Page 50 of Love & Other Disasters

“Jeez, slow down. You don’t want a ticket.”

“He has my laptop,” she said, her voice cracking.

“Your laptop?”

“Yes, I left it there, and it has my book on it.”

“What book?”

“Mine,” she retorted. “The one I’m writing.”

“You’re writing?”

“I don’t want to hear it. But, yes.”

“What’s it about?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Jill took the exit and continued further out into the country side of Tennessee. Violet had lived near downtown Nashville her entire life. She was used to the city. Out here with no street lights, no sidewalks, and no buildings, she grew uneasy.

“Where are we going?”

“The farm where they live is just down here a little further.”

They’d been on the road for little over an hour when they rolled to a stop at a dirt road. Jill cut the car lights and pulled onto the grass on the roadside.

“What’s going on?”

“It’s down there,” she pointed. “From here, we go on foot.”

“Why can’t we pull up in the driveway like normal people?”

Jill wouldn’t look at her. “I don’t want to disturb anyone.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Violet said, crossing her arms over her chest.

“No,” Jill whined, “I need you to come with me.”

“Fine, whatever. Let’s get this over with.” Violet exited the car and stomped down the dirt road; Jill ran up alongside her and pulled her to the tree line. She’d never seen this many stars in the sky, without light pollution, the night held a gorgeous glow. She wanted to stop and appreciate this but couldn’t. Instead, she trudged forward, beside her sister, into the unknown. Leaves and sticks crunched under her feet, and an owl hooted. What other animals were in the black woods? Jill pulled Violet to turn onto a path that led into woods. The dirt trail before them disappeared into blackness. Charcoal trees towered overhead. This was a mistake.

“What are we doing out here?” she whispered.

“I told you, getting my laptop.”

“We’re in the middle of nowhere.”

“The house is right there through the trees,” she said, “But we need to enter through the cellar door on the back.”

“Why?” Violet breathed. What had she agreed to?

“Because,” Jill stopped walking and faced Violet. “The Order is having their full moon thank-the-earth service on the other side of the property. It’s the perfect time to get my computer and get out unnoticed.”

“We can’t do that.” Violet stared in disbelief at Jill who stood there pouting.

“We have to,” she said. “When I broke it off with him, he kicked me out of the house without my stuff and won’t let me have it. And the group told me to never come back. Well, they cannot have my computer. That’s all I want.” She turned and walked straight into the woods. Violet followed because she didn’t want to stand in there lost and alone.

“What’s a thank-the-earth service?”

“Don’t ask.”

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