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We had gotten back to my condo around 8:00 pm that evening with Cyril and Athen, of course, dying of hunger; so Arie and I raided my pantry trying to put together something halfway decent. As I scanned my shelves and empty refrigerator doors, it dawned on me that I hadn’t done my usual weekly grocery shopping and was now completely out of the staples. I was thankful my dog walker was in town this weekend so she could spend time with Matilda, but I made a mental note to give Matilda extra snuggles in the night. I definitely had to go to the pet store and grocery store the next day. Matilda only had enough food for the next morning.
Arie began defrosting the chicken as I gathered together the items to make a quick pasta dish. I still had cilantro and a lime rolling around in the fridge drawer. Hopefully that would do, I thought to myself. The television echoed in from the living room, and I heard the guys discussing something rather low. I couldn’t decipher what they were saying, but my gut was telling me that it had to with the infamous bobcat that they were or were not looking for.
“So, have any special plans for tomorrow?” Arie asked me. She was squeezing the lime for me and had a hopeful look in her eyes.
“Well, I was going to play catch up and do some shopping and cleaning and stuff like that. Nothing that is too out of control. How about you?”
“Pretty much the same thing. I was going to try and squeeze in a facial though if you would be into a spa thing, my treat?”
“Sure. That sounds like fun before I hit the workweek again.” I could hear Matilda snoring hard in the living room. My guess was that one of the guys let her on the couch with them.
“So, this alleged bobcat scenario… Are you by any chance going to let me on the secret? I highly doubt that Athen and Cyril are biologists,” I teased Arie, and judging by the look on her face she was not expecting it at all.
“Ana, I swear it’s true. They’re trying to figure out if that is a bobcat they’re seeing.”
“You aren’t very good at lying. But if you don’t want to tell me either, I’ll leave it alone…for now.”
The microwave beeped at the perfect time for Arie to spin away from me and start on a new task. I grabbed the placemats to set the dining room table.
“So are you two in there scheming about the bobcat or what?”
“Boy, you are persistent,” Athen said, as he started coming towards me as I finished setting the table.
“Oh yeah? Well, I’m pretty skeptical that you guys are so interested in an animal. I’m dying to know what got you two so riled up. Nothing personal but I don’t take you two for biologists,” I said grinning.
“Well, alright. You got us. But it won’t make any sense right now. I promise we’ll tell you when we figure out exactly what’s up. Is that a deal?”
“Just as long as it doesn’t have to do with the missing hikers, I think I can handle it,” I told Athen, giggling. “You know, Karen will kill me for telling you… but that first night I went out with you she was rattling all sorts of reasons why I shouldn’t go out, and that popped out.”
“Wow, good to know. We won’t mention any invites to her about camping then.” Athen said grinning. I noticed concern swelling in his eyes. I couldn’t place why that would be. Arie’s laughter began ringing through the air, which broke my thought once more.
“That is pretty worrisome about those hikers though,” Cyril piped up. “I wonder what did happen to them.”
A shiver went through me. I shook my head in bewilderment. Being that I had never gotten this far before in obtaining an answer I took it. Besides, I knew I would keep digging until they told me the truth so I would eventually win.
Then the images began flooding in. I saw one of the female hikers completely disrobed, in a fetal position, staring bleakly onto what looked like a crimson puddle of liquid. Rainwater was rolling off of the cave walls that she was in, keeping a steady beat as it dripped to the floor to match her rocking back and forth. It was almost like I could smell the mustiness of the cave. I couldn’t see any of the others. I sensed that there were more around her though. Not being able to see anyone else, I didn’t know if it was the other hikers or her capturers in the cave.
A sigh escaped at the realization that my nightmares no longer had the need to wait until my eyes closed. I did my best to shake the despair that was rising in my chest. Being awake had been my one and only escape from these terrors. I guess that was no longer the case. I forced myself to come back to reality. I couldn’t let these people in on my ever-growing stash of terrible secrets.
I looked up to catch Athen’s eyes, which were lodged with worry.
“Is everything ok, Ana? You look ashen. Did I do something?”
“Oh, gosh no. I’m sorry. Just ignore me. I thought I left something on the trail earlier is all. I didn’t though. Not to worry.” Lying didn’t come naturally, and I was pretty sure he knew that too.
Arie yelled from the kitchen for help from the guys as I sat down at the table while dinner was served. It was nice to have a table full of people in my dining room. I think Matilda appreciated it, too, as she waddled in from her resting spot in the living room to right under Cyril’s feet. The guys dug into the pasta as if they hadn’t eaten for days. It was a good thing I wasn’t that hungry after the latest thoughts had invaded my mind as pile after pile went on their plates.
“So, Ana and I are going to do a spa thing tomorrow,” Arie said.
Athen looked at me with a huge grin as a long noodle began its way down to the tablecloth, which he grabbed with his fingers in an instant. The poor noodle never had a chance. “You are going to go with Arie, huh? Well, that will be an experience.”
I was baffled, and it must have shown because Arie jumped in to make sure I didn’t back out on her.
“He is only kidding, Ana! I happen to enjoy the spa and can make it an entire day’s process but not to worry! I know you have a lot of stuff to do tomorrow so it will be a quickie.”
“Yeah, right,” Cyril muttered under his breath.
“Well, whatever the case, I’ll get up early and get everything done beforehand so I don’t rain on Arie’s parade.”
“See, Athen, I told you she was a keeper,” Arie said, as she pushed the bowl of pasta toward me.
“Sweet! Hopefully, all I have to do is keep spa dates penciled in to stay on everyone’s good side.”
“You already are!” Athen replied beaming, and laughter filled the air.
It got silent as everyone dug in, which gave me a chance to look around the dining room absorbing how wonderful things had become since I met these people. A void was slowly beginning to be filled. I might be okay after all. Matilda had given up on getting any scraps and was sound asleep under Cyril’s chair. Minutes had gone by, and no one had said anything, yet it wasn’t awkward at all, just peaceful.
“Well, I wanted to thank everyone for such a wonderful day today. It was pretty amazing. Totally unlike anything I have ever done before.” I peeped up, noticing I was only staring at Athen, which made my cheeks begin their usual chameleon act.
“Are you kidding? It was a blast!” Arie exclaimed, and I became aware that if nothing else I could always count on her to lift the spirit of the conversation and lighten up my too serious overtones. If only she could be present in my dreams.
CHAPTER 6