camp bigfoot

Camp Bigfoot Lisa Marie Arnopp

LisaMarieArnoppCampBigfoot

1

The Soccer Field After School

Colby’s head snapped back from the force of Edgar’s blow. Who teaches bullies

to fight anyway? Or are they born with the innate knowledge? Are people predestined to

be menaces? If they are, Edgar is definitely in that group. He didn’t swing his punch in a

lower to upper arc. He pulled his balled up right fist level with his head, drew it straight

back and thrust in a linear vector at Colby’s chin.

Dancing around on his left foot, Edgar swung his right, kicking Colby square in

the chest. He fell back and down – winded from the impact.

Let me stop here for a minute. Colby is one of my two best friends and the

coolest kid in school. For the record, we were friends before coolness was a factor. And

if you think being popular is generated because you follow the crowd you’re mistaken.

He’s a free spirit if not a “tad wild” and a natural born leader.

Being that he started kindergarten late, he is the oldest kid in eighth grade and one

of the tallest. He hit a growth spurt last summer and is thinner than ever but hardly

wimpy. His dark brown hair is straight and never trimmed. If anyone could stand up to

Edgar, it was Colby, but it wasn’t going to be without a beating.

Edgar closed in for the kill but Colby flung his legs and knocked his attacker flat

buying him needed time to recoup.

“What are you just watching for? Get them.” Edgar commanded his buddies as

he hustled to regain control.


2

It was five of them against three of us and unless you really stink at math, you get

that we weren’t going to walk away unscathed. One of Edgar’s cronies helped with

Colby, the other three made their way for Zach and me.

Zach, by the way, is my other best friend. Of the three of us, he is the shortest

and the roundest but most of the chub is in his face. His hair matches Colby’s color but

it’s very curly. He calls it a Jew-fro. Mom says I can’t do the same because someone

could think it’s racist. Like I would hate a certain group when one of my favorite people

ever was one of them.

Seeing we were out of options, Zach crouched down and shouldered the beefiest

of our oppressors in the gut. Using his hold around the guy’s midsection, Zach mule-

kicked the skinniest into a tree. Slim was out for a while and that left the fat one for me.

I’m Ted and I’m the average of the two in height, weight and waviness but my

hair and eyes are lighter brown than theirs. And other than play fights we occasionally

had, I was without any true warring experience.

Tiny, as I dubbed the last brute, rushed me. His blubbery middle undulated from

the motion and there was no doubt it was going to smart once contact was made.

SMACK. It hurt and before I knew it I was pinned under the behemoth as he shoved my

face into the lawn. If you’ve heard the expression “eat dirt” – this is what it means.

I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me go back some.


3

Bar Mitzvah

Two weekends earlier was Zach’s Bar Mitzvah. It was the biggest party I’ve ever

been to that wasn’t a wedding. His mother went all out and the way the adults were

treating him you’d think he’d run a marathon or cured cancer. We were a bit jealous but

we’re also happier for him than any of them. After all, we’re his best friends and that is a

stronger bond than family since it’s dictated by choice and not circumstance.

A good portion of the extravagance was due to Mrs. Brooks spending a small

fortune on the party. Since her husband is the best neurologist in the state, she had an

unlimited amount of money to spend on the affair for her only son.

Zach looked older than ever in his black suit and a tie – that matched his dad’s

perfectly. With so many relations on hand he didn’t have much time for us, so Colby and

I were one man down.

The three of us have been best friends since our first day of kindergarten when we

found Linus. He was a lizard we trapped in Tupperware. The only person more angry

than my mother, who said ruined her pristine food container, was Ms. Gayle our teacher.

She jumped three feet off the ground when his twitching discarded tail fell on the

linoleum. It was Colby’s fault we were caught and punished but our friendship was

cemented on that fateful day.

As excited as I was for Zach I was envious too. In the Jewish tradition a boy

comes of age at thirteen, that is to say Zach was a man. So why wasn’t I? Why was I


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considered a boy when I’m four months and three days older than Zach? I’ll tell you

why. Because my family is Catholic.

I have another four plus years before they’ll see me as a man. There is no way the

celebration will be a thousandth as phenomenal as Zach’s. If I am very lucky, I may get a

car. My sister Amanda got one with the provision she share it with our sister Tracey,

who is a year younger.

There are minor concessions that I’m aging. For one, they started calling me Ted

instead of Teddy. My sisters still called me Teddy but they were both at college so other

than Christmas and summer, I don’t have to hear it. And my bedtime and allowance go

up regularly provided I keep my stuff “tidy” and mow the lawn.

We had shared Zach enough and Colby called him over. We pilfered some

champagne flutes to toast. Of course it was Colby’s idea. Giving a cursory glance

around I met my mother’s eyes. She diverted Dad’s attention away as she slyly held up

one finger to denote that I would not be having seconds. Mom is good like that.

“Happy Birthday/Bar Mitzvah Zach!” Colby declared and we drank.

It didn’t taste so good. If soda had a shelf life and eventually went bad – it would

taste like champagne. Not wanting my friends to think I was a kid – I sipped small

amounts and swallowed as fast as possible. Bad flavor aside, it did make you feel dopey

in a good way. Before we were half way down I couldn’t hold back a snicker.

Zach, who had already enjoyed a few celebratory cheers, was laughing harder

than me and his face was flushed red. I mean bright red too. Brighter than the Cardinals’

uniforms.


5

Even the coolest kid in school, Colby couldn’t fight off the liquid tickle. “Man,

this stuff tastes like carbonated piss.” He joked pretending he wasn’t feeling tipsy.

Not that “piss” is really that bad of a word but it was on the gray line. None of us

could contain ourselves. We roared.

“Drinking much pee lately?” I shot back and pulled far enough away to be out of

the punch-zone. His arm swung my way but it was a lazy effort.

“I like it.” Zach lied through his hysterics. “Kids can’t appreciate the fine

flavor.”

“Dude, I’m a full year older than you.” Colby bragged and exaggerated. He only

has ten months on Zach.

“Yeah!” I chimed in. “Just because they throw you this party doesn’t make you

older than us.”

“The Chosen mature quicker than you gentiles.” Zach defended.

“You did not just call us gentiles.” Colby warned and closed in on Zach ready to

tussle.

“Stay back.” But Zach had failed to keep a safety distance between them.

It was like David and Goliath. Colby was the oldest, tallest and fasted. He

towered over Zach by half a foot. Without a mystical slingshot, Zach didn’t have a

chance. They tumbled from their chairs and the older had the younger pinned to the grass

in less than a minute.

“Get off! You’re ruining my suit you uncircumcised Philistine.” Zach said

laughing so hard he snorted as he pleaded helplessly.

“Take it back!” Colby had the birthday boy trapped in a half nelson.


6

“Gentile.” The obstinate fool repeated.

Finally I moved to referee. “That’s enough. He can call us whatever he wants on

his birthday. We’ll discipline him later.”

Reluctantly Colby released his captive and they both ironed out their wrinkles

with their palms. The grime wasn’t going to disappear as easily. Mrs. Brooks glowered

our way but let it pass.

“What did you get?” I asked knowing Zach had big expectations for his gifts.

“Grandma and Grandpa are taking us to New York for Spring Break. They

wanted to take me to Jerusalem with one friend but I negotiated.”

I understood. None of us could ever choose between the other two – ever – so he

talked them into a cheaper trip with two friends.

“Grandpa didn’t like the ‘change of venue’ but Grandma joked I’d see just as

many Jewish people and traditions in New York City. I tried to get them to go to

Scotland and see Loch Ness but no dice.”

“New York is excellent.” Colby approved. “We’ll have to go to the new Yankee

Stadium.”

“What did you get from your parents?” I asked.

“Dad finally agreed to go to Roswell next summer. We’re going to try to make it

for the UFO Festival.” He had earned the trip with years of pleading, bargaining and

outright begging.

“You and your nutty mysteries.” Colby shook his head.


7

Zach has an obsession with all kinds of crazy legends and myths. Aside from the

big puzzles in life – aliens, sea monsters, Bigfoot, Chupacabra – he also keeps up on

ghost stories, lost treasures and legends local, national and abroad. We’ve pressed him

countless times to see if he really believes these stories. He never confirms or denies.

My theory is that he hopes that at least one is proven true some day.

“Does that mean you’re going to skip out?” Zach tested Colby.

“No.” He wasn’t a fool. An adventure was an adventure and we didn’t split up

often. “But we aren’t going to meet normal girls in Roswell, New Mexico.”

Girls! Now there was a problem quickly approaching us on the horizon. We

were all taking more notice of the fairer sex but Colby was embracing them whole-

heartedly. And since, unlike Zach and me, he was taller than most of the girls in our

class, he got attention in return. He was a brazen connoisseur and found something

redeeming in all the ladies – even Jen who was a self-absorbed brat and inches taller than

him. Per Colby, she had great hair. It was shiny and wavy and went down to her waist

but she was still mean.


8

Mysterious Things

Perhaps the booze had slowed our senses because I struggled to keep my eyes

fully opened. Zach gabbed on about his research for our Roswell trip and Colby had a

faraway look.

“Sasha is kind of hot.” Colby mused glancing into the crowd.

“Hello! That’s my cousin you’re sexualizing.” Zach slugged his arm.

“And she’s a senior in high school.” I reminded Colby, not that I thought he

considered her a viable option. Colby merely admired the scenery. I didn’t always agree

with his eclectic taste but I couldn’t argue against Sasha.

“True.” Colby relinquished and scanned the crowd.

Following his example I scoped out prospects but lacked the knack. It wasn’t that

girls weren’t fascinating – which was frustrating since it wasn’t so long ago that they

merely annoyed me. It was that they were all removed from me in some inexplicable

way. Knowing you weren’t on their radar made it harder to enjoy them on yours.

Except for Margo and Becca. Those were two girls that any man of thirteen could

appreciate even if they didn’t acknowledge his existence. And there they were not

acknowledging my existence and looking even more glorious than usual.

Maybe since they were inseparable they had morphed to look alike but that made

them twice as nice. Margo’s hair was a bit blonder and straighter than Becca’s. Both

were as tall as me or really I should say I was as tall as them because they reached the

height first. Unfortunately, they were in heels. I’d keep my distance or they would

notice I was a runt. Keeping away was a good option. My brain tended to shut off in

their presence and it completely disappeared if they so much as smiled or looked my way.


9

How long had I been staring? Too long. Margo caught my eye and then

motioned to Becca. In unison, they waved at me and giggled. Didn’t that make me feel

better? Blushing I turned away and focused on the empty glass in front of me.

Colby’s head oscillated as he continued to spy. “Isn’t that a lovely sight?” He

pondered looking in the direction of the two beauties.

“Why don’t you ask her out?” Zach asked. Like me, he thought it was time for

Mr. All-talk to step up and hit. “She obviously adores you.”

“It’s tempting.”

“Which one? Becca or Margo?” I was unaware that Colby had zeroed in on

either of them. How did he ever prioritize one over the other? It wasn’t until school

started that year that I was even sure which was which since Becca got braces.

“Ellie!” Colby said mildly miffed. “And I’m better off approaching Becca or

Margo. At least they’re predictable.”

Ellie? She lived two doors down from me and was not usually a topic of

discussion. As far as girls went – she was pretty all right. I mean, she could throw a ball

and she liked all animals. And I don’t just mean cats and rabbits but snakes and spiders.

When Mr. Titus brought in a tarantula for the class, Ellie was one of the few girls that let

it walk on her hand. Even Zach didn’t manage that level of comfort with Sheila the

spider. His forte was cryptids not arachnids.

“I’ve never seen her dressed up before.” Zach agreed with Colby’s appraisal.

If only I had the will power to take no notice of them I wouldn’t have to look

back. But I didn’t so I looked and standing with Margo and Becca was Ellie looking –

well looking like a girl. She was shorter than the blonds and her soft brown hair was not


10

in the usual ponytail. In fact, it was curled in ringlets and a pink ribbon separating the

loose strands from her bangs. The bangs were new. And I had seen her in a dress but not

one as frilly as her pink one.

“Act normal. She’s coming this way.” Colby said but ignored his own good

advice as he primped himself. It was needed after his roll on the grass with Zach.

It was only Ellie – dress or no dress she wasn’t going to judge Colby harshly. For

one thing, she could hardly speak in his presence or Zach’s. And to prove my point, she

was as bashful as ever.

“Happy birthday Zach.” She managed.

“Thanks.” He grinned.

“What happened to you?” She noted his disheveled appearance.

“Colby tried to kiss me.”

A sudden gasp of a laugh escaped my lips as Colby blushed. Ellie turned to a

pretty shade that matched her pretty dress. Zach was the clown of the three of us and

always had a witty comeback especially when you didn’t want one.

“Oh.” She didn’t know how to respond to such an absurd accusation.

“I wasn’t kissing him even though he begged for it.” Colby quickly recovered.

“He needed some putting in his place.” And surely there would be another bout for

Zach’s latest transgression of embarrassing him in front of Ellie.

She fudged with her pendant – she was actually wearing jewelry – and scrunched

her eyebrows together. “Well, um, I wanted to thank you for inviting me.”


11

My eyes rolled and she glared at me. I didn’t mean to be critical but Zach invited

the whole class and half of the town as far as I could tell – even Edgar the scariest kid in

class. “You look nice.” I blurted out to change the topic.

Her cheeks went pinker and then she reverted to her old self – the one that didn’t

take compliments. “I look like a Barbie reject.”

“No you don’t.” Colby countered.

“Not as nice as you boys.” She smiled but didn’t look at us.

If Ellie liked how he looked, I don’t get why she averted him. Sure, I’ve been

embarrassed before but if I thought Becca or Margo was interested in me, I wouldn’t look

away. Perhaps Colby’s clues weren’t clear enough for her. It must be harder to see it

when someone appreciates you. Since he mentioned it earlier, I could tell he was

intrigued but without the heads up, I’m not sure I could have deciphered his intentions.

“Anyway, Aunt Claire has to work tonight, so we’re leaving.” She tucked her

hands into her pockets causing the skirt to flare out a bit.

Ellie’s aunt was her guardian and a nurse with odd hours. Her mother had passed

away when Ellie was born. Claire’s brother was Ellie’s father but for some reason she

lived with Claire. It wasn’t the usual family unit but Ellie was loved. She saw her father

often and always came back with a fantastic tale of some grand adventure. They were

always short trips. After hearing her last tale of New York, I was enthralled and glad that

I’d get to visit the Big Apple for myself.

“We’re hanging out at Ted’s tomorrow if you want to stop by.” Colby invited to

my sheer annoyance. For one, I didn’t know that was the plan for Saturday and then

there was the little fact that it wasn’t his house to be extending invitations.


12

“Maybe.” She went from a soft pink to a sharp crimson and walked off.

As soon as she was gone I hit Colby. “Why did you do that?”

He watched her snake through the crowd towards her aunt. “Was she wearing

perfume? I think she was wearing perfume.”

It wasn’t that I didn’t think the time was coming that we would have to hang out

with girls. It was that I didn’t want to be there on his dates. Okay – and it bothered me

that he chose Ellie. I decided not to make a stink and instead filed the information

knowing that the day would come that I would need his help. And let’s face it. I was

going to need a lot of help if girls ever got around to noticing that I existed. The odds

were better that aliens would notice me before girls would.

“Hey, do you think we could spend the night tomorrow?” Zach inquired. “To

celebrate my birthday.” They were over so often, it wasn’t a surprise they saw it as their

home too. At least Zach had the decency to ask permission.

“It won’t be as nice as this party.” I admitted easily.

Zach sighed. “This is great but it’s great when it’s just us too.” He may be a man

but we were still his best buds.

“I’ll let you know if Mom and Dad say no.”

“They won’t.” Colby predicted knowing my parents well. After my two older

sisters eroded their sense of discipline, I usually got what I wanted provided it wasn’t

outrageous. They were even tolerant of the “wild” Colby’s potentially bad influence on

me.

“We need an adventure.” Zach surmised. “We haven’t done anything fun since

August.”


13

It had been a good summer. We expanded our world taking full advantage our

bikes allotted us. With the stretched circumference we explored parts of town that had

been otherwise off limits. Our favorite spot was up in the canyon by a creek off the

beaten path and teeming with all kinds of creatures.

“Let’s ride up to the creek. We can take a tent and spend the night.” I suggested

missing our long treks without parental supervision.

“Your dad won’t let us do that.” Colby said and it was probably a good call.

Camping alone would be deemed Outrageous by Ted Sr. “We need something new,

something BIG.”

“Hi guys.” Becca practically sang as the two girls strolled up.

“Fab party.” Margo added.

Terror locked my jaw shut and I grinned stupidly hoping to disguise my muteness.

“Happy Bar Mitzvah.” They said in synch and gave Zach a big hug.

He was paralyzed with fear and Colby and I exchanged knowing glances. All the

girls loved Zach because he was so nice and cute. Mom often said he was going to be a

lady-killer when he got older. I looked it up. She meant girls would chase him and

nothing homicidal.

“It will be hard to top this bash.” Becca nodded to Margo.

“What mine will lack in size, it will make up in panache.” Margo promised.

“Dad got front row seats to an upcoming concert his company is organizing.” She was

being purposely mysterious but we got the picture.


14

My mouth dropped to the floor. There was one major tour that all kids were

buzzing about and no doubt Margo’s father, who was big in the music business, was able

to score fantastic seats.

“Sirens of Love?” Colby spoke the name with absolute reverence.

“With back stage passes.” She confirmed with relish. If there was anything that

wasn’t perfect with Margo and Becca it was their overconfidence. Margo, more than

Becca, was spoiled – maybe not rotten but spoiled nonetheless – way more than Zach.

The party wound down but the girls stayed for another hour and chatted with us.

By us, I mean Colby and Zach because every time I thought of something cool to say,

someone beat me to it or I reevaluated it to be lame. Still, I was right there nodding and

listening to every word that was spoken.

Colby had them captivated and Zach was his sidekick. Even so, as soon as they

went their merry way, he asked if Ellie would really come by the next day. The first

time, it wasn’t too bothersome but after the fifth I felt like he forgot that I was his friend

not her. Plus, Ellie and I used to be friends and I didn’t want to work her like that. Then

there was the little known fact that we had a falling out.

“I don’t know.” I repeated apparently without disguising my disgust because he

frowned.

“I’m too eager.”

“Kind of.” Zach admitted.

“When did you start liking Ellie anyway?” It was news to me and not of the good

variety kind.

“I don’t know.” He evaded. “She’s just kind of different and that’s cool.”


15

“Different is an understatement.” I grumbled.

Ellie is the kind of kid that over-analyzed everything. She even went through a

vegetarian phase because she hated how humans lorded over animals. Something that I

guess was a sin against nature. Her aunt put an end to it by showing her that even

without human interference, there’s a food chain and everything had its place. After that,

Ellie got into yoga and meditation. Her aunt and her are in my mother’s class at the gym.

Mom adores Ellie and Aunt Claire is probably her best friend. It’s good to see

Mom hang with someone her age once in a while. She had spent all her time taking care

of the family that she kind of went weird when Tracey left for college. Dad called it

maternal overdrive. It was last year and it was too much attention for me to handle alone.

My house became the usual haunt for us. Colby and Zach were able to dilute some of the

hovering but it wasn’t until last spring that Mom really eased up thanks to Aunt Claire.

On the flip side, Claire and Ellie were over often. It didn’t take me long to

remember to change out of my pajamas before going to breakfast. The few mistakes I

had made were scarred in my memory. Iron Man was cool sleepwear before Ellie saw

me parading around the kitchen.

Then there was the fact that Ellie would get bored with the women talk and

wandered until she found me. Mother said she was a naturally curious girl that liked to

explore with a friend her age. It was plain nosiness by my account. I never told the guys

or Mom but I made Ellie cry once when I shooed her out.

Just thinking about it brought back the guilt.


16

“Is different good?” Zach asked Colby.

“Trust me.” He answered sagely. “My dad dated for years before he met my

stepmom. Before they got married I asked why he chose her.”

Because she’s gorgeous. I thought.

“He said because she knew how to have fun and be a lady.” Colby saw we

weren’t getting it. “She can camp and hike and he even took her fishing once. Maybe

she didn’t like fishing, mostly because of the smell, but she tried. Dad said that was the

kind of girl to fall for.”

It still didn’t make any sense. One day I’d probably get it better but all I could

think was if Becca or Margo didn’t like fishing, I wouldn’t fish. How hard was that to

figure out?


17

Costco Day

Saturday is Costco day. We always eat breakfast at a diner and try to get to the

store before it’s so full we have to circle for a parking stall. Mom and Dad go regardless

but I like to accompany them since they have memory lapses when it comes to some of

my favorite snacks.

“Mom?” I said as she put her ID back in her purse getting the obligatory head

nod from the greeter. “Is it okay if Colby and Zach spend the night?”

“I don’t see why not?”

Dad sighed. “Any special occasion?” He thought we were eating him out of

house and home. It had been voiced before. When my sisters were still in high school

three kids wasn’t a problem but apparently teen boys eat their weight in food everyday.

“Zach’s birthday.”

“Yesterday’s party wasn’t big enough?”

“Honey.” Mom chided. “Should we get a little cake?”

Another sigh as my dad envisioned dollar bills flying out of his wallet. His frugal

side started after Amanda went to college. When Tracey followed, he got way too close

to cheap.

“We don’t need it but could we?” I made sure all my teeth showed as I smiled

hard to preempt Dad’s rebuttal.

“Chocolate or yellow? Ooo, or we can get short cake and strawberries.” She

gave a gentle but firm face to her spouse that it wasn’t going to cause bankruptcy and

ruin.


18

“Definitely chocolate.” I was partial to yellow but Zach’s fave was chocolate and

so was Dad’s. Got to keep the old man happy.

“Good thing I got promoted.” He muttered and shoved the cart forward.

“You got promoted.” I don’t really understand what my dad does at the office but

he wears a suit every day. “That’s great.”

“It means more travel.” From his tone, he saw that as a catch.

“And a company car.” Mom added. “A Caddy. Can I say Caddy or does that

sound gauche?”

He squinted his eyes and shook his head. Then he went to get a bag of dog food.

Joey was on the eat-them-out-of-house-and-home plan with us.

We got the usual items; beef jerky, sodas, juice boxes, cereal (some good and

some sugar free), and healthy snack foods. Dad didn’t want to wait for the cake to be

iced with a birthday greeting so we went without.

By two in the afternoon the guys were over and we joyfully killed alien invaders

from outer space in my living room. Joey was curled up on the couch watching with one

eye. He was a rescue puppy from the pound and we had no idea how large he would

grow or that he would look so much like a wolf. His appearance and his possessiveness

make him a solid watchdog.

“Should we call Ellie and tell her we’re here?” Colby tried to sound nonchalant.

“She’ll figure it out.” I moaned. Was this how it would be with girls in the

picture?

“But we didn’t give her a time. She may not feel welcome.” He had a tone that

added I didn’t do enough to ensure her attendance.


19

She wasn’t really welcomed but I didn’t comment. At least not with them there.

Not without me fixing things between us.

“What’s going to happen next year?” Zach’s voice squeaked.

“We’ll lose our head of school status.” Colby was pleased when we passed

seventh grade and were officially the dominant class. High school meant we were

bottom of the caste system again with three long years before we ruled.

“But what about us?”

This I understood. Would we remain friends when we got into high school? It

was a fear that I held secret and after hearing it from Zach, I kind of wished he hadn’t

mentioned it either.

“What do you mean?” Clearly Colby hadn’t caught on.

“He means you’re kind of cooler than us.” It was out of the bag and I took the

opportunity to express my like concerns.

“And you’re both cooler than me.” Zach overstated.

“Nonsense. We’re friends forever.” It was believable when we were sitting in

my den but how would it pan out in a cruel world of cliques and peer pressure. In our

class we were all liked but Colby was so popular it overflowed onto Zach and me.

Losing the popularity I could live with. But life without Colby would be dull.

“How many grade school friends do your parents still keep in contact with? And

Facebook doesn’t count.” I challenged.

“Two.” Colby answered easily. “And I plan to follow in his footsteps.”

That was the best thing he ever said. I felt a warm happy fuzzy inside.

“Hello.” Ellie said shyly from the doorway. “You’re mom let me in.”


20

“Ellie.” Colby stood up leaving his video character to be slaughtered by an alien.

Joey followed to greet Ellie as well. For some reason, he adored her and that was the

lone demerit on his guard dog resume. When she was ten, he frightened her but he won

her over the hard way. By knocking her to the ground and licking her to near drowning.

It was rare for him to approve of anyone and never that quickly. Ellie said animals often

took a shine to her.

“Nice going Colby.” Zach complained as we defended our spaceship against an

onslaught with two soldiers.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb your game.” She scratched Joey’s ears and

fidgeted on her feet. She fidgeted a lot. Kind of annoying really.

“Nonsense. Want to play?” Colby held out his arm inviting her to choose a seat.

“I’ve played a couple of times.” She hung her head. It was with me before I

scared her off.

“Sit down.” Colby gave her a controller and restarted the game even though we

were coming back after his retreat. How would we stay friends in high school in the light

of how much he changed around Ellie? She was one girl. A full school of kids would be

even more imposing to our triad.

It had been weeks, maybe months, since I rudely excused Ellie but she hadn’t lost

the feel of the game. After a while, it felt like old times. Admittedly, it wasn’t all bad.

In her shorts and tee, she was one of the guys again instead of the creature that muted the

loquacious Colby. Then he decided we should play in pairs and of course his plan was to

team up with Ellie. At least Zach and I managed to take the lead.


21

“So Ellie, how’s that vegan thing going?” Colby asked as we cornered him

without proper backup.

“We try to keep it meat-lite but every once in a while we eat filets and I feel like a

monster for a week.”

“We’re having burgers for dinner.” I announced with glee. “Extra rare.”

“You’re staying.” Colby missed my poignant point and waited with bated breath

for Ellie’s affirmative. Somehow I needed to reclaim my house from these guys. It was

my space I shared with them and not a communal hotspot for all.

“I can.” She said as she murdered Zach and me with skills no girl should possess.

I tossed my controller down. “Anyone need a refill?”

“I’ll help.” Colby shadowed me into the kitchen. “What’s up with you?”

“What?” I pulled the door of the fridge so hard the ketchup fell out. The bottle

was plastic, so no mess but it proved I was playing dumb. I grabbed the soda and shut

the door.

Colby glared at me waiting for a real answer.

“You get so airheaded around her. We’re your friends.”

“Is that it?” He smiled and put fresh ice in our cups.

“How are we suppose to survive into our middle ages if you toss us aside for the

first skirt that flutters by?”

“What if it was Becca in there? Or Margo?” He took the 2-liter bottle from my

hand and poured.

“I wouldn’t ignore you guys.” And that was the truth because the ladies would be

fawning over him like he was the last man on earth.


22

“Relax. She’ll leave after dinner and then it will just be us again and you’ll wish

you had a distraction.”

“She isn’t a distraction for Zach and me.”

“Don’t be mad because she shot you. It’s only a game.” He was giddy and that

only soured my mood more. “You know what we need to do? We need to go out on a

triple date. Maybe with Becca and Margo to their concert.” His eyebrows eagerly

bounced. “That could be our big adventure plan. Do you think Zach will go for it?”

Sidestepping him, I stormed back to find Ellie showing Zach some tricks on the

game. And if that wasn’t bad enough – and it was – she was explaining how to expose a

weakness in my strategy.

“You’re really good for a girl.” Zach praised.

She rolled her eyes and accepted her refreshment. “Is it okay if I stay through

dinner?” Translation; is the banishment lifted?

I wanted so badly to say no but at that moment Mom walked in and answered for

me. “Great idea. I’ll call Claire to join us. We’re having cake for Zach.”

“Gee. That’s nice.” Zach hadn’t known about the cake. So much for the surprise

factor.

Why were women ruining my dinner party?

“We’ll make tofu burgers.” Mother decided knowing our neighbors were partial

to vegetarian fare.

“Mom!”

“For the girls. You men can eat beef.” She amended and went off to the market

to get fake food for our unwelcome latecomers.


23

“You’re mother is super nice.” Ellie needlessly remarked.

“Ellie, what do you know about Margo’s birthday concert plans?” Colby probed.

“Nothing. What concert?”

“Sirens of Love.”

“She is so spoiled.” She said enviously but accurately. “Are you guys invited?”

“No.” I said coolly.

“You will be.”

“Why?”

“They were asking me about you yesterday.”

Looking back, it was odd that they were conversing at the party. The blondes

were selective in who they chummed around with and Ellie was not their type. “You

mean asking about Colby.” I surmised.

For a second she had a sad expression. “Him too. All three of you. I guess they

realize if they want one of you to go, you all have to be invited but Margo asked about

you Ted.”

We both got kind of uncomfortable but Colby was charged with the tidbit of

gossip. “Margo likes Ted?”

I didn’t take my eyes off Ellie too enthralled with the potential of what she was

saying. It would be better than meeting an extraterrestrial but don’t tell Zach I said that.

I surveyed for any signs of deceit. She wasn’t like that but my self-doubt was

exceptionally high.

Ellie nodded. “She thought, well she thought we were an item or something but I

set her straight.”


24

Her words flew out so quickly I wasn’t wholly sure she said what I heard. Why

would they think that?

Colby gave me a fist bump – well he moved for one but I was stone solid – so he

softly socked me. “Outstanding. We’ll be backstage with the band.”

Stunned I couldn’t do more than blink. Maybe Margo was playing a prank. Now

that was her style. “She’s pulling your leg.” I finally muttered.

“Doubt it.” She deduced. “Why bring it up to you if she wasn’t going to ask you

along? I mean – she’s vain but not malicious.”

“We’ll see.” Hope battled fear as my mind processed the possibility of the

prettiest girl in school wanting to ask me to her party. After that time flew by at

supersonic speeds until it was time to get ready for dinner.


25

Backyard Barbeque

Colby helped Ellie set the patio table and I wanted to hurl. In a flash of genius, I

redirected my energy into lighting the barbeque. Zach must have been on the same

wavelength because the flames flared up taller than the house before subsiding.

“Careful.” Dad said nervously. “Go help your mother in the kitchen. If the fire

marshals arrives tell him the inferno is contained.” As you can tell, Dad isn’t a funny

man. Not that that fact stops him from trying.

After all the fresh toppings were sliced, the condiments fetched and the salad

tossed, we ate. There is something about a grilled burger that makes it better and no one

is as great as Ted Sr. when it came to backyard cooking.

Aside from the fact that Colby had a tofu burger instead of beef, it was a pleasant

evening and somehow more true than the gala the day before for Zach’s birthday. Even

Joey enjoyed a small patty. It’s easy to take simple moments for granted but for some

reason I didn’t miss the pure satisfaction.

“We’ll have to have a girls night out next week.” Mom said to Claire.

“I’m only gone for one weekend.” Dad sassed. “Don’t get too crazy.”

“We won’t.”

“Another time. Ellie and I are going to see my mother.” Claire declined.

“We are?” Ellie said sitting between Colby and me, which I took as symbolic.

Immediately I started making Ellie-free plans beginning with a monster movie

marathon, video games until our eyes bug out and of course all red meat meals.

“She left a voice mail this afternoon.” Claire sounded foreboding. “Didn’t

explain what the urgency was.”


26

“Where does she live?”

“She runs a property up in the hills. Lots of cabins for camping, if you count

running water and air conditioning camping.”

“Sounds idyllic.” Mom was never much for roughing it and those provisions

were incentivizing.

“All weekend.” Ellie sat up straighter enthusiastic over the chance of seeing her

grandmother.

“We leave after school on Friday.” Claire picked at her cake with her fork

lacking the energy of her niece. “Vicky, you could come with us.” She asked my mom.

Colby eyed me. He was thinking my mother takes me and we take them.

Dad snickered. “Vicky doesn’t camp.”

“It’s hardly camping. The cabins are fully equipped.”

“With satellite and internet?” I asked hoping those were too civilized for

mountain life.

“No.” Claire confessed. “And even the cells are a bit sketchy but there are plenty

of hiking trails, canoeing, rock climbing and horses.”

She had outdone me. It sounded like fun and I found myself wanting.

“I don’t need television or computers.” Mom hypothesized. “An unplugged

couple of days would be nice for the boys.” She was already calculating bringing Colby

and Zach with us. “And if there’s no television, there’s no video games.”

At that revelation, I could have started packing. Mom had tight restrictions on the

number of hours I was permitted and I never stayed under par.


27

“I’m in.” Colby casually leaned in towards my mother as he brushed shoulders

with Ellie. “We’ll have so much fun.”

Aunt Claire considered Colby more carefully than ever as he flirted with Ellie.

“You boys will be in one of the cabins. We’ll stay in the main house with Mom.” She

clarified critically.

“Can you horseback ride?” Colby missed Aunt Claire’s veiled warning.

Ellie nodded.

“You’ll have to teach me.”

I held my tongue. If he hadn’t ever ridden before, and I found that hard to

believe, he would just get on and try without lessons like he did everything else. He was

making a play. You have to give him points for effort. As Dad always says, no guts, no

glory.


28

Making Big Plans

The good news was Claire and Ellie left after dinner. The bad news was Colby

decided to talk about Ellie at nauseam. Blah, blah, blah, isn’t Ellie so cute? Blah, blah,

blah, do you think we’ll go camping? Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

“Does Ellie come over all the time?”

I knew he was jealous but it made me feel guilty because she use to. “Some.” I

dodged, as was my way.

“Try to fish for some info next time, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah.” I guess that was my fill because I decided then and there to find a

way to end this before it started. What I needed was a new interest to get his mind off

Ellie. No, that wouldn’t do. It would just reset with a new girl in sight and maybe that

girl wouldn’t be as cool as Ellie. Yes! Ellie bugged me to no end but she also didn’t.

My mind mulled it over. Perhaps getting them together would get us through the

infatuation phase faster. Was that only a phase? I’d have to search on line and see if

there was any timelines in cyberspace about relationships life cycles. Somehow, that idea

didn’t set well with me either.

“Have you ever kissed a girl?” Zach asked Colby.

Yuck! I didn’t want him kissing Ellie. Why couldn’t we stay the way we were?

Why were we even wasting our time talking about girls? And if we were going to

discuss the mystery of girls, why did Colby have to like Ellie?

“No.” He shook his head. “Well, Becca kissed me in fourth grade but that doesn’t

count.”

“Why not?”


29

“We were nine for one.” He mouthed off. “And it was because I saved her from

a snake. She didn’t know it was my pet snake that had escaped from my backpack or else

she wouldn’t have rewarded me.”

“Was it on the mouth?”

He nodded. “But it wasn’t romantic or anything. She was practically hysterical.

I don’t think it counts if she’s crying at the time.”

“You kissed on the mouth.” Zach was in pure awe. Admittedly it was impressive

news.

“It isn’t the same. Just the thought of kissing Ellie…” He held his hand over his

stomach.

It made me feel the same.

“Holding her hand, I’ll start there.” As usual, Colby had a well-laid plan.

“Then you’ll work up to a real…” Zach hugged his pillow and proceeded to

make-out vigorously.

Colby leaned back on the floor with his hands behind his head. “Some day.”

“Camping sounds like fun.” I schemed to move on to a more enjoyable

conversation and end his fantasizing.

“If I work it right, we’ll be on the same horse together. That means she’ll have

her arms around me.”

My scheme failed miserably.

“What if you’re sitting in the back?” Zach teased.

“Better. I can smell her hair.”

“Coconut.”


30

“What?” Zach leaned on his elbow with a quizzical face towards me.

“What what?”

“You said coconut.”

“Did I?”

“Ted, what if Margo asks you to the concert?” Zach thankfully brought up a more

tolerable topic.

If we were going to talk girls, this was the way to do it. “I’ll say yes.”

“If you don’t forget how to talk.” Colby joked and reclined.

“Then I’ll nod. She probably won’t ask.” It seemed unlikely it would happen.

“Don’t think like that. Baby steps. At school, be friendly and don’t avoid them.

They’ll need an opportunity to ask.”

“They?”

“Well, she isn’t going to ask you alone. Margo is tied to Becca’s side and vice

versa.”

Great. I’ll have to face them both. Even if they planned to talk to me, I could

never manage both of them at once. Who was I kidding? One was enough to send me

running for the hills.

“Be cool.” Zach offered. He understood the fear factor that Colby missed.

“Anyway, this camping trip could be a lot of fun and I’m not talking about getting a

cheap feel pretending to need riding lessons.”

“What could be more fun than…”

“What do you have in mind?” I cut Colby off.

“A Bigfoot hunt.”


31

“Bigfoot? There’s no such thing.” Colby blasted without thinking.

“Who cares?” I said to Colby’s surprise and he remembered we agreed not to rain

on Zach’s insane beliefs. “We’ll go on line and see if there are any reports of Sasquatch

in the area and we’ll retrace their steps.”

“Exactly.” Zach voice went a little too high and cracked. “There are reports all

over the hills so I’m sure we’ll find a good one close by. Please Colby. It’ll be so much

fun and I can take my new camera Uncle Ben got me.”

Uncle Ben had done his shopping well. He got Zach a great digital camera. It

was of the smaller persuasion but it had all kinds of enhancing techniques built in

including panoramic images and night vision.

Colby’s mouth turned up at the corners. “If we do this, we do it right.” The fever

spread to our unofficial leader. “We only have a week to prep. We’ll print a map of the

hiking trails.”

“Screw that. We’ll get a satellite image of the area. It’ll have everything on it.

I’ll have it by Monday.” Zach had his new laptop humming to life prepared to start his

research right there.

“What about Ellie? What if she wants to come?”

Zach threw a pillow at him. “Shut up about Ellie already.”

How Colby pounced so quickly from flat on his back, I couldn’t say. All I know

is they were rolling on the floor towards me and then the three of us were knotted up like

an old shoelace. Dad barged in to quiet us down and ordered us to get ready for bed. Ten

minutes later he stopped by for lights out.


32

Once Dad was gone and the house was still, we got online and started mapping

out our Bigfoot hunt.


33

The Girl Invades

As promised by lunchtime Monday Zach had printed copies of a detailed map

showing the best trails that lead near Bigfoot encounters. Three locations were right off

the designated paths and easy to find. One was further in by a remote lake that was

probably a mile from the road. Both Colby and Zach were certain this was our best bet at

finding any incriminating evidence. Colby’s adventurous side was talking and Zach’s

inner nerd was one hundred percent in accordance. It was a verified combination for fun.

“Have we confirmed that we’re all going?” Colby asked as his eyes wandered

over to Ellie who sat in her customary spot reading a book that wasn’t part of our

mandatory list. As usual, she was solo.

“I guess so. Sounded pretty for sure on Saturday.”

“I’ll be back.” He moseyed over to the lone bibliophile and struck up a

conversation. It was amazing that he could set his fears aside to act but there were subtle

clues that he was shier than normal. He was rigid and kept swiping his hair out of his

eyes, a habit that drove Mom nuts.

Before long he sat next to her and she handed him the book. He closed it to see

the cover but never lost her page. Smooth.

“They’re going to start dating.” Zach prophesized.

“How serious can it get?” My parents didn’t let my sisters date until they were

sixteen. Not that they obeyed but things on the down low moved much slower. And

furthermore we were only in eighth grade.


34

“What’s this?” Jen snatched a map from Zach. Margo and Becca flanked her.

That was new. Jen didn’t pal around with the glamour girls because she considered them

trivial. “Bigfoot sightings? You believe in Bigfoot?”

“Never mind.” Zach tried to get it back but she was already showing the blonds.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

If the blondes weren’t there, I may have been braver. As it was, I kept quiet as a

chicken.

Since Zach didn’t say anything either, Jen continued. “What a couple of morons?

You think you’re going to get proof of an imaginary animal.”

“Give him his map.” Becca tentatively suggested. It was hardly commanding but

then she was more courageous than me.

Jen silenced her with a glare. “Just admit it. You believe in fairy tales.”

“We’re going to find one.” I snapped finally getting too angry to let her

intimidate me. Why did I say that? Oh yeah, I’m an idiot.

Her laughter was maniacal. “Why does Colby bother with you two losers?” She

crumpled up the map and threw it at us. Margo followed in her wake and so did Becca

after a soft “sorry” to us.

“Jerks.” I muttered.

“Becca’s cool.” Zach surprised me.

It crossed my mind that he may have a crush on her and for a moment I feared I’d

be forgotten by my friends. But Zach didn’t sound as dreamy as Colby did when he

talked about Ellie. His statement was defensive but not protective. “I guess she’s all

right. Jen, however, is a monster.”


35

“Probably a hostile alien life form from a barren wasteland planet. We’ll prove

that after we find Sasquatch.” And we laughed.

I looked up and saw Jen reporting to Edgar and his crew about us. I’m not that

paranoid but it was obvious when they looked our way and chuckled. Jen and Edgar

weren’t really friends so much as they liked to be in the middle of things when trouble

got started. Since both were instigators, they kept tabs on each other.

With ten minutes to spare, Colby returned to us with bleak news. “The camping

trip is off.”

“Why?” Zach’s face fell.

“What did you do to piss her off?” I mocked to cover up that it secretly pleased

me he might have messed things up so quickly.

Colby glowered my way and then explained his vague comment. “Change in

plans. Her aunt is going without her.”

“That sucks.” Zach frowned.

“We’ll save our plans and reschedule later.” I offered as consolation. Colby was

still disappointed and it had nothing to do with mythical woodland beings.

We gathered our trash and marched to our classroom quieter than the other eighth

graders. When I got home Mom had my traditional snack waiting for me. I plopped

down on the stool ready to eat my worries away.

“Everything all right?” She asked picking up the signs. Moms are smart like that.

“We heard that the camping trip is cancelled.”

“I didn’t know you were that eager to go a full three days without television.”

I snickered a little. “I’d make up lost time when we got back.”


36

“Claire felt bad about it. Next time they go we have an open invitation.”

“Cool.” I took a slice of apple and crunched down.

“We have some cake left over if you would like a piece.”

“Yeah.” Wait. That’s suspicious. Did I look that depressed to earn special

treatment?

With precision accuracy, she cut a slice. She slide the chocolately goodness over.

“Since Claire is going alone, Ellie will be staying in the girls’ room.”

“Here? Ellie is staying with us all weekend?” The cake was to soften the blow of

having to host a girl in my home.

“It’s so tragic. How will you ever survive?” Mom teased. “You do have two

sisters that lived here full time until recently.”

“And I just got rid of them.”

“Ted!”

“Honey?” Dad walked in earlier than usual and gave Mom a peck on the cheek.

“Not you. Teddy.”

I hate being called Teddy. Until I was eleven everyone called me Teddy but I

insisted that we shorten it to Ted when I got in sixth grade. The family took the longest

to adjust and neither Tracey nor Amanda even tried. Mom only reverted to it to

distinguish between Dad and me.

“Teddy was explaining how glad he is that the girls are gone.”

“Kidding, only kidding.” I explained.

“It’s okay son. We have the makings of a splendid man cave if we only got rid of

the big one.” He jabbed his thumb towards Mom who rolled her eyes and shook her head


37

as she sliced a second piece of chocolate for Dad. She used one cake to cushion two

blows.

“Mom’s not a girl.”

“I beg your pardon. I most certainly am a girl.”

“You’re a woman. Something must self correct when girls reach adulthood.”

My dad laughed so hard he spewed cake. It was seldom that he really gave a

bellyache-sized chuckle. “Write that down and note the date and time.” He grabbed

wildly for the notepad by the phone and started jotting. With a mischievous look he told

me he would remind me what I said several times in the course of my life including

prom, when I got engaged, married, found out my wife was pregnant and the day of my

child’s birth. He would have gone on if Mom didn’t put her hand over his mouth.

“Why are we discussing the female mystique?” Now his look was pensive. “Is

there a particular girl that we’re talking about?”

“Ellie.” Mom answered.

“Oh. She’s cute.” He smiled at me and I felt my face warm with embarrassment.

“No she isn’t. She’s invading my home.”

“What?”

“It turns out Claire is going to see her mother alone and she asked if we could

watch Ellie while she’s gone.”

“Oh.” Dad’s face wasn’t fully worry-free and glanced at me. “How long will

Claire be gone?”

“Really you two? It isn’t like Ellie has cooties.”

I wasn’t so sure. Something about her infected Colby in a disease like way.


38

“Ted, why don’t you get to your schoolwork?” Dad hinted for me to clear out.

I put my plate in the sink and collected my things. At my computer, I typed in

Colby and Zach’s name for a three way chat but only hovered my cursor over the begin

chat button. “Think about it.” I said to no one. “Colby is going to want to be over all

the time if he finds out she’s here.” Even if he wanted to, from the sounds of my dad, he

may ship me off to one of their houses for the duration. He didn’t like the idea of a girl

staying over night.

Closing the chat box I got out my history book and began our next chapter. Then

the computer binged at me. Did they already hear the bad news? But the IM wasn’t

from Colby or Zach.

Hello? It was from Ellie.

Hi. I wrote back and sat down wondering if we had ever chatted before.

Did you know I’m staying at your house for a few days?

Mom just told me. Was I supposed to tell her it would be fun or

something? I struggled for a moderate term of kindness without lying.

I promise to stay clear.

I gulped. Why?

She didn’t write back. Actually her status went to “offline.”

Often the guilt crept up but never so strong. Flopping on my bed I tried to drown

out my memories with loud music. I cranked my earphones up to the max but it didn’t

stop my brain from thinking or me from sleeping.


39

Guilty Nightmare

Is it considered a dream if it only replays a terrible moment in your life? My

psychotic brain decides to play out the full drama seeding my guilt. It all started at the

end of the summer when it was hotter than hell and I was grumpier than Grandpa when

dinner is running late.

I was in my room reading a graphic novel. The air pumped through the vents and

it was still too hot. The August sun shined in my window and I wasn’t paying attention

to the comic for two reasons. One, I had read it a few times. And two, Zach and Colby

were out of town with their families. I wasn’t happy about it since both had invited me. I

couldn’t go with either because we followed my sisters to college to help them settle in

even though it was already Tracey’s second year and Amanda’s third.

We had returned home that morning and the house hadn’t shaken off that

staleness from the lack of life it had over the few days of disuse. If it weren’t sweltering

out, my window would have been opened to air out my room.

Colby managed to send me an email since he had access to a computer. He was

visiting family so he used his cousin’s computer. Zach was unplugged in Florida. His

old laptop had died shortly before he left. A true nerd like him had everything backed up

on an external drive but that wasn’t going to give him access to email away from home.

His grandparents hadn’t embraced modern technology and his mother doesn’t allow Dr.

Brooks to take anything more than a smart phone on vacation.

Just as I began to nod off from boredom, Joey ran in at top speed and hopped on

my bed to give me a slobbering welcome home. It was great to see him but I knew that

downstairs was Claire and/or Ellie.


40

“Did you miss me?” I asked and he slobbered a big wet yes.

“He did.” Ellie knocked on the doorjamb. “Did you have fun?”

“Not really.” I answered. Joey, who hadn’t seen anyone but Ellie since we left,

went to her side and that made me mad.

“He’s a great dog.” She tried to look blameless as the traitorous pet pawed at her

shorts. Maybe she had dog treats hidden on her person to lure him away.

“Joey.” I patted the bed to tempt him back but he didn’t move until she scooted

him with her foot.

“It’s going to be awful empty around here without Amanda and Tracey.” She

liked my sisters a lot. That summer, they had taken her in as an honorary little sister and

Tracey especially enjoyed Ellie’s idolization.

“We’ll manage. Like we did last year.” I rolled my eyes. She hadn’t really

known them until that summer so it made sense that it was novel for them to be gone but

it was old news in the Miller family.

She cautiously moved to my desk and sat at the chair. “Want to go down to the

park?”

“It’s a hundred degrees out.” I barked.

“Yeah. I guess so.” She kicked her feet nervously.

Why didn’t she go hang out with Mom and Claire? Knowing them they were

about to go shopping or something dreadfully girlie like that.

Then she made another offer. “Maybe we can play some video games. I’m

getting the hang of Alien Army.”


41

Last time we played, she almost beat me so giving her a chance to actually win

didn’t appeal. “Nah.” I poked my nose deeper into my graphic novel hinting for her to

move along.

“That’s a good issue.” She pointed to my reading material.

“You read comics?” I gasped with more respect that I’d liked after a second

thought.

“Some. Not usually one so sexist. Aunt Claire got it by mistake when I was sick.

It wasn’t so bad. And in the end, the girl ends up saving him.” She covered her face

thinking she spoiled the story for me. “I shouldn’t have told you that.”

“I’ve read it.” It would have been wiser to let her think she ruined it for me but,

as usual, my mouth spoke before my brain thought.

“Oh good. I hope you don’t mind but we took Joey up in the hills.”

His ears perked up. I casually held his collar so he wouldn’t ditch me again.

“You didn’t? He could get ticks or run into a bear or something.”

“He’s fine.” She said wounded from the chiding. “We were at my grandma’s

campground. It’s completely safe.”

“Whatever. I’ll make sure Mom gets him checked out.” It wasn’t like we hadn’t

taken him camping before. He was more a beach hound but he did love to be in the wild.

Still, we didn’t give them permission to take him off the premises.

“I’m glad you’re back.”

“Me too. Can’t wait for Colby and Zach to get home.”

“Have you read any of our books for school?”


42

“I have one more to go.” I should have been reading that instead but I wasn’t in

the mood.

“Are you going to read the Hobbit? I did and then I read the Lord of the Rings

trilogy. They were really long but I couldn’t stop.”

Honestly, the Hobbit was top of my list until I saw how thick it was. I didn’t have

that kind of time or dedication for one book let alone to read three even more daunting

follow up tomes. Heck, I barely made it through the Goblet of Fire and that was with

much nagging from Mom. She still expected me to finish the Harry Potter series but I

was willing to live off the movies even if they did cut out some of the crazier characters.

“Do you want to go swimming?” She hunted desperately for some activity.

“Maybe later.” It was tempting considering the weather but not with her able to

see me shirtless.

“Your haircut looks good.”

I ran my hand through my hair. Mom cut it before our trip because it was

touching my collar. “Thanks.” But I didn’t sound thankful.

She fussed with her hands as she stared out the window thinking. “Want to go to

a movie? Theaters are great on hot days because they turn up the air so high. Aunt

Claire can drive us.”

As if I hadn’t been rude enough, my mind snapped and I went too far. “Don’t you

have any friends? Geez. You’re always bothering me.”

For a second she was stunned. It felt much longer. Then she cried and ran out of

my room.


43

“Wait.” I jumped up too slowly. She was gone. Mom and Claire were in the

kitchen catching up. From their cheery expression they must not have seen the distraught

Ellie’s escape. Back in my room Joey stared at me with judgmental eyes. “I didn’t mean

to do that.” I told him and he forgave me.


44

Busted

Suddenly my earphones were ripped off my head and Dad stood next to my bed

very upset. “You’ll get these back in a week!” He shook the confiscated item in his

hand. “Are you trying to blow out your eardrums or something?”

“No. I um…” I stuttered without an answer for him or me. “Sorry Dad.”

“Clean up. It’s dinnertime. It’s probably cold since we called you fifteen minutes

ago.” He stormed out emphasizing how pissed he was.

When I got to the table Mom gave me a quick frown but it converted to a smirk.

“We’ll talk later.”

Goody. A lecture. The day wasn’t going to get better.

“And you’re grounded.” Dad said taking a bite of his meal.

I didn’t need to ask for how long. It was for a week, just like the iPod.

“I thought we were going to let him stay at one of his friend’s houses this week.”

“Not now. He had his music so loud I could hear it from across the room.”

I swallowed a poorly chewed veggie and almost gagged.

“And you are not to have girls in your room.” Dad declared the new house rule.

It was a small gesture of penance to do the dishes without being told. Dad didn’t

think it was enough. He directed Mom to let me do it alone. She did, mostly. Mom was

particular on preserving leftovers. She stowed the extra food safely in the fridge in

Tupperware marked with the date before letting me complete the task.

Since I dozed off earlier, my homework waited patiently on my bed.

“Got a minute.” Mom poked her head in and whispered.

I nodded that I was ready for the sermon.


45

“What’s wrong with you and Ellie?”

If I hadn’t sighed I might have had a chance to avoid the interrogation but she

heard and knew she was onto something. “In the summer, I kind of kicked her out and

made her cry.”

“Ah.” How long had she suspected something? “And you haven’t gotten around

to telling her you didn’t mean it?”

I shook my head.

“You didn’t mean it, did you?”

“Kind of at the time – maybe a little – but I didn’t mean forever.”

“I bet she’d like to hear that.” She gave me a hug. “We aren’t so complicated.”

“Not you. You’re easy to live with but other girls don’t make sense.” Even my

sisters were too moody for me to handle at times. I did miss them now and again.

“Don’t listen to what your father said. We don’t get more complicated. You’re

just going to care more about what we think and feel as you get older.”

Was it a threat? It sounded like a veiled one and my head pounded harder as if it

was.

“Want some advice?”

Hadn’t she already given me some? “Sure.”

“Tell her what you told me before she comes over. The time will go a lot faster if

you do.”

“Okay Mom.”


46

Saying Sorry

Tuesday came and went without an opportunity to talk to Ellie. Well, I could

have hurried up to walk with her to school but my book bag was really heavy that day.

And after school, I didn’t think to slow down until I was already on our street.

Oddly enough, I didn’t mention my guest to the guys. So it wasn’t so odd but I

was grounded and if Colby tried to come over, I would only get in more trouble. Dad had

left on his business trip that morning but he made it clear that Mom was to keep watch.

Five minutes left on Wednesday and my time was running out. The next day Ellie

was going to be at my house and Mom wanted me to reconcile before then. I wanted it

too and Mom knowing held me accountable. When she learned I hadn’t gotten to it, she

said it was part of growing up and good for me. You know what would be great? If there

were things that were part of growing up that were easy. Why aren’t there any of those?

The bell dismissed us for the day and I told the guys I would see them later.

Sprinting to the soccer field I waited for Ellie. We usually crossed the field as a shortcut.

Sure enough, Ellie wasn’t long behind me. She turned around confused when I waved at

her.

“Hey.” She stammered when she got close.

“You know, we live right next to each other and since we’re going the same

direction, I thought we’d walk together if you want to because I would totally understand

if you didn’t because that one time I was cranky and said things I totally didn’t mean and

I could tell it hurt you which wasn’t my intention and I really don’t know what came over

me but it could have been a heat stroke because it was like a million degrees if I recall but

then again I can barely remember it and you probably don’t even know what I’m talking


47

about.” And then I breathed realizing I was nearly out of air from my soliloquy. A little

longer and I would have passed out.

“Okay.” She said probably still trying to interpret all the information that was

thrown at her.

“Okay.” If I nodded my head any harder it would have popped off. At least it

was behind me. The weight on my shoulders should be easing. And no, it wasn’t. We

headed home.

“So, why did you do it?”

“Huh?”

“Why did you say it?”

“I guess, I thought I meant it at the time but I didn’t. I had been on a road trip

with the family, it was hot, the guys were out of town and Joey was happier to see you

than me.”

“And it’s true. I don’t have any friends.”

“Well, not like a pack but you have friends. Colby and Zach like you and, and

we’re friends. We were before that day anyway.” It was a weak argument. She didn’t

have the gaggle of girls to cling to like most girls our age. It had dawned on me as

strange but she wasn’t an outcast. All the guys thought she was cool.

“Come on. You got stuck with me just like you’re stuck with me this week.”

“Doesn’t mean we aren’t friends.”

She glared at me and her eyes sparkled. Or they looked like they sparkled but

they were watering. Quickly she rummaged for sunglasses and deftly wiped them as she

hid her emotions behind Ray-bans.


48

“Ellie.” I held her arm so we could finish our talk before we got to our street. “If

you weren’t my friend I wouldn’t feel so bad since that day.”

Even her shades weren’t enough to hide that she cried.

“Friends.” I held out my hand and after a momentary inspection she shook it.

“We’ll see how this weekend goes. If you’re even around.”

I had never been so grateful to see a smile. “It’s just us all weekend. Grounded.”

“What did you do?” She started walking again.

“I was blasting my earphones.”

“You could ruin your hearing.”

“So I was told.”

“If we’re really friends will you tell me why Colby is always so chatty with me?

If he thinks I have the inside scoop to the Bobbsey twins, he’s wrong.”

“He thinks you’re cool.”

“You didn’t correct him?” She tested.

“You’re not? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I was going to but you kicked me out of your room.”

“Wouldn’t have believed you if you had.” We stopped walking and I realized we

were at her house. “Wow, the walk sure is faster when you have good company.”

“You’re overdoing it.”

“I’ll meet you here at a quarter till if you want to walk in together in the

morning.”

Her face contorted in doubt but she nodded.


49

“Mom, I’m home.” As usual, I made a beeline for the kitchen like one of

Pavlov’s well-conditioned dogs expecting a treat. There was a plate of crackers, cheese

and pear chunks next to a tall glass of water.

“Guess you got to business today.”

“How’d you know?” Some cracker crumbs fell out of my mouth as I spoke.

“Honey, it shows and don’t talk with your mouth full.” She held my chin and

debated giving me a kiss on the cheek. She knew it made me feel like a baby so she

simply smiled and that was enough to let me know how proud she was.

“It wasn’t easy.”

“But worth it?”

I nodded. “We’re good again.”


50

Another Man

The next morning I waited on the sidewalk by Ellie’s house but not long. She

hollered that she was off to school to her aunt and we walked.

“So, did Margo ever invite you to her concert?” She asked.

“No.” It hadn’t even crossed my mind what with important things like Bigfoot

and making amends occupying my thoughts. That and finding Bigfoot seemed like better

odds to me.

“She’ll wait until a week or two out.”

“Maybe.”

“Well, assuming she doesn’t find a new interest, she’ll ask you.”

Another glitch in the messy road of romance. Timing. “Probably already has a

new target in her scopes.”

“She is kind of finicky.” Ellie admitted.

“What about you?” I asked coyly. “Who is in your scopes?” Immediately I felt

the invisible barrier that I had vanquished the previous afternoon slide in between us.

Was it too personal too soon?

“Um, no one.” And if vagueness wasn’t a personal favorite tactic of mine, I

wouldn’t have known she had specific variable in mind. “And it doesn’t matter. I can’t

date until I’m eighteen.”

“Eighteen?”

“Grandma says she’ll get that lowered in time.”

And I thought Dad was strict. “What if a guy wanted to ask you out?”

“Don’t know. No one has yet?” Her voice was faint.


51

“What if you could date? Are you saying there aren’t any guys that you’d want to

ask you out?” Please don’t say Colby. I was sure she had someone in mind. All I

needed was his name and for it to be anyone else.

“I’ll cross that bridge when I get there.” She averted for a second time. “What

about you?”

“Well, I’m not going to tell Margo no if she asks.”

“Do you like Margo?”

An arm grabbed around my neck and Ellie’s and pulled us in close. “Good

morning Ted and Ellie.” Colby said in iambic meter.

“Hi Colby.” Ellie ducked out. “See you guys later.” She ran off.

“Did I scare her away? And if so, is that because she doesn’t like me or because

she does?”

“She’s interested in someone.”

“Who?” He challenged.

“Not sure.”

“So it could be me?”

“Technically.” And suddenly that seemed likely. Why else wouldn’t she name

her mystery man? If it were one of my best friends, she would think I would reveal her

crush. If it wasn’t him, it could be Zach and how would that play out? Friend against

friend.

“Technically? You need to find out exactly.” Colby panicked.

“What are we talking about?” Zach asked wanting in.


52

“Ellie.” I answered sardonically and spun towards Colby. “If you hadn’t

interrupted, I may have gotten a name.”

Zach rolled his eyes tired of the same discussion.

“Fine. Let’s see what happens when one of you guys likes a girl.” And we all

knew Colby was right. We were ticking time bombs and out there were faceless girls

holding detonation buttons in their dainty hands. A kaboom waited for each of us in the

future. “So what are our plans this weekend?”

“We’re going out on the boat Saturday. Are you up for a day in the sun?” Zach’s

folks had a sweet boat and they took it out almost every weekend when the weather was

good.

“Awesome! It’s been weeks since we did that.” Colby was pleased. “We should

look for sunken treasure.” He was bummed when our Bigfoot hunt was cancelled even if

he was a doubting Thomas. And if it didn’t matter if there really was a Bigfoot or not

then it didn’t matter if there wasn’t a treasure. A thrill was a thrill.

“Can’t.” I informed them. “Grounded.”

“Grounded?” They charged in unison.

“Through the weekend.” My sentence was over on Monday.

“Bummer.”

“Go without me.” They would but it was always easier on the other two when the

odd man out gave his consent.

“It’s only one weekend.” Zach said but his tone sounded like we’d never see each

other again. And that was how they were for the rest of the day.


53

Time Off for Good Behavior

“Mom, we’re home.” I called as I entered with Ellie after school.

Mom was ready with two sets of treats. “How was school?” It was the first

question out of her mouth almost every day.

“Mr. Titus gave us a pop math quiz but it wasn’t too severe. And we got to watch

the president’s address.” Ellie gave up more details than I would have.

“Did you do well on the quiz?”

“We got A’s.”

“Two A’s to celebrate. Would you prefer brownies or pie?”

“Brownies.” I answered. “If we choose pie it will be store bought.”

“Definitely brownies then. I can help make them.” Ellie said.

“That’s kind of you to offer.” Mom played with Ellie’s hair taking it out of her

standard ponytail. Mom used to do that to my sisters all the time. “Your hair is so pretty.

Don’t you ever wear it loose?”

Ellie shrugged. “Sometimes but it gets tangled.”

“The bangs are cute.” Mom brushed them aside. “You two go play some games

but don’t mention it to your dad.”

She was giving me a reprieve that wasn’t father authorized. I got out my new

game War World. My thoughts were I would have the advantage over her since she

hadn’t played. But it was too much like Alien Army and she did fine.

“Girls aren’t supposed to be good at this.” I grunted as I barely kept alive.

“Maybe most boys are usually better than you.”


54

“Just for that.” I blasted her avatar but it dodged behind a crate. Fair play wasn’t

working so I reached for her control.

“Stop.” She cradled her body to protect her joystick and I got a mouthful of curly

brown locks.

We laughed and reset the game since the warlords killed us during our distraction.

“Ted, Colby and Zach are here.” Mom hollered from the kitchen, which smelled

like fudge brownies. I bet heaven smells like brownies.

“Can they come in?” I went for the front door taking deep delicious breaths.

“It’s our secret.”

“Hey.” I said happily. Either it was because Ellie was over and Mom didn’t want

to be a hard-ass or because she was proud that I apologized but I was pretty sure the

grounding was off as long as we kept Dad in the dark.

“We decided to play dumb.” Colby winked at me to follow his lead.

“No need. Dad’s out of town and Mom is being super cool.”

“She always is.” He walked in with Zach in tow. “Ellie?”

“Hi.” She demurred.

“She knew before us that you were off the hook?” Zach was hurt.

“No. I’m staying here while Aunt Claire is out of town.”

“Really?” Now Colby was wounded.

“We’re playing a new game. It’s more fun that killing Aliens.”

“Nothing is more fun than Alien Army.” Zach informed her and went to

investigate this new game for himself.


55

As we walked into the living room Colby held me back. “Why didn’t you tell me

she was here?”

“Because I was grounded and didn’t want you getting me in more trouble.” I

whispered the obvious.

“How did you get off grounding?”

“Not sure. Maybe the A on my quiz.” That may have been part of it too and I

didn’t have to mention my moment of evilness towards Ellie. He would give me a piece

of his mind. Mom already addressed my poor etiquette so there was no need to rehash

that with him.

“It’s Zach and me against you terds.” Ellie dared.

“She called me a terd.” Colby frowned.

“She’s joking.” I pushed him forward.

Ellie and Zach beat us soundly into submission once we switched to Alien Army.

After dinner Mom drove Colby and Zach home. There was a lot Dad wasn’t going to

learn about.

Friday was more fun than Thursday. Mom took the four of us to the mall and we

saw a movie while she shopped. It was her turn to sneak in a little self-indulgence while

the cat was away. And then we went to Game Stop while Mom and Ellie got manicures.

Colby had calmed down about pressing me for Ellie information but it was

understood I was to probe for Mr. X’s true identity. Updates were expected as soon as I

learned any valuable details. Mission accomplished due date was that weekend.


56

On the ride home Colby picked up Ellie’s hand and commented how lovely her

nails looked. I was in the front seat so only Mom saw me make the gag gesture when he

added it was an excellent shade for her. We dropped off the guys and went home.

“You’re mom isn’t a good warden.” Ellie remarked when we did our schoolwork

and Mom fixed dinner.

“I think she’s great.”

“Of course you would.”

“Do you like Colby?” Beating around the bush hadn’t work and it was time to get

definitive answers.

“He’s nice.” She shut down a bit at the questioning.

“But is he the guy?”

“What guy?”

“The one you’re interested in?”

“I never said I was interested in anyone.”

“Come on. You can tell me.”

“No he isn’t. If you must know, there was someone but I’m over it and sworn off

men for life.”

“For life?”

“Until high school anyway.” She slyly countered.

Good. I’ll pass that on to Colby and situation diverted. It was even better than

finding him a new woman.

“Why do you want to know?”


57

I flushed a bit seeing how my inquiries may have been misinterpreted. “You get

quiet around him, that’s all.”

“Because I barely know him or Zach. But I like them.”

“There’s nothing not to like.”

“They’re solid friend material.” And she emphasized the word friend to put to

rest any romantic notions. I couldn’t help but grin.

Mom made chicken salad for dinner and had an announcement to make. “We’re

going up to the cabins after all.”

“Really?” Ellie asked.

“When?” I said.

“Tomorrow morning. Why don’t you check with Colby and Zach?” I felt like

she was trying to get rid of me.

I ran up to my room and called up a three-way chat. Colby was in at the first

mention but Zach took longer. His parents wanted him to go to the lake but in the end he

convinced them otherwise. As soon as we were confirmed, I went to give Mom the good

news.

“We’ll pick them up at six.” She started the dishwasher and pivoted to face me.

“They’ll be ready.” We were alone. “Where did Ellie go?”

“Sit.” She ordered and I did. “Ellie is going to have a stressful weekend. Her

grandmother had called Claire up to have a family discussion. It seems her father wants

to get to know his daughter better.”

“Her father?”

“It’s complicated. Ellie wasn’t planned.”


58

“Neither was Amanda.”

“We were married though.”

“Oh.” was all I could say not completely understanding.

“Jane, Ellie’s mother was Claire’s college roommate and that was how she met

Claire’s father David. When David left for grad school, they broke up and it was after

that the Jane learned she was pregnant. She didn’t think she could have children and

knew it was dangerous to carry a baby full term. Claire agreed to raise her daughter if the

worst should happen.”

“She had her knowing it might kill her.”

Mom nodded solemnly. “David was torn. He wanted Ellie all along but didn’t

think a student could raise a baby alone. So he reluctantly gave Ellie up.”

“And now he changed his mind?” I guessed.

“He’s got a good career and he’s thinking of getting married. He wants Ellie to

move in with him now that he has a proper home for raising kids.”

Of course he would.

“So the grownups decided to have a talk, which is why Claire went without Ellie

but now they need to talk to Ellie about her feelings.” Mom finished.

“Will David move in with Claire and Ellie?”

“David has a life in Washington?”

My stomach flipped. “State or city?” Like that mattered. Both were millions of

miles away.

“DC.”

“Ellie is going to move to DC?”


59

“It’s a possibility.”

No wonder she wasn’t there. She was probably freaking out. I knocked on

Tracey’s door, which was closed.

“Come in.” Ellie sniffled.

“Hey there.”

“Did your mom tell you?” She sat up and wiped her face.

“Something about you might move to DC?”

“I can’t believe Aunt Claire and Dad are fighting over me.”

“Does it matter?”

She stood up and paced. “Of course it matters.”

“I mean they both love you. Either way you’ll be happy.”

She stopped. “Is it that simple?”

“Well, it isn’t that complicated. Sure it’s harder to pick between two good things

rather than a good and bad one but either way, you’ll be taken care of.”

“They want to hear what I think about all this.”

“So you have a choice?”

“Maybe.” She stood with her arms guarded over her. “Please don’t tell anyone.”

“It’ll work out.” Like I knew. She just needed to hear it. “What do you want?”

“Both to stay here and to live with Dad.”


60

The Hunt is Afoot

On the trip up to the campgrounds I gave Ellie the front seat and sat in the back

with the guys. She needed space and if she was in the back, Colby would flirt. It wasn’t

a super long drive and by nine we pulled onto the property. Camp Wilderness was

carved into a wooden sign arcing over the driveway entrance. Mom had learned they had

summer camp and she wanted me to consider signing up. That was a good possibility so

long as Colby and Zach were on board.

We passed the stables and a couple of horses grazed in their fenced area. Down

the road were some cabins and off towards the right a path led to the lake. There was a

long wooden dock with paddleboats and a canoe rack. The main building looked like a

true log cabin and in front was the biggest fire pit I’d ever seen. It was the off-season and

the camp was only half occupied.

Claire waited for us with her mother. Ellie’s grandmother gave us directions to

our cabin and Ellie stayed behind to deal with her family. I felt for her and wondered if

she had made any decisions on her future. It would really stink if she moved to DC.

Since things were patched up, it was clear that I would miss her even if she didn’t give

me much more personal space than the guys.

Mom got out a book with a cowboy on the cover but I don’t think it was a

Western novel. She told us to stay close to the grounds. With that vague restriction three

feral boys were set loose on the wild to search for the elusive Sasquatch. And Joey

shadowed us wagging all the way.


61

Immediately we headed up the first hiking trail on our list that led to two Bigfoot

reports. It was almost noon when we arrived at the first location and we hunted for tracks

or hair samples. We found nothing but Zach managed to get in dozens of shots anyway.

“Maybe after lunch Ellie can join us.” Colby said rummaging through the

roughage hoping to find a print that hadn’t been walked over by hundreds of hiking

boots.

“Maybe.” I dismissed thinking she wasn’t going to be in the mood or have the

time.

“She seems kind of distant.” He remarked.

“Yeah.” Zach said and took more pictures.

“Did you find out who she likes?”

“No but she said she’s over him and anyone else at least until next year.” And it

hit me. She may not be around next year. My fear was she would choose her father. If I

had to pick between my aunt and my dad, it would be my dad. On the other hand, my

aunt hadn’t raised me since birth. Perhaps there was hope but it was small.

“Well, why?”

“Why what?”

“Why did she lose interest?”

“I don’t know.” Was that my new assignment? Move on already.

Colby absorbed the data and weighed if he could persuade her otherwise or if he

should give up. Lovesick was sick. She’s not the only fish in the sea.

“Zach,” I called, “where’s the next spot?”

“A quarter of a mile this way.” He guided us down the road.


62

The second site was as uneventful as the first and we were back at camp for a late

lunch. Mom made good headway on her book and would start a second before dinner.

She had it ready and the cover had a sailor at the helm of a ship. It didn’t appeal to me to

spend a sunny day in the woods reading but she sure did act relaxed. Ellie was AWOL

still muddled down in family affairs.

We canoed and swam before looking at the third local. This time we found a

large footprint. It didn’t look big enough to be a Sasquatch to me but it warranted enough

enthusiasm from Zach that he took a hundred pics. He made a good point that the ground

was too rough to go shoeless. I guess it could be from a young Bigfoot.

There were some huge paw prints as well and Zach clicked a few shots of those.

Bear tracks we guessed.

After our morning hike and this second one, my dogs were tired and Colby must

have felt the same because he said, “We should see if we can take horses to the last spot.”

“Horses aren’t allowed on the hiking trails.” Zach reminded him.

And for good reason. Those things could put out large droppings without losing

their stride.

“We could go in the morning before we leave. It’s five miles up and back and we

could do that in three hours.”


63

Evidence

The three of us went to the stables. Colby’s eyes lit up at the sight of Ellie. She

was in jeans and a tank top with a white cowgirl hat and if you didn’t know she was from

the city you could believe she was a local. It never dawned on me before but she was

cute, especially when she smirked.

Beside her was a beautiful brown horse that nuzzled her palm affectionately as

she stroked its forehead. “Hey all. This is Cinnamon.” The mare recognized her name

and nodded briskly at the sound of it.

“Are you up for a ride?” Colby hoped. “We were going to take a stab at it.”

“Okay.” She acquiesced. One of the handlers brought out three more horses that

were as big as Cinnamon.

It wasn’t until I was being helped up in its saddle that I realized these were big

horses. If it were a machine, it wouldn’t have been so bad but this thing was a living-

breathing creature with a mind of its own. I prayed he knew who was boss but somehow

I wasn’t sure if that was going to be me.

“Do you want an escort?” The handler asked. He was so true cowboy I secretly

nicknamed him Tex.

“I’ll be with them.” Ellie said easily as she twisted in her saddle to check that we

were all mounted. “Usually we don’t let people take them without a guide.”

Colby, who was on his horse Dillon alone, looked nervous. “So they’re tame?”

“Very. And they’re used to novice riders.” Tex promised. “But watch out for

grizzlies.”

Ellie rolled her eyes. “I’ve never seen any grizzlies.”


64

“They’re getting ready for the winter and bulking up. They come closer this time

of year.”

Ellie usually came during the summer and Christmas, so I took this warning

seriously. She shirked it off.

“We saw tracks earlier.” Zach pulled out his camera and found the shot. He

showed Ellie and Tex.

“See. Be careful.” Tex repeated to Ellie who was unimpressed by the evidence.

Dillon’s hooves lifted up and down like he was itching to get going and Colby

held his reigns tight. Zach was comfortable on Sugarfoot. He had experience. Max, my

horse, was calmer than theirs but I felt as scared as Colby looked.

Tex, whose real name was Jack, gave us a brief demonstration on steering and

assured us they wouldn’t veer off the trail even without our guidance. With the legalities

under our belt, Ellie kicked her horse into gear with a commanding “Git.”

As soon as Cinnamon trotted out of the corral ours followed knowing the routine.

It was a warm day for early October but the leaves were tinted yellow from the cold front

the prior weekend. Only the pines stayed green. It was serene and we didn’t say much

for a while.

The lack of dialogue was probably due to the alien feeling of the saddle. If I kept

a rhythm it was bearable. Max didn’t keep a steady pace though so I had to readjust

every time he changed up his step.

Colby tried to keep along side Ellie as Zach and I brought up the rear.

“You’re a natural.” He complimented.

“Been riding all my life.”


65

Keeping up with her kept his horse’s trot uneven and he was getting sore. It was

obvious the way he stood up in the stirrups occasionally to give his butt a rest.

“Do you guys want to try running?” Ellie’s eyes sparkled with mischief. For the

first time since the heavy news of her family she looked carefree.

“This is nice.” Colby dodged.

“Running is smoother.” Zach grinned ear to ear. “Trust us.” And he spurred his

horse to haul tail.

Colby didn’t buy it and neither did I but the two seasoned riders were off and

running. Our horses weren’t going to miss a chance to stretch their legs. At first, I didn’t

know what Zach meant because my bottom ached from bouncing up and down and then

Max hit top speed. It was smoother and instinctively I lowered my torso parallel to his

neck and enjoyed the chase. Running was liberating and I didn’t want to stop.

I passed Colby and then Zach and was neck to neck with Ellie. She gave me a sly

grin and pushed Cinnamon for more speed. Without encouraging him, Max sped up. He

wasn’t going to eat their dust. A quick glance over my shoulder and Colby and Zach

were falling more and more behind.

Fifteen minutes later we entered an open field and with a firm “Whoa!” from Ellie

we halted. “This is my favorite place up here.” She confided as she leapt down with

expert skill and tied Cinnamon to a branch.

After our horses were grazing in the shade of their trees, we hiked down to a lake

that was hidden by the lay of the land until you were almost at the water. It was a

mountain paradise and Zach took out his trusty camera and took several panoramic

photos.


66

“You should show those to my grandmother. She has a website and that would be

a great header for the welcome page.” Ellie suggested impressed with his talent.

Colby was right behind her looking at the camera and I suppose that was more

about her than the pictures. “It’s so quiet.” He noted.

Everything was quieter up in the hills – only the hum of insects and the occasional

scurrying of squirrels and critters. By the lake, we only heard the faint sound of insects

and I remembered Tex’s warning about bears.

To one side was a rocky hill and with some effort, I trekked up it. It was far from

the tallest point around but the height gave me a wider view of the area. It was majestic.

The top of the big house was visible as well as some of the taller buildings from town that

was a mile down the road from the entrance to the campgrounds.

The others stayed at the bank taking turns posing for the lens. Ellie had the

camera and snapped me on top of the rock.

“You aren’t smiling.” She squinted up at me.

“How can you tell?”

“Zoom lens.”

I rolled my eyes. Looking down I started to obey but was take off guard by the

lopsided clover shape of the lake.

“Ted.” She scolded.

“Guys, come up here.” I motioned for them to hurry.

“Smile first.”

I smiled and once she was satisfied, they made their way up.

“Look familiar?” I pointed at the lake.


67

“What?” Ellie asked.

But the guys saw it. Zach dug out the map from his pocket. “It’s the last

location.”

“For what?”

“We looked up Bigfoot sightings and there were four close to your cabins. This is

the last one. Two campers had seen a pair of Bigfoots…”

“Bigfeet?” I corrected before realizing it sounded as erroneous as his term.

“You’re looking for Bigfoot?” She smirked.

“The truth is out there.” Colby’s voice sounded far away and ghostly.

She glanced upward with amusement. “Could explain why we don’t hear any

animals around.” She teased forebodingly.

“There.” Zach pointed to the north tip of the lake. “That’s the exact spot.”

We scrambled down the other side of the hill, which was steep and our sneakers

lacked the traction to keep us from sliding. My right foot hit loose gravel and I was down

but only for a moment.

“Smooth.” Colby joked and then did a half split against his will.

“Watch it.” Ellie swerved to avoid colliding with Colby. She was more graceful

than us.

Zach was down first. He got out his camera hoping for another spill to capture for

prosperity’s sake but the opportunities were missed. “What’s that?” He pointed towards

the far side away from the lake.

At the base of the hill was a shallow cave, just enough to keep you dry if it was

raining. From the looks of the soot, it had been used for that purpose over the years.


68

“Cool. Maybe natives used this when they were on hunts.” Zach fantasized as he

approached for a better glimpse.

Colby stopped in his tracks. “No way.”

In one corner of the soot stained rock was an etched a figure. And it looked like

Bigfoot.

“Holy cow!” Zach aimed and photographed.

“That doesn’t look that old.” Ellie picked up a twig and tested its ability to write

in the smoky stain. Nothing happened other than some wood residue. “Okay, maybe it is

old.”

“This is amazing.” I said feeling the electrical charge of the adventure.

“Enough photos.” Colby decided. “We’re going to lose the sun and we have a

long ride to the stables.”

“Right.”

We scoured the area that claimed the pair of Sasquatches was seen drinking from

the water.

“The report was about four years old.” Zach told Ellie who hadn’t had the

briefing that we heard earlier that week. “I doubt we’ll find tracks but who knows.”

“Oh yeah.” I gestured to a patch of grass that was trampled down and worn in

comparison. “If they knelt to get the water, that could be from them.”

“It could be from anyone.” Ellie said skeptically and assumed the position to look

into the lake. Putting her knees close to the water in the nook of the indention her legs

didn’t reach half way back. At the end of the flat roughage were two clear round dents

with two softer smaller ones on each side.


69

“Take off your shoes.” Colby told her sounding less whimsical than his usual

Ellie-is-near tone.

“Why?”

“Because those could be toe dents.” I kicked off my sneakers and ripped off my

socks. “Let me see.” She stepped back and I took her place. After rocking back on my

feet to see what kind of mark would be left in the soft ground I got up. Sure enough there

was the same pattern but on a smaller scale.

“This is proof!” Zach exclaimed. “Bigfoot, we know you’re out there!” He

shouted as he turned in his spot.

I would have gotten there on my own but when I saw how tense Ellie got, it

dawned on me that we were out in the middle of nowhere. Myth or not, I was getting the

heebie-jeebies. “Let’s get back to the horses.” I never thought a city boy like me would

ever say something like that.

We followed the bank of the lake to our steeds. My imagination may have been

running wild because they seemed as jumpy as I felt. It was harder to mount Max

without Tex’s help but pride and that eerie feeling that we were being watched motivated

me. This time even Colby didn’t fret when Ellie kicked off into a run and we were back

in half the time it took us to get to Camp Bigfoot.


70

Running From Your Troubles

“Why didn’t you tell us you were going for a ride?” A tall man reprimanded Ellie

as we got to the stables.

“You were too busy arguing to notice I left.” She atypically smarted back.

Colby and Zach exchanged looks and glanced at me, but I kept my gaze

downward.

The man grabbed Cinnamon’s reigns. “We were worried.”

Ellie dropped the attitude and told us she’d catch us in the morning.

I headed back to our cabin but Colby pulled my shoulder. “Who was that?”

“Her dad, I think.”

“I assumed he wasn’t around because she only talks about her aunt.”

“Maybe not. I don’t know.”

“Let’s get my computer and upload.” Zach wiggled his camera in the air.

“Yeah.” Colby agreed trying to let the awkward family scene we encountered

pass.

“You’ve a great shutter bug.” Mom proudly stated examining our nature shots

image by image. “Oh, Ellie is adorable in that hat. Ted, you’re actually smiling here.

Can I get a copy?” Then the cave drawing appeared. “What is that?”

We told her everything and she laughed. “Wow. You may have stumbled onto

something.” I could tell she was playing to our imagination but when she saw the imprint

by the lake her brain tried to process what really made the dent.

Ellie’s family saw to it that we got a real meal and I ate more spaghetti in one

sitting than ever in my life. And four pieces of garlic bread.


71

“Bigfoot hunting sure does make you guys hungry.”

“Yes ma’am.” Colby answered. He liked to call my mom ma’am because it

sounded like mom and she was his pretend mom until his dad remarried.

“What time are we leaving in the morning?” Zach asked. “We should go back if

we have time.”

I wasn’t up for that. Not sure if it was that I thought it was a waste of time or that

we may find the real deal.

“After lunch.” Mom answered. “If you must go back, you’ll have time.”

We jumped at a loud rap on the door. “Have you seen Ellie?” Claire rushed in

with a frantic look.

“No we haven’t. Is everything all right?”

“And you boys?”

“Last we saw her was at the stables.” Colby said.

Claire was shaking and my mom gave her one of her big hugs. “Claire?”

“Ellie ran off and we thought she would be back before long since it’s already

dark but she’s been gone over an hour.”

“We’ll help look for her.” I offered even though it was partly her fault Ellie was

upset.

“David and Mom have a search underway. I hoped she might have come to see

you.” She looked at me.

I shook my head worried about Ellie alone in the dark.

Mom went to the lodge with Claire to wait for word on the missing girl. After an

hour we were antsy for news.


72

“I bet she’s at the stables or took Cinnamon.” Colby stated. “We should check

there.”

“I’m sure they have.” I told him.

“It’s best if we stay here together.” Zach said knowing these sort of things better

than us. He was never in the boy scouts but he may as well have been.

“I’m going to check.” Colby ignored our good advice. With a definitive “I’ll be

back” he was gone.

Zach shrugged and booted up his laptop without a better way to kill time. It was

ten o’clock. He couldn’t surf the Internet but he could post his pictures on his website

and upload when we were back in civilization.

“I know where she is.” I stared at Zach. “At the lake.”

His expression opened in revelation. “Do you think you could find it again?”

“Not on horseback but with this.” I held up his map.

“It’ll take us two hours to get there on foot.”

“Not if we run.” I picked up a flashlight. “Tell Colby. I’m going on ahead.” He

was protesting as I headed out. After thirty minutes I slowed down to make sure I didn’t

miss the turn off. Things looked different at night with only a hand torch to illuminate

the way but it was past a big tree in the middle of a wide patch in the road. I couldn’t

miss it without hitting it.

I cast the beam forward and saw the landmark tree. How far were Colby and

Zach? Being the shortest, Zach was the slowest. With a fallen twig, I drew a big arrow

on the path to note which way to go. Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself and

proceeded.


73

I tried to hurry but it was hard to keep my direction off the path. Every so often I

left another marker. Finally I saw the hilltop where we identified the lake. No need to go

slow, I drew one last arrow and ran at top speed despite the painful stitch in my side

warning me to take it easy.

“Ellie!” I yelled at the waters edge. “Ellie, are you here?”

No answer. I waited and nothing but happy bugs and some croaking toads.

I had gone all that way for nothing.

Hanging my head I turned back. “Where are you Ellie?” Then it hit me. The

cave. Maybe she couldn’t hear me if she was in the cave. Grabbing my side for support,

I took off on another dash around the lake praying I’d find her safe.


74

Bigfoot Finds Us

I panted like Joey on a hot day when I got to the cave but thankfully Ellie was

sitting in the dark with her arms wrapped around her knees looking so sad I almost

wished I hadn’t found her. “I knew it. You couldn’t hear me calling before.”

Her eyes were raw and red. “I heard.”

“Oh.” The thought crossed my mind to leave her be and if we weren’t in the

middle of the woods, I might have. I placed the light on the ground and pointed it

outward hoping the guys would see it when they got to the lake. Then I sat across from

her. “You can’t stay here all night.”

“I’m not going back.”

“What happened?”

“They’re yelling at each other and they expect me to make a choice that will hurt

someone either way?”

“That sucks.”

“They’re a bunch of poo-poo heads.”

I laughed and her eyes darted up. Then she giggled. “We can wait a while but

it’s getting cold.” I negotiated.

She didn’t even have a jacket.

“Do you want to talk about it?” I suggested. Please don’t.

“No.” She paused. “Let’s talk about anything else.”

Good answer. “What?”

Her mouth twisted to the right as she debated a good topic. “Did your mom make

you apologize to me?”


75

I shook my head. “She told me I would feel better if I did, but I wasn’t forced.”

One corner of her lips curled. After another moment she asked, “Do you like

Margo?”

“I guess. Honestly, I don’t really know her.”

Glancing up to the sketch she pondered another question. “Why were you asking

who I liked?”

I felt like I was on the hot seat under an interrogation lamp. I guess school gossip

was more appealing than her family troubles. So I swallowed hard prepared to tell her

anything she wanted to know. “Colby likes you. He wanted me to see if you knew or

liked him back.”

“Colby likes me?”

Didn’t I sort of tell her already? “He wants me to find out who ruined you for

other guys.”

She snickered and rolled her eyes. “Never mind.”

“Well, what did he do to lose your interest?”

“Never mind.” She repeated and the distraction of junior high love lives was

helping her forget her worries.

“Can I ask you something kind of personal?”

“Do I have to answer?”

I shook my head that it wasn’t obligatory. “Why do you like to be alone?”

She shrugged. “I don’t feel accepted. I get a lot of strange looks when I talk.”

“From who?”

“Girls mostly.”


76

“Girls are nuts.” I assured her. “They get all crazy about clothes and hair and

shoes.”

She smiled again. “Am I nuts?”

“We’re hiding out in a cave that is probably in the center of a Bigfoot nest.”

I must have scared her because her face went pale. Slowly she pointed behind

me. It was a great relief not to see a hairy humanoid. Instead there was a large fox

silhouette. Then two more to its left and another to its right. It was a pack of coyotes.

Knowing they were skittish creatures I picked up the closest thing to me and threw. They

were gone but the flashlight was busted.

The moon was bright enough that we could see pretty clearly in the open field and

Ellie stifled back laughter. “My hero.” She stood up and brushed the dirt from her jeans.

“Okay, I guess I’ve had my drama moment. Let’s get back.”

I stood up. “Are you ready?”

“Ready enough but I don’t know if I can find my way without Cinnamon in the

dark.”

“You rode Cinnamon out? Where is she?”

“She knows the way back on her own. If she was missing they might find me.”

Too clever for her own good. Then again, if she were really smart, she would have had

an escape route.

“I came up the hiking trail and left markers. It will be slow but we’ll get home

eventually.”

“Smart.”


77

“Zach and Colby are behind me. I’d have thought they would be here by now.” I

pulled off my sweatshirt and gave it to her. She only took it because I insisted. It wasn’t

the brightest idea I had because I started shivering.

We walked around the lakeshore to where I came in. As we passed the patch of

grass we hypothesized was a print left by Bigfoot, the heebie-jeebies stirred anew.

Picking up the pace I found my last marker and we turned course accordingly. Once we

crossed into the tree line we stumbled due to insufficient moonlight.

“Ooph.” Ellie said and I found her on the ground.

Giving her a hand up, we continued hand in hand. “We’ll be fine on the trail. It

can’t be much further.”

“It’s too quiet.” She whispered and gripped tighter.

“It was like that before.” It was that afternoon, but not when I made my not a half

hour earlier.

We came to a small clearing among the trees where a grizzly was rubbing her

shoulder against the trunk of a tree. We froze but it was too late. The grizzly saw us and

growled. It was loud enough that some part of the search team must have heard but they

would only find our remains when they got there.

Protecting Ellie behind me, I slowly stepped back from the threat. We bumped

into a tree and the grizzly went up on two legs snarling. We were trapped. It closed in

stepping dead center of the opening. I turned around and held Ellie. “Run.” I whispered

in her ear.

“It’ll chase me.”

“Run when he attacks me.” Did I really just say that?


78

“No.”

Another larger growl, two more padded footsteps and time was running out. “Just

do it.” Looking over my shoulder the bear was fully lit by the moon and a frightful sight.

It understood there wasn’t a hurry – we had nowhere to go fast enough to escape.

“I stopped liking him when he kicked me out of his room.” Ellie said in my ear.

My eyes stared into hers forgetting for a nanosecond that we were about to be

devoured. She grabbed my arm so tight when we heard someone coming up fast from the

left side of the grizzly. The bear heard it too because it snarled in that direction.

Faster than we could focus a dark form came dashing out of the trees tackled the

grizzly in its midsection. Two hairy beasts tumbled into the darkness on the other side of

the clearing.

“Was that a..?” Ellie’s head was turned completely around.

Her hair smelled like coconut. “Bigfoot.” My neck tingled with the sensation

that we were being watched. Maybe like coyotes they traveled in packs. “Come on.” A

flashlight beam danced between tree trunks in the direction of the hiking trail and I knew

which way to go.


79

Saved At Last

“We’re here!” Ellie and I shouted as we burst onto the dirt path. We waved our

arms over our heads flagging down the searchers. Tex and David looked like a pair of

Old West lawmen tracking an escaped cattle rustler.

David flung himself with poised speed from his mount and grabbed Ellie tight

into his arms. “You are so grounded little princess.”

Did my parents’ verdicts sounded so paradoxical?

His sharp eyes fell on me and he added, “You’re probably going to get some heat

too.”

“Sorry.” Ellie sobbed more frightened by our near death experience than his idle

grounding comment. “You wouldn’t stop arguing. I don’t want to make the decision.”

He closed his eyes and tears dribble down his stoic face. “It’s that we both love

you so much and in the end, it’s your life that will change the most.”

Why couldn’t we leave and they could have this conversation in the log cabin?

“But you love me and Aunt Claire loves me so either way, we’ll manage.” Ellie

said.

“You’re smarter than both of us put together.” He savored his happiness to have

her safe again. He had no idea how bad things had gotten.

Picking Ellie up he sat her on his horse and flung himself behind her. Tex offered

his arm for me to leverage onto the back of his saddle. At an easy pace we rode to the

main house. Tex took the horses to the stables while Ellie got squeezed to death from her

aunt and grandmother.

Colby and Zach were there with Mom.


80

“Where were you guys?” I asked quickly.

“We got nabbed a half a mile out by the posse.” Colby was ashamed he was

captured and probably bummed he wasn’t able to be part of Ellie’s rescue.

“Are you okay?” Zach asked being the more intuitive of the two and sensing my

jittery nerves.

“I’ll tell you later. Let’s get inside.” I needed to process what we did or didn’t

see in the woods. Not to forget that I was still reeling from Ellie’s confession that she

liked me. Truthfully, her statement was getting more attention from my simple brain than

the bear or – whatever it was that tackled it.

Mom harangued me for going into the woods alone and praised me for finding

Ellie. I debated if she could handle the bear story. In the end, she was my mom and

would listen with an open mind. So I told my two best friends and mother about how we

stumbled on the bear and that something saved us.

“Bigfoot rescued you?” Zach’s eyes were wide with awe. “Ted you are so lucky

to meet one.”

Meet one? It wasn’t like he introduced himself and we chatted. Zach spun a

plausible scenario that it was watching us – curious or cautiously making sure we left his

turf. Coming to our aid was instinct.

Colby didn’t look convinced but he knew I wasn’t playing a trick.

“It was probably another bear.” Mom told me.

“It happened so fast I didn’t get a good look and we were scared. But bears don’t

run on their hind legs, not that at that speed. Even a man couldn’t run like fast. There


81

was definitely a bear and then someone or something came out of the trees. Then we

were alone.”

Zach was a true believer after that. Even I held more doubt than him but there

wasn’t a way for me to dismiss it as anything less. That night my dreams were vivid and

Ellie and I were holding on for dear life. Maybe I was recalling things more clearly in

hindsight or filling in details. Really I couldn’t tell. Either way, in my dream it was

Bigfoot – tall, hairy, human and intelligent – that saved us. I woke to find myself

covered in cool dewy perspiration.

Ellie was quiet when we stopped to thank them before going home. She didn’t

look at me. David and Claire gushed over me.

“Ellie told us what happened.” David said with an equal amount of doubt as

Mom. “What do you think you saw?”

“I wish I could tell you it was a bear or a man or that I was imaging it. And yet a

part of me is sure it was Sasquatch.” I answered truthfully.

David eyed Tex who merely smiled with satisfaction. “I’ve seen something odd

up there. My rational side says it couldn’t have been but it can’t seem to explain it

away.”

“You’ve seen one too?” Ellie gasped.

“Two. About four years ago with a friend of mine near that lake.”

“You’re Jack1965?” Zach pulled out his notes from his research.

“Well look at that?” Tex blushed. “A fan.”

“Great.” Claire sassed. “Please don’t ask him for an autograph.”

Tex winked at her. “Can’t dismiss it as easily now that we have more witnesses.”


82

“Whatever, I’m just glad the bear didn’t maul you.” She grabbed Ellie and kissed

her head. Whatever happened – all that mattered was Ellie was unharmed.

Mom fretted at the impossibility. She decided it was some mountain hermit or

that was what she told herself. We piled into the car without Ellie who still had unsettled

business to sort out.

“Boys.” David called before we drove off. Mom rolled down the passenger

window so we could hear him. “If you want to come back and camp by the lake, we’ll

have a few good weekends before it gets too cold.”

“Could we?” Zach and Colby pleaded.

My stomach felt queasy. If it was the mythical creature, it had been good to us.

Did I need to be anxious? Of course, he didn’t show himself when we weren’t in trouble.

He didn’t want to be seen. Had we not stumbled onto the grizzly, we would have never

seen him.

“We’ll keep that in mind.” Mother promised and we left.


83

Mocked and Ridiculed

The next morning I went to Ellie’s door to walk with her to school. It wasn’t a

complete shock that she wasn’t there but I didn’t expect David to answer the door to

make the humiliation more pronounced.

I dragged my dejected self to school and tried to hide my confusion and

annoyance that Ellie wasn’t talking to me. Ellie was at her desk looking out the window,

which wasn’t unusual. Regardless, I felt like she was avoiding me. And if not talking to

me wasn’t bad enough, I was worried if she was going to move across the country to live

with her dad. Why did I let things stay bad between for so long? We wasted so much

time.

“So,” Jen’s sarcastic tone intruded on our lunch. “You saw Bigfoot?” Margo and

Becca were at her side because that was what bad luck did when it came my way. It

snowballed until it was an avalanche.

“They did.” Zach affirmed against my wishes. How had the school heard about

this so fast? Then it struck me. He blogged about it. Why was he so obsessed with that

darn computer?

“That is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.” Edgar sneered as he joined in the

public humiliation.

“It’s true.” Colby would have liked it to slide by unadvertised but he wasn’t

going to let Jen’s sadistic side get away with rudeness or Edgar for that matter.

“And he rescued you and Ellie from a bear attack?” Jen doubted. More kids

gathered as the snow came tumbling on my head.

“Go away.” I managed even with Margo and Becca in the audience.


84

“What were you and Ellie doing alone in the woods?” Jen oozed with pity.

My face heated up. “Go away.”

“Making out?” She added with disdain. “I don’t know who sunk lower. You or

her?”

“Her.” Edgar decided and after getting a mean glare from Jen he added

defensively, “Ellie could do better.”

“Can we go eat our lunch now?” Becca begged. She didn’t care for the scene Jen

was making.

“Are you dating Ellie?” Margo glared at me. The very thought of us together

wasn’t received well.

I should have curled up and died but instead I got mad. It wasn’t her business.

“Ellie is my friend.”

“That nut job?” Jen said derisively.

“She isn’t a nut job.” Zach snapped. “She’s way cooler than you.”

“Hardly little Jew.”

Where was defending Bigfoot when you needed one? Jen wasn’t as deadly as the

bear but she was as vicious. A good tackle would shut her up nicely. It was a strange

reaction but Zach had a knowing smile.

Becca’s scowled at Jen. “I’m leaving.”

“Why?” Margo asked.

“Because you’re an angry mob.”

“Jealous much?” Jen sneered.


85

“You’re only being nice to Margo because you want to go to the concert.” She

shook her head and turned on Margo. “And you’re only mad at Ellie because you wanted

to ask Ted and it never occurred to you that he may have other interests.”

Margo went red to the tips of her ears.

Becca untied her friendship bracelet and threw it at Margo’s feet. “Call me if you

get over yourself and stop hanging out with, with…” She motioned towards Jen but

couldn’t find a good term to use.

“Uncircumcised Philistines.” Zach offered. That didn’t make much sense but it

was his default insult.

“Right.” Becca marched off leaving Margo stunned. Jen didn’t care one way or

the other. Edgar merely surveyed us all. Becca’s exit upset him. He had a crush on her.

Unfazed Jen went on. “So who was Ellie kissing? Bigfoot or you?”

“Shut up.” Colby yelled and we left before we broke the cardinal rule not to hit a

girl although Jen barely qualified as human. And with Edgar nearby, brutes would have

jumped us in seconds flat.

“What a bitch.” Zach summarized. “I knew that Jew comment would piss Becca

off. She doesn’t take crap from anti-Semites.”

“She’s one of you guys?” Colby asked for both of us since we didn’t know.

“Yep.”

We found said Becca on her cell still huffing after her public spat.

“Nice going.” Zach patted her back.

“That Jen is so mean for no reason.” She answered and then turned back to her

phone. “I still don’t want a big party but maybe something small… Let’s just say I had


86

an epiphany today… Concert or no concert. How about a dinner with some kids from

temple and a few cool kids from school.” She smiled at Colby and I.

“Woo hoo!” Zach screamed. “The Bat Mitzvah is on!”

“That was Zach Brooks… Yes, Mom, Dr. Brooks’ son.” She covered the

receiver, “My mother thinks your parents are upstanding.”

“They are.” I assured her although it wasn’t needed.

“We’ll talk when I get home.” She closed her phone. “Mom wanted me to have a

real celebration but I wanted to go to the concert and act like a kid.” I guess being an

adult wasn’t as important to her. “She said I would regret it and that I hid my faith too

much.”

“It’s about time you let your sunshine out.” Zach teased.

“You are such a goober.” She joked kindly.

“Come on my Jewish sister, let’s eat some lunch before the bell rings.”

Becca laughed and we ate as a group. I didn’t talk a lot but for once it wasn’t due

to the blonde beauty, who was actually pretty fun. Looking back, it was usually Margo

who did the bulk of the chattering when they were together.

Ellie was in her spot with another non-scheduled book.

“What really happened last weekend?” Becca asked.

I told her the story. “As impossible as it sounds, Bigfoot is a better explanation

than most as to what saved us.”

Surely Becca didn’t buy it hook line and sinker but she didn’t tell me I was a

wacko either. “That’s a crazy story.” She had the best summation yet.


87

“So I guess we aren’t going to be front row at the Sirens of Love concert.” Colby

sighed disappointed but proud of us for sticking to our guns.

“No but the backstage passes were provided by my dad so I’ll have that.”

“You’re dad?”

“Sure. He manages the band. Margo’s dad works with the record company.”

“Your dad is their manager?” I started laughing. It was so poetic.

She smiled at me. “For the record, is there anything going on with you and

Ellie?”

I shook my head. “Not that I know of.”


88

Stupid is as Stupid Does

When school was out I ran to catch up to Ellie. She didn’t slow down at first but

then she stopped out of kindness or mercy.

“What?” She snapped suddenly.

“Why aren’t you talking to me?”

“I’ve been busy. And how did everyone hear about what happened in the

woods?” Her eyes flashed with anger.

“Zach maybe. He posted his pictures on his webpage. Who knew people actually

read it.”

“Everyone is laughing at me and Jen and Margo wanted to know why we were

alone in the woods. Do you think I want to tell them all my personal problems?”

“No.”

“Ugh! Boys are so horrible.” She stomped onward and I followed.

“It will pass.” I ran my hand nervously through my hair. “About what you

said…”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“But it was me. I kicked you out of my room. I didn’t know you liked me.”

She stopped again. “I didn’t say it was you.”

“It wasn’t me?” How many guys’ rooms was she in to be kicked out so often?

“Would it have mattered? If it was you and if you did know, would you have

been nice to me that day?”

“That day?” How would I know? It was months ago and honestly my mood

wasn’t about her so much as the summer blues. “Maybe.”


89

“Can I walk home alone?” She asked after a long pause.

I held out my arm and let her get a head start. After she had a block lead, I started

to move but was held back by Colby’s hand. “What’s going on?” He asked looking at

Ellie and then me.

“I’m the other guy.” I hung my guilty head.

“What?” Either he didn’t understand or didn’t want to.

“I’m the guy she liked until I was a jerk to her.”

“You? Do you like her? How were you a jerk?”

“I kind of yelled at her and kicked her out of my house. She’s over me now.”

He looked down the street. Ellie was two blocks away. “And if she wasn’t?”

Everything went empty inside. “She is, so it doesn’t matter.”

He couldn’t work it out in his head. It was unexpected and he didn’t know how

he felt about it. Neither did I. Finally he said, “I’ll see you later.” He was hurt but it

wasn’t my fault. I didn’t even know about it at the time. I never did anything to

encourage Ellie.

Mom saw I was upset but I played it off as Monday blahs. In my room I debated

drowning out my thoughts with loud music again but Dad was home and crankier than

ever. Not to forget to mention, I just got my iPod back. Instead I did my homework and

watched television.

It was a miserable dinner that only got more dismal when mother disclosed that

Ellie was going to DC the following Monday. I planned to get her a goodbye gift but

didn’t know what it should be or if she’d accept it.


90

The next day Colby avoided me, so that was two people not talking to me if

you’re keeping track. How could I get Jen on that list because she managed to make

snide comments from the seat behind me all through class? At least she got detention

when Mr. Titus heard her but that only fueled the fire for lunch.

I told Zach about Ellie and how Colby was giving me a wide margin because of it.

Heck, I even gave him the full story of how I threw her out of my room.

“Colby will understand.” He promised. Deep down I knew Colby would forgive

me in time.

“And Ellie is moving to DC.”

“Ellie’s leaving.” Jen screeched with glee from behind me. She snuck up without

me hearing. “She’s so nothing I doubt anyone will even notice other than you and

Bigfoot.”

She said it loud enough for Ellie to hear. Ellie slammed her book and ran off.

I was getting close to hitting a girl. Detention and grounding would be worth it.

If I did, I planned to beat her good in case I never got another chance.

“Where’s Colby? Don’t tell me all this Bigfoot rubbish has finally clued him in

that you two are worthless losers.”

The whole class was watching the show even Colby who was sitting at a table

alone. He got up and left – probably to find Ellie. They could start the anti-Ted club.

It’d grow to be the biggest in school at the rate I was pissing people off.

“Seems he wised up.” Jen said with sheer satisfaction.

I was ready to hit her – girl or not. The temptation was lost when green Jell-O

oozed down her long hair.


91

“Oops.” Becca said from behind her. A stealth attack on the stealth attacker.

“Becca?” Mr. Titus called.

“Coming.” She hummed as she walked past prepared to pay the piper.

Jen and Margo were still mopping up the green goop when our teacher called Jen

over next. Way to go Becca. Normally I’m not big on tattling but Jen had it coming.

We couldn’t find Ellie or Colby. When lunch was over, they came in together

with Becca. The girls were giggling about something frivolous no doubt. It made sense.

It took a girl to understand a girl. I owed Becca again for her well-timed act of kindness.

Zach came home with me knowing I was bummed. We weren’t even to the

soccer field when we saw five guys hanging suspiciously by the picnic tables and trees.

Edgar sauntered up as we approached. “That wasn’t cool what you did.”

“What we did?” Zach puzzled.

“To Jen.”

“We didn’t do anything. That was Becca and Jen was asking for it.”

“Just because she isn’t gullible doesn’t mean she’s asking for trouble. That stupid

story isn’t even a good lie. Admit it. You made up that tall tale for attention.”

“Hardly.” Like I wanted that kind of attention.

“Seems like Colby doesn’t buy it.” He closed in and I realized it didn’t matter

what we said or did – he wanted to fight and we were easy prey.

“I do.” Colby said reaching the tense gathering.

“Colby, it’s time you chose a better class of companions.”

Colby glanced around as if he was really debating it but it was for show. “Are

there any other options?”


92

I snickered.

“Are you telling me that you prefer these liars over us?” Edgar forgot me and

moved to Colby.

Colby grinned. “Ted isn’t lying. But even if he was, he’s better company than

you Neanderthals.”

That’s when Edgar took his cheap jab and the five ogres jumped us. Chubby was

squeezing the air out of my lungs with his massive weight as I kicked helplessly to get

up. Zach was holding his ground but Colby was pinned by one goon while Edgar had

clear shots at his torso.

A shrill loud shriek blasted and we all covered our ears.

“Back off or you’ll get a face full.” Becca ordered with pure authority to Edgar.

Ellie was behind her with a silver cylinder in her hand. It was a gift from Tracey

and Amanda, a personal alarm and the source of the blast.

Becca’s threat didn’t register until I saw she had pepper spray in her hand. “I said

back off!”

Edgar spun on his heel to face her. “You’ll hit them too.”

Good point but he didn’t have her confidence. At least tubby was off me and I

was able to stand.

“They’re immune. We took precautious expecting an ambush.”

What was she talking about?

“I don’t believe you.” Would Edgar call her bluff?

She walked right up to him with the spigot ready. “Could be. Of course, you’ll

get the worst of it. Now back off!”


93

He looked around at his goons who were too dumb to do anything other than

follow his lead.

She casually read the label, “Pepper shot 2 ounce stream spray. 10% pepper rated

2 million Scoville heat units.” A glance to Zach, “What’s a Scoville? Whatever it is –

two million sounds like a lot of units.”

There weren’t too many random questions that stumped Zach. I’m not sure if he

was making it up but he proceeded to explain. “It’s a scale for measuring spiciness. I

think jalapenos are around five thousand. That means your spray is four hundred times

stronger.”

Thickheaded Edgar couldn’t be sure of the math but calling her bluff wasn’t

worth it. “Come on.” He decided. “We don’t need to waste our time proving these butt

wipes are butt wipes.”

Colby was released and the goons walked back to school.

“Next time ladies.” Edgar threatened.

“Becca, you have some gonads.” Colby complimented.

“Becca means ballsy in Yiddish.” Zach’s wit declared.

“It does not.” She sighed dropping the tough act she performed for the hooligans.

“You’re quickly becoming my favorite person.” I confessed to ballsy Becca as I

eyed Ellie carefully. “I wish I thought to dump Jell-O on Jen.”

“The Jell-O?” Colby gasped. “The Jell-O was routine. Any eighth grader in any

classroom in any state could have pulled that off. Reading the label on the pepper can

was inspired genius.”


94

“I’m just glad it worked.” She said magnanimously. “You boys want to get a

milkshake on me?”

Those words were music to our ears. We started back the other direction to the

coffee shop on the other side of school.

Becca stopped me after telling the others to go ahead. “Not you. Not this time.”

And she turned to Ellie before following the guys, “I’ll call you later.”

“Thanks.” Ellie said and when Becca left, she concentrated on her ring as she

twirled it around nervously.

I wanted to smile but couldn’t. Even if we were talking, I had no idea what was

going to happen. One scary thought needed to be clarified. “I heard you’re going to

DC.”

“Yeah, but let me talk first.” She held up her hand. “Or I’ll lose my nerve.”

It was true. She was moving to DC. Everything inside went numb. I tried to

concentrate as she continued. But it was hard with stupid thoughts like maybe her dad

would be transferred to town. Or my dad to DC.

“I said what I said because I thought we were going to die.”

“You were only flattering me in the light of my eminent demise?”

“Not exactly. I wanted to say it but didn’t think I would have to live with the

consequences. It seemed like the right time to admit it. I know it was dumb and that you

don’t feel the same.”

“Ellie, I can’t say what I would have thought if you told me that you liked me

back when you did but I wish I was never rude to you. And I wish you liked me now.”


95

Ellie looked terrified. Not life threatening-about-to-be-bear-dinner terrified but

social situational terrified. It made sense that it was too late to say I liked her too. A

week ago if Margo asked me out I would have jumped for joy but at that moment, I

didn’t care if I never saw Margo again. Rotten timing. Day late and a dollar short as Ted

Sr. always says.

Ellie hadn’t said a word and I couldn’t take it. So I did what I do. I got diarrhea

of the mouth. “I know you’re going to live with your dad and it would be idiotic to ask

you out now or to think you’d give me a second chance. Just promise me that you’ll

write me once a week until you’re eighteen and start dating some lucky guy who is

hopefully smarter than me. He’d have to be.”

She was puzzled. “I’m not going to live with my dad.”

“You’re not moving to DC?”

She shook her head. “I’m going to visit next week to meet his fiancé but I’ll be

back. It’s kind of your fault that I’m staying.”

Don’t know what I did but I was going to keep doing it.

“When he found us and I told him that either way I was going to be with someone

that loved me, he was impressed with my maturity. I didn’t mention it was wise advice

from you. He figures Aunt Claire is doing a better job than he ever could. But he made

the condition that I have to call Aunt Claire Mom, which isn’t really a problem. They

agreed that my biological mother would approve.”

I was so happy and free to ask her out. It would have been great if I wasn’t

tongue-tied and suddenly, I couldn’t look at her – which was super annoying because I

had begun to appreciate how cute she was.


96

She started walking home and in a zombie state I followed. “Don’t worry. I

know you only said that because you thought I was leaving.” That wasn’t true. “If you

don’t hold me to near death confessions, I won’t hold you to that.”

It was a weird walk home. I was happy but kind of numb at the same time.

Before long we were at her house.

“I’ll see you in the morning. We can walk together if you want.” Ellie offered.

I picked up her hand. “Let’s play some Alien Army.”


97

Camp Bigfoot

Colby forgave me and gave us his blessing. It wasn’t going to be much of a

problem since Ellie couldn’t date and we hadn’t kissed or anything like that. We spent

more time together but that was all that changed. That was good enough for me until

Colby told me it would progress eventually. Then I worried about the not-too-distant

future.

The next weekend, before David took Ellie to DC, he took all of us camping as

promised. Our dads camped with us but our moms were at the cabins with Claire. Even

Becca joined in for the expedition. Her dad was the funniest father ever. I guess having

a cool job managing Sirens of Love kept him young.

Zach took the responsibility of showing the others the cave and the place we

thought they drank from the lake. Tex confessed that he had drawn the stick figure after

his encounter. The fire blazed and we huddled around for warmth and marshmallow

roasting.

First Tex told his story that we found online. Then Ellie and I recapped our

unusual moment, without her confession of liking me, to the group. Enjoying the

campfire tales, Zach started reporting on the many stories he read during his research.

When we ran out of Bigfoot fodder, we migrated to ghost stories. When Dad told a tale

of an escaped maniac with a hook for a hand, Ellie held mine for security. I thought it

was inconspicuous but David had an eagle watch on me after that.

The night waned and the temperature dropped another ten degrees. We stretched

our legs and began to clean up. Tex got a bucket of sand to dowse the fire but stopped.


98

His eyes were huge. You could see white around all edges. We turned and directly

across from him in the tall grass stood Bigfoot not even thirty yards away.

His hair was reddish brown and longer than I expected. Well, I didn’t know what

to expect but it kind of hung from his arms like the fringe on my mother’s leather jacket

that she keeps from her high school days. It wasn’t easy to estimate his height but he was

taller than anyone there but six inches or more. The most amazing part was his eyes that

were thoughtful and intelligent. As they drifted over the various people in our camp, they

stalled on Ellie and me. I knew he was the one that saved us.

It tilted its head as it considered us. David was the only man brave enough to

move and he waved at the cryptozoologist’s dream come true. It lifted its hand and

waved at himself as he mimicked the motion. Maybe it smiled or maybe it was baring its

teeth. Then Bigfoot turned around. He had a limp but walked at a leisurely pace.

Did the bear hurt his leg? We watched as he passed beyond the distance of the

campfire light. He was barely more than a shadowy form until he disappeared into the

trees.

“Perhaps his friends don’t believe he saw us and that we’re for real.” I teased.

Seeing him a second time erased my doubt that we only saw him due to the perilous

circumstances. This time, he made sure we saw him before he left.

“I’ll never doubt you again.” Colby vowed still fairly stunned.

“Wait.” Zach shouted and dug his camera out of his sack. It was too late – he

missed the photo op. He stared dumbly at the empty field poised to click.

“It’s better this way.” Tex sagely said. “Some things should remain a mystery.”

“Um – guys?”


99

Colby and I moved over to Zach. The image on his camera had various shades of

green with three clear warm spots. All I could see with my naked eye was darkness and

maybe make out the first row of trees. The camera had picked up three tall creatures just

out of view. It wouldn’t be enough for concrete evidence but I reached over and pressed

the button to save the image. We knew what it was and my guess was there would be

days we would doubt it again. That would be all we needed to know it really was

Bigfoot.

camp bigfoot

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