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“Dryads don’t live in these parts.” They preferred warmer climates that didn’t put them in hibernation.
“Says you. I think it’s possible. I mean, look at that hole.” She pointed to the dark crevice in the bole of the tree. “Great little hidey hole for a dryad.”
“More like a woodpecker went too hard. A shame because the opening is allowing water to enter which is causing it to rot from the inside out.” Inner decay explained the dead branches. The tree was slowly dying and in pain. If she looked past her revulsion, she could feel its distress. Maybe she could ease its suffering.
Mindy reached out and put her hand on the tree.
End it.
Burn it.
Chop it.
Kill it.
The screams in Mindy’s mind had her gasping and reeling.
“What’s wrong?” Annie grabbed hold and steadied her.
“There’s something in that tree,” Mindy exclaimed.
“For real?” Annie’s expression brightened.
Free me!
The sudden yell widened Mindy’s eyes.
Annie’s too. “Did you…?”
Mindy nodded.
FREE!
ME!
When the branches started swaying and the ground rippled underfoot, they didn’t stick around. They raced out of those woods, hopped on their bikes, and pedaled hard for home.
They never went back to those haunted woods again.
And the tree continued to suffer and rot, until a woman named Ruby came along and finally put it out of its misery.
Chapter 1
Decades later…
Woe is me.
Baptiste trudged head down through the forest, shivering in his ragged clothes as the first snowflakes began to fall. Winter had arrived and he had no shelter—which was as it should be. He didn’t deserve even a barebones doghouse. He’d committed a grievous crime and deserved to be punished.
But would his previous friends do him a favor and tie him to a cross for lashings?
No.
Would they stake him to the ground by a fire ant mound, drizzle him with honey, and leave him to scream?
Again, no.
He had terrible friends who kept looking for him and shouting they loved him, cared for him, and wanted to help him.
