Page 27

We both waded towards the lakeside. Kaila stood on the bank with her hands on her hips and a look that told me was annoyed.

“Thank God you’re okay!” she shouted out to us.

“You had me worried sick, Aster!” Sabbath helped me from the lake and back onto the grass where Kaila stood.

“Hell, the moment I saw you go under that water? I lost it.” She sucked her teeth.

“I’m just glad your brother was so quick on his feet.

” She poked his arm, and he showed her a soft smile.

“You should’ve seen him rush in after you.

” Kaila was obviously swooning over Sabbath, whereas he was seemingly just trying to forget the whole thing.

“Oh! Let me get you guys a towel!” Kaila looked around and ran towards her bag.

“Sol just got the fire going too! We’ll be able to sit around it and dry off in no time! ”

While she searched her bag for the towels, I looked over at Sabbath.

The wind blew, and with it, I heard a whispered voice.

Sabbath’s head tilted. The voice grew, and I recognized the chant.

It was the same I’d heard many times before, including last night.

And call me crazy, but I swear Sabbath heard it too.

I followed his gaze and noticed Foster. He was now standing and holding the Sapling in his hand.

The kid was staring at Sol, who was walking towards the small bonfire with an armful of firewood.

The voices grew and Foster’s smile branched all the way to his ears.

What the hell is going on?

“Sabbath?”

He dropped his wet shirt. “No.” Sabbath rushed towards his little brother, as if something bad was about to happen. “Foster!”

My heart raced, and the whispers grew as Foster lifted the leg of the Sapling. Something moved along the ground, something long. It inched from the woods and slithered between the grass before disappearing into the dirt. It looked like a tree root.

What the hell? The root… It's moving. That’s not possible.

The root birthed from the ground and shot up just in front of Sol, and I knew something was about to happen.

“Sol!” The root rose, and I watched helplessly as Sol tripped over it and fell straight into the bonfire.

The sounds he made as he squirmed in the flames triggered something I had tucked away deep inside.

I couldn't move or speak, only watch in horror as he screamed and cried out for help.

Kaila nearly shoved me over as she ran to help him.

Wolfe was already at his side, and the two pulled Sol back.

They worked together to move him from the bonfire and into the shade.

I remained frozen, too traumatized to do anything.

“Rosie,” Sabbath whispered as he grabbed me and turned me away so I couldn’t see.

“Don’t look. Don’t look at that.” It was too late.

The image of Sol’s charred and burned flesh was imprinted on my brain.

The smell… It fucking hung in my nostrils, and all I could do was think about that night.

“It’s okay.” He held me tight. “It’s okay. ” Tears rolled down my cheeks.

No, it’s not.

I tried to blink my tears away and pushed from his embrace. “No. It’s not okay. What the hell just happened? Those voices? I know you heard them. I saw it in your face! And I saw it, Sabbath.” Tears flowed down my cheeks. “I saw that root climb from the woods and trip him. I saw it, Sabbath!”

He shook his head. “Stop it, Rosie.”

“I saw it!” His face hardened. “Foster did it, didn’t he? He made that root trip Solomon. He wanted him to fall into the fire.” He didn’t speak. “Something’s wrong with him, Sabbath.”

He kept shaking his head. “You need to drop it.” He sounded pissed.

I raised a brow. “Are you kidding me? Something is happening at this camp. Something bad. You need to get a fucking clue, Sabbath. And you need to leave me alone. I’m done with this sick little game you’re playing.” I roughly walked past him as my shoulder slammed into his. “Stay away from me.”

Sabbath whirled around and grabbed my forearm. “I can’t!” I glared back at him. “You have no fucking clue what’s going on. I’m the only person who can keep you safe. Please, Rosie. Trust me.”

I ripped my arm free. “You should’ve thought about that before you killed our brother.” His jaw clenched tight. “Because any trust I had in you burned in that fire. You made the wrong choice, Sabbath. It should've been you in that fire. Not them.”

“You don’t mean that,” he growled.

I scoffed and charged at him until my face was less than an inch from his. “Yes. I fucking do.” Before he could even breathe, I turned and stomped away from him.

Kaila and Wolfe were frantically trying to help Solomon.

I rushed over to them with some bottles of water from a nearby cooler.

“Here!” Kaila took one and began to pour it all over Sol’s wounds while Wolfe held him up and tried to calm his breathing.

Somehow, only Sol’s right arm and parts of his torso and back had been burned. “We need to get him to Nurse B.”

Kaila poured the second water bottle over Sol’s wounds and used the towels she had to gently pat his burns.

Sol groaned and cried out in pain as she did.

“I’m sorry!” She was holding back tears.

“I have to do what I can or else it’ll get infected!

” She looked up at me. “I didn’t want to move him.

Wolfe sent a few campers to get her. She should be here any minute.

” She stood up and brushed me away as Wolfe took over.

“Did you see anything? Sol said it happened so quickly, but he felt like someone tripped him?”

Not someone. Some thing .

I shook my head, knowing there was no way she’d believe what I saw. “No. I only saw him fall.” Something I’ll probably never forget.

Kaila sighed. “Where the hell is she?” She looked around for Nurse B and back at Sol.

“I’ll go check. You keep helping Wolfe and keep an eye on Sol.” Kaila nodded.

I turned and began to walk up the trail when I noticed Foster. He was standing all alone, almost like he was waiting for me, with his creepy ass Sapling in his hand. And the smile he wore made me shiver. I tried to walk past him, but he stepped directly in my way. “You look sad, big sis.”

I really don’t have time for this.

I tried to move around him, but he purposely moved in my way. “Foster,” I groaned. “I really need to get by, okay?”

He blocked me again. “Why?” I groaned. “Is it because the smell of his flesh burning reminded you of your brother?”

What the fuck?

“No. Why would you say that?” He just blinked. “Let me by, Foster.”

“Why?”

I’ve never wanted to punt a kid so badly in my life.

“Because Solomon is hurt! Really hurt! He needs help!” I shouted.

Foster continued to smile, despite how upset I was. “I know.” I didn’t like the way he said those two words. “But, now we’re even.”

What the hell?

“Even?” I repeated. “Who’s even?”

Foster toyed with the Sapling in his hand.

“You know. Solomon burned The Redwood, and so, The Redwood burned him back.” His smile grew larger and larger.

“People should really be more careful with nature. You never know when it’s going to retaliate.

” He raised the little figure high. “Sabbath said I could play with the Sapling! Oh, it was so fun! And now that blood has been shed, Mother can begin. We all can!”

What the hell was he talking about?

I suddenly noticed something dark dripping from his hand onto the ground.

“Foster?” I bent down and examined his tiny hand closely.

His palm was bleeding, and the blood was black like mine.

It was enough to stain the Sapling and the inside of his palm.

My eyes widened, and I glanced up at him.

“What happened?” I asked. He just stood there and smiled.

“Aster?” I snapped my head to see Nurse B holding a first aid kit. She looked from me to Foster with weary eyes. “What’re you doing?” I quickly stood and stepped back from Foster while I opened my mouth to speak. “Foster, why are you out here, alone with Aster? Why aren’t you with your brother?”

Sabbath ran up to us, almost out of breath. “Thisbe,” he panted. “I’m sorry. Aster was keeping Foster away from the accident while I helped with the campers. She was just doing what I asked. One of the counselors had an accident.” The two exchanged a silent look.

Why is he lying?

Nurse B looked him up and down and seemed to notice the faint traces of paint. Her dark, heavy eyes made their way over to me and did the same. “Yes. I heard.”

Sabbath quickly picked Foster up. “I should take him back to the cabin and get him cleaned up for dinner.” Nurse B nodded. Sabbath completely ignored me and walked away. So strange.

“Aster?” I turned and looked at the older woman. “Care to explain what happened here?” I wanted to tell her the truth, but I knew she wouldn’t believe me.

“Solomon… tripped.” That was a lie. “He fell into the fire and has some really bad burns.”

She stared ahead at the fire. “Did he bleed?” I hesitated and nodded my head. “I see. I can handle things from here. You should head back to your cabin as well. We don’t need the other counselors questioning the paint on you and your brother.” My face turned white as she walked past me.

Did she know? No. She couldn’t… Could she?

Nurse B rushed to Sol, and I slowly made my way back to my cabin at the edge of Camp Redwood.