Zenon's Game Chapter 153

I tried to confirm with her, "There are definitely no dangerous animals in the forest, right? Just some friendly rabbits and happy squirrels?"

Bears hibernate in winter, so I was feeling good about that.

"I don't know how happy the squirrels are, Candace," she replied, looking worried.

I was standing beside her in the kitchen, as she washed her hands in the sink. Lunch had been laid out half an hour ago, but we were still waiting for them to return.

I ate a couple croutons from the salad when she wasn't looking.

"I think you might be right though," Mrs Albert said, looking for her car keys, "We haven't heard anything from them in a while and I think we should go looking."

Good idea. With so many of us in the forest, someone was bound to find someone.

"And maybe afterwards, we can discuss why your clothes were in my son's bedroom."

Which son? JK. I'll leave that question for Mr Albert to ask.

I stood outside the cabin, ready to go. I had a flashlight and rope for safe keeping. And a granola bar in my back pocket with no honey. I checked.

We had to be prepared, after all.

We were the search party to the search party.

How unlucky that search party was. To have us as their last hope is... well, as Zenon would say: we're f*cked.

As far as duos go, me and Mrs D make an unlikely pair. Maybe almost as unlikely as me and her son.

She was speaking with her husband, updating him on this morning's events, after I had done a pretty terrible job explaining.

I wasn't able to resist including my theories about mysterious disappearances, horror movie beginnings and pointing out that if someone wanted us out of the house, they were doing a very good job at it.

That was my latest theory. That we were all being lured outside so someone could get inside.

I could hear the jingling of the car keys in her hand as they talked. We were planning to take the car on our search through the forest. Nothing like some good seat warming action to keep you on the lookout.

Suddenly, I heard a rustle in the leaves.

My eyes scoured the landscape. I took a few steps back and placed my hand on the car door to jump inside if anything were to jump at me.

Truthfully, I've been on guard since I received the first blackmailer's letter. Having someone out to get me has made me a lot more jumpy than usual.

The rustling became louder and I saw a shadow move between the trees.

Two shadows.

If it was them, why wouldn't there be three?

Someone was missing. Someone was- !

"Jake!" I exclaimed, seeing him come out of the forest first.

His leg was bleeding from a wound below the knee. He gave me a two-finger wave.

"You're bleeding!" I pointed out the obvious.

I could hear Mr and Mrs Albert call out their sons' names.

I tried to see where Zenon was. More than anything I wanted to see a guy with black hair and blue eyes stroll out of the forest.

Any guy.

JK. Where was Zenon?

I waited for the one other shadow to emerge. I knew there would be one more. Zenon likes a dramatic entrance but-

I didn't expect this.

Zenon walked out of the forest carrying Annika bridal-style in his arms.

She was fully conscious and holding onto him. Strangely, she held her left shoe in her hand and her left foot was slightly raised. She was injured.

"Get the first aid kid," Mrs Albert told her husband, "It's in the shed."

Mr Albert nodded and did as he was told. Meanwhile, Mrs Albert thrust open the front doors to the cabin to let everyone in.

I helped her grab blankets and spread them on the wooden floor for both Jake and Annika to sit down.

"What happened?" I asked Jake, since he was the first to reach us.

"I walked into a twig or something protruding out of a tree," he said, looking down at his leg, "Is it bad?"

The blood was free flowing.

"It's messy," I tried to keep it light, guiding him inside, "Are you feeling queasy?"

Because I am.

Blood had soaked into his sock. I wondered how long he had been walking like this, injured. He sat down and took off his shoe and sock.

His stepmom came back with towels and tissues and waited for the first aid kit. I ran to the front door, waiting impatiently for Zenon and Annika to come inside.

"What happened out there?" I asked, hearing Zenon outside talking to his father. He still had Annika in his arms.

"A tree had fallen and blocked the usual path," Jake said, "She had to walk alongside the riverbank and slipped, twisting her ankle. We brought her back."

A touch less dramatic than what my imagination had come up with. Just a touch.

"So no mysterious clues or letters?" I asked, fearing the mystery blackmailer was behind this misfortune.

"Why would someone leave a letter?" Jake asked.

I didn't say.

The door slammed shut as Zenon walked in, carrying Annika. He lowered her onto the blanket next to Jake.

She adjusted herself into a more comfortable position and looked down at her ankle. There was some swelling and discoloration.

We had so many questions. His parents hovered around, ready to ask. I also wanted to ask.

Zenon looked at us and said, "I'm going to take my damn shower now."

The bathroom was steaming up when I stepped inside. The heat from Zenon's shower covered the bathroom. The glass was misty with steam.

"Zenon?" I called out.

I could see the shape of him, though it was blurred by the glass shower door.