that bad. And it’s not like I have other shoes to change into.”

“It is bad.” I argue. “And I have a first aid kit. I could’ve put Band-Aids over the spots that were rubbing. I could’ve jogged ahead and gotten the extra socks I have stored in the fucking cabin.” I point at the structure behind her.

She looks down. “Oh.”

I watch as she bites her lip.

Like she always does when she’s distressed.

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