Page 58 of River & Rue

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not a stray dog

The following five minutes remind me of when Olive and Ivy were five and lost their minds after decimating our dad’s candy stash. Rue vacillates between bouncing around the cabana, touching everything in sight—including me—and standing like a zombie while she stares at the ceiling, floor, or walls.

I manage to convince her to put on the sweatshirt and flip-flops I found in her backpack, but she won’t wear shorts or drink any water. After a surreal negotiation that includes mention of a raccoon on a leash, I successfully bribe her into taking a few sips from her water bottle. The promised chocolate is in my cabin, but I’m hoping she forgets about the bubble bath.

Finally, with her enormous bag on my back and her hand secure in mine, I lead her outside. The pool deck is thankfully empty, the air still and silent. Moonlight paints everything in a silvery sheen, turning shadows darker by comparison.

Rue skips beside me, humming under her breath as I guide her toward the hedges. I stay on high alert, my ears peeled for the sound of voices. I’m not entirely sure why, but I don’t want anyone else seeing her like this.

As we reach the path, Rue glances back at the pool.

“Do you think Matteo and Wyatt kissed? I hope they did.”

My fingers spasm around hers. “Oh yeah?”

“Mm-hmm.”

My mouth bypasses my brain. “You’re not upset? That Matteo was, uh… doing what he was doing with Penelope?”

“Why would I be? It’s not like I want Penelope anywhere near my no-no square.”

I trip on nothing and nearly fall. Only Rue’s vice-like grip on my hand keeps me from eating a rose bush. She laughs, high and wild, and pokes me in the ribs. My extremely ticklish ribs. I almost go down again; she yanks me upright.

“Have you ever had a threesome? I haven’t. Talk about overstimulating. One person is hard enough.” She giggles. “Hard.”

Rolling my eyes to the sky, I send a plea into the stars that Rue isn’t in the percentage of people who get horny on acid. It might actually break me.

She starts skipping and humming again, and I relax.

The peace lasts ten seconds.

“Priya told Maya and Maya told me that Penelope followed you to your cabin your first night here and knocked on your door naked. Did you have sex?”

I look at her in horror. “Fuck no. I slammed the door in her face. Priya was the one who dragged her away when she tried to break in through a window.”

She appears relieved, but it’s hard to tell with her wide-eyed, wandering gaze. The visuals are probably hitting full force now, a suspicion that’s confirmed when our path narrows and veers into the woods.

“The trees are breathing.” She gasps. “That branch just waved to me. Hi there, Mr. Tree. It’s so nice to meet you.”

The wonder in her voice makes me wish I could see what she sees, but the impulse doesn’t last long. Even if I weren’t trip-sitting, there’s no way in hell I’d eat one of Kirk’s mystery gummies.

Knowing how precarious acid trips are and how quickly they can go off the rails, I was worried the walk might freak Rue out. I should have known better. She’s enraptured by everything—the moonlight streaking the path, the shifting shadows in the forest, the glowing solar lights. She even fixates on my arm, fascinated by the texture of my knuckles and palms, the veins on my hand and forearm, and the goosebumps her fingertips draw from my skin.

I really don’t want to risk her peaceful state of mind, which is why I don’t tell her when, halfway to the cabin, I start freaking out.

For the last few minutes, I’ve heard an animal moving in the woods. Something a lot fucking bigger than a squirrel or an opossum. I swear it sounds like it’s following us. Stalking us. I’ve been surreptitiously scanning the forest, but between the moon and the path lights, the shadows beyond are impenetrable.

Adjusting my grip on Rue’s hand, I subtly increase our pace for the third time. We’re speed walking at this point, but she remains oblivious, lost in her trip. More than once, I have to partially lift her when she’s distracted by something and doesn’t pick her feet up fast enough.

Despite our pace and the noise we’re making, whatever’s tracking us keeps getting closer. My slight hope that Dan’s messing with us wanes—he doesn’t have the patience to keep a prank going this long.

With my free hand, I slip the steel water bottle out of the side pocket of Rue’s backpack. Whatever’s out there, I have zero qualms about bashing its head in. Unless it’s a bear or a mountain lion, in which case I’m probably fucked. But if I can hold it off long enough for Rue to escape, I can live with the consequences. Or more accurately, not live with them.

If I do survive, I’m going to have serious words with Kirk and Claudia, both of whom assured us the property was secured against native predators.

A branch snaps directly to my right. Jerking to a stop, I haul Rue against me. She snuggles into my side, but I’m panicking too hard to appreciate her instinctive response.