Page 52 of Finding His Fox

The man was as tight-lipped as a clam about this favor he was asking of me.

I glanced at my watch. Cal was five minutes late and still nowhere in sight.

I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel, debating whether I should take a stroll along the shoreline, stretch my legs for a bit.

No, it was safer in my truck. I stayed put, double-checked whether my doors were locked, and kept the engine running.

Sure, it was a hot day, and the air conditioning was nice. But more importantly, I was in open space.

From my truck, I could spot anything from a mile away. If something were to come at me from the thicket, I could just drive off.

Absentmindedly, I rubbed my thumb against the cool metal of the bangle, putting me slightly at ease.

But… what about Cal?

I froze. That was right. Cal was living right in the middle of the woods.

He said he saw the wendigo just the other night. Did it live nearby? Cal didn’t have a bangle. Shouldn’t he have gotten one for himself, too?

I glanced at my watch again. Only three minutes have passed since I last checked. Cal was never late. Never.

Was Cal attacked? Thoughts quickly flooded my mind, and now my head was filled with worst-case scenarios of what could have happened to him.

Each image was more unsettling than the last. I rubbed the bangle again, as if it held some sort of magical power.

If only it were a magic lamp, I’d wish for Cal’s safety and for him to arrive soon.

A knock on my window startled me. It was Cal. He looked flushed and out of breath, as if he had been running.

I breathed the biggest sigh of relief I ever had. I quickly turned off the engine and practically jumped out of the truck and gave him a tight hug.

Cal was taken aback but wrapped his arms around me in return.

“Hey, sorry I’m late. Is everything all right?” Cal asked uneasily as he gently pulled back.

His brows were furrowed as he searched my face. I shook my head.

“No, it’s nothing. I just missed you, that’s all,” I said, trying to steady my voice.

When I felt myself calming down, I suddenly realized something. “Why didn’t I see you on our usual path between your cabin and here?” I asked.

“Oh, I took a different route,” Cal said, pointing to a path at the end of the parking lot I had never noticed before. “C’mon, let’s go. I can’t wait for you to meet everyone,” Cal continued.

Everyone?

* * *

“Are you finally going to tell me what all this is about?” I asked, swatting away a bug that flew past my face. “And more importantly, what are you wearing?”

Cal was dressed like…not Cal. Usually, he wore a plain, albeit tight, shirt and jeans. No complaints there.

However, now, he was wearing a loose, bright yellow T-shirt that had ‘Wilderness Wanderers’ written at the front, cargo shorts and some kind of utility vest. And a bucket hat. With an adjustable strap.

Today was getting weirder and weirder. First, the number of vehicles parked in the lot, and now Cal’s outfit?

Then again, he did wear that brightly colored windbreaker that one time.

“We’re getting nearer,” Cal said, his voice trailing off, giving no further explanation.