Fame, Fate, and the First Kiss(72)

Crickets chirped, and a flapping noise sounded from above. I put my hands out in front of me so I wouldn’t hit anything and kept walking. If I just walked straight, I’d eventually emerge from the trees . . . if I remembered right.

It sounded like another set of footsteps joined mine, so I stopped to listen. The other noise stopped as well. Maybe it had just been an echo. Or someone farther down the path. I proceeded, only to hear it again.

“Hello?” I called. “Grant? Is that you?”

Nothing.

I picked up my pace, and after ten steps my hands met a tree, forcing me to stop. I turned a full circle and pressed my back up against the trunk. I’d somehow gotten off the path. Time to swallow my pride.

“Hello!” I yelled. “I’m stuck out here and need a flashlight!” I waited, but nobody answered. I cupped my hands around my mouth and yelled the same thing again. This time in my silence I heard the footsteps, as clear as day. And they were close. Obviously the person had heard me yelling, and if they were purposely not answering, then their intentions weren’t good. I felt around on the ground for something. Anything. My hand met a decent-size rock. I picked it up.

“What do you want?” I asked.

“Justice,” a voice whispered back.

I screamed and chucked the rock I held toward the sound of the voice. A light appeared down the path to my right, and the rustle of someone running away rang out to my left.

“Lacey?” That was Grant holding the light.

“Over here,” I said, and then the light was shining on my face, in my eyes.

He let out a small grunt, then laughed a little. “You shouldn’t hide in the dark with zombie makeup on. You look extra creepy right now.”

“Someone was just out here, telling me they wanted justice.”

“Who?”

“I don’t know. I couldn’t see them.”

“Are you okay?”

“No!”

He walked to my side and held out his elbow. “Can I walk you to your trailer?”

“Yes. And pick up a rock or branch. Your fake sword won’t do anything for us.”

“It’s actually pretty sharp.”

“Rock!” I demanded.

He laughed and aimed his light at the ground, where he found a large rock. “Is that good enough?”

“Yes. I’ll hold the light.”

“Wow, you’re spooked.”

“Of course I’m spooked. There is someone out here.”

“Who do you think it was?” he asked, picking up the rock.

“I have no idea. It was too dark to see anything.”

“Was it a guy or a girl?”

“A guy . . . I think. They were whispering, it was hard to tell.” We took several more steps. “I might be able to find out though. I was recording my trailer today. I’m going to go watch the footage now.”

“You were recording your trailer?”

“With my laptop, to see if I could catch someone messing with my things.”

“I’m totally there for that. Let’s grab Amanda.”

“This is so boring,” Amanda said as she, Grant, and I sat huddled around my computer, watching a recording that so far consisted of my cell phone sitting on the table undisturbed. I’d sped up the video but it had been recording all day, so it was taking forever. I didn’t want to risk missing something by skipping forward.

“Look!” Grant said, tapping the screen. A figure had come into the shot.

I tapped on the play button so it went back to normal speed, then skipped it back thirty seconds. We all watched as Faith came into my trailer carrying some green pages. She dropped them on my table, then left.

“So it’s not Faith,” Grant said.

“That doesn’t prove it’s not her,” Amanda said. “That just shows she comes into your trailer when you’re not there.”

“Like everyone else,” I said.

“I don’t come in when you’re not here,” Grant said.

“I do,” Amanda said. “To hide in your shower.”

“You’re still evil,” I said, and sped up the video again.

We all proceeded to stare at it. I wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but there was a knock on the door. I jumped, and Grant laughed.

“Come in,” I called.

Donavan poked his head inside.

I smiled. “I didn’t think you were coming back today.”

“I got done at work early.” He looked between the three of us. “What are you doing?”

“We’re watching the video of my trailer.”

“Any activity?”

“None.”

Grant didn’t give up his seat next to me, so Donavan slid into a chair at the table. We stayed this way until the recording ended.

“Huh,” I said. “Guess I’ll have to set it up again tomorrow.”

“I will not be watching that again tomorrow,” Grant said.

I stood and set my laptop on the table. Donavan grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze.

“You know what we need to do?” I announced. “We need to set a trap.”

“What do you mean?” Amanda asked.

“Someone intercepted me in the woods earlier, tried to scare me.”