“Oh, hallelujah.” I hurried inside but immediately paused just inside the door to let my eyes adjust.
Once they did, my racing heart sent stars into my vision, threatening to temporarily blind me as I spotted the glint of metal leaning against the wall.
It was an axe!
Blinking furiously and inhaling a breath in an attempt to slow my heart rate, I ran over and grabbed it, then left the shed.
“Holy shit! She really left an axe?” Luke’s eyes widened when he saw what I carried.
“Right? The arrogance is astounding.”
He thrust an arm out the window. “Give me that.”
I paused just out of his reach and frowned. “Why do you get to have all the fun?”
The mixture of confusion and exasperation on his face brought a slow smile to mine. I couldn’t stop the chuckle that slid free.
“Woman. Just give me the bloody axe.” The smile on his face softened his words.
With an exaggerated sigh, I handed it to him. “Fine.”
He took it and disappeared inside.
I made my way back around front. As I reached the porch steps, a mighty bang shook the cabin, sending the dogs into frenzied barking.
Luke had struck the first blow to the door.
I stood back and watched as the door splintered after several blows. In minutes, he had a hole big enough to put his head and arm through.
“Okay, stay back, Mina.” The axe hit the cabin floor with a dull thud. I heard him mutter something, and Betty’s name, before there was a short pause. A moment later, his booted foot crashed through the broken door, sending slivers flying.
I took another step to the side.
With a few more well-placed kicks, he made a hole large enough to climb through.
But first, he passed me both dogs and our backpacks, then let Walter come out.
“So, now what?” I asked, shouldering my bag and holding onto Pebbles’s leash. “The GPS has that back track function, but it’ll take us back down to the shore. Do we need to go that way, or do you think we can head in a general northwesterly direction?”
Luke snapped the chest strap on his bag, a feat in and of itself as Betty, now free to explore the outside world and fresh from her nap, tugged at the leash hooked around his wrist. “I’m not sure how far we hiked in, so it’s probably best if we follow the GPS. We didn’t bring a map, because we weren’t planning to explore off the trail, so without that, I can’t plot a course to the parking lot from here.” He glanced at Walter. “Do you have one?”
The old man shook his head. “I don’t have anything. Miranda wouldn’t let me bring anything but some clothes.” He gestured to the small bag slung over his thin shoulders.
“All right.” I heaved a sigh and turned toward the forest. “Let’s get going.”
It was going to be a long, long walk back to the car.
