chapter 28

As Alec predicted, the lake was empty when we arrived. I was still covered in the grime and dirt and blood from my last night in Wolf Creek. I didn’t care how cold the lake was, I just needed to wash the trauma away any way I could.

“I’ll see if I can find you some fresh clothes,” Sheila said. “You good alone for a bit?”

“Yeah, thanks,” I said. “As long as I don’t have to try to find my way back solo, I should be good.”

“We gotta get you a compass,” she teased.

I laughed. “Hopefully, I’ll get my bearings soon.”

She waved and left me alone on the shore of the huge lake. The water was like glass. A still, silvery gray. Every so often the breeze would send ripples over the surface, making the water seem like it was shivering.

I took a moment to stare out at the island. It was a peaceful sentinel in the center of the water. Covered in thick trees, it seemed a wild place. Like something out of an adventure story. I wondered if anyone ever swam or took a boat out to it.

Unsure of how much t