Tread Softly

  "You're not burrowed now." "If I burrow, I can't look at you." He could hardly believe he'd said that. But he was glad. As the silence stretched out, he felt his heart beating fast. His stomach was fluttery.

  Julie moved her sleeping bag closer. "How's that?" she whispered.

  His throat felt tight. He nodded. "Great," he managed. Julie's face was dim in the faint, shimmering glow of firelight, her eyes glistening. He felt the warmth of her breath through the cold air. "Do you know what?" he whispered. His thundering heart felt as if it might explode.

  "What?" she asked.

  "I . . ." He. backed down. He couldn't say it.

  "What?"

  "I've never known a girl like you."

  "How do you mean?"

  "I don't know. I'm not very ... I like you an awful lot, Julie."

  "I like you an awful lot, too."

  "You do?" He felt a trembling warmth spread through him.

  "Yeah, I do. I . . . hell ..."

  "What?" he asked.

  Her lower lip curled in. She clamped it between her teeth. Then she let the lip go, and sighed. "I think," she whispered, "that maybe I love you."

  The words stunned Nick. He went breathless and dizzy. He felt like shouting with joy, like weeping. He said, "Jesus."

  "The name's Julie."

  "God, Julie. You really ..."

  "Really."

  "Oh, Julie," he whispered. "Julie, I love you." He pressed his mouth gently to her parted lips.

  Scott stared at the slanting dark walls of the tent above him, and listened to the sounds of Benny's breathing. He didn't think the boy was asleep yet. As he waited, he stroked the sweatshirt spread over his chest and belly. He imagined Karen wearing only her sweatpants.

  "Dad?" Benny asked.

  "Huh?"

  "Do you think it was true?" The boy sounded nervous. "About the guy and his arm?"

  "No, of course not."

  "He said it was true."

  "It's not. Dead people do not get up and wander around."

  "Have you ever heard of zombies?"

  "I think so," Scott said, smiling in the darkness.

  "They're dead people who get brought back to life with voodoo. They're supposed to really exist. You know, like in Haiti? I've read about 'em."

  "You oughta be reading The Hardy Boys instead of all that weird junk."

  "You don't think there are zombies?"

  "I sincerely doubt it."

  "What about witches and vampires and werewolves and ghosts?"

  He wrapped his arms around the soft sweatshirt. "It's awfully late, Benny. Can't we pick up this conversation in the morning?"

  "If you want," he said. He sounded disappointed.

  Scott sighed. "I just think it's all people's imaginations. Stuff they made up to frighten each other, like Karen's story about Doreen and Audrey, or Flash's about the guy and the arm. Just stories."

  "I don't know," Benny said.

  "Well, it's just my opinion. I haven't read a hundred books on the subject the way you have. But I've been around for thirty-eight years and my life's been relatively free of things that go bump in the night. If there are ghoulies and ghosties out there, they've been minding their own business. I haven't lost any sleep over them — until now."

  "I guess you want me to be quiet."

  "We have a lot of hiking to do tomorrow."

  "I'm not very sleepy."

  Terrific. "Try to think about something pleasant," Scott said.

  "Okay. I'll try. Good-night."

  " 'Night, Benny." He heard the boy sigh and roll over. Turning onto his side, he eased the sweatshirt up against his face. He wondered if Karen was cold without it. No, the sleeping bag would keep her warm. And soon he would be with her. If Benny ever fell asleep.

  Karen wondered if he would come tonight. Maybe not. He might be worried about the weather. If he came and it started raining, Julie would catch them. That'd be an embarrassment for everyone.

  But he'd whispered, "See you later," when he kissed her good-night. He obviously planned to take the chance. He could've changed his mind, though.

  It was still early. He couldn't leave his tent until Benny was asleep. He had to worry about Julie and Nick, too. Give all of them time to conk out.

  Might be a long wait.

  One of her shoulders was cold. She slid down deeper into the bag, the slick fabric making whispery sounds against her skin. She crossed her ankles, folded her hands on her belly, stared up into the darkness, and smiled. Scott would be in for a pleasant surprise when he found her already naked.

  If he comes.

  He'll come, she told herself. Oh, yes.

  She wished she could sleep. Though every muscle ached from lugging her pack up that awful trail, she wasn't the least bit tired. She was wide awake and eager, trembling slightly.

  At last, she heard a soft crushing sound behind the tent. It was barely audible over the noise of the wind. It might have been nothing more than a pinecone falling to the ground, but it might have been a footstep. She let out a shaky breath, and listened. For a few moments, she heard only the wind rushing through the trees and mountain gaps. Then came another quiet crunch. She was sure this time that it was a footfall.

  He's being very cautious, she thought. Maybe he's not certain Julie's asleep.

  With a shaky hand, Karen unzipped the side of her sleeping bag.

  The footsteps stopped at the front of the tent. She heard the rustle of the flap being eased aside. Shutting her eyes, she waited. Her heart was pounding hard. She lay motionless, breathing deeply, trying to feign sleep.

  He was inside now. She could hear him crawling along the tent floor, coming slowly closer. He stopped beside her.

  He smelled bad. Like sweat and urine.

  Her eyes flew open. The face above her was a dim, grinning blur in the darkness and it didn't belong to Scott. She opened her mouth to scream. A hand slapped across it. The other hand swept down. Something crashed against the side of her head.

  Scott propped himself up on one elbow, and stared at the dark bulk of Benny's sleeping bag. He listened carefully. The boy was breathing in a slow, steady rhythm.

  Finally.

  He opened his sleeping bag, and felt the cold slide over his skin. He sat up. He folded Karen's sweatshirt and tucked it under one arm. As he started to rise, he heard a soft tapping sound on the taut wall of the tent. Then another. Suddenly, the tent was being pattered by a thousand raindrops.

  He muttered, "Shit," lay down again, and zipped himself into his bag.

  "Ohhhh crap!" Julie wailed.

  Nick's eyes fluttered open. He wrinkled up his face as raindrops smacked it.

  Julie kissed him quickly on the mouth. "Better inflate your Mae West," she said.

  Then they were both scurrying out of their sleeping bags. Julie shoved her feet into her boots. The rain soaked through the back of her warm-up jacket as she gathered up her bag. "Oh, damn damn damn damn!" she cried.

  Nick grinned at her.

  She snatched her rubber pad off the poncho, and raced for her tent. The flaps weren't zipped. She lunged inside, flopped forward, and landed on the soft heap of her sleeping bag.

  There was a startled grunt.

  "Sorry," she gasped, and raised her face. Beside her, near enough to touch, was a bare rump. The legs were wedged between another pair of legs.

  He's screwing Karen! The thought hit her like a punch in the stomach, knocking her breath out. She shoved herself off the bag and crawled backward. He reached out and grabbed her wrist. "Let . . ." Then she saw his face. She screamed and wrenched her hand free. She flung herself away, falling through the tent flaps. Rain splashed her face. She started to squirm away. The flaps flew open and a naked man dived out, a huge knife in one hand. He landed on Julie, slamming her flat on the ground. He clutched her throat, holding her down while he pushed himself up and straddled her hips. He plunged the knife into the earth by her face. He yanked the neck of her jacket, found the z
ipper, and tugged it down. She bucked with pain and screamed again as a rough hand squeezed her breast. The hand went away. It jerked at her pants. She felt the wet ground under her buttocks. Then he had both her arms pinned down and he was heavy on her and shoving his knees between her legs to force them apart and his mouth was on her, mashing her lips. She heard a yell, and his head snapped back as a bare foot shot past her eyes.

  Her father was there, grabbing the man's hair, ripping at it so the head bent back, chopping with his other hand at the bridge of the man's nose. Blood spouted, mixed with the rain hitting Julie's face. The man rolled off her. He scrambled away on hands and knees.

  She rolled onto her side. As she pulled up her pants, she watched her father dash toward the man. The man was on his feet now, trying to run, but Dad was gaining on him fast.

  Then there was a pale figure sprinting in from the side. Nick! In his upraised hand was a hatchet.

  Dad slipped on the wet ground. He windmilled, trying to get his balance, and went sprawling headlong. As he skidded, he grabbed for the man's foot. He missed. The man glanced back at him. He crouched and picked up a rock and took a step toward her father, then saw Nick and staggered back. Nick swung. The hatchet caught the stranger high in the chest. Nick tore it free and prepared to strike again. The man took a few wobbly steps backward, and fell.

  Nick dropped to the ground and vomited.

  Flash, running toward him, yelled, "Stay with the girls!" over his shoulder to Alice. He stopped over the body. "Oh, God," he gasped.

  Julie got to her knees. She tried to fasten her zipper, but her hands shook too badly, so she hugged the jacket shut.

  Benny was walking slowly forward, unsteady, hands out as if to help his balance.

  Dad pushed himself up. He stared for a moment at the body, then ran toward Julie. "You okay?"

  She nodded. "He — he hurt Karen."

  Chapter Twenty-two__________

  Scott fell to his knees. Karen was lying motionless on her open sleeping bag, arms and legs spread wide. He pressed a hand below her rib cage. He felt the rise and fall of her breathing, and he started to cry.

  "Karen?" he whispered. She didn't stir.

  In a boot near her head, he found a flashlight. He turned it on, and shined the light on her face. Her eyelids trembled, but didn't open. Her left cheekbone was swollen. Her face was slick in places. Teeth marks on her cheek, her mouth. It was all blurry through Scott's tears. Sobbing quietly, he backhanded the tears from his eyes.

  "Dad?" Julie's voice. "How is she?"

  "Alive."

  "Can I come in?"

  "Yeah."

  Julie crawled through the flap, and knelt beside him. "Is she unconscious?"

  "Yeah." He moved the beam down her body.

  Julie groaned as it lit wet shiny places and crooked teeth marks on Karen's left shoulder and breast. "God," she murmured.

  Fingers had put scratches and red imprints on her skin, but Scott saw no blood, no stab wounds.

  "Is everybody okay?" Benny called from outside.

  "Yes," Scott answered. "Stay out there."

  The marks ended at Karen's rib cage. He nudged Julie. She leaned out of his way and he bent over her body and shined the light on her vagina. There was no blood, no semen. Her legs looked okay.

  "Dad?" Julie whispered. "He raped her."

  He nodded.

  "Do you think she'll be all right?"

  "I don't . . ." His voice cracked. "I don't know. Here." He gave Julie the flashlight. "Go over to my tent. Get her sweatshirt. It's in my sleeping bag."

  Without a word, she hurried from the tent.

  Scott found Karen's sweatpants in the space behind her boots. They were folded neatly.

  God, she must've been lying here naked, waiting for him. If only Benny had fallen asleep a few minutes earlier ... if the rain hadn't come ... if he hadn't been so damned worried about everyone else, and simply tented with her all along . . .

  He stroked the length of her outflung leg, slipped his hand under her calf, and lifted it. He slipped the sweatpants over her foot and drew in her other leg. By the time Julie returned, he had the pants in place. Together, they lifted her to a sitting position and pulled the sweatshirt over her head. Scott worked her limp arms into the sleeves. He lowered her gently, and smoothed the cover of the sleeping bag over her.

  Julie was kneeling beside him, staring down at the dark bundle. He put an arm around her. "How are you doing, tiger?"

  "Okay."

  "Jesus."

  "Are you okay?"

  "Yeah."

  "You're gonna freeze."

  He realized, vaguely, that he was naked except for his jockey shorts. He was wet and shivering. "I'm okay," he said.

  "I guess the guy's dead."

  "Yeah. I'm sorry it was Nick. He didn't have to. I — it's too bad." "I'll go see how he's doing. If you don't need me anymore."

  Scott nodded.

  Julie eased away. She brought her own sleeping bag over, and wrapped it around him. "Benny and I — we'll stay in the other tent." She kissed him lightly on the cheek, and left.

  Benny grabbed Julie's arm as she stood up outside the tent. He stared at her, the rain splashing on his glasses. "Is she okay?" he asked.

  "She's unconscious."

  "What'd he do to her?"

  "He knocked her out."

  "I know, but . . ."

  "Why don't you go back to the tent? You're drenched."

  His chin started to shake. "I gotta know how she is!"

  "She'll be fine."

  "Goddamn stinking rotten dirty bastard!"

  Julie put her hand on Benny's cold, dripping cheek. "She'll be all right. You'll see."

  "He won't! He's dead! I wish I'd killed him!" Benny suddenly threw himself against Julie and hugged her tightly. She wrapped her arms around him. He was sobbing out of control. His stocking cap was sodden and cold against her cheek.

  Beyond his head, Julie saw Nick sitting on a rock by the dead fire. He was wearing a hooded poncho. He was slumped forward, staring at his feet.

  Her own poncho, which she'd left on the ground when the storm hit, was spread over the dead body. It was barely visible through the darkness and sheeting rain. She thought of what was under it, and turned her eyes away.

  Flash, in a clear plastic rain slicker, was crouched in front of the far tent, apparently talking to Alice and the girls.

  He shouldn't have left Nick alone.

  "Come on," Julie said. "Dad's gonna stay with Karen.

  If you're staying outside, why don't you go get your poncho? And try to find Dad's for me. Okay?"

  With a nod, Benny backed away and walked toward the other tent. Julie went over to Nick. He looked up as she stopped in front of him. "How are you doing?" she asked.

  "I still feel a little sick. How about you? Did he hurt you?"

  "Bruised me a little. He got Karen pretty bad, though. He raped her.''

  "God. How is she?"

  "Unconscious. He hit her with something. Maybe the knife handle."

  "Will she be okay?"

  Julie shrugged. "You were great, going after the guy that way."

  "I heard you scream," he said. His voice sounded flat, as if his mind were far away. "I saw you on the ground. And your dad hit him. I didn't know what was going on. I just knew I had to get him. I didn't plan to . . . kill him." He stared up at Julie with wide, unblinking eyes. "I don't know. I guess I did want to kill him. I just knew he'd hurt you and I grabbed the hatchet. I feel kind of strange."

  She stepped between his knees and pressed his face against her body. "Don't feel bad. If you hadn't done it, I think Dad would've."

  "That's what my dad said. He said the guy was 'dead meat.' "

  "Here it is," Benny said.

  Julie stepped back. She shook open the wrinkled plastic sheet, and pushed her head through its hooded hole. As she snapped the sides under her arms, Flash approached. He squeezed her shoulder. "How're you doing, young l
ady?"

  "Fine, I guess."

  "What about Karen?"

  "She's beat up some. She's unconscious." With Benny standing there, Julie didn't want to mention the sexual assault. "He messed her up pretty good."

  "Well, Nick messed him up pretty good. She'll be all right, won't she?"

  "I guess so."

  "That's good to hear. How you holding up, Nicky?"

  "Okay," he muttered.

  "I know it's not easy. I've put the nix on a couple of guys in my day. It's never easy. Nothing to worry about, though. A clear case of self-defense. What I think we'll do is get some snapshots of the body. We can't exactly pack it out with us. We'll wrap it up good and tight, and bury it here. Let the authorities come back for it."

  Julie watched him reach into his clear slicker and pull an Instamatic from the pocket of his jacket. "You kids can wait here. No need for you to watch."

  He walked to the front of the tent where the man had struggled with Julie. The knife was still embedded in the muddy ground. He tugged it free, and went to the dark bundle. With the point of the knife, he swept the poncho aside.

  Julie was ready to look away, but the ground where the corpse should have been sprawled was bare.

  Benny groaned.

  Julie felt a shiver crawl up her spine, squirm on the back of her neck.

  Nick muttered, "Holy shit," and leaped to his feet. He ran toward his father, Julie and Benny following close behind.

  Flash was walking slowly toward the shoreline. He stopped at the edge of the water. When they caught up to him, he was standing motionless, arms hanging at his sides, eyes staring out at the black ruffled surface of the lake.

  "Dad?"

  Flash shook his head. His voice came out in a whisper barely loud enough to hear over the sounds of the wind and rain. "He was dead. I know he was dead."

  Chapter Twenty-three__________

  With a sudden intake of air, Karen sat up straight. Scott put a hand on her shoulder. She flinched and looked at him with wide, pale eyes. "It's all right," he said. She raised a hand to her face, and moaned. Then she lunged forward, scurried out of her sleeping bag, thrust her head through the tent flap, and vomited.

  Scott found her water bottle propped up between her boots. He took it to her. She was on her hands and knees, half outside the tent. She'd finished throwing up, and had raised her head. She was staring through the rain. Scott saw four dark figures with flashlights wandering among the rocks and trees to the right.