Page 25 of True

"What happened?"

"This," said Alec, flipping the headlights back on and pointing the camera on phone out to the snowy landscape.

"Wow."

"Yeah. I'm stuck in a ditch on the side of the road, less than two miles away." He turned the lights off and propped the phone on the dash.

"Just walk."

"I'm not exactly dressed for the occasion. Besides, there may be wildcats out there."

Demarco's eyes grew large."Really?"

"I have no idea. But that's what my subconscious says."

"Yeah. I bet you're right… Snow Leopards."

"Are they indigenous?"

"No idea. But it sounds like they might be. So what are you going to do?"

"I've called Triple A. I'm just waiting… and worrying."

"Well, you're safe inside a warm car… for now anyway. Just keep an eye out for anything

suspicious."

"Suspicious? D, I'm on an isolated mountain in a snowstorm. The only things I can see are trees and snow—what's suspicious about that?"

"There could be killers—likeJason."

Alec laughed. "Yeah… Well, if Jason's out there he's frozen stiff."

"Jason doesn't die, Alec."

"Jason doesn't exist, Demarco."

"What about the Wendigo?"

"Thewhat?"

"The Wendigo," he said with all seriousness. "—spirit demon of the native American

wilderness."

"You're insane."

"Maybe… but you're definitely in the right part of the country.

"Well, that's not what I'm worried about, I'm thinking maybe I made the wrong decision."

"Thank God. Just turn that car around. Come home to mama, back to the safety of our nation's

capital."

"Uh… I was looking more forencouragement, notdiscouragement."

"Sorry. Your face is kind of hard to read in the dark."