Sabrina climbed out of the back of the Jeep, which took a little doing, as they had packed it with several bags of supplies, several of which hampered her exit.
“It’s this way,” Eric said, taking Sabrina’s hand in his. “Let me guide you, my dear. Never fear, never fear. Into the woods we go!”
Diane and Eric both had powerful flashlights, but their beams barely penetrated the dark between the trees. Sabrina had lived in Barlow Corners all her life and certainly had spent time in the woods, but never this deep in, and never at night. It was something you didn’t do. The woods were dark and deep, full of creatures.
“How far?” she asked, trying to make her voice light.
“We’re almost there. Trust me. I come out here every week. I know the way,” said Eric.
“I trust you,” she said.
“You sure you’re okay?” Eric asked.
“I’m sure. Why?”
“You’re kind of crushing my hand.”
“Oh!” She released her grip. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay. I have two. Actually, I have three, but that’s because the experiment went wrong. . . .”
She laughed. That’s what was great about Eric. He could make her worries vanish. Eric knew something about living, something she wanted to learn.
“I won’t tell anyone,” she said.
“Oh, good. I can’t let them shut down my lab, not when I’m so close. Soon my creation will come to life!”
He shouted that last word, causing something in the branches above to stir and fly off.
“Eric, you freak,” Diane said, laughing.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” he replied. “Aaaaaand . . . here we are!”
The flashlight beams struck a small clearing. There were a few cut logs on the ground, rough seating around a stone circle.
“Okay,” Eric said, setting down the bag he was carrying, “you guys do the setup. We’ll go get the milk. This way, my dear. Just over yonder a few paces.”
Eric took her hand once again to guide her through the dark. They reentered the woods on the other side of the clearing.
“So how do you pay for it?” Sabrina asked, picking her way along the tangle of roots beneath their feet. “What’s the system?”
“If you continue to come with me on my magical journey, you will learn all, little Bilbo.”
“Did you just call me Bilbo?”
“It’s from The Hobbit.”
“I know what it’s from, you moron,” she said, laughing.
“Never question the girl who works in the library,” Eric said, bowing low. “I beg forgiveness.”
Something crunched near them, and Sabrina let out an involuntary yip.
“It’s fine,” he said, shining the light around. “Lots of noises out here. They startle you at first.”
Suddenly, she didn’t want to be here. Her whole body flooded with anxiety. Eric seemed to sense this and stopped.
“It’s cool,” he said.
“There’s something out there.”
“There probably is. A raccoon. A possum. A skunk. But they don’t come near the clearing or the fire.”
“You’re sure?” she asked.
“I come out here every week. I always hear something. It’s the woods. Seriously, they don’t want to come near people. They stay away.”