Yeah, I noticed that too, Claire thought. She looked across the water. In every direction, the shore was choked with trees. There wasn’t a single house visible. Her parents had raved about how secluded this place was, nestled within a national forest, miles and miles from any hint of civilization, but that didn’t seem like a selling point anymore. She tried to clear out a corner of her mind to think through the problem logically, as if it were one of the mental puzzles she loved. Standing on the dock, listening to the lake water lick the pilings, wasn’t going to change anything about the situation.
Wringing her hands, Mariana paced back and forth on the dock, as she repeated over and over, “This can’t be happening. Can’t be happening. It’s my fault. All my fault....”
“How is this your fault?” Reyva asked.
“I scared him off.”
“He was supposed to leave,” Reyva said. “It had nothing to do with you.”
Mariana nodded, but it was more like an automatic reaction than agreement. “He’ll come back. Or someone will. Eventually, the director will remember we were on our way here, and she’ll send someone to pick us up.”
“Assuming the director and the others got to safety,” Claire said.
“You mean assuming they’re not alldead?” Mariana said, her voice a half octave higher. She was breathing extra fast.
“Well, yeah,” Claire said. She thought that was obvious. And better left unsaid. She wanted to believe that the house had had spectacular fire alarms, and everyone had vacated in plenty of time, along with all their belongings and any sentimental items, and had flown to the nearest city, where they were enjoying a stay in a hotel with lots of Wi-Fi, but they had to consider all possibilities.
“You know, I thought I was a glass-half-empty kind of person,” Reyva said, “but I think you have me beat, Claire. You’re talking about all of this like, I don’t know, like you’re informing us that you just finished brushing your teeth. You are, how do I say this? Ridiculously resigned.”
Claire winced. “Sorry? I just... think we need to face thefacts here.” As she inhaled, she tasted the burnt scent that permeated the air. She didn’t know how she hadn’t identified it sooner. It undercut every other odor with its bitter tang. She should have been more alert when they’d docked and not assumed that the bitter scent in the air was just exhaust from the boat’s motor or whatever. If she’d suspected there had been a fire, she could have called back the boat sooner. Or better, convinced Jack not to leave until they investigated....
But how could she have predictedthis?
“There’s something else,” she continued. “We have to assume that no one escaped.”
Mariana’s voice was even more shrill. “Why do we have to assume that? I don’t think wehaveto assume that. Maybe they were injured. Maybe they’re unconscious. Maybe they’re in a hospital, recovering. Or here’s a wild idea: maybe they’re home with their families.”
“Look, it’s just...” Claire tried to think of the right words to explain her thoughts. Usually she tried to avoid sharing her internal monologue; it helped prevent moments like this, when people looked at her like she had three heads. But this was too serious a situation. “It’s getting dark, and the boat is gone. And we have no evidence that anyone but us is here, or has any idea what happened.”
Mariana gasped.
“Bingo,” Reyva said. “She gets it now.”
“We’re on our own,” Claire said.
“But someone will be expecting to hear from one of us... or one of them,” Mariana insisted. “When they don’t, they’ll come.I mean, my folks couldn’t have been happier to see me go, but don’t either of you have parents who care?”
Claire was certain her parentsdidcare, often too much, but they also weren’t expecting to hear from her immediately. Jack had said he’d let them know she’d made it safely, and her parents had told her not to worry about calling home often, since they knew she’d be having so much fun.
Hah.
So they weren’t going to be waiting for a call. Sure, eventually, they’d worry. But “eventually” could be a while.And also, a little voice inside whispered,I’m sure they’re happy to have a break from worrying about you.
“Key question for the moment: Will anyone worry before it’s dark?” Claire asked. She pointed to the sky, which was already graying. The sun had sunk behind the granite hills, the leftover glow from sunset was fading fast, and the woods were cloaked with shadows. “We need a place to spend the night, and it should be somewhere rescuers will find us.”
“Back at the house,” Mariana said. “That’s where the airstrip is, and that’s where rescuers will come look for us, when they come.”
If they come, Claire silently amended.
Reyva was looking at Claire. “You saidifin your head, didn’t you.”
Claire didn’t reply to that.
“I vote we camp here, near the dock,” Reyva said. “That way, we can keep watch for boats. Signal them before they get away.”
“I should have packed a flare,” Claire said. It could haveworked for catching Jack’s attention. Her parents usually kept one in the car, in case of emergency, but it hadn’t been an item she’d thought she’d need for camp. First-aid kit, yes. Flare, no. “We could light a fire.”
“I don’t think more fire is the best idea.” Mariana gestured in the direction of the house.
