Blood Games

    Helen leaned forward slightly. The windshield wipers began to sweep back and forth. Twin streams of water shot up. The blades bumped against Finley’s calves. The water soaked her socks. Her legs flew out of the way. ‘You bastards!’ she cried out.

    Helen shut off the blades and fountains, then called out the window, ‘Sorry. My mistake.’

    ‘Mistake my butt. I’ll get all of you for this. You mess with the Fin-man, you pay.’

    ‘We’re trembling!’ Abilene called.

    ‘It was your idea, wasn’t it?’

    ‘Whose?’

    ‘You! I know it was you, Hickok. You’ll die.’

    ‘Oh, quit ranting and film your epic.’

    Finley’s legs returned to their previous positions against the windshield. Then her head appeared between her knees. Her face was upside down, her short hair blowing in the breeze. Though she said nothing, her lips twitched and writhed ferociously as if she were spitting out obscenities.

    ‘Give her another dose.’

    She must’ve heard that. Her head went away fast.

    ‘Let’s just calm down, folks,’ she called.

    Helen left the wipers alone.

    She stayed in the northbound lane, not even crossing the faded paint of the center line to avoid fissures and pits in the pavement. It made for a bumpy ride. Abilene couldn’t fault her for being cautious, though. As desolate as the poor ruin of a road seemed to be, an excursion into the downhill lane would probably provoke a vehicle to materialize, speed around a blind curve and smash them. One of life’s little magic tricks. Just when you least expect it - wham.

    A car could just as easily come racing around a curve on our side, she thought.

    She began to wish that Finley wasn’t riding on the roof.

    Helen stopped the car. ‘This must be it,’ she said, nodding toward a narrow road that slanted up the hillside to the right.

    ‘You don’t know?’ Vivian asked.

    ‘Do you think I’ve been here before? It’s just a place I read about. But this is where it ought to be, and it’s called The Totem Pole Lodge.’

    ‘Must be it, all right,’ Cora said.

    At each side of the entrance road stood a totem pole. The old wooden columns depicted forest creatures, demons and beasts, and both had giant birds with outspread wings near their tops. One of the poles, tilted at a sharp angle, looked ready to fall onto any car daring to trespass.

    Abilene supposed that the totems had probably once been decorated with bright paint. Now, however, they looked as if they’d been made of driftwood. Or dirty gray bone.

    Vandals had carved names, initials, dates, hearts, and even a few swastikas into them. Some of the vandals must’ve shinnied up them to maim the higher areas. Near the top of the tilted pole, someone had left a hunting knife embedded in the blanched wood of a wing.

    A metal sign, bent and rusted, was nailed at eye level to the upright pole. It read, KEEP OUT.

    ‘Why would a lodge have a sign telling people to keep out?’ Vivian asked.

    ‘It isn’t open to the public,’ Helen explained, and turned onto the entry road. The leaning post didn’t fall. But as the car nosed upward, Finley’s legs kicked away from the windshield. Abilene heard some thumps through the ceiling, and figured she must’ve tumbled backward. Seconds later, the legs returned.

    ‘I hope Finley kept her camera going,’ she said. ‘We’ll have some interesting views.’

    ‘Spinning tree tops,’ Cora said.

    ‘Some of these branches are awfully low.’ Helen sounded worried.

    ‘If we have a casualty, can we go home?’ Vivian asked.

    ‘You should be tickled,’ Cora told her. ‘This isn’t a camp-out.’

    ‘Right. Instead, we’re going to some damn lodge that isn’t open to the public. Who, exactly, is it open to?’

    ‘Just us,’ Helen said. ‘I hope. As far as I know, it’s been abandoned for about twelve years.’

    ‘Oh, great. Charming. I can see this is gonna be a thrill and a half.’

    ‘That’s the whole idea,’ Helen said.

    ‘Knowing you, it’s probably haunted.’

    ‘I guess we’ll find out.’

    Just then, the road levelled out. The hood of the car lowered, revealing the area ahead. Abilene leaned a little to the right. Off in the distance, framed on both sides by Finley’s pink socks, was The Totem Pole Lodge.

    Vivian leaned toward her. Their shoulders touched as they shared the view.

    ‘Utterly delightful,’ Vivian muttered.

    ‘Great, huh?’ Helen sounded as if the lodge fulfilled her best expectations.

    ‘What was this place?’ Cora asked.

    ‘Kind of a resort,’ Helen said.

    ‘A last resort,’ Vivian said.

    ‘It was famous for its hot springs. And its cuisine. People came here for cross-country skiing in the winter. It was a hunting lodge in hunting season. The rest of the time, people came for hiking and fishing, that kind of thing. The place was quite popular during its heyday.’

    ‘Looks like shit now,’ Cora said.

    A fist reached down between Finley’s legs and rapped on the windshield. ‘Stop the car, okay?’

    When it came to a halt, Abilene said, ‘This is far enough for me,’ and swung open her door. She climbed out. It felt good to be standing up after the long drive. She stretched. She peeled her moist blouse away from her back. She took a deep breath, enjoying the woodsy aromas.