Page 179 of Heartless

Jake and Blue-Eyed Garrett had neared Thelma’s table.She’d drawn us as superheroes.So, my eyes were huge, my hair was in a wild, voluminous, curly ponytail, and my body was impossibly toned.The bubble over my head said, ‘BEAST’ with four exclamation points, and rings were drawn around my mouth, representing power coming from my voice.

Blue-Eyed-Garrett nodded slowly.“Those are fucking cool.”

On the same page as me, Kelly was a sexy gunslinger.Her windbreaker jacket had become a stylish, long duster coat, and she was bracing for the guns attached to her hips with a toothpick hanging on the side of her smirk.Thelma had instinctively captured her bodyguard vibe.On the opposite page, Kelsey was brandishing a sword-type paintbrush raised high above her head while Brigit’s camera had turned into a laser-beaming weapon, and Cathy’s hands were hovering around a whirlpool, sculpting what looked like a maul or an axe.

Louise canted over Kelsey’s shoulder.“Where am I?”

Thelma grinned as she flipped to the next page.She’d drawn herself crouching with one knee on the floor and swirling on a wide sketchpad.Louise was standing next to her holding crayon-turned- arrows.But it was the word bubble that made me laugh.It said,‘Where’s that damn car?”

Kelly laughed out loud, and as the rest of the group read it, their chuckles grew in volume and number.

Garrett’s cavernous bellow was the loudest, and in direct contrast with Erica’s closed lips smile.

Amidst the group’s growing hilarity, I touched Thelma’s arm.“Where’s Erica?”

“Yeah.Where is she?”someone asked.Maybe Cathy.

The turn of Thelma’s lips brought a glint in her eyes.She flipped the page again.“She’s here.”

Kelsey grabbed our guide’s hand to tug her closer to the table while Thelma rotated the sketchpad to face them.We all slanted in, and I gasped.The drawing was that awesome.

Erica had her own page.She stood at the forefront while we had become shadowed silhouettes sprouting in the background.Her silky hair was loose, super long, and windswept.She was braced for a fight with her fists clenched at her sides and her legs slightly bent at the knees.Her gaze was steady on the threat, and her mouth was twisted in a challenging sneer.The text in the bubble was, ‘Behind me, Sisters.Together, we’ll vanquish the beast.’

The near-empty diner imploded with claps, cheers, and hoots while Erica’s face flushed around her huge smile.

Cathy lifted her mug in a cheer.“To Erica, our super guide.”

With or without mugs, we all hollered.“To Erica!”

“You didn’t draw the bear,” Louise said.

Closing her sketchpad, the talented Thelma shrugged.“The bear was just a prop.”

“A fucking huge prop,” Kelly muttered.

Her comment led to everyone speaking at the same time.

“That thing was at least fifteen feet.”

“It wasn’t that big, it only looked like it because you’re short,” someone replied, eliciting more giggles.

Someone touched my shoulder, and I looked at Jake, whose expression was worried.I got up, and when he pulled me to his side, I wrapped my arms around his waist.

Blue-Eyed Garrett’s voice cut through the chatter.“Big dude stood no chance against you.”

Cathy shook her head slowly, and there was wonder in her voice.“Today’s so going into my blog.”

“Mine too.Awesome hike.Adventure, mud, bonding—”

“It’s called trauma bonding,” Brigit piped in.

Thelma scoffed.“I’m pretty sure that bear is not traumatized.”

That made me laugh, along with everyone else.Jake’s arm tightened, and he pecked my damp hair.

Cathy’s girlie voice rose.“We’re Erica’s first group.We should take a selfie.”Turning to Erica, she said, “My best friend is a journalist.She was supposed to come today but she broke her ankle last week.When I told her about how great you were, she said she wanted to pen an article, a twist on the Bear and the Maiden lore.No idea what she meant but is it okay if I give your name and contact details for an interview?”

Erica’s widened gaze slid to Jake before she nodded.“Yes...Of course.Yes.”