One By One by Freida McFadden(24)

I pressed my lips closed, afraid if I opened them somebody would stuff deadly nightshade inside.

“Listen,” my father said, “if you don’t do what your mother says and finish your breakfast, I’m taking the baseball hat back.”

I wanted to tell him the truth—the berries were poison. But he wouldn’t believe it. And I would be in even worse trouble.

So I took off the Bulls hat and threw it on the table. Then I ran up to my room.

I got in trouble that day. But I didn’t die.

Thanks to my mom, I know everything there is to know about poison berries.





Chapter 13


CLAIRE



The sun has fallen in the sky, and we still haven’t reached the inn. My feet throb within my sneakers—I’m certain I have a blister on my right big toe. It’s a supreme effort just to get my feet to move forward. Right, left, right, left. And it doesn’t feel like we’re making any progress whatsoever. Where the hell is this place?

I take out my phone for what feels like the hundredth time and check to see if there’s any reception. There isn’t. I’m getting so sick of that “no service” message.

I wonder what the kids are doing. I hope they’re okay. I mean, I’m sure Penny is taking good care of them, but they’re almost certainly expecting a call from me by now. I hope Emma isn’t freaking out too badly.

I had a dream you got eaten by a monster.

“Are you okay, Claire?”

I look over at Jack, who has fallen into step beside me. Lindsay went to catch up with Warner about twenty minutes ago, and he’s giving her a ride on his back. Her hiking boots are pretty, but not particularly comfortable. I wish I could get a ride on somebody’s back. Jack can’t offer when Michelle is around. And there’s no chance Noah would offer. I’m lucky he doesn’t push me off a cliff.

“I’ve been better,” I admit. I take a deep breath. “Are we almost there, you think?”

Jack nods and shows me his compass. “According to the map, if we keep walking due west, it’s about half a mile.”

Thank God. I can’t take much more of this. I’ll walk this last half a mile, then I’m going to collapse at the entrance to the hotel.

Of course, what if he’s wrong? We’ve been walking for hours, and every time we ask, the boys say we’re “almost there.” I shiver.

“Are you cold?” he asks me.

I start to say no, but then I realize I am pretty cold. It was so hot when the sun was in the sky, but now that it’s down, it’s become downright nippy. I look down and see goosebumps all over my arms. And naturally, I don’t have any sort of sweatshirt or coat. It didn’t seem necessary when the temperature was pushing ninety.

“I’m okay,” I say.

He pokes me in the arm. “You’ve got goosebumps.”

I look up, making sure Noah and Michelle are a safe distance ahead of us. I don’t want Noah to see Jack touching me or teasing me. “Maybe a little.”

“Here.” Jack pulls his backpack off and rifles through it. He yanks out a gray hoodie sweatshirt. “Put this on.”

I hesitate. “I’m not that cold.”

“Come on. Don’t be a hero.”

I nearly refuse the second time, but then a breeze washes over us. It is pretty cold out. And it’s only going to get worse as the night goes on. I should just take the sweatshirt. What’s the difference? Just because Jack gave me a sweatshirt, that doesn’t mean we’re sleeping together. It’s just a nice gesture between friends.

So I take the sweatshirt and pull it over my head. It’s soft and warm and it smells like wood chips. I smile up at him. “Thanks.”

“Anything for my Claire.”

Of course, I’m not his Claire. Currently, I’m Noah’s Claire, but that won’t be true after this week. Getting lost in the woods has only strengthened my resolution to end things with Noah. Life is too short to stay together for the kids.

Unfortunately, Jack will never leave Michelle. Not because he loves her so much, but because she’s a divorce lawyer. How do you leave your divorce lawyer wife? You can’t. But I don’t care. Either way, I want to be free from my own marriage.

I squint up ahead and see that Warner has lowered Lindsay to the ground. She’s sitting down on a fallen tree, doubled over. Noah and Michelle are talking to her, and she keeps shaking her head. I jog over to see what’s going on.

“Lindsay,” I say. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

She looks up at me. Her blue eyes are bloodshot and her usually porcelain complexion is now slightly green. “My stomach is upset. I think it’s all the bouncing.”

“You don’t look very good,” Warner says.

“I’m fine,” Lindsay insists. “I just need fifteen minutes to sit.”

I looked down at Lindsay’s stylish hiking boots. Her right foot is planted next to an ant hill, and several large carpenter ants are crawling up her leg. She doesn’t even seem to notice, even when one of those ants hops onto her forearm. She must really be sick.

Michelle looks down at her watch. “Christ, the whole night is killed. We’re never going to get there at any reasonable hour.”