I let out the loudest blood curling scream ever and jump to my feet, limply jogging away. Whatever killed that animal is still around here, and I’m not going to wait to see what it was. I keep walking, not even caring that at this point I’m definitely going up the mountain. When I come to a gated area, I drop my gear off my back. There’s nothing within the gate, making me think whatever they have surrounded is underground. Chills go through my body. It’s a graveyard. It’s totally morbid to even think about staying here, but surely if there is a graveyard, then there are people that come and visit it or it has to be close to a town or something, right? Why would there be a graveyard on a mountain?
The snow starts falling heavier, as if it’s telling me to stay put. I put up my tent, hobbling around on my ankle. As soon as it’s ready, I climb inside the tent, dig out some jerky and trail mix, and once I get my stomach settled, I take off my shoe and start peeling the layers of socks off my injured foot. Surely someone is going to find me.
Ray
I hear the pounding before I see it. I’m on New Law territory so I know that I’m basically safe, but I still stand behind the trees. Only seconds go by and I see Klaus’ bear and Mona’s wolf running past me. They don’t notice me—or if they do, they don’t act like it.
Once they’re past me, I keep trekking up the side of the mountain. I may be the secretary of the club, but I still do these expeditions sometimes. When there are things that need to be checked on and it gives me days away out in the wilderness, I volunteer.
And right now, I need this more than ever. There’s a shifting going on at New Law. The crew is questioning our leader, there are women joining as my brothers settle down. It’s a new day for New Law, and it’s brought me a lot to think about. I can’t help but look at my brothers and wonder when I’ll meet the one, my mate. I’m getting older and the chances of that happening are getting slim.
Shaking the thoughts from my head, I take off my pack and pull out my jacket. The farther up the mountain I get, the colder it gets. It was brought to the attention of the club that there is a missing hiker. She’s been missing for a couple of days, and my first instinct is she’s already dead. However, the area she is reported to be lost in is an area where the New Law have deposited the remains of some of the Eaters that we’ve done away with over the years. There are no headstones, but the perimeter is sectioned off and gated.
I’m traveling up the mountain to make sure the graveyard isn’t going to be disturbed.
The farther I go, the surer I am that she hasn’t survived. With the wild animals, the climate, unless she’s a seasoned hiker, or really skilled in survival, I don’t see how she will be found alive.
As I get close to the gravesite, I can see that she’s been on the trail. I track her movements and see from the dead carcass of an animal that she most likely had a close call on the way. At the opening to the graveyard, I look around. In the distance, I see a bright blue material beaming out at me. I walk over to it slowly, knowing for sure that I’m going to find her.
I unzip the tent. “Anybody in there?” I call out.
Peaking inside, I see her still body lying there, huddled in a bundle. I walk on my knees inside the small tent and stop beside her. With my hands on her neck, I can feel a faint pulse. She’s alive, but barely.
She’s the human, the missing hiker, there’s no doubt about it. I have to get her out of here before the searchers find the graveyard. If I can get her to civilization, no one will come looking for her and see the graveyard we have hidden here.
I lift her gently in my arms, and she doesn’t make a sound. I should get out of here quickly. It’s already starting to snow again at this elevation, but I can’t help stopping and appreciating the weight of her in my arms. I look down at her fair skin and her soft lips, which are almost blue. Her beauty hits me right in the chest, and I know if she was awake I would probably ask her if she’s crazy being out here like this. I carry her to a nearby cave, hoping to ride out the blizzard. But it just keeps coming.