Footprints. Alex Archer

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      “Yeah, like that. Then it becomes much harder to defend yourself. Plus, I’m cold and exhausted. If you leave me here, I’ll fall asleep in no time. And that would also make me vulnerable.”

      Joey shrugged. “Suit yourself. But you’d better be able to keep up with me. Your friend’s life depends on me moving fast. If I can reach my grandfather’s house and get him to spirit track Jenny, then we should be all set.”

      “He’ll be able to tell us where she is?”

      “Almost definitely.”

      Annja took a deep breath. “Then we’d better get going.”

      Joey took a moment to orient himself and then set off at a brutal pace. Annja couldn’t believe how fast he moved and seemingly without getting tired. He wound his way up hills and down tight trails bordered by steep drop-offs. Streams ran parallel to their progress and, in places, the pines dipped so low that Annja had to duck repeatedly to avoid getting her eyes poked out.

      Her breathing came fast and hard and, despite being bone cold earlier, the pace of the trek heated her up until she started to sweat. She could feel the rivulets running down her back and face. Her breath bellowed huge clouds of steam with every exhalation.

      But still Joey kept moving.

      Annja realized at some point that they weren’t on the main trail any longer. Joey was using what looked like animal runs and smaller paths that would have been invisible to her eyes if she’d been here alone. But to Joey they were the back roads and side streets of the wilderness landscape. And he knew how to use them effortlessly.

      “You really do know this place, huh?”

      Joey nodded. “I’ve had the time to explore it, fortunately. But there’s still plenty that I haven’t seen. It keeps me excited about it.”

      Annja kept moving, focusing on the welfare of Jenny to keep her motivated. If they didn’t manage to somehow find her, then that would weigh heavy on Annja’s conscience. She just hoped that Joey’s grandfather would be able to somehow tune in to Jenny’s mind.

      After a solid hour of travel, Joey drew himself to a halt. He took a deep breath and then seemed to smell the air. Annja came up alongside him and took the moment of rest gratefully.

      “I don’t think I’ve ever moved so fast in my life.”

      Joey smiled. “Quite the workout, isn’t it?”

      “I’ll say. Are we close?”

      Joey closed his eyes. “Quiet for just a moment, okay?”

      “Okay.”

      Annja watched as Joey turned his head slowly from side to side until he locked in on one direction. He stayed quiet for two minutes and then opened his eyes. “You ready to go again?”

      “Uh…sure.”

      “Good.” Joey took off, motoring across the valley in front of them. At the base of the next hill, he leaned forward, putting all his weight onto his thighs. Annja copied his lead, and instantly her thighs screamed in protest. She was asking them to bear a lot tonight, but it was all for Jenny.

      She had to keep going.

      Joey crested the hill and then turned onto a new track. The number of trees seemed to be dwindling and thinning out. Annja felt a change in the air.

      Civilization.

      They had to be close.

      Forty yards farther on, Joey stepped out of the woods onto a paved road.

      “Where are we?” Annja asked.

      “Close,” Joey said. “Very close. This is the main road that runs from town out to the trailhead.”

      “I don’t recognize it.”

      “You wouldn’t have traveled this stretch coming from town.”

      Annja nodded. “Your grandfather lives out here by himself?”

      “He’s got me with him when I’m not out running around on my own.”

      Annja kept pace with Joey, determined not to let him wear her down entirely. “You’ve got a lot of freedom for someone as young as you are.”

      “You understand that, though, don’t you? The importance of being free. Not a lot of people do. I look at some of the other guys I know and their parents are terrified that they’ll get hurt so they keep them away from anything that might possibly harm them,” Joey said.

      “We live in a different world now,” Annja replied.

      “Problem is, we’re cutting ourselves away from the very earth that sustains us. No one understands nature anymore. It’s tragic.”

      Joey stopped and pointed ahead of them. Annja could make out what looked like a small driveway.

      “The house is up there,” Joey said.

      “I don’t see it.”

      Joey smiled. “Wait a second.”

      Annja watched and then saw lights come on in one of the rooms, faintly illuminating the small home. “How?”

      “He knows we’re coming,” Joey said. “Let’s go.”

      7

      As they approached the small house, Annja could see that the roof sagged in the middle and the gutters hung away from the roofline. The night’s storm could not have been much help to the obviously aged exterior, with its gray paint flaking off in piles by the stone foundation.

      A rough-hewn wooden rail led up to a planked porch. Two rain barrels set at either corner overflowed from the rainfall.

      “Great place,” Annja said.

      Joey smirked. “You’re kidding, right? It’s falling apart.”

      “Well, yeah, but in a nice rustic way.”

      Joey turned and mounted the steps. Annja followed, and as she did so the front door opened, letting out a wash of light onto the porch. Backlit, Annja could just make out the form of a man in a wheelchair waving them in.

      Joey bent and hugged his grandfather. “Grandpa.”

      “Creeping Wolf,” the old man said. “I see you’ve been busy tonight.”

      Joey nodded and stepped back, letting Annja into the house. “This is Annja Creed. She needs your help.”

      “About the woman?”

      Joey nodded.

      Annja frowned. “How does he know that?”

      Joey shrugged. “I told him.”

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