Blood Games

    ‘While you’re thinking,’ Abilene told her, ‘give me your belt.’ Vivian unfastened it and pulled it from the loops of her white shorts. ‘Can’t he use that kind of stuff for casting spells? You know, personal possessions of people?’ She passed the belt to Abilene.

    ‘Here we go with hexes again,’ Cora said.

    As she buckled her belt to Vivian’s, Abilene said, ‘They use things like fingernail trimmings and hair. I’ve never heard of working black magic with someone’s shoe… or tire iron.’

    ‘It’s not my tire iron, anyway,’ Cora pointed out ‘Came from a rent-a-car, remember?’

    ‘But you were carrying it.’

    ‘Could we just forget all this curse shit? We’ve got real things to worry about, okay? Like, for instance, my ankle.’

    ‘Should we leave your shoe on?’ Abilene asked.

    ‘Yeah. It’ll give me some extra support.’

    While Cora held the splints in place, Abilene wound the connected belts around them. She overlapped the leather end to secure it, then worked her way downward, wrapped the strap a couple of times under her heel, worked her way back up the ankle and shoved the end buckle between two tight layers of leather.

    ‘Pretty good,’ Cora said.

    ‘It might come undone after a while, but…’

    ‘As long as it’ll get me back to the lodge. Plenty of stuff in the car we can use to bandage it better. Let’s get moving.’

    Vivian lifted Cora from behind while Finley and Abilene pulled her up by the arms. Braced on her left leg, she tucked the shoulder stock of the shotgun under her right armpit and put much of her weight on it. With Abilene supporting her from the other side, she turned around.

    ‘We’ll go ahead,’ Vivian said. ‘Try to step where we step.’ She put an arm around Finley. Side by side, they matched strides and stepped together onto each plank. Abilene and Cora followed them, Abilene struggling to hold Cora steady, Cora hopping along on her good leg, the shotgun barrels clumping each time she planted them against the wood.

    ‘You doing okay?’ Cora asked.

    ‘Just a little nervous.’

    It’s like walking across a frozen lake, Abilene thought. Feeling the ice give a little every time you step down. Hearing it groan and crackle. Knowing it’s going to collapse. Waiting for the drop.

    She was awash with sweat, panting for air, and muscles all over her body seemed to be twitching. Partly from the exertion, she thought. But mostly from fear, from expecting the drop.

    Vivian and Finley, only a short distance in front of them, took one final stride and stepped ashore. They turned around to watch.

    ‘You’ll make it fine,’ Vivian said.

    ‘No sweat,’ Finley added.

    It felt to Abilene like a miracle when she finally placed a foot on solid ground.

    ‘Let’s make it to the top,’ Cora gasped. ‘Then we’ll rest.’

    Abilene grunted in response. Vivian and Finley stepped aside to make way for them. The ground was level for a few feet, then slanted upward toward the edge of the forest. The boards of the dock had been nearly dry, but the grass and weeds were still wet from the rain.

    They struggled slowly up the embankment, being careful not to slip. The muzzles of the shotgun sank into the moist earth, and Cora had to yank them free after each step. Like Abilene, she was panting for air and drenched with sweat. Her right side, bare where Abilene clung to it above the armhole of her tank top, was hot and slippery. Her left arm felt like a massive weight across Abilene’s shoulders.

    They were halfway to the top when hands pushed against Abilene’s rump. She couldn’t look around, but realized that Finley and Vivian must’ve decided to help.

    It’s like when I was towing the boat, she thought.

    Cora no longer felt quite so heavy leaning on her and the slope seemed less steep.

    When she reached the top, a pinch through her denim skirt revealed the identity of her helper.

    ‘Ouch! Fin, you creep!’

    ‘Couldn’t resist.’

    The three of them lowered Cora to the ground. Then Abilene flopped down beside her. Though twigs and rocks poked against her, the grass felt cool and wonderful. She lay there, struggling for air.

    ‘That was probably the worst of it,’ Vivian said, sitting down nearby. ‘The rest’ll be pretty level.’

    ‘It won’t be easy,’ Abilene said.

    ‘I’ll take over for you,’ Vivian told her.

    ‘Yeah,’ Finley said. ‘We can trade off every few minutes.’

    ‘Who’s gonna trade off with me?’ Cora asked.

    ‘You’re the jock around here,’ Finley said. ‘This oughta be a snap.’

    ‘Thanks.’

    ‘Too bad it wasn’t one of us,’ Vivian said.

    ‘Speak for yourself,’ Finley told her. Abilene didn’t look up, but she was certain Finley must be smirking.

    ‘Would’ve been better,’ Vivian went on. ‘Cora’s the biggest.’

    ‘And heaviest,’ Abilene muttered.

    ‘Hell, yes,’ Finley said. ‘That’s how she broke the pier.’

    ‘You guys are a riot.’

    ‘If one of us had the busted ankle,’ Vivian continued, ‘Cora could’ve carried us out.’

    ‘Maybe Batty planned it this way,’ Abilene said, and wondered if she was kidding. ‘To keep us from leaving. Broke the board under Cora to disable the strongest of us.’

    ‘Get real,’ Cora muttered. ‘It broke because it broke.’