Page 67 of Wildwood

I think she must have gone back inside, but then I hear her voice calling down the driveway.

“Be careful who you talk to, Elinor,” she says. “Be careful of who you talk to, and what you believe, before you go spreading your venom.” And then I hear the door slam.

Chapter 60

Topher has just left for work and I’m bringing out the trash, when I hear it. At first, I think I’m imagining it, but it’s louder and now I’m certain. My heart soars. It’s Hugo. I can hear his barking in the woods. I’d know his call anywhere.

“Hugo!!” I yell, as loud as I can. “Hugo, here boy!!”

I’m barefoot, but I race in the direction of the woods, not feeling the lashing of the dried grass in the meadow.

“Hugo!!!” I’m calling and calling, but he does not come. Why isn’t he coming to me?

I’m at the edge of the woods now. Damnit. Why didn’t I learn my lesson before? Why didn’t I throw on a pair of shoes before taking out the trash?

I hear more frenetic barking. It echoes through the woods. Fuck it. I didn’t go after him once; I’m not going to make that mistake again.

I enter the woods, moving as quickly as my bare feet will take me. The sound of his barking is moving away, so I hustle over logs, sidestepping rocks and navigating through damp, cold earth.

Thoughts swirl in my brain. Where was he? Why is he moving away from me? I’m going to give him the best treat when we get home. I’m going to scold him, as soon as I see him. Oh my god, I can’t believe he came back.

The sky is darkening, damn these fall late afternoons. I need to get to him quickly. I don’t even have my phone on me, so I have no source of light once it gets dark. But I don’t care. I feel possessed. I need to find him.

It goes quiet for a moment, and I stop, hearing the blood roaring in my ears. Panic rises instantly. Did I lose him? I can’t have lost him.

But then I hear him, farther up ahead. I run and find that I’ve come to the river. The sound of his bark carries through the woods on the other side. Just before I scramble down the embankment, I whip my head around. I thought I heard something behind me, the crack of branches, followed by silence. But I don’t see anything. So I scramble down and step cautiously into the water.

My feet instantly freeze. The mountain water is biting, and I know, suddenly, how careless I’m being. How irresponsible. I’m pregnant and wading through a river in November. But I know these waters, I tell myself. I know it’s shallow here. I won’t get carried away if I’m careful.

I almost slip a few times, but I’m able to steady myself, by slamming my feet into the crevices between rocks, grabbing on to whatever I can with my toes.

And finally, I’m through to the other side. I scramble up and continue on. I haven’t been on this side of the woods before. At least, not that I can remember. It’s quiet, so I call Hugo’s name and am met with his telltale bark—a series of barks, a low guttural growl followed by a louder yelp, and then a higher-pitched yelp. I feel relief. I hear it again. A series of barks, a low guttural growl followed by a louder yelp, and then a higher-pitched yelp. I stop dead in my tracks. My heart thudding. Even though I’m freezing, I can feel the small of my back go damp. Every hair on my body stands up, like I’ve been electrified. Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit. It’s not actually Hugo. It’s a recording.

Chapter 61

I listen again. I need to be sure. There’s no mistaking it. The barking is a loop. The sound is not too far ahead. A moment ago, I’d been desperate to catch up. But now, I want to be as far away from here as possible.

At first, I back up, one step at a time. My eyes dart around, trying to take everything in all at once. The trees look sinister. The branches seem to reach out to me. Each one, a skeletal hand. The pounding of my heart is so loud, it sounds like it is a recording, blasted on high volume, in the woods. Broadcasting my location.

I hear a branch snap in the woods ahead. It’s all I can take. I turn and run, crashing through the woods. The branches whip at my face. I barrel forward, arms like scythes. They don’t protect me; I don’t feel the cuts, but I can see blood on my arms. I feel it on my face.

I’m running and running, and I can hear something in the woods behind me, in pursuit. I know I should turn around. If I turn around, maybe I’ll finally know. I’ll know what’s pursuing me. But I can’t. I’m too scared. If I had once thought I’d be brave in a crisis, I was wrong. I’m a coward. I’m so scared, I’m hardly breathing.

The woods are dark, I can hardly see where I’m going. The thing behind me is getting closer. And closer. I can feel it’s breath on my back.

And then, I’m levitating. No, I’m falling. Momentarily airborne. Was I pushed? Or did I trip? It’s the last thought I have, before my head hits the ground, and everything goes black.

* * *

“Elinor.”

I gasp and jolt myself awake. Who is calling my name? It sounds so far away.

I blink my eyes, trying to adjust to the dark.

Slowly, a form takes shape. It’s a woman, with a pale beautiful face, but she has fur sprouting from her head like a wolf.

“Elinor. Can you hear me?”